Home > Technical Support > Exporting a File to GEDCOM

1. From the File menu, select Export.

   Family Tree Detective displays the New Family File dialog box.

   
   Figure 1: The New Family File dialog box

2. In the File name field, you need to type in a name for your GEDCOM file. It's best if the name you choose is eight letters or less and has the extension .GED. For example, you could type myfamily.ged or smith.ged.

3. Click the Save in drop-down list and select the drive where you want to save the GEDCOM file.

   If you want to save the GEDCOM file in a folder on the specified drive, double-click that folder so that it appears in the Save in field. For example, suppose you want to save the file to floppy disk: Place the diskette in the drive, choose 3½ floppy (A:) from the drop-down list (where A: is the letter assigned to your floppy drive), then click OK.

4. Click Save.

   Family Tree Detective displays the Export to GEDCOM dialog box.

   
   Figure 2: The Export to GEDCOM dialog box

5. Make your selections in the dialog box. Each of the options is described below.

   Note: If you are uncertain which settings to use, please use the default settings provided.

   Destination: This field allows Family Tree Detective to check the requirements of the program that will read the GEDCOM file. Use the table below to make the selection. The FTW file type offer the most complete export; select it if you plan to later reimport the file into Family Tree Detective or Family Tree Maker for Windows. If the program you are exporting to is not listed, select PAF.

   Select this . . .	To create this type of file . . .
   ANSTFILE	Ancestral file of LDS Church
   NPS	Temple submission to LDS Church
   PAF	Personal Ancestral File, version 2.1 to version 2.3x files.
   ROOTS	Roots II, III, IV, V, or Visual Roots
   FTM	Family Tree Maker for DOS
   FTW	Family Tree Maker for Windows/Macintosh

   GEDCOM: Select Version 5.5 whenever possible. If you are exporting to PAF version 2.31 or earlier, select Version 4.

   Character Set: Unless you are familiar with these options, use the default setting of ANSI.

   Indent Records: You can select this check box to make files more readable in a word processor. However, some programs cannot read indented records, so it is best NOT to select this check box.

   Abbreviate Tags: Most programs use abbreviated tags instead of long tags, so it is best to select this check box. (Tags are labels for the fields of information in the GEDCOM file. For example, the tag for occupation is "OCCU".)

6. If you are satisfied with all the settings in this dialog box, click OK.

   Family Tree Detective creates the GEDCOM file and saves it in the drive and directory that you specified in step 4.