GedHTree is a utility program that creates a group of HTML files from a Gedcom file. If your genealogy software already creates HTML files to your liking, you may not need a utility like this. But depending on your needs, your own program's HTML abilities might not be good enough.
In case you aren't familiar with HTML, these are the files that are used to create online websites. If you want to have your family tree online so that other people can browse it or use the information, you need files in HTML code.
I personally was looking for a program that would create easy to navigate pedigree style charts (the ones that show people linked together graphically, in a spreading tree format). My genealogy program only creates family group pages that link together via each individuals name. So, I tried GedHTree. I chose it because it will make the nicest set of linked pedigree charts.
After trying the free version, I have purchased the software and so am describing the fully registered product. You can visit my family tree site (created with my daughter Terri), to see what the GedHTree output looks like. The link in the center leads to the first pedigree page.
The program is fairly easy to run and it does come with a good set of instructions and help information. The main screen is a little clumsy to work with, filled with fields and buttons that lead off to other pages. There are a number of options you can play with, like the colour or image of your page backgrounds, the style of your pedigree charts, and having a banner on the main page.
I was disappointed to see that the banner, header and footer options only displayed on the main index page. I was able to add a top and bottom banner to all my site pages using a separate search/replace program.
There were some other neat features that I chose not to use with my site, such as maps and historical timelines. These would make very interesting additions to your final website. The timeline feature will display a block of historical events that relate to the time frame shown on that particular pedigree chart.
The program itself was pretty straight forward, and the created pages were what I wanted. Each pedigree page shows 4 generations in a tree format, with arrows leading backwards to the next earlier generation. The family group sheets were a little busy with too many divider lines, in my opinion. I have realized since creating my page that a different format of family group sheet could have been used, though
My one true dislike was the display format of the sources. I am trying to document as much of my tree as possible, so decent source notes are important. But when a source link is clicked on, you are presented with the details (in my case, usually a record and/or page number) but not the actual name of the source. You need to click a second source link to see the source itself. I really didn't like how the info was split up. It could possibly be a result of how my software program stores its source data, and may not be an issue for everyone.
Though it may not have been perfect, I'm pleased with my choice of GedHTree and would recommend it to anyone wanting to create a website with their Gedcom files.
You can see more about GedHTree on their website. You can try their free version to test it out before buying.
Darlene Vaillancourt - I have been studying and researching my own family tree for many years and have thousands of ancestors in my tree, going back dozens of ...
