GeneWeb manual

Error creating thumbnail: File missing Language:	English • Deutsch • français

Error creating thumbnail: File missing

Starting

• Download
• Install the GeneWeb program:
  • On GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD.
  • In CGI mode behind a web server, specifically on a Raspberry Pi.
  • With HTTPS access.
  • Using Docker.
• Configure:
  • Start GeneWeb daemon launch parameters.
  • Database editing base_name.gwf file.

Use (wizard)

• Data entry and update for:
  • Individuals and Families,
  • Finding and merging duplicate records.
  • Entering dates.
  • Using declensions; alternate name spellings (in GeneWeb 6).
• Wikitext syntax.
• Writing Macros.
• Using keyboard shortcuts.
• Change the appearance of a base using templates.
• Functional extensions through Plugins.

Use (friend or visitor)

Friends and visitors can only search and read the content of the base. Friends, being authenticated, may have privileges over simple visitors. See password for details.

Entry and navigation into the base is achieved through the following mechanisms:

• the welcome page offering a main search capability and access to tools such as notes, forum, history, dictionaries, ...
• the advanced search page
• the search pop-up triggered by the magnifying glass button in the top right corner
• the menu bar offering access to various pages such as trees, lists, tables, ...

Furthermore, on pages, many items are clickable and allow navigation into the base.

Search with the welcome page

The welcome page being the first entry point into the base, it is worth describing in more details the basic search mechanism it proposes. Beyond clickable buttons, whose function should be self explanatory, the welcome page offers five data entry lines.

• The first entry line can be used to enter a Sosa number, a public name or an alias or a full firstname surname (sufficient most of the time).
• Lines two and three are used for explicit firstname or surname search.
• The two other lines allow search by title or by domain.

In line one, it is possible to use an explicit mechanism to separate the firstneme part from the surname part when either one of them is composer or multiple words. Three mechanisms are available:

• the first blank space delimits firstname from the rest which is surname
• the character / may be used to split firstname from surname and from occurrence
• the presence of a .occ sequence at the end of the firstname may be also used to terminate the firstname sequence, and to restrict the search to that specific person

Note that when there are more than one person matching the search query, a selection list is proposed, and that when only one person is returned, the page for that person is opened.

When searching for firstnames with line two, the resulting list will be split into several groups corresponding to several options (aliases, multiple firstnames permutations, partial match, phonetic match)

These rules apply also to the search pop-up appearing when clicking on the magnifying glass at the top left corner (most templates).

When no match is found, GeneWeb tries a last effort by reducing the search entry, and the names in the base through a compression algorithm (crush) and comparing the results. The compression algorithm performs the following:

• suppress vowels
• soppress trailing s
• replace double consons by one conson
• replaces ph by f, k or q by c, z by s

Manage

• Import GEDCOM .ged or GeneWeb .gw databases with gwsetup or with terminal commands.
• Merge and split multiple databases.
• Clean, recover, rename (or move), save, and archive a database.

Technical Annex

• Understand the gwd server.
• Understand homonyms (how duplicate names are handled).
• Configure appearance with:
  • Cascaded style sheets .css files).
  • Header and trailer files; the lexicon files (how languages and handled in GeneWeb).
  • Editable template files
• Configure operations (program actions), with:
  • The tool gwf.
  • Specific parameters (for templm) .
  • Passwords for Friends/Wizards and handling access permissions for databases.

• Syntax to add images to Notes fields.
• Understand the Geneweb human-readable, archival format of .gw files .
• How to compute Consanguinity (genetic relationships between people).
• Further remarks for experts.