Second Design 05
Other GEDCOM Database Files
If people submit genealogical information to us, they may be able to submit it in the form of GEDCOM files. All personal genealogy software supports data export to GEDCOM format.
Our TNG software can import any number of family trees (GEDCOM files), including attached images and documents if handled properly.
TNG’s advanced search capability can do searches covering a specific tree, or return results for all trees combined. Thus, rather than creating a huge “master database,” I believe it makes far more sense to maintain distinct trees as submitted. There are very strong reasons for not attempting to combine or merge information (but outside the scope of this document). TNG allows us to keep things intact as submitted, but do combined searches over all trees at once.
We now have the ability to accept member-submitted information. This is a huge business point in our favor. TNG software automatically redacts information on living persons.
Each user-submitted GEDCOM database will normally relate to a SINGLE person in Dwight’s History. Thus every tree as a whole can be classified with one (or a small list of) Dwight numbers, and with one (or a small list of) descendant line. Thanks to intermarriages, many Strong genealogies have ancestors from multiple descendant lines.
From a data design standpoint, then, we want to be able to record:
- A link to the collection (the GEDCOM file as displayed by TNG)
- A description
- Submitter information
- Repository information. This is different from the submitter information. The submitter sent the file and, for example, I received it. The repository information describes how and where I am keeping the file
- Dwight classification number or numbers
- Descendant line or lines