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I am planning to write several biographical sketches using the markup languages Markdown/MultiMarkdown. (Here’s why + MultiMarkdown’s support for simple footnotes)

Is there any software or service for creating Markdown formatted ancestor/descendant reports from a GEDCOM file? These outputs could serve as a start, containing family outlines.

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  • What Geneaology software do you use? If you use a web-based one, it's probably just a question of making a template.
    – Lennart Regebro
    Commented Sep 7, 2013 at 22:12
  • MacFamilyTree. Are there templates for web-based software already available?
    – lejonet
    Commented Sep 8, 2013 at 8:44

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I don't know of any genealogy programs that export to Markdown.

However, many genealogy programs do export to HTML. You can do the export to HTML, and then use one of the HTML to Markdown converters, such as the Bullseye bookmarklet.

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  • Thank you for your answer. I consider this a workaround, the Bullseye bookmarklet has problems with certain symbols like the "+". You also need a good HTML output. MacFamilyTree’s rather limited HTML export for example creates files with a table layout and the bookmarklet fails to to convert this properly.
    – lejonet
    Commented Aug 30, 2013 at 1:04
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    Try some of the programs that create websites that are listed at GenSoftReviews: gensoftreviews.com/index.php?sel=1&type=web - There are 88 listed and 37 of them are free. Each produces their HTML in a different way, so you may find one that gives output that you like. For a converter, try Html2MarkDown, Markdownify, to-markdown or others.
    – lkessler
    Commented Aug 30, 2013 at 1:42
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LifeLines has two features which would be perfect for you.

  1. Its database consists of pure Gedcom records.
  2. It has a built-in programming language that is powerful enough to generate any type of report when there is an effective algorithm to convert Gedcom to that report. I can only assume there is one for Markdown since you are asking the question.

The pitfalls are:

  1. LifeLines is a UNIX program (runs fine on Macs, Linux, or Unix-work-alike additions to Windows).
  2. You have to write the program (I can help you do that).
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  • Thank you for your answer. This solution seems fairly complex to me and I wonder if it is worth the time spent for the benefit of some created reports.
    – lejonet
    Commented Aug 31, 2013 at 9:50
  • As in all things, it is a tradeoff that only you can evaluate. The advantage is that you get a conversion program that does exactly what you want it to do, that you can alter at any time. The disadvantage is that you have to find and install a program, get it to run, convert your current database to Gedcom so you can load it, and then learn how to write a potentially complex program in a new programming language that you would have to learn, and all this while you have not a clue that I know what I'm talking about or whether the whole thing is even remotely possible!
    – Tom Wetmore
    Commented Aug 31, 2013 at 14:41
  • Why aren't you working on it anymore, Tom?
    – fbrereto
    Commented Sep 14, 2013 at 22:13

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