OFB - Utility Programs

Utility Programs

The programs listed below I'm using for working with Gedcom and other text files. It should be a short overview and an orientation guide for you.

Text editor "Notepad++"
File comparison by "DiffMerge"
File comparison by "WinMerge"

Screenshots by "Snipping Tool"
PDF Reader "Foxit Reader"
Printer driver "FinePrint"

Text editor "Notepad++"

"Notepad++" is an Open-Source-Editor for various languages. The editor is free of charge with a high functionality and supports a variety of "Program Languages" by a colored "Syntax" representation.

To allow a clear and simple representation of the Gedcom files, I've created a Gedcom syntax definition where the tags and parts of the attribute text are displayed in different colors. See adjacent figures with and without syntax coloring. The colors used are:

orange = Standard Gedcom tag name
light green = User defined Gedcom tag name
violet = Nbr. / Pointer to FAM record
dark green = Nbr. / Pointer to INDI, NOTE, SOUR and other records
light blue = Standard texts of the Gedcom specification (month, TYPE values, ...)
red on yellow = INDI FAM text
black = Level number at start of line, unknown tags, all attribute texts

On request you'll find

the program at the Homepage of Notepad++ .
the syntax definition as zip-file at gedcom.zip for download. After download unpack the included xml-file to any folder. Then start "Notepad++", at the menu "Language" select the "Define your language", then select "Import ..." and then navigate to the unpacked "gedcom.xml" file for loading. After restarting Notepad++ the colored representation for *.ged and *.GED files should work.

File comparison by "DiffMerge"

"DiffMerge" is an application to visually compare and merge files and folders on Windows, OS X, and Linux. It can be used free of charge, but the program asks users to register the product for a small fee and it is distributed by "SourceGear, LLC", USA. The program offers 3 main functionalities:

Diff Graphically shows the changes between two files. Includes intra-line highlighting and full support for editing. This is a two-way view showing the differences between two files or two versions of the same file. You can use this window to see the changes side-by-side. And you can edit the file on the right, either interactively as you would with a normal editor or by applying patches/changes from the version on the left.
According to my experience the calculation of differences of 2 files are better than by WinMerge.
Merge Graphically shows the changes between 3 files. Allows automatic merging (when safe to do so) and full control over editing the resulting file. This is a three-way window that shows the differences between three files; typically this is a common ancestor (in the middle) and two branches that have independently evolved (on the left and right). You can use this window to see the changes side-by-side-by-side. You can edit the center file and merge in changes from both branches, creating a common/unified version.
Folder Diff Performs a side-by-side comparison of 2 folders, showing which files are only present in one file or the other, as well as file pairs which are identical or different. This enables you to compare two folders and quickly see all of the differences between them. It shows you which files and folders are present in both or only present in one. It also shows you which files are different and optionally which are equivalent or identical.

By this very fast modifications by the Gedcom Conversion program resp. Reduction program may be checked by a comparison of the original file and the converted file. If you would like to compare 2 other Gedcom files, I recommend to resort them by the Gedcom Sorting program to get an adjusted sequence.

On request you'll find the program and further details at the Homepage of SourceGear DiffMerge . If the program is installed, the Conversion program, Reduction program and several GSP Specials have a button at the upper right resp. the lower area of the main screen by which the file comparison can be started directly.

File comparison by "WinMerge"

"WinMerge" is an Open-Source program for various languages. The program is free of charge with a high functionality.

It displays the differences of 2 files at side-by-side screens colored line-by-line and allows a moving/copying of lines between the screens or a modification of text phrases within a screen.

Furthermore also 2 directories may be compared and the files moved or copied.

On request you'll find the program and further details at the Homepage of WinMerge . If the program is installed, the Conversion program, Reduction program and several GSP Specials have a button at the upper right resp. the lower area of the main screen by which the file comparison can be started directly.

Screenshots by "Snipping Tool"

Snipping Tool is part of the Microsoft Windows operating system and allows to capture screenshots.
You can capture just a part of the screen or the whole screen, add notes, store the captured part or directly e-mail it.
You'll find it by clicking on "Start" > typing "snipp" > clicking on the "Snipping Tool icon".

A detailled description can be found in the Microsoft article number 13776 Use Snipping Tool to capture screenshots .

PDF-Reader "Foxit Reader"

"Foxit Reader" is a program for viewing and printing of pdf-dokuments. It is free of charge, requires only few memory, is very fast and has a high functionality.

On request you'll find the program and further details by the Homepage of Foxit Software . After installation you can switch to different languages.

Printer driver "FinePrint"

"FinePrint" is a program to prepare and improve printer output. Among others, header and footer lines can be defined, and e.g. date and page numbers inserted. As Windows print driver it catches the print orders, reduced and completes those by various options and finally sends them to a printer. As Shareware it is not free of charge, but can be tested as long as needed. But the none-licensed version shows a watermark text on every page.

On request you'll find the program and further details by the Homepage of FinePrint .