101 BASIC SOURCES

To download now click here for sources.ged; If you are not familier with sources or downloads, then continue to read on.

To lend any kind of creditability to your genealogical data, you need to add sources to your individuals, dates, places, and events.

101 Basic Sources is a gedcom file with over 101 such sources to add to your computer database. Some are very specific, such as a book. Others are included as guides or ideas to help you find your own sources. Some have comments included to aid in entering full and correct documentaion.

ALL SOURCES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. Be as specific as you can with details on date, time, location, your personal information, type of record, and people you interview.

This file also contains repositories. These are locations where some of your major data might be located. You might want to add your own files at home and other local libraries.

This Gedcom file does NOT contain any people or individuals.

It has been tried and works with (Personal Ancestral File) PAF 4.04, Family Origins, and Family Tree Maker. It should work with any database that can handle Gedcom files. Such databases usually have Source Managers which will allow you to add, edit or delete sources. These are not always capable of every function or may arrange the source data in different formats. If unsure about your database program then create a new database, import the sources, and view them.

There are books to help explain the documentation of sources. One that aided in expanding my list of sources was a Source Guide written by the Silicon Valley PAF Users Group. You can find them at http://www.SVpafUG.org

To download now click here for sources.ged;
If you are using a Netscape browser click here, download, then rename file sources.ged sources.zip;
To download and save a file

After you click on the link for Sources.ged; then,
1 Your browser may ask you to open (view) this file, or 'Save to disk'. Choose to save.

2 Select the drive and folder where you want to store the file. It is important to remember or write down where the file is stored. You may want to store it in a floppy A:\ or C:\My Documents which is the default location for PAF 4.0 files.

3 The file name should be "sources.ged" without the quotes.

Tip: If the file will be used in a system running on Windows 95 or higher, the name can contain as many characters as you want. However, if it will be used in a DOS system (such as Personal Ancestral File 3.0, Ancestral File, or TempleReady), it can have up to 8 characters only. In any event the extension of the filename must be "ged".

4 Click Save, OK, or Export.

5 Start your genealogy program, create a new database, import "sources.ged" from the location where you stored it, then view it through the source manager.

If you add one individual and add a source to him, you will also be able to see the list of sources, but you won't be able to delete them.
6 You can import sources.ged to any other database you have.

What is GEDCOM?

When you export information from your database, you create a GEDCOM file.

GEDCOM is the acronym for "GEnealogical Data COMmunications." This computer data format was created by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for storing genealogical information so that many computer programs can use the same data.

For example, Personal Ancestral File, Ancestral File, TempleReady, and many other genealogical computer programs can use or create GEDCOM files.

Gedcom's are text files and have some limitations. As of February 2001, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has approved an updated Gedcom standard called XML. Within two years you should see updates to your genealogy program that are able to handle this file format.

Importing information

An efficient way to add information to your database is to import a GEDCOM file that contains information you need.

You may be able to obtain a GEDCOM file from another family member, from Ancestral File, from the Pedigree Resource File, from genealogical databases, and the Internet.

To import GEDCOM files

Tip: To import the file into a new database, you must first create a new database, then import the file into it. Instructions for PAF, can be a general guide for other databases.

1 From the File menu, click Import.
2 Select the drive and folder where the file is located.
3 Select the file.
4 Click Import.
5 Choose from import options you want
6 To import the file, click OK.
7 If Personal Ancestral File finds any problems with the file, it opens Notepad to display an import log. You can print this report. 8 Click OK to close the box that tells you how many individuals were imported.
9 Personal Ancestral File asks if you want to view instructions on how to link the data you imported. Click Yes or No.
Tip: If you click Yes, the help system opens to a topic that is titled "Working with imported information."