Frequently Asked Questions

A file ending with ".gedstar" is the output file from your conversion and is the file that must be transferred to your Android device. It is created in your "My Documents\GedStar Pro" folder and may also be copied to your Dropbox folder.

A file ending with ".gdw" is a settings file for the conversion program. This is where your conversion options are saved so you don't have to enter them each time. These files can be stored anywhere on your system and you can have multiple gdw files if you have multiple genealogy data files.

The .gdw files are managed through the File menu on the toolbar (Open, Save, Save As). By default, the last one that you used is the one opened when the program starts.

The conversion option for photos might not be selected. Click on the Photos tab and select your conversion options there.

In some cases, it is difficult for GedStar to find the directory that Legacy is using as a default for photos. Run your Legacy Family Tree program and click on Options -> Customize, then select the Locations tab. Write down the directory name in the Picture Files box. It is probably something like "C:\Legacy\Pictures\".

Next, click on the View Current List of Multimedia Locations button and look at the list of directories that pops up. If you do not see the directory that you wrote down, click the Add button and browse until you get to that directory, click OK, then OK again in the Multimedia Locations dialog, then close the Customize dialog.

In most cases, this will take care of the issue. If not, then you may have to wait for an update that we are working on that will enhance GedStar's file search operations.

Yes. GedStar Pro supports photo conversion from GEDCOM files, but only when they are specified as links to photos (JPEGs, etc.) in individual files somewhere on your PC. Plus, not all genealogy programs export GEDCOM files that have photo links in them. Check your program's documentation or other resources to see if this feature is supported.

From what we can tell, the latest versions of Family Tree Maker store all photos internally in the genealogy database and do not produce GEDCOM fies with photo link specifications. So it is not possible as far as we know to get photos from FTM into GedStar Pro if they are stored that way. However, it has been verified that Family Tree Maker 2012 does support external photos, and a GEDCOM exported from FTM 2012 will convert correctly with photos.

Yes. When the data is extracted from a TMG database using the GenBridge module, any internal photos (or exhibits, in TMG terminology) are extracted to a temporary file that GedStar Pro can convert and import as if it were an external photo.

Yes. GedStar Pro works as always with this latest update.

This is caused by incorrect generation of the GEDCOM file and is usually the fault of your genealogy program not exportling some of your data correctly. Starting with V4.3.2 of GedStar Pro, there is a checkbox on the Options tab that lets the program ignore these lines. Your data will probably convert successfully with only a minor loss of text somewhere.

Any Android device running Android 2.1 or later (including the recent Honeycomb (3.x) and Ice Cream Sandwich (4.x)) will work, provided that they have been certified so that they have access to the official Google Android Market.

No. Due to special file protection restrictions, it does not appear to work on a standard Nook. There are some 3rd-party solutions to get around these restrictions, but we cannot officially endorse any of these methods.

Yes, it will work if properly installed, but this must be done by an installer app such as Easy Installer, which can be found on Amazon's Android Market. Dropbox can also be used to download and install the APK file in one easy step. GedStar Pro can only be made available for direct download at this time from the Google Android Market.

The file that you need to install is readily available for download from the download page on this web site. See the section labeled Android Application. You can transfer this file to your Kindle by a USB connection or by using Dropbox (see the next question).

Yes! We are highly recommending that you install the (free) Dropbox software on your PC and Android device. This lets you transfer your database file to the cloud and retrieve it wirelessly on your device. The GedStar Pro app will take it from there.

We have made this even easier with the latest version of the GedStar Pro Windows program, which can now copy your converted database directly to the Dropbox folder on your PC for a very seamless synchronization process. See the documentation page for more information.

Especially if you are running V2.0 of the Dropbox app, you might see a message like "Your device does not have an app to view this file type." We are working to correct this, but in the meantime, read our documentation page for using Dropbox to see a couple of alternative methods for getting your file downloaded to GedStar Pro.

The database file must be copied to the \GedStarPro directory on your device's "external SD storage". On older smartphones, this was always a removable micro-SD card, so there was no confusion. However, many newer phones and tablets actually have multiple SD storage locations, usually consisting of an internal SD memory as well as a removable card (and even the removable cards are disappearing on newer designs).

If you have one of these devices -- and the Samsung Galaxy series is among them -- it is the internal SD storage where the database file must go, and not the removable storage. This is one reason why we recommend the Dropbox method for transferring the file; it will automatically end up in the correct place!

If you think that your file is really in the correct location, then press your Menu key or icon, tap More, then tap Select Data File. This brings up a list of all the files that GedStar can see and allows you to select one for viewing.

Sorry, but no. There are too many reasons to list here, but it is something that we simply are not able to offer.