By Anonymous (not verified) on

I have had a flick through the forums about the possible ways to use Drupal to build a genealogical site.

Currently I use PhpGedView but admit that I have had that project shelved for 18 months due to the learning curve.

I see that some have used PhpGedView here, some TNG, others custom developments of Drupal only; and I also see there is a current project under development for Gedmod.

What I would like feedback on is:

  1. how did those here implement their genealogical site?
  2. why did they choose what they did?
  3. are they still really happy with their sites today?
  4. what would they like to do that they can't with their chosen set-up?
  5. what are the benefits or pitfalls of integrating a third party programme with Drupal?

And anything else that you think is important to consider, that a newbie to genealogy would not know!

Thanks in advance

:)

⋅ Categories: Drupal 6.x

Comments

Anonymous’s picture

Anonymous (not verified) commented

I thought that perhaps being the weekend I could bump this up to the top of the queue in the hope that other family historians may see it and reply :)

Anonymous’s picture

Anonymous (not verified) commented

Just created this discussion on the Genealogy group page http://groups.drupal.org/node/25135 to cover bases for discussion and feedback.

Only wish I was a programmer and could contribute in some way - sigh!

Anonymous’s picture

Anonymous (not verified) commented

I have just been researching the GEDCOM 'standard' and thought it is a relevant part of the discussion that a new release hasn't come out in 13 years since 5.5.

It would appear that the LDS who originated the GEDCOM felt that an XML 6 version diverted from its primary focus, and they now have their new initiative Family Search and are more than likely not to continue active development of the GEDCOM 'standard'. This is the draft document http://www.familysearch.org/GEDCOM/GedXML60.pdf

The other interesting note is that there is no 'standard' as different programmes that import/export these types of files choose how to handle the fields differently.

And interesting thread related to all this is here http://groups.google.com/group/open-ancestry/browse_thread/thread/96d9b8...

So I am oscillating between using PGV, TNG or doing it the DRUPAL way, considering also that PGV, TNG integration may not be up-to-date either.

Are there Drupalistas out there that would care to share the urls of their family history sites on any software? Pro's? Con's?

[Cross-posting to Genealogy group]

Anonymous’s picture

Anonymous (not verified) commented

This is from the Wikipedia page on GEDCOMS and alternatives, to add to the discussion of whether a Drupal-based module/feature could be developed around something other than the GEDCOM 'standard'.

* Event-Oriented GEDCOM specification - Draft Release 1.0 (12 September 1994) (Microsoft Word in a ZIP file)
* GEDC - An XML-Based Standard for Genealogy - originated as an outgrowth of the GEDCOM 6.0 Beta specification and Gentech's Genealogical Data Model (GDM).
* FamilyML based on XML and allows the exchange of genealogical data. Also based on GedML and GEDCOM, but in a more human-readable format.
* GDMUML - Genealogical Data Models in the Unified Modeling Language
* GedML: Genealogical Data in XML - combines the GEDCOM data model with the XML standard.
* Gendatam - genealogical data model
* The GENTECH Genealogical Data Model
o gdmxml, a RELAX NG Schema to validate XML documents with genealogical information according to the GENTECH Genealogical Data Model.
* GeniML - Genealogical Information Markup Language (pronounced 'jeenie em el') is a data model and XML vocabulary for recording and exchanging genealogical data.
* GenXML is a file format for exchange of data between genealogy programs.
* GRAMPS XML
* GREnDL - Genealogical Record Exchange and Description Language - XML specification[52]
* GEDCOM 5.5 XML - "attempts to be a 100 percent one-to-one translation of GEDCOM 5.5 into XML; it even includes the superfluous (and empty) element." - By Chad Albers - neomantic.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEDCOM#Alternatives_to_GEDCOM

I'm just putting these ideas out there guys as am not a programmer. Just hoping that having the information in one place will stimulate discussion and perhaps someone will benefit from it/develop something we all want to use, that is a bit more future-proof if that is possible.

dbeall’s picture

dbeall commented

I tried a few of the ones out there and PHPGedView seems to be the best to me.
It's not Drupal, but it works neat. I don't really have the answer to this thread, just a comment. My family site is not a Drupal site yet, or I would post the URL. Since I am not a php person, don't know yet how I will do it. Right now it's bolted on to an html site along with Gallery2 and B2evo.. So I have a lot to do when migrating to Drupal.

Anonymous’s picture

Anonymous (not verified) commented

I decided to give figuring out PGV a second chance, due to nothing happening around here, sadly. I realised part of my learning curve back when I tried last was due to the data integrity (it had a few glitches) and part was how the programme 'works'. Still not 100% au fait with it, nor keen on some parts.

I so wanted the flexibility of the features and modules of Drupal - sigh.

I say, go B2Evo though - great piece of software. Haven't found anything like it and the community is really helpful, and approachable.

pkej’s picture

pkej commented

This autumn I was supposed to work on a genealogical site, but elections, a lot of time off from work on my part (vaccations, paternity leave) have all made it hanging out there.

I wanted to address how to choose how to do this. I've tested the different modules, they weren't all for 6.x last time I checked, and the one which was, wasn't that mature. I looked into the gedcom standard, as you have done, and decided that the thing going on is events. From that I can guess at a suitable framework in CCK/Views:

Content Types:

Person
Event
Event Type

Each person has personal data and a list of events connected to the person. Each event can be connected to one or more persons. A u nary connection is an event just concerning one person only; a date of death, for example. A binary connection might be a marriage and a trinary might be a birth (needs father, mother and child). An event has a date. An event ranging over time will have two events which signifies the start and end of the event. An event has a label and information carrier (text field), an probably a way to connect it to media (photos of the marriage etc.).

Event Type is there to designate different events in order to sic views on this later on.

In views we now need to create views which lists events for a person. Then we can copy that one and refine it to list only particular events by event type, birth, marriage, childbirth etc. for a summary, and for keeping track of information.

It is probably possible to create a view listing all siblings, all descendants and ascendants of a person etc., but I haven't analyzed how to make such a view, and I might believe an ancillary system helping out with this part might be needed, some kind of hierarchical module. Mostly I believe that due to processing concerns.

If you are interested in discussing this more thoroughly, pm me and we'll take it into mail or something more direct.

Paul K Egell-Johnsen

pkej’s picture

pkej commented

I think that I posted info about this somewhere else, but my proposed model above would treat any kind of marriage, union, live-in-arrangement etc as allowed and would thus lean towards what wikipedia calls evidence based model, yet I can't see anything (except time and money for programming) in my model that wouldn't allow import of gedcom data.

Paul K Egell-Johnsen

dbeall’s picture

dbeall commented

checking my tracker,,
If any one wants to see my stuff as it is now, http://www.beallgroup.net ;Hit the menu for family tree.
To look at one person that is mostly complete, my Father;
http://www.beallgroup.net/gedview/individual.php?pid=I18&ged=beall.ged
My B2evo is shut down right now due to troubleshooting a Drupal site on the same account.
The gallery2 is not bridged to PHPGedView, although it does have that capability.

I have been talking about this with a few people..
I would love to use Drupal functions for my rebuild this winter.
But::: I am not a php person, so that would be very difficult. On top of that, it would require sql query skills too.

I also think it's important to be able to import GEDCOM files.

Thinking about this more. I am probably going to lean towards GenMod and see whats going on with the http://drupal.org/project/genmod for Drupal to bridge.
I believe the same developer that wrote PHPGedView wrote Genmod.

here is a forum page at GenMod that has some things about Drupal, http://www.genmod.net/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=2&func=search&q...

Anonymous’s picture

Anonymous (not verified) commented

@dbeall

As I understand it the PGV-Drupal integration module was removed due to it having security holes that prejudiced the integrity of PGV.

IF someone was willing to look into that again and work with the PGV devs I think that may provide both of us with a working solution for now.

From memory Michelle was looking after it from the Drupal end, and Fisharebest from the PGV end?

@pkej

I would be keen to brainstorm with you but other than using the programme am not really a coder. From what I have seen of PGV the whole relationship of data is really very complex - I am not saying that it is impossible to re-build the Drupal way but there is more to it than meets the eye.

I do think I could comprehend mapping the events/relationships to paper though which may be a start.

I have no idea how you would replicate the reports and graphical charts that PGV offers though.

I admit that I am double-minded about where to place my focus, as PGV is now working for me and I have found the community there supportive, but I miss the modularity of Drupal; and the ability to manipulate data back-end (which I haven't found that PGV likes too much).

dbeall’s picture

dbeall commented

http://drupal.org/node/450268/release
I have a copy for safe keeping.. maybe the release will be back when things are fixed.?

yeah, I agree, Drupal will do it. I haven't the time to figure it all out. over 2000 modules and there is chart stuff too.. It's only complex for people like me, small brain and too many websites to take care of.. lol
well, plus, I have 5 boxes of old(really old) photos to scan yet.
That's why I like the install it and load it stuff.