Gedcom 7 import addon

[DavidMStraub]

This is a draft of an import addon for Gedcom 7 files based on the standalone library. The implementation is not complete yet, but ready for testing & feedback.

Two problems regarding the plugin (i.e., independent of the library):

• When using ged as extension, the plugin is always overruled by the core Gedcom (6) plugin. That's why I had to change the extension to ged7, but that's an ugly hack. Is there a way around it?
• I added gramps_gedcom7 (with underscore) to requires_mod because that's the module that is required, but there are two problems with this:
  • The package is called gramps-gedcom7 (with hyphen) and there is currently no way to specify that in the gpr file
  • There is currently no way to specify a target version of a pip package.

To install the required package, use

python -m pip install --upgrade gramps-gedcom7

[Call-Me-Dave]

MIT license

Wrong license to be part of Gramps. But ok as third party addon!

EDIT: This is the addons-sources repository and I'm going to bed .... sorry for the noise!!

[emyoulation]

In a Discourse "Idea" and related feature request, Woody notes that GedTool (VBA software $35) uses a "mapping table" GEDCOM dialect lookup file to map which importer to use. This differentiates between 5.5.x and 7.x and originating software.

https://gramps.discourse.group/t/new-gedcom-import-module/7045

There are other formats that could also benefit from version recognition branching. The built-in vCard importer only recognizes v3.0 (and only a limited subset) but many Smartphones only export v2.1

[DavidMStraub]

The format version (e.g. "7.0") is required in the header in the Gedcom 7 specificiation so detecting it is trivial, the problem is just that this would require a change in Gramps core.

[GaryGriffin]

I guess I am stupid, but I cannot see how to test (on Mac). I copied the ImportGedcom7 folder to my gramps60/plugins folder. Copied your maximal70.ged (to maximal70.ged7). Then went to FamilyTrees --> Import but gramps does not seem to find the new import type (ged7).

I tried both with and without the standalone (gramps-gedcom7) library - expected error on import without it. No warnings/errors in the console, so I suspect it is not installed correctly.

[DavidMStraub]

Does GEDCOM 7 show up in the "Select file type" drop down in the file dialog? (Note: I was first confused because I had to scroll that dialog to see the last, new entry.)

[GaryGriffin]

No, it does not. Below is the snapshot - there is no scrolling needed to see the full list.

[DavidMStraub]

Was anyone else able to test this? Perhaps it's a Mac issue?

I noticed that this behaviour (Gedcom 7 not offered in the file dialog) happens when the library is not installed or not detected.

[GaryGriffin]

I was expecting an error if the library was not installed in the line:

from gramps_gedcom7 import import_gedcom, ImportSettings

but didnt get any. I tried with and without the library installed - no difference. I put the gramps_gedcom7 folder in the same plugins folder (since Mac uses a bundle)

[DavidMStraub]

I think the reason there is no error is that the module is listed as mod_required, and if that module is not importable, Gramps skips the initialization of the plugin, so it is silently absent.

[GaryGriffin]

D'ohhhh

I manually installed gramps_gedcom7 not using pip (given gramps on a Mac is a bundle, any additional packages need to be added to the bundle and not to the standard OS). So I did not load gedcom7 package.

Once I also loaded gedcom7 v0.4.0, things worked.

[DavidMStraub]

Did anyone have a chance to play around? How should I deal with the extension issue, should be advise users to rename their files?

[Call-Me-Dave]

How should I deal with the extension issue, should be advise users to rename their files?

Maybe adapt the suggestion at the end this article?

• 2014-09-28 GEDCOM Version Detection
• https://github.com/FamilySearch/GEDCOM/blob/main/version-detection/version-detection.md

Another way is to look at how the GEDCOM Extensions addon handles exports and see the enhancement request to refactor it to support imports?

• 10550 Refactor Gramps GEDCOM import so as to support GEDCOM extension addons

The GEDCOM extension outputs the file to *.ged2 and afterwards, you can change the extension from ".ged2" to ".ged" and treat as a normal GEDCOM file.

[DavidMStraub]

Detecting that a file is GEDCOM7 is easy, the problem is that currently, when it has extension .ged, Gramps core will use the built in parser and ignore the addon.

[Call-Me-Dave]

Then Gramps core needs to be updated to support the detection or feature 10550 be implemented to monkey patch the Gramps GEDCOM import detection in your addon?

[Call-Me-Dave]

The format version (e.g. "7.0") is required in the header in the Gedcom 7 specificiation so detecting it is trivial, the problem is just that this would require a change in Gramps core.

Which is what you stated above ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[PQYPLZXHGF]

Deleted the internal GEDCOM 5 importer; but probably could have hidden it via the plugin manager; which could be a suggestion to users of the addon at least during development?

Tested using the familysearch ged 7 example files and these so nothing from the wild yet.

Thanks for the addon ✨

[giotodibondone]

Exciting news @glamberson has submitted pr#1 that needs testing ( not sure if it works with this addon yet ) .

This PR adds support for three GEDCOM 7 extensions that enable full compatibility with GRAMPS' advanced data model, addressing the long-standing issue of data loss when exchanging GEDCOM files with GRAMPS

Note the PR was withdrawn see https://github.com/DavidMStraub/gramps-gedcom7/pull/1#issuecomment-3133442884

[DavidMStraub]

How do we proceed? I think this could be merged if it weren't for the problem with the extension. Should we go with ged7 for now?

[GaryGriffin]

How do we proceed? I think this could be merged if it weren't for the problem with the extension. Should we go with ged7 for now?

This gramplet is a very thin wrapper for the external library. I suspect very little maintenance will be needed in the gramplet, as opposed to updates to the external library.

Decision 1 options:

1. Update core gedcom import for 6.1 to add recognizing gedcom version.

• This eliminates the issue of the extension.

2. Release separate Gedcom7 import module as 3rd party.

• Would there be a roadmap for migrating from 3rd party to core or more likely, having it subsumed into current core gedcom import?
• Still need the extension name resolved. And it may need changed later if subsumed into core.

Decision 2: how do we deal with the gramps-gedcom7 external library? If it is added to the Win/Mac bundle for 6.1, then its maintenance is tied to core releases, which is not optimal. Alternately, if it is not distributed with 6.1, then Win/Mac users cannot use it. And Linux users will need to pip install the library to access.

I think we need both decisions before going further.

[Call-Me-Dave]

Should we go with ged7 for now?

@DavidMStraub Yes 👍 should allow people to initially use and test it.

And for the next Gramps major (6.1.x or 7.x.x) release decide what should happen?

[DavidMStraub]

I think we need both decisions before going further.

I'm open to all options and waiting for the decision to be made.