RootsWeb FAQs: WorldConnect Terms, Symbols and Definitions

Terms, Symbols, and Definitions
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The blue silhouette indicates that descendants of the marked individual are included in the file.

Ahnentafel Ahnentafel is a German word meaning "ancestor table." WorldConnect's Ahnentafel report shows up to six generations of an individual's ancestors.

Ancestor Your ancestor is someone from whom you descended: a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.

CONC CONC is a tag within your genealogy progam that means "continue with the previous text, and do not leave spaces." The advanced user setup/edit form allows you to adjust CONC tag output if the words in your notes are running together.

CR, CRLF
(download options) CR is an abbreviation for carriage return; CRLF is an abbreviation for carriage return, line feed. These are two of the format options on the form you use to download a family tree from WorldConnect. If you are using Windows, you should usually select the default of CRLF. Mac users should usually select CR. (Other options are LF and LFCR; Unix users should use the LF option.)

Database "Databases" in the WorldConnect Project are specific family-tree files. Submitters choose a unique user code to identify each family tree submitted.

Depth
(download options) "Depth" in the WorldConnect Project indicates the number of generations (levels) someone can download from a family tree. Some submitters will not allow any downloads; others will allow as many as ten generations (levels) to be downloaded. The number of generations you can download will depend of the maximum number set by the submitter, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree.

Descendancy
(report) The Descendancy option gives you an outline of the descendants of an individual in the family tree. The maximum number of generations shown on the report is determined by the person who submitted the family tree, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree, but will not be more than ten.

Descendant Your descendant is someone whose ancestry can be traced to you: your child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc.

Download WorldConnect permits you to download portions of another researcher's family tree, if the submitter allows it. Downloading a file copies a portion of the family tree to your computer, so you can incorporate it into your personal files. As with any other source, be sure to verify the accuracy of the information.

Exact Search Any matches will use your spelling exactly, including spaces.

Footer
(submission page) If you are submitting a family tree, you have the option of adding a footer to your file. Many submitters use this area, which appears near the bottom of each page, for closing comments.

Fuzzy Search All name and location fields in WorldConnect will be searched for Soundex matches, with the exception of the main surname field (which has its own option menu).

GEDCOM GEDCOM is an acronym for GEnealogical Data COMmunications. Within the WorldConnect Project, "GEDCOM" indicates an individual family tree or file. A more detailed explanation of what a GEDCOM is, and how it is used within the WorldConnect Project, is available here.

GEDCOM Tags When you create a GEDCOM file, the fields containing information in your genealogy file (birth, marriage, baptism, etc.) are mapped to the appropriate GEDCOM tags (e.g., BIRT, MARR, BAPM). A listing of the most common tags and their definitions is available here.

Given Name A "given name" is a first or middle name.

Global Search or
Global Search Form The global search form allows you to enter simple or complex search criteria. You can search through all family trees submitted to WorldConnect, just one family tree, or exclude specific family trees from your search.

Header
(submission page) If you are submitting a family tree, you have the option of adding a header to your file. Many submitters use this area, which appears near the top of each page, to add supplemental information for those accessing the file, including: postal addresses, homepage URLs (Web addresses), page counters, cautions that some data has not been verified, and so on. A header is not the same as a title, which appears directly under the RootsWeb masthead.

Index Report This report is an alphabetical report of individuals shown in a single family tree. It can be generated from the global search results, or from an individual record within the file.

ID ID indicates indentification number. Each individual entry (person) in a family tree at WorldConnect has an ID number. The IDs are assigned by the genealogy program that created the file. No two numbers in a specific family tree are the same, although the same ID numbers will appear in other files.

LF, LFCR
(download options) LF is an abbreviation for line feed; LFCR is an abbreviation for line feed, carriage return. These are two of the format options on the form you use to download a family tree from the WorldConnect Project. Unix users should generally select LF; LFCR is seldom used. (Other options are CR and CRLF. If you are using Windows, you should generally select CRLF; Mac users should select CR.)

Metaphone Search Surnames will be searched for Metaphone (consonant-sound) matches. Metaphone is similar to Soundex, but gives somewhat different results; try both.

Pedigree WorldConnect offers two formats for pedigrees. One format is a traditional chart with branching lines, with a maximum of four generations. A compact text-only format is also available, with a maximum of ten generations. The number of generations shown on the report is determined in part by the person who submitted the family tree, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree.

Post-em Note A Post-em Note enables you to help fill in a missing piece of information in an existing file. It is the electronic equivalent of a sticky note. You can attach your e-mail address, a link to another Web address, or other information to the record of any individual in WorldConnect. For a more detailed explanation of what Post-em Notes are, and how to use them, click here.

Register Report The Register report shows up to six generations of an individual's descendants. The maximum number of generations shown on the report is determined by the person who submitted the family tree, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree.

Soundex Search Soundex searches will result in names with similar sounds, based on a coding first used for U. S. census indexes. Do not enter the Soundex code: the program will do the conversion internally and give you appropriate matches.

Surname "Surname" is another term for last name.

Title
(submission page) The title of a WorldConnect database will appear in bold letters directly under the RootsWeb masthead. The title is not the same as a header. A header, if used, will appear in a much smaller type directly above the individual entries, between the blue lines.

Upload When you upload your family tree, you are transferring a copy of your file to the WorldConnect Project. It does not alter or remove the family tree on your computer.

URL URL is an acronym for Uniform Resource Locator. In layman's terms, it is an address for a document or resource on the Internet. The URL for RootsWeb is http://www.rootsweb.com

User Code The person submitting a family tree chooses a unique user code to identify each family tree submitted. The user code appears in WorldConnect's search results, and becomes part of the URL (address) of the family tree.

Wildcard Searches Wildcard searches enable you to enter three or more letters, then an asterisk, to ask for any matches beginning with that sequence of letters. For instance, Har* would result in matches of Harold, Harry, Harriett, etc.

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		The blue silhouette indicates that descendants of the marked individual are included in the file.
Ahnentafel		Ahnentafel is a German word meaning "ancestor table." WorldConnect's Ahnentafel report shows up to six generations of an individual's ancestors.
Ancestor		Your ancestor is someone from whom you descended: a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.
CONC		CONC is a tag within your genealogy progam that means "continue with the previous text, and do not leave spaces." The advanced user setup/edit form allows you to adjust CONC tag output if the words in your notes are running together.
CR, CRLF (download options)		CR is an abbreviation for carriage return; CRLF is an abbreviation for carriage return, line feed. These are two of the format options on the form you use to download a family tree from WorldConnect. If you are using Windows, you should usually select the default of CRLF. Mac users should usually select CR. (Other options are LF and LFCR; Unix users should use the LF option.)
Database		"Databases" in the WorldConnect Project are specific family-tree files. Submitters choose a unique user code to identify each family tree submitted.
Depth (download options)		"Depth" in the WorldConnect Project indicates the number of generations (levels) someone can download from a family tree. Some submitters will not allow any downloads; others will allow as many as ten generations (levels) to be downloaded. The number of generations you can download will depend of the maximum number set by the submitter, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree.
Descendancy (report)		The Descendancy option gives you an outline of the descendants of an individual in the family tree. The maximum number of generations shown on the report is determined by the person who submitted the family tree, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree, but will not be more than ten.
Descendant		Your descendant is someone whose ancestry can be traced to you: your child, grandchild, great-grandchild, etc.
Download		WorldConnect permits you to download portions of another researcher's family tree, if the submitter allows it. Downloading a file copies a portion of the family tree to your computer, so you can incorporate it into your personal files. As with any other source, be sure to verify the accuracy of the information.
Exact Search		Any matches will use your spelling exactly, including spaces.
Footer (submission page)		If you are submitting a family tree, you have the option of adding a footer to your file. Many submitters use this area, which appears near the bottom of each page, for closing comments.
Fuzzy Search		All name and location fields in WorldConnect will be searched for Soundex matches, with the exception of the main surname field (which has its own option menu).
GEDCOM		GEDCOM is an acronym for GEnealogical Data COMmunications. Within the WorldConnect Project, "GEDCOM" indicates an individual family tree or file. A more detailed explanation of what a GEDCOM is, and how it is used within the WorldConnect Project, is available here.
GEDCOM Tags		When you create a GEDCOM file, the fields containing information in your genealogy file (birth, marriage, baptism, etc.) are mapped to the appropriate GEDCOM tags (e.g., BIRT, MARR, BAPM). A listing of the most common tags and their definitions is available here.
Given Name		A "given name" is a first or middle name.
Global Search or Global Search Form		The global search form allows you to enter simple or complex search criteria. You can search through all family trees submitted to WorldConnect, just one family tree, or exclude specific family trees from your search.
Header (submission page)		If you are submitting a family tree, you have the option of adding a header to your file. Many submitters use this area, which appears near the top of each page, to add supplemental information for those accessing the file, including: postal addresses, homepage URLs (Web addresses), page counters, cautions that some data has not been verified, and so on. A header is not the same as a title, which appears directly under the RootsWeb masthead.
Index Report		This report is an alphabetical report of individuals shown in a single family tree. It can be generated from the global search results, or from an individual record within the file.
ID		ID indicates indentification number. Each individual entry (person) in a family tree at WorldConnect has an ID number. The IDs are assigned by the genealogy program that created the file. No two numbers in a specific family tree are the same, although the same ID numbers will appear in other files.
LF, LFCR (download options)		LF is an abbreviation for line feed; LFCR is an abbreviation for line feed, carriage return. These are two of the format options on the form you use to download a family tree from the WorldConnect Project. Unix users should generally select LF; LFCR is seldom used. (Other options are CR and CRLF. If you are using Windows, you should generally select CRLF; Mac users should select CR.)
Metaphone Search		Surnames will be searched for Metaphone (consonant-sound) matches. Metaphone is similar to Soundex, but gives somewhat different results; try both.
Pedigree		WorldConnect offers two formats for pedigrees. One format is a traditional chart with branching lines, with a maximum of four generations. A compact text-only format is also available, with a maximum of ten generations. The number of generations shown on the report is determined in part by the person who submitted the family tree, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree.
Post-em Note		A Post-em Note enables you to help fill in a missing piece of information in an existing file. It is the electronic equivalent of a sticky note. You can attach your e-mail address, a link to another Web address, or other information to the record of any individual in WorldConnect. For a more detailed explanation of what Post-em Notes are, and how to use them, click here.
Register Report		The Register report shows up to six generations of an individual's descendants. The maximum number of generations shown on the report is determined by the person who submitted the family tree, and by the number of generations appearing in the family tree.
Soundex Search		Soundex searches will result in names with similar sounds, based on a coding first used for U. S. census indexes. Do not enter the Soundex code: the program will do the conversion internally and give you appropriate matches.
Surname		"Surname" is another term for last name.
Title (submission page)		The title of a WorldConnect database will appear in bold letters directly under the RootsWeb masthead. The title is not the same as a header. A header, if used, will appear in a much smaller type directly above the individual entries, between the blue lines.
Upload		When you upload your family tree, you are transferring a copy of your file to the WorldConnect Project. It does not alter or remove the family tree on your computer.
URL		URL is an acronym for Uniform Resource Locator. In layman's terms, it is an address for a document or resource on the Internet. The URL for RootsWeb is http://www.rootsweb.com
User Code		The person submitting a family tree chooses a unique user code to identify each family tree submitted. The user code appears in WorldConnect's search results, and becomes part of the URL (address) of the family tree.
Wildcard Searches		Wildcard searches enable you to enter three or more letters, then an asterisk, to ask for any matches beginning with that sequence of letters. For instance, Har* would result in matches of Harold, Harry, Harriett, etc.