Scid 4.0 beta (chess database and training software)

[pgeorges]

Hi,

I released Scid 4.0 beta 1 at http://scid.sourceforge.net for testing purposes.
(direct link for downloading : http://sourceforge.net/projects/scid/files/)
The change in major number version is due to a new base format which mainly permits the handling of long games (games with very long comments and variations). So any base opened with Scid 4 will be converted to the new format (which takes a few seconds).

Please report any remark to scid-users mailing list.

Here is the changelog since the latest stable version (Scid 3.7.3, april 2009) :

- Fixes :
---------
* serious game play when use book is checked and book name is empty leads to crash (thanks to Benigno Hernández)
* Check for engines allowed in eMail games caused an exception (noENG not set)
* Internet play (FICS) :
- the first offer not displayed on the graph
- hardened the code to avoid the (rare) case where the opponent moves but Scid does not reflect it. Still the need to see wether it is a FICS bug or a Scid one.
- IP address of FICS server is cached (faster login)
- in case of a network error, quit FICS without popping tons of error messages
* Sound : when another application uses the sound device and once it is released, forces Scid to reset pending sounds hence be able to use sounds again (this has the drawback of limiting maximum sound length to 5 seconds)
* Move annoucement : if pieces are translated, announces moves using english sounds (as only english annoucements are supported)
* Tree window : fixed game loading from browse game window (when the Tree was not locked)
* fixed status bar detailing some menu entries
* fixed context menu in notebook tabs for FICS window
* fixed a bug selecting more than 3 times an empty square : entering a move with this square as target was difficult (lower in ::board::colorSquare)
* fixed the contextual menu in Mask for the command "Add this move to mask" (display all the possible moves in several menus to fit in screen's height)
* Display best games list in Tree : fixed a game not displayed in the listbox if containing the character '
* FIX: Display draw offers in CC games
* Player finder window : increased entry fields for number of games (10000 is sufficient for human players but not for engines)
* when using a Novag Citrine board, the referee mode selected is saved
* cleaned up code for Scid versions 2.x (don't think anybody still uses it)
* Scid no longer crashes when importing a very long game (current limit is still 32 kB)
* Code optimisation in I/O and memory copies. For example stripping PGN Tags is 3 times faster
* Right mouse button takes back a move. It used to also delete the last move of a line. This is inhibited now as there is no possible undo, and the user can have triggered this function by error.
* Game export to HTML + Javascript : export comment before first move, fixed a problem when exporting some variations (which were stripped)
- Features :
------------
* New base format :
- import games with a length (encoded) up to 128 kB
- 6 new user customizable flags
- any base opened in version 3 will be automatically converted to new format in a few seconds (.si3 file is converted to .si4 and then removed, .sg3 and sn3 files are renamed respectively to .sg4 and .sn4)
* NAG support : add symbolic NAGs using UTF-8 symbols
* Search position : if the search is done in a refrerence base (not the current one), don't switch to it if the result returns no game
* Tree mask :
- added a sub-menu for searching positions in a mask depending upon various criteria (comments, NAG, color, etc.)
- added a sub-menu for displaying the Mask content in a tree form
- remember the most recent opened masks
- new moves can be added to a mask even if there is no corresponding position in the Tree
* FICS :
- save options for finding opponents based on login
- display forecast of win / draw / loss score (in fact sends assess when creating the game)
* Highlight last move played (switchable and configurable in options menu)
* added a new call "sc_game info nextMoveUCI"
* new feature to review game. The user guesses moves played from one side of a played game.
* game browser : automatically flip board if the main board is flipped
* updated Scid icon (thanks to Israel Chauca Fuentes)
* Correspondence Chess:
- Sorting of the gamelist by various criteria like own clock, opponent clock (Xfcc only)
- Do not show games where the player does not have the move (Xfcc only)
- Add GUI to set sort criteria
- Implement sort by "time per move till next TC" including the next timing period (Suggested by Dhanish)
- Add Edit menu to cc window
- Translations:
---------------
* updated spanish translation (thanks to Benigno Hernández)
* updated swedish translation (thanks to Hans Eriksson)
* updated german translation

Pascal Georges

[Michael Diosi]

Hi,


Many thanks for improving SCID. Great !

Michael

[meschle]

thanks again pascal - good work! I like the new application icon - any chance the tool bar icons can be updated as well? I use pocket version a lot also any updates for that on the horizon? in particular engines updated - no pressure in your own time - your work is much appreciated!

[pgeorges]

I tried to port many engines on Pocket PC and some can't fit into a Pocket PC (memory requirement). I don't want to port other engines or updates unless they bring a significant improvement or feature (porting an engine is really time consuming).

[meschle]

I tried to port many engines on Pocket PC and some can't fit into a Pocket PC (memory requirement). I don't want to port other engines or updates unless they bring a significant improvement or feature (porting an engine is really time consuming).

Thanks pascal - i didnt realize the memory limitations - most important to me would be glaurung but if it is a no go - dont worry