In a previous Tip, we discussed downloading portions of someone else's GEDCOM. http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/tips/tip-06.html. This week's Tip describes how you can download your own GEDCOM.

Start on the page where you originally submitted your GEDCOM http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igmuser.cgi and type in the user code and password you created when you established your account. Select the Standard set-up page for the purpose of downloading your GEDCOM. (If you have forgotten your user code or password, you can have them e-mailed to you from Password Central. http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com/

Scroll to the bottom of the set-up page and click on the button that says "retrieve GEDCOM." This allows you, the database owner (and no one else), to download the entire GEDCOM without regard to any display limitations you have established to remove or clean information about the living individuals in your file.

Although many genealogy programs allow you to select fields to remove from your GEDCOM before you upload it to WorldConnect, or to privatize the information about the living, by leaving all of the data in the GEDCOM and allowing WorldConnect to filter it for you according to your specifications, all of the information is available to you should you later need to download your own GEDCOM to recover lost data.

WorldConnect is the ultimate backup system because it is housed away from your computer and away from your home. It is an excellent means of disaster recovery should you ever lose your genealogy file on your own computer.




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from 7/19/2000