GedStar Pro PC Conversion User Guide
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Introduction
This is the User Guide for the GedStar Pro conversion program that runs on your PC. After
installation, it is accessed from your Windows Start menu by selecting Start -> Programs ->
GedStar Pro -> GedStar Pro.
The purpose of this program is to extract selected data from your PC-based genealogy program’s
database and convert it into a form that can be “synced” or “Hotsynced” to your handheld device.
The output of the conversion process is a PalmOS database file that has a file extension, or type,
of “.pdb”. In addition to being queued for syncing, this file is also stored in the GedStar Pro
installation directory – usually “C:\Program Files\GedStar Pro”. If the Hotsync fails to work
for some reason, you can use the Install Tool that was provided with your handheld’s PC software
package to find this file and schedule it for syncing.
Most of this manual is a visual guide to the screens that you will see, explaining the various
controls and options.
GedStar Database Configuration Files
The GedStar Pro converter works by storing your conversion options in a database
configuration file so that you can configure multiple PC genealogy databases with different
options and be able to reload those options quickly and easily.
The configuration files have a file extension type of “.gdw”. After the first time you run the
converter, it will become associated with this file type so that double-clicking on a “.gdw” file in
Windows Explorer will automatically launch the conversion program.
It is up to you to manage the location and contents of these configuration files. By default, they
are stored in the directory where your selected genealogy database is located, but you have the
option, as with any Windows program, to store them anywhere on your system. You could even
store them on your Desktop so that you can re-launch the converter by double-clicking a desktop
icon.
Exporting a GEDCOM File
If you are using a genealogy program that is not supported for direct import by GedStar Pro, then
you will have to export your data as a “GEDCOM file,” which will be a file with a file extension
type of “.ged”. The method for doing this varies from program to program, but it is usually on the
program’s File menu, and often under a submenu named Export.
When you do the export operation, which you must do every time your data changes and you
want the new data to be loaded onto your handheld, there is usually a dialog box with some
options for how to do the export operation. Again, this is very specific to the particular program
that you are using, but look for the following options and set them as shown:
If available, set GEDCOM 5.5 as the formatting standard for the output file.
Select ANSEL or ANSI for the encoding option. This is important for a correct
conversion!
If available, select Abbreviated tags.
Remember the directory to which you export your GEDCOM file, as you will need to be able to
find it during the conversion process.
