Making a GEDCOM in FTM

Submitted by HOST GFS LindaE@aol.com
 

If you have FTM here is how to make a GEDCOM

Go to File and where it says copy and export family file (click on it) then you will get this little square box that says please supply a new name for your family file.....which you do and click the destination as desktop. Then you go to the bottom of that box where it says Save as Type and you want to click on the arrow next to it and choose GEDCOM (*.GED). Now give your GEDCOM a name that you will recognize as yours but different from your name of the FTM file you ususally work with. Once you have typed in that name in the File name area which is just above the Save As Type hit your save button. Now you will get a little box that says Export to GEDCOM --here is what you will do in this box. (As a rule I think most of us chosse the Destination as PAF with GEDCOM as 5.5 and the Character Set as ANSI) the box of abbreviate tags should be checked and now before you do anything else ......click on Fields to export---there it will have at least 5 areas in blue that will be automatically sent out, but your next job is to click on Fact 1 and at the bottom it will say export field so click on it and keep clicking on Fact 2 and export field until you have everything in the GEDCOM you want to export. Then as you decide what you want to export it may ask you to change the item or if the item listed is ok for what is listed and you keep doing ok's til you are at the bottom of your list then you will come back to the export to GEDCOM screen and you will do an ok and it should send your file (whatever Name)GEDCOM to the destination which you have set up and that is where you will find it you can send it to A:floppy disk if that is where you want it to go. HOPE this helps

Editor's Comment
While this is similar to the process I use (example, I do not chose desktop as my destination nor do I select PAF) I do want you to be aware that while in previous versions of FTM you could select the fields you wanted sent, as described above, this is no longer always an option. The entire information on each individual may be included in the GEDCOM. Therefore, if you are sending a GEDCOM that includes living individuals, and you want to protect that information, you must first privtitize that information. See the "Tip of the Month" on privitizing information sent in GEDCOMs.

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