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GEDCOM is a standard for genealogical data exchange. It is supported by all PC genealogy programs.

 

"BMDB" refers to the basic events for a person in genealogy: Born, Married, Died, Buried.

 

There are no future enhancements or updates planned for GedStar or GedStar-Plus. They have been replaced by GedStar Pro, which has all of their features and much more.

 

 

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GedStar Basic V5.2

GedStar on M505GedStar Basic is the original genealogy product for PalmOS handhelds that was developed by GHCS Software many years ago. It has since been superceded in capability by GedStar Pro, but we continue to sell and support it for those people with older devices; those with limited memory on their devices; and for those who only require the simple level of data that is supported by this early GedStar product (originally known as GedPalm).

Like our other GedStarproducts, this is a viewing program only and has no facilities for data entry or syncing data back to the PC.

Version 5.2 of GedStar is the final release of this product, which still maintains an excellent reputation in the handheld genealogy market.

Note: GedStar is not supported on Windows Vista, and no Vista-related updates are planned.

What It Does

GedStar works only with data in a file that is in GEDCOM format. This genealogy exchange format is supported by all known PC-based genealogy programs. This means that no matter what program you use on your PC for doing your genealogy, it will work with GedStar. The following are some of the program's important features:

  • Converts basic "BMDB" events, LDS Ordinance events, and a few other common facts.
  • Shows everyone in the database in a master list with lookup capability.
  • Displays a "Family View" and "Personal Details" screens.
  • Powerful search capabilities, including search by Soundex code.
  • Built-in Soundex calculator and "On This Day" utility.
  • A relationship calculator.
  • Displays source citations and related text.
  • Can export an individual's data to a regular PalmOS Memo Pad record for note taking and editing.

How It Works

GedStar Basic has two components that are used together to convert the data from your genealogy program and display it on your handheld:

  • On your Windows PC, the GedStar conversion program is available from your Start Menu. After exporting a GEDCOM file from your genealogy program, you run the conversion program, locate the file and select options. Then, the Convert button reads the data and creates a PalmOS database file that is queued up for installation on your handheld the next time you Hotsync it.
  • On your handheld device, the GedStar application is available from the standard launcher screen. When tapped, the application opens with your new or updated data displayed. You can also have multiple installed databases, and easily switch from one to the other with a couple of taps.

Next Steps

We recommend that you look at the Product Details and the Screen Shot pages. These will give you a better idea of what you need in order to use GedStar and what it can do for you. We also recomment looking at GedStar Pro and the Product Comparison page to make sure that the basic product is really what you want to use. If so, proceed to the Product Download page so you can install the latest version for a free trial period. If you are ready to purchase a full product registration, there are several payment options available from our Store pages.