Genealogy Chat

The thing to remember that PAF is a program, just like any other family tree prorgram it is what allows you to display, view, sort, and print the contents of your tree. PAF itself is not a file, nor is it your actual tree.

The ged file that you have created, on the other hand is a data file which does contain the details of your tree. However, on its own it is pretty useless without a tree program to make sense of it.

Think of it in the same way as your word processor and your document files. PAF, FTM, is the equivalent of your word processor, for example Word for Windows. Your .ged files are the equivalent of your .doc files, your actual documents, letters and so on.

The version of your tree program must be compatible with your operating system. i.e. XP, Windows 7 etc. If you have recently upgraded your OS then you might need to upgrade your tree program, otherwise it should all be fine.

The normal procedure, for importing tree data, which applies to any tree program is:-

Install tree program, i.e. PAF, FTM etc.
Create / download your ged file and save it to your PC hard disk
Open your tree program and Import the required ged file

This is what Moonbeam has described.

If you have already done this previously, then the .ged file extension should already be associated with your tree program. In this case, double clicking on the .ged file should automatically open your tree program.

However, the problem you have described would indicate that you have, for some reason, managed to associate .ged files with adobe reader. This is why you are getting an error from adobe as it can't deal open .ged files.

Go through the steps described - i.e save first, then import the file into PAF. This should do the trick. If not then come back and let us know what is happening.

When that message pops up you have to choose Save File. It will save as a GED file. You then go to your PAF file, click on File then IMPORT. It should take you to a list of your files and you choose the GED file you have just downloaded and saved. This will then open in the PAF file.

I just went to Family Search and looked at one record for a family member and saw where you could download it as a GED file. So I did this (had to make sure I remembered the name of the file so I could find it again). I then went to my PAF file and IMPORTED it and it worked. I then went and looked at another record and imported that into the same PAF file and it worked too. So you don't necessarily have to import it into a new PAF file as I have just found out.

I'm also using Windows 7.

thank you for your reply.

what i am having trouble with is i after doing a search i have found someone on Family Search who has my family in the search results. there is a button that says print, or download this gedcom. when i go to the download gedcom i get nothing in my personal ancestry file i have (a new one to receive it). when i hit the download gedcom button, a message pops up this is a .ged file what do i want firefox to do? open with Browse, or save file? i choose open with PAF. then an adobe reader page pops up that it can't open as it is a ged file.
what i used to be able to do, was to download the gedcom easily into my PAF files. if it didn't download, a message would pop up from family search asking if it had, and did i have any problems? it usually did download without any problems at all. i am stumped. :-( i could email this person, for him to send me the gedcom but i doubt i could download it still into my PAF

I'm no computer expert but I have used personal Ancestral File. If you want to open a new Family Tree in PAF you first of all have to save the tree as a GED file to your computer. Then once you have opened PAF click on NEW and give the file a name and save it. Then click on File and IMPORT and you should be able to load in the new tree.

Having said the above I don't really know what you mean when you say you have found information on Family Search re your family. It would need to be a Family Tree to be able to be saved as a GED file but I'm not aware that they have trees on there - at least I have never seen any.

wonder if anyone can help me please? i have Windows 7 and use Mozilla. i lost one of my very large family trees which i had on Personal Ancestral File. to help shortcut inputting everything that i lost, i have found information on Family Search re this family. my problem is that i open up a new PAF, go to download the Gedcom that i want from Family Search it goes through the virus check and the download page pops up empty. a few years ago it did use to input all the gedcom into the PAF. now with this Windows 7 i am wondering if this is the problem? i also have the latest PAF version.
thank you if anyone can advise where i am going wrong. i have spent quite a bit of time trying to sort it out.