webGED: Progenitor

The Builder-User Perspective

webGED:Progenitor is a program written to run under Microsoft's WIN95 operating systems. It takes a "Builder-User's" GEDCOM file and "generates" a corresponding set of WWW pages that can be installed on an Interternet Service Provider (ISP) facility to permit potential "Viewer-Users" all over the world to access this information via the Internet.

The following web-site pages and files are constructed by webGED:Progenitor, using input provided by the Builder-User -

• an initial Entry Page, which provides some operational hints to the Viewer-Users and warns them about possible browser incompatibilities.
• The main Genealogy Page, which provides Viewer-Users access to the complete file of ancestry information taken from the GEDCOM either through a "client-side searchable" index of full names or through a static list of surnames (intended primarily for viewers whose browsers are not Java enabled).
• An optional Additional Family Information Page, which can provide supplemental text information on the family, etc.
• A Help Page, which is intended to assist Viewer-Users.
• This Builder-User Perspective Page.
• A Name Index file containing the names of all of the individuals in the ancestry files, along with linkage information. This information is used to build various search lists ("full-name", "surname", "soundex") that can be displayed in a frame on the Genealogy Page.
• The ancestry information itself is broken up into several Ancestry Page files, which can then be loaded into a frame on the Genealogy page. The number of such pages generated is determined by the program, depending on the number of individuals in the file, so as to balance the amount of information available for browsing at any one time, the frame load time of the individual file, and the need for frequent re-loads.
• A "GENDEX.txt" file, which will support the Builder-User in registering the generated site with Gendex or similar genealogy search services.
• Several miscelaneous support files (e.g. Frame Definition Page, gifs, etc.)

webGED:Progenitor uses the following information about each individual from the Builder-User's GEDCOM in constructing the corresponding entry in its output ancestry pages -

• Individual's Full-Name
• Individual's Place and Date of Birth
• Individual's Place and Date of Death
• (optional) Notes associated with that individual
• (optional) Notes associated with each marriage
• Mother's Full-Name and Life-Span Dates
• Father's Full-Name and Life-Span Dates
• each Spouse's Full-Name and Life-Span Dates
• each Child's Full-Name and Life-Span Dates

webGED:Progenitor will calculate estimated birth dates for individuals whose entries in the GEDCOM input lack such information. Rough estimating rules will be used and all such estimated dates will be identified by a "*" character (e.g. "*1935") in the generated ancestry pages. In addition, all qualified dates in the GEDCOM (e.g. "about 1947" or "after 1880" ) will be denoted by preceding the year by an appropriate symbol in the Life-Span dates (e.g. ~1947, >1800).

At the Builder-User's option, webGED:Progenitor will optionally provide special treatment for information on individuals born after a Builder-User chosen threshold date. Depending on the option chosen, all such information can be surpressed or cross references to that individual from other entries will be included - but without any date information.

The Builder-User will have the option to include Notes from the GEDCOM for all individuals and/or all marriages.

The Builder-User will have several other inputs to control the content and appearance of the generated pages -

• A Short Title to be placed on the Genealogy page.
• An optional E-Mail Address where a Viewer-User can reach him.
• Text for the optional Additional Family Information Page.