Main Index

Please note that throughout this file click means use the left button unless specifically stated otherwise.

Also  note that there is only one help file for all versions of the program. If it refers to things which aren't there in your version, you can always update to the later version.

General

About ClubMate

Letter from the author

Features/Database limits etc.

Demo limitations

Customising the program

Bug List

Wish List

Menu

Menu Commands

File Handling

Cross Reference Files

Game Files

Position Files

Importing Files

Protection of Files

Game Handling

Analysis

Board

Comments

Edit Game

Keys: making, using and saving by

New Game

Open Game

Game Details

Saving Game

Set up (new game)

Tutorial mode

Doodle mode

Position Handling

Position Manager

Search


Menu Options

ClubMate is a Windows MDI application. This means that when you have more than one board on display, the menu always applies to the one which is currently active.

File Menu

Open

a) Open a file. This may be a ClubMate file, a ChessBase file, or a cross-reference (.XRF) file. Select the type of file from the combo box ("List files of type...") at the lower right of the Windows file selector dialogue. When the file has been opened, a list of games available in it will be displayed in a window, and the List menu becomes available. This method of opening a file allows you to perform fairly simple operations on the games in the file. For more scope use the Game Selector, or for cross-reference files use the Cross Reference Game Selector.

Merge

Merge as many of your separate .GMS files as you wish. For more details see Merging Files.

Edit Keys

Edit existing keys or add new ones. See Key File

Assign Keys

Keys may be assigned to games in a selected file, or all games files. Choose one of the options, then choose a file (if required), and up to 6 keys will automatically be assigned to the games in the file. (See Rules for Key Assignment). This option MUST be used whenever you add new keys, or edit old ones, in order for the keys to be matched to existing games. Note that if you have a large number of games in your database, and a large key file, and you have selected 'all files', this process may take some time. A dialogue is displayed to show you how things are coming along!

Preferences

Set user preferences. They may be temporary, or permanent if saved. See User Preferences Dialogue

Printer Setup

Change or set up your default printer.

Print Options

Set print options such as how much of a file or game to print. See Print Options Dialogue

Print File

Select and print a games file.

Print Game

Print the current game.

Quit

Leave the program. You will be reminded about any unsaved work.

Game Menu

New

Start a new game in addition to any games that may already be displayed. See New Games

Selector...

Open a new game by calling the Game Selector. See Game Selector Dialogue. When a game has been opened, this menu item becomes a pop-up from which you can either call the game selector,  reopen a game previously displayed, or open one of a list selected for multiple viewing. Its text is changed from Selector to Open.

Close

Close all boards from the current game. This has the same effect as closing the main line board by double clicking its top left hand corner.

Save

Save the current game. When this is unavailable. Use Save As... See Saving a game.

Note: every game saved in version 2.x automatically has one or more keys assigned to it from the master key file.

Save As...

Save the current game first providing a file name. Save As... is not allowed to a file already in use. See Saving a game.

Note: every game saved in version 2.x automatically has one or more keys assigned to it from the master key file.

Save Into...

Save the current game into an existing file, adding to the games already in the file. See Saving a game. When you use this option, it becomes a popup menu, and a list of the last 4 files you have used to save games into is displayed. You can then save directly into one of these files by clicking on its name.

Note: every game saved in version 2.x automatically has one or more keys assigned to it from the master key file.

Save using Mark...

Save the current game using any marked position. The program searches for a suitable file (one which has a linked position file containing the marked position) in which to place the game, and if it finds one, asks you to confirm the save.

Copy position to clipboard

Copy the current position to the Windows clipboard, from where it may be taken into any other package for printing or embellishing.

Copy moves to clipboard

Copy the moves in the current game to the Windows clipboard. This is particularly useful for returning the score of correspondence games via email. Please note that the moves are output using the current export format (or the default), so their format may be changed.

Details

Call the Game Details dialogue.

End of Game...

Select the appropriate result (1-0, 0-1, Draw). This adds the notation to the end of the game (rather than a comment) and allows the addition of a continuation by using the board If-> button.

Autoplay

Play through the game automatically. The time interval may be set from the User Preferences Dialogue. Autoplay may also be started from the board Auto button. Selecting Auto a second time will cancel it.

Invert

Invert the board. Invert may also be selected using the board Invert button.

Delete Current Comment

Delete the current comment (after confirmation). This may also be done by editing the comment to zero length. See Comments

Delete All Comments

Delete all existing comments (after confirmation).

List Menu

These options parallel the buttons  in the Game Selector, and the Cross Reference Game Selector. For further information also see under Game List

Sort by...

Sort the entries in the list window.

Play

Play through a selection of games.

Details

Obtain details on selected games.

Extract

Extract selected games into a different file. (In the case of game references in a cross-reference file, these games are converted into standard format).

Delete

Delete a game (not available for cross-reference files).

Search Analysis (cross-reference files only)

Analyse the games in the cross-reference file according to the original search criteria.

Print

Print the selected game(s).

Export

Export the selected games to a text file.

Next

Previous

See the description of buffers in the Game Selector section.

Search Menu

Search

Call the search dialogue. Searches may be made on positions, material, or players. See Search Dialogue

Quick Search

Searches a selected file, or all files, for the position in the current game. Results are displayed in a window, from which games may be opened.

Open .XRF File

Select a cross reference file which holds the results of a past search. Games may be opened from the window which is displayed. See Cross Reference Game Selector

Find Duplicates

Search for duplicate copies of games. See Duplicate Search.

Positions Menu

Manager

Call the Position Manager dialogue

Set up...

Call the Set up dialogue. This automatically starts a new game from the position set up.

Analyse (if)

Analyse the current position starting from the current game position. Also available by using the board If-> button. See Analysis

Analyse (else)

Analyse the current position starting from the move before the current game position. Also available by using the board <-Else button. See Analysis

Replay Analysis

Play through a selected line.

Delete Analysis

Delete a selected line.

Add Assessment

Assess the current position OR evaluate the last move by selecting from the pop-up menu. (You cannot evaluate the move AND the position). Adding a second assessment to a move deletes the first.

Remove Assessment

Delete the current move or position assessment. If there is none present, this has no effect.

Mark Position

Mark the current position as a key position. See Using Key Positions

Delete Mark

Delete a previously made mark.

Go to Mark

Go to an marked position.

Save Marked Position...

Save an existing key position either to a position file (compatible with version 1.x) or as a new key. This second option (new in version 2.x) is an extremely powerful feature to help you build up a master key file with a minimum of effort. See Using Key Positions

Tools Menu

Define Import Format

Define how the program will understand an imported text file. See Importing FilesLoad Import Format

Load a predefined ASCII format file - either one of your own, or one supplied with the program. See Importing Files

Define Export Format

Define how the program will write an exported text file. See Exporting Files

Load Export Format

Load a predefined ASCII format file - either one of your own, or one supplied with the program. See Exporting Files

Import...

Import one of 4 types of file:

a) A complete ChessBase file

b) An ASCII (text) file in ChessBase format

c) An ASCII (text) file in PGN (Portable Games Notation) format.

d) An ASCII (text) file in free (user-defined) format

 Export Ascii Format

Export a file in ASCII format. See Exporting Files

Export Game

Export the current game to a text file.

Export PGN File

Export a file in PGN format. You will be asked to complete a small dialog first. See PGN Exports

Doodle

Enables you to move the pieces on the current board freely (i.e. without editing the current game). Return to the current game by selecting Return to Game from the menu. The game also returns to its normal state if analysis boards which depend upon it are closed.

Tutorial...

Puts the program into Tutorial mode. Test your chess against the masters by guessing the next move.

Window Menu

Cascade

Standard windows option for arranging open windows.

Tile

Standard windows option for arranging open windows.

Other

Standard windows option for bringing named windows to the top.


Cross Reference Files

These files (extension .XRF) are created when you direct Search results to a file, or when you do a Quick Search. To open a cross-reference file go to the Search Menu and select Search Results.  You will be presented with the Cross Reference Game Selector. (The list of games found after a Quick Search is always displayed automatically, and stays on screen until you close it.).

NOTE:

Cross Reference files are essentially text files holding references to other files. They do not contain games or positions. Deleting a Cross Reference file (which has to be done from DOS or Windows) will not therefore delete any games in the database.

BUT - deleting games from game files, or changing the order of games within a games file, will almost certainly make the Cross Reference file invalid. See Game Selector for more information.

Cross Reference Game Selector

This selector has 5 buttons and a list of games which is shown once a file is open. The games are either listed by Game ID or by player names, depending on the type of search you chose. Normally this selector will be closed whenever you select a game for play through. If you prefer to refer to the games in it while playing through some, use the menu option File - Open - Xref File. The list of games produced by a Quick Search is always displayed in this way.

To select a game, click on its ID in the list box. Multiple games may be selected using standard Windows methods, using Shift+Click, Control+Click or Click+Drag. Some buttons are only available once at least one game has been selected. A game may be selected for playing through by Double-Clicking on its name.

The buttons are:

Open (toggling with Close)

Open a file from the standard Windows file selector, or close one that is already open. The name of an open file is shown at the top of the box.

Play

Select to play through the selected game(s). A game may also be played by double clicking on it. The game will open to the position which was used during the Search that generated the cross-reference.

Info

Show details of the selected game(s). See Game Details.

Extract

The selected game(s) will be copied from their home files into a games file for which you will be asked to supply a name. The games are not deleted from their home files. The new games file may be used in the normal way, but note that games will not open to the position used during the search that generated the cross-reference, as this information is only stored in the cross-reference file.

Print

Print the current selections.

OK

Leave the selector.

Note: Searches may not be done on ChessBase files until they have been converted to ClubMate format. See Importing games


About Clubmate
A letter from the author

Dear user,

Some time ago I wanted to buy a Chess Database - then I discovered the cost of them. It was clear that the only way to get one was either to steal one, or write my own. Since I don't approve of theft, and have enormous faith in my ability to write better software than anyone else (!), I wrote one. This program does everything that a certain other Chess Database does (well, almost everything - certainly everything you need - and if it doesn't, I'll put it in - see the Wish List), does most of it quicker, looks better, and is a lot easier to use. I've stuck a partial list of features after this letter.

If, like me, you feel that the price of much PC Software (including Chess Databases) is ridiculous, then please support what I am trying to do by NOT giving your friends copies of the registered program (though please pass around the cut-down version as much as you like).

Bugs - oh yes, them - well... - anyone who says you can write software without these little beasties has never written more than 20 lines of code. During testing, scores of the little horrors have been squashed, but there are always more - some of them have special built-in User Site Detectors so that they don't appear until you (rather than me) get your hands on the program. If you find one (or, perish the thought, two), check the Bug List first, then let me know. You will also find work-rounds for any known bugs here.

May your chess games be greatly improved (as long as you don't play me)...

Ian Murray-Watson,

The Slade,

Peterchurch,

Herefordshire,

HR2 0SP.	Compuserve: 100413,621. Internet: ian@gval.demon.co.uk

NOTE: All communications MUST be accompanied by your serial number if registered.

Features

Program limits:

Maximum number of games in database:	Unlimited

Maximum games on simultaneous display:	10

Maximum depth of analysis:	8 levels

Maximum number of analysis boards per game:	Unlimited

Maximum number of comments per game:	64

- Full graphical interface - point and click to move pieces (Board)

- Multiple game/board display

- Algebraic notation and analysis lines displayed with game

- Analysis on separate boards for direct comparison with main lines

- Play through move by move, automatically, by scrolling or click on a move

- Duplication of games to speed entry of new games (New Game, Game Selector)

- Entry of incomplete games, theory, or games from set positions (New Game)

- Save games on their own, into other files, or by key positions (Save Game, Using keys)

- Make, update, and duplicate libraries of games using the Mouse only (Game Selector)

- Automatic edit protection for games (Game Protection)

- Search on players, by result and colour (Search)

- Search on positions, material, pawn structure and ending themes(Search)

- Sort games alphabetically or by date (Game Selector)

- Full information available on games before loading for play through (Game Selector)

New features for version 2.x

- Import ChessBase games, in native (.CBF/.CBI) format, or as ASCII files

- Import user-defined ASCII files

- Powerful keying system for locating games

- Improved graphics

- Quick search option

- Analysis of search results

- Board size option

- Game file statistics

Demo limitations

The demo version does not support the following:

- Position Manager; saving or editing of position files

- Keys; editing or making new keys

- Search (any form)

- Cross reference files (search results)

- ChessBase files

- Imports (any form)

- Copy, Extract, Delete games from multi-game files

- Save Into (making game libraries is not possible)

- Printing


Bugs
Bug List

If you think you have found a bug, I need to know about it, although the chances are that I've met it already since I use the program all the time. A telephone call will not be much use unless you need an immediate way round the problem. If you can, please do the following:

1. Note down EXACTLY what you did. I need to be able to reproduce your problem. Don't leave out even the most insignificant detail that has to do with the computer - tearing your hair out doesn't qualify.

2. Write, email me the details. (see About ClubMate)

3. If possible, include a disk of the offending data, or email a relevant file.

HIGH RESOLUTIONS GRAPHICS BUG. Graphics in dialogues (not the main boards) are displaced at high resolutions using large fonts. This appears to be a Windows problem, and occurs with Microsoft Word, Lotus Elite, and Windows Resource kits (amongst others).  At the moment I am unable to find any easy way of discovering from Windows when it is using large fonts. If you are going to use them, edit the line in CLUBMATE.INI to read LargeFonts=1, rather than LargeFonts=0. There is also a check box on the Preferences dialogue. This fixes the problem as far as using the graphics boards, but the dialogues still look rather out of proportion.


Wish List

If you have any good ideas that are not already on this list, let me know, though I'm not making any promises!

1. Search tree

2. Chess playing

3. epd exports and imports

4. PGN exports

5. Smaller file system

6. ECO codes

7. Grades

8. More fields in details (round number etc)


Game Files

These files (extension .GMS) are created to hold games. Each file may hold one or more games, and the games may be partial or complete. Games may be copied into other files singly or in groups, or extracted to form new subsets of the original file. Games in multi-game files automatically become protected games. Single games in their own file may also be protected, but this is not done automatically.

There are 2 ways of opening a games file:

(a) Go to the File Menu and select Open. If a games file is not already open you will be presented with the standard Windows file selector to open a file. Selecting Cancel at this point will return you to the main menu. To open a ChessBase file change the combo box ("List files of type...") at the lower left of the dialogue, so that it shows .CBF files. Once a file is open, a window will open showing a list of games in the file.

Game List

You can perform the following operations on the list or a  game, when selected:

Sort by...: Sort the entries in the list window.

Play:	Double-click on the game, or Single-click to select the game(s) and then use Open in the List Menu.

Details: Show details and moves (if required) on the game(s) selected.

Extract: Extract the game(s) to a .GMS file.

Delete: (not cross-reference files) Delete the selected game(s).

Search analysis. (Cross-reference files only). Analyse the results of a search.

Print: Print the selected game(s).

(b) Go to the Game Menu and select Open.... This will take you to the Game Selector., after asking you for a file to open. To open a ChessBase file change the combo box ("List files of type...") at the lower left of the Windows file selector dialogue, so that it shows .CBF files. If games have already been opened during the current session,  you will have the option of going to the Game Selector or re-opening one of the games which you will now find listed in the menu. This was put in as a useful shortcut for all those times you just want to have another look at something in a game you just closed down!

Games files may be linked to Position Files., but please note that this is maintained for compatibility with version 1.x only, and will be removed in subsequent upgrades (unless I hear from users that they find it particularly useful). Position Files have really been superseded by the development of the Key system.

NOTE: Deleting a game from a file may invalidate any Cross Reference file which refers to it. Even if the game is restored by copying from somewhere else, it will not be put back in the same place in the file, so that the reference will still be incorrect.


Game Selector

The Game Selector is called from the Game Menu by selecting Open (or Open...Selector... when this is a popup menu). It provides facilities for opening, closing, deleting, copying, and extracting games, and protecting files.

There are 2 lists of games (referred to as left and right). The list shows the games in the file. Above the list boxes is another list of all the keys from the Master Key file. This display is also used in the New/Edit Key Dialogue and is described below. The number and type of games displayed in the games list boxes may be controlled by selecting a key as a filter, and clicking on the Use Filter box.

To select a game, click on its name in the list box. Multiple games may be selected using standard Windows methods, using Shift+Click, Control+Click or Click+Drag. Some buttons are only available once at least one game has been selected. A game may be selected for playing through by double-clicking on its name.

Buffers

This feature is to enable you to load in very large files in manageable chunks. If there are more games than a single listbox will display, the buttons at the head of each list [>>] and [<<], are enabled. Clicking on these will load in the next (or previous) set of games from the file. Please note that when there is overflow of this kind, and you are using sort options, only the currently loaded set of games will be sorted (not the whole file). Statistics also apply only to the set of visible games. There is also a Goto option to save you going through an enormous file by slow stages - just type in the number of the game you want to have shown at the top of the list, and click Goto. (The buttons are duplicated in the List menu by the items Next and Previous.). Information at the head of the list tells you which games are being displayed, and the total number of them.

The maximum number of games displayed at any one time may be set in User Preferences. There is a lower limit of 200 and an upper one of 4000. This helps you set the buffers to suit the speed of your machine. Since a listbox typically displays only about 16 games, setting the lower limit will appear to make reading of files much faster. It will also (however) restrict the scope of sorting and statistics.

Buttons in the centre of the boxes (and Print) act on whichever side of the Selector is active (check the little radio button in the centre top of each box). Buttons such as <<Copy/Copy>> change appearance depending on the direction of the copy.

NOTE: The active side of the Selector is shown by the Radio Button set between the Open/Close and the Play buttons.

Buttons are only available (or should be!) when something meaningful will happen if they are used. In addition, certain actions (such as Delete or Copy into a ChessBase file) are not available for ChessBase files. Options are:

File operations:

Open

Open a games file and display its contents. Once opened, a file stays open until you select Close or Exit the Selector. To open a ChessBase file change the combo box ("List files of type...") at the lower left of the Windows file selector dialogue, so that it shows .CBF files.

Close

Close a games file.

Stats>> (right file)/<<Stats (left file)

Display file statistics. In version 2.x, results are arranged by 4 common openings e4, d4, c4, Nf3 and other. Reading across the columns you will find 1) Total games entered in the file; 2) Results shown as +(White wins), - (Black wins), = (Draws); 3) Whites percentage score. This last figure is worked out over completed games only. Note that the sum of wins, losses and draws may be less than the total games on the file if incomplete games have been included. In versions earlier than version 2.0, there is no breakdown for e4, d4, c4 and Nf3. Instead, all games are included under 'other', which will therefore be the same as 'all'.

Lock>> (right file)/<<Lock (left file)

Lock a file. Games in locked files cannot be edited in any way, nor can locked files be unlocked! If you need to edit the file, or games in it, you must first extract the game(s) to a different file. See Protection - Locked.

Game operations:

Play

Play through the selection(s). When multiple games have been selected, only the first is displayed for play through. The others are placed in the Game - Open which becomes a popup menu.

Duplicate (available when a single game only is selected)

The selected game is duplicated as a new game. The Game Selector will be closed and you will be taken immediately to the Game Details Dialogue to fill in the details for the new game. The players' names and tournament fields are cleared for the new game, but the opening field is left as it was when you first entered the game. From here, you can choose to duplicate the entire game, or just the main line. All the moves to the end of the game, plus the analysis (if selected), are already entered in the new game. They may be added to or edited as required, so saving a great deal of time when entering games that have a number of moves in common.

See New Games for more information.

Info

This show you the details of the players, and the moves (if required) on the Game Details Dialogue. None of the details are editable. Next and Previous buttons may be used to scan through a list of selected games. Exiting the Game Details Dialogue returns you to the Game Selector.

<<Copy (from right to left)/Copy>> (from left to right)

This button is only available when files are open on both sides of the Selector and the file you are going to copy TO is a ClubMate file.

All selected games are copied from one file to the other. They are ADDED to the destination file, and remain in the source file. An alternative way of collecting together games in various files is to use the Menu option File - Merge.

Extract

All selected games are extracted to a file for which you are asked to provide a name.

NOTE: If you select a file that already exists, any games in it will be overwritten by the extracted games, and you will lose them. Games may also be extracted in this way from ChessBase files, and put into ClubMate files.

Delete

Delete the selected game (or games) from the file, after confirmation.

NOTE: Deletions are NOT recoverable.

Print

Print the current selections.

Export

Export the current selections to a text file.

Reopen Files....

Check this button to reopen the current files next time you use this dialogue.

Exit

Leave the Game Selector.

Sorting the lists:

3 sort methods are available:

1. Date. Sort the lists by date, and alphabetically when identical dates.

2. Alpha. Sort the lists alphabetically, on White or Black name.

3. None. Lists show the order of games as entered on the file.

The rest of the dialogue is taken up by the display of Keys. which can be used as a filter to help you find the games you are looking for much quicker, and can themselves be filtered to reduce the quantity of information on display. Thus you can filter the key display to show only those keys for games starting with e4 (for example), and selecting any particular key will restrict the list of games shown in one of the Selector windows to those which start with the moves selected. For more information see under Key Display.

Once a key has been selected from the list, and the Use Filter box is checked, any list of games in the active games list window will be changed to show only those games which have a key matching the one chosen. Deselecting the Use Filter box will restore the game list to its original state. Selecting a different key (which can be done when the Use Filter box is already selected) will again change the list of games displayed. The left and right games list windows keep a record of the key that has been used for themselves (if any), and if you change the active side, the selected key for that side is automatically restored (or none). Keys cannot be applied to ChessBase files. (This ain't ChessBase, it's ClubMate).

Please note 2 important points:

1) Games cannot be filtered by key unless keys have been assigned using the menu option File - Assign Keys.... If you wonder why the wrong games are being displayed, you have probably forgotten to assign keys after editing them or adding new ones. (Of course assigning new keys could be done automatically whenever you add them, or edit old ones, but that wouldn't give you a chance to change your mind, and might have even worse consequences).


Merging Files

Any number of files may be merged into one. Select files from the list box, and then click the Merge button. If you want to delete the old files after the merge is done, select the box at the foot of the dialogue.

A limit of 16000 games is imposed on files at the moment. If this limit is reached, the merge process will stop.

If you have selected the option to delete old files, you will be asked to confirm deletion once the program has successfuly written all the games from the old files into the new one. Please note that the destination file must not exist before the merge. The program will refuse to overwrite an old file.


Master Key Display

The keys are stored in the file CLUBMATE.KEY, and are displayed in 2 dialogues - the Game Selector, and the New/Edit key dialogue.

The drop-down list shows all the keys in the Master Key file, either as moves, or by name. To change the way the information is displayed select Moves or Names from the radio buttons immediately under the list.

Display as Moves.

The normal method of display. The moves in the key are shown. However, you may wonder why all the moves are shown for each and every line, instead of indenting sub-lines, and taking the previous moves as read. I agree that this would look neater, and be easier to read, but the fact that Windows uses proportional fonts (you can't just add a few spaces here and there - the lines won't line up properly) make this sort of thing awkward. It also requires careful sorting of keys rather than having Windows automatically bang them out in alphabetical order.  It's quite possible, but I'm by nature lazy. However, I'll probably get round to improving the display eventually. If you find it difficult to hunt through the list to find what you're looking for, either use the internal first-move filters, or display the list as names

Display as Names.

Display the keys by the names of lines (e.g. Sicilian - Najdorf - Sozin) rather than as moves. The names will be those that you entered when adding or editing a key, and are shown in alphabetical order. This may make it easier to find a particular line quickly.

The list of keys may itself be filtered by using the radio buttons All, e4, d4, c4, or Nc3. These buttons restrict the display of keys to those having the same first move as the one selected. Thus selecting d4 will mean that the only keys displayed will be those having d4 as their first move.

2) Keys are matched by position, so that all transpositions are automatically dealt with.


Protection of files
Protected Games

There are 4 levels of protection to help prevent accidental editing of stored games. In order from least to most protected they are:

Level 1 - Unprotected:

New games may be edited in any way you like, and no warnings are given. If a new game is saved on its own into a file it is then given....

Level 2 - Minimum protection:

A game taken from a file in which it is the only game may be edited as much as you like, though a warning will be given when you first start to edit.

Level 3- Protected:

All games from files holding more than one game (game collections) are automatically protected. So is a single game on a file is you choose. The main line of such games MAY NOT BE EDITED, although analysis may be added, edited, or deleted, and certain of the Game Details may be altered (such as Date and Game ID). To edit the main line of a protected game, it must first be extracted to a file of its own, when it automatically loses one level of protection.

NOTE: In v2.03+ setting the box 'Allow edits' in the details dialog will override this protection and allow editing. This has been Included for correspondence, where files may have a number of ongoing games which need to be edited.

Level 4 - Locked:

Games from locked files may not be altered in any way. Locked files may not be unlocked, though games may be added to them, or extracted from them. Games extracted or copied from locked files to any file that is not itself locked, automatically lose one level of protection. Games copied from a locked file to a file on their own lose TWO levels of protection.

NOTE: it may appear that you can add assessments and comments to locked games, but it is only possible to use Save As... or Save Into... to save them.


Position files
Position File

NOTE:	Position files are maintained in version2.x for compatibility with version 1.x. Their functionality has been largely superseded by the development of the keying system (see Keys), and they will be removed in subsequent upgrades unless I hear from users that they find them particularly useful.

These files hold positions which have been set up in the Position Manager, or created by making a key and saving it. Position files will normally be linked to a games file. Only one link is allowed at any one time, although links may be made and dissolved easily using the Position Manager.

Position Manager

This dialogue allows you to set up and record positions in Position Files. It also lets you link position and games files, and update keys automatically in a linked games file.

The board works very like a game board, with some important differences.

Very simply - use the left button for picking up pieces and placing them, use the right button for clearing things. To be exact...

When the cursor is an arrow:

Click  with the left button on a piece on either side of the board to pick it up.

Click  with the left button on a piece on the board to pick it up and remove it from its square.

Click with the right button on the board to clear the square, but not pick up the piece.

When the cursor is a piece:

Click  with the left button on a piece on either side of the board to pick it up.

Click with the left button to place the piece. The cursor is NOT changed back to an arrow.

Click with the right button to change the cursor back to an arrow. If over a square on the board, this will also clear the square.

Shift-click-right button will toggle the piece colour.

Control-click-right button will cycle through the available pieces (and the arrow shape).

NOTE: when the cursor is a piece, you cannot move it away from the board area. To regain your freedom, first change the cursor back to an arrow (right click).

Use the Clear button to clear the board.

Use the Invert button to invert the display.

NOTE: To restore a position you have loaded from a file and have been changing, pull down the list of positions and re-select the one you have been working on.

Making and Recording a New Position

1. Set up the position on the board

2. Give it a name. This is for recognition purposes only

3. Select Save As... to create a new position file

or

3. Select Add to add the position to an existing position file. This option is only available when a file is open and its existing positions listed.

The other dialogue buttons are as follows:

Open

Open a position file. The names of the positions will be displayed, and the first one in the file will be shown on the board. To display a different position, click on the arrow to pull down the list, then click on the name of the required position in the list. To close a file, select Open again. The existing file will be closed, and a new one opened. You will normally work with a file open.

Link/Unlink

Link the position file to the games file whose name you will be asked to supply. Once a position file is linked, the name of its corresponding games file is shown below the list of positions, and the text of the button changes to Unlink.

NOTE: linking a position file to a games file which is already has a linkage will overwrite the earlier linkage.

Delete

Delete a position from the file (after confirmation).


Analysis

To enter analysis you will have chosen the options Analyse (if) or Analyse (else) from the Games Menu, or used the If-> or <-Else buttons on a board. Depending on which of these options you have chosen (if or else) the dialogue behaves slightly differently. It may help to understand something of what is going on.

The program is designed to be highly flexible - you can play moves on any displayed board at any time - but extending this flexibility to entering new analysis can cause problems. So before you can enter moves on an analysis board, you must first define the first move of the line. Once these first moves have been defined, you can return to the game and add analysis to your heart's content.

If you got here by using Else... (i.e. if instead of the move just made...)

The main line is shown in the upper panel, and cannot be altered.

If there are previous lines already entered at this point, they are shown in the lower panel.

To create a new line, make a move in the normal way.

To create another new line (branching from the same move in the main line) select Next.

When you have created all the lines you want, exit with OK. Exiting with Cancel will cause all new lines to be ignored.

If you got here by using If... (i.e. before making the next move the player might consider...)

No main line is shown in the upper panel unless the game has already gone past this point.

If there are previous lines already entered at this point, they are shown in the lower panel.

To create a new line, make a move in the normal way.

To create another new line (branching from the same move in the main line) select Next.

If there is no main line shown, indicate which of the lines you have entered is to be the main line by selecting it in the lower panel, and then clicking on Make Main. If you later want to change this, just do the same again with a new line. The new choice is swapped with the previously selected main line.

NOTE: If the game has already gone past the point at which the analysis is to be entered, you will not be able to alter the main line. (The Make Main button is not available).

When you have created all the lines you want, exit with OK. Exiting with Cancel will cause all new lines to be ignored.

You may also Delete a line by selecting its first move and clicking on the Delete button (also see Delete Analysis below).

The main line board now shows the first moves of the new lines you have just entered in the Analysis Panel. These boards can now be used by double-clicking on their first moves, and entering moves in the normal way.

NOTE: If you want to play with the pieces without entering analysis and without altering the game, use the Doodle option from the Tools Menu.

Replay Analysis

Click on the line you want to play through (or add moves to), then go to the Position Menu, and select Replay Analysis or...

Double-click on the line you want to play through (or add moves to), and use the board in the usual way.

Delete Analysis

Click once on the line you want to delete, then go to the Position Menu, and select Delete Analysis. You will be asked to confirm deletion.

You may also delete a line from the Analysis First Move Dialogue by selecting a first move and the Delete button (when available).

NOTE: Deleting a line also deletes any sub-lines which belong to it.


Display
Board Display

Presuming you know what a chess board looks like, we can leave that bit out. The rest is pretty obvious too. There's a Notations panel, an Analysis Lines panel, the bit which separates them (the Divider), the Comments panel, the buttons on the board, and the scroll bar on the board. Main line boards have a red surround, analysis boards have a blue one, and the Analysis Dialogue has a spotty greyish-greenish one. Of course, if you don't have colour, you'll miss these delights.

Board Size

Two sizes of board are available. You can alter the setting in the User Preferences Dialogue.

Notations Panel

This is where the moves go in algebraic notation. If you click on a move, the board will show the position AFTER that move has been made. Click left of centre for White's move, right for Black's. You can also scroll through the list of moves if there are enough. (You can also use the up and down arrow keys a bit, not intended but courtesy of Windows).

Analysis Lines Panel

This shows the move number and first move of any analysis. Clicking on a line will open a board showing the position at the start of that line, and the moves in it. It can be played through like any other board. Lines branching from lines branching from lines.... are indicated by -> and placed below their parent line. As you play through the game, alternative lines are highlighted as you reach them.

Divider (between main line and analysis lines)

This tells you what you are currently seeing on the board, and the depth of analysis - e.g. M18:D1:L2 means move 18 (main line), depth 1, line 1. It might seem a little confusing that this says "Main Line" when the moves are in fact above it, but we tried the main line moves and analysis lines the other way round and it was even more confusing. The divider also shows who is to move - a small white rectangle for White, and vice-versa.

The divider is moveable - so you can see as much or as little of either panel as you wish. Just click on it and drag it to where you want.

Comments Panel

Comments are attached to moves, and appear only when their move has been played. To enter a comment, just start typing. There is no need to click in the box first. For more information, see Comments

The buttons are:

Invert

Invert the display (toggle). If a board is inverted, all analysis boards depending on it are automatically inverted when they are opened. However, this does not work in reverse - if you invert an analysis board, its parent board will not be inverted when you return to it.

Auto On

Play automatically from the current position. Turn off by clicking on the button again (it reads Auto Off). You may alter the time interval for autoplay in the User Preferences Dialogue.

If->

Enter analysis from the current position - ("Now if White plays...."). Calls the Analysis Dialogue.

<-Else

Enter analysis from before the move just played - ("any other move would have been better..."). Calls the Analysis Dialogue.

Scroll Bar

Click on the arrows to move 1 move forward or back. Keep your finger down to go even faster than Mega-Lightning-Blitz. Click on the bar, or move the scroll thumb to jump through the game (though it's more precise to click on the moves in the Notations panel.

You may also move forwards and backwards through the game by pressing the cursor keys.

NOTE: to close a board, use the System menu (top left) or double-click the top left corner. To close a game, use the Close option in the Game Menu. Closing a board also closes any analysis boards which depend on it. If you close the main line board, therefore, it is the same as closing the game.


Comments in games
Comments

Each game may have up to 64 comments. However, the more you include, the more disk space your games will take up, even though the comments are compressed before writing to disk. It's probably best to keep them fairly short, and any analysis more than a couple of moves is better put on an Analysis board.

Note that if you are using large boards, only one line is visible for a comment  in VGA (in SVGA more lines are added). You can however enter more than one line, and use the arrow keys to scroll through the comment.

To Add a comment or Edit an existing one, simply start typing. There is no need to click in the Comments panel on the board first. Normal editing keys (such as Home and End) may be used. when you have finished, continue with the game as before. The comment will automatically be stored and attached to its move.

To Delete a comment, either edit it to a blank, or use Delete Current Comment from the Game Menu. You may also Delete All Comments at once using the option in the Game Menu. Once a comment is deleted, it cannot be recovered except by retyping it.

NOTE: Adding, editing or deleting a comment makes Save available in the Game Menu. However, this does not happen until the edit cursor on the comment has disappeared (by returning to the board or the moves).


Editing a game

Though you may often have wished it were possible (if only I'd put my Knight on c3 instead of a3), you can't alter one move in a game without altering everything that comes after it. If you are in the middle of a game and pick up a piece to move it with the mouse, you will either get a message telling you you can't do it (see Protected Games), or a warning that you are about to overwrite moves.

Overwriting moves

You may think that all you've done is change a move in the middle of a game, but it is important that you understand what will happen. Everything following the move you have changed will disappear - including any analysis and comments. If you think about it, nothing else is possible. However, no changes are irrevocable until you have saved the game, so that if you make a mistake, you can always close the game, and reload an earlier version from disk (if there is one).

Overwriting previous moves is of course what you do when you duplicate a game, and then change the moves from some point in the middle.

If you overwrite moves in an Analysis board, you will only lose the moves which follow in that analysis line, together with any comments and analysis boards branching from within that line. The main line and other analysis boards are NOT affected.

NOTE: If you want to play with the pieces without entering analysis, and without altering the game, use the Doodle option from the Tools Menu.


Master Keys
Keys

To help you organise your database, each game may have up to 6 keys. 5 of these keys can be designed by you, the other is allocated by the program. Keys are stored in a master key file, called CLUBMATE.KEY. If you lose this file, or it becomes corrupt, the program will not run. If this happens, and you have no backup, contact us for support, and we will provide a basic file.The fact that each game may have multiple keys allows you to break down your database into ever increasing detail.

The Key file is essentially a game file, and you enter keys in much the same way as games. However, keys are matched to games by position, so that transpositions are automatically dealt with. Sequences such as 1. e4 c5; 2. Nf3 d6; 3. d4 cxd; 4. Nxd4 and 1. e4 c5; 2. Ne2 d6; 3. d4 cxd; 4. Nxd4 lead to the same position and will be matched to all games in which this position is found. Separate keys do not have to be made for each one.

You may make as many keys as you like. 4 basic keys are predefined and cannot be altered. These are the first moves e4, d4, c4 and Nf3.

To make a new key, choose the File - Edit Keys option, or the Game - Save Mark ... as Key option when it is available (whenever you are playing through or entering a game and mark a position. In the first case, you will have to enter the moves that make up the key, in the second case the position and moves are already shown.

On the dialogue which appears, Enter the moves for the key (or edit them) just as you would for a normal game. Now complete one or more of the three text fields to the right of the board. What you enter here will be shown in the list of keys if you select Names rather than Moves. These fields are NOT used to match games, although the same three fields also appear in the Game Details Dialogue. In both cases they are for your convenience - you do not have to worry about matching what you type here exactly against something else typed maybe days before.

To Edit a key, get to the dialogue in either one of the ways described above. Now select one of the Keys from the list below the board. Edit it as if it were a game.

The buttons on the dialogue are as follows:

Save

Save the new key to the master file. You will not be allowed to save duplicates.

Delete

Delete a selected key from the master file. The four basic keys (e4, d4, c4 and Nf3) cannot be deleted.

Exit

Exit the dialogue.

The buttons relating to the Key Display are described elsewhere. They act as internal filters to control the display of keys in the list.

If you have changed anything in the master key file, you will need to use the File - Assign Keys option to update your game files. Up to 6 keys are assigned to every game automatically according to the following rules:

Rules for Key Assignment

1. All keys already existing in the game record are removed.

2. Every game is given one of the 4 basic keys, or classified as 'other'.

3. Up to 5 more keys are matched by position with the ones in the master key file. The first matching key is marked as number 2 (for this game), the next as number 3, and so on. It is therefore possible, if you have too many similar keys, for a game to run out of slots before it finds all possible matches. The overflow is simply ignored. Try not to make too many keys which start from a set position and only have one or two moves added before the next key , then one or two before the next and so on. It is better to start with fairly broad headings, then add more detail if you find that the games still have room. The number of keys matched to each game is displayed as they are found.

Note: every new or edited game saved in version 2.x automatically has one or more keys assigned to it from the master key file. This also applies to games 'Extracted' or 'Copied' using the Game Selector, and to imported games of any type.


New Games

1. Fill in the Player details either before entering the moves, or at some other time before saving the game.

2. If you are duplicating another game, go to the notated moves, and click on the last move you wish to leave in.  Then enter moves in the usual way. All later moves from the original game will be removed, along with any analysis and comments, and replaced by whatever you enter.

or

2. If the game is entirely new, simply enter moves in the usual way.

3. Add any Analysis and Comments as you enter the moves, or later.

4. Save the game either on its own, or into another file.

Entering Moves

It's hardly necessary to describe this - it's just like moving on an ordinary board. Use the mouse to pick up the piece you want to move, and put it down where you want it to go. Illegal moves will not be permitted. If you can't follow this terribly complex instruction, read on...

Use the mouse to point to the piece you wish to move, then click on it. If you cannot move the piece for any reason (maybe it's not the right colour) the program will bleep.

The cursor now changes to the piece you are moving, and the piece disappears from its original square. Point to where you want it to go, and click again. If the move is illegal, the program will bleep. If it is legal, the piece will be shown in its new position, the cursor will revert to an arrow, and the move will appear in the Notation panel.

Change your mind? Got the wrong piece by mistake? Forgot the king was in check? Simply put the piece you've got back on its original square and start again.


Saving a game

There are 4 options as follows:

NOTE: Any save operation whose failure might leave a file in an unusable state is done first to a temporary file, and a backup of the original file is always made. .GMS files are backed up as .GBK, and .POS files are backed up as .PBK. .XRF files do not require backing up in this way, as they never have data added to or removed from them.

Every game saved in version 2.x automatically has one or more keys assigned to it from the master key file.

When you save a game, its file name is placed in the Save Into... menu item, which becomes a pop-up. Up to 4 file  names may be displayed in this way. Saving into one of these files is then merely a matter of selecting its name.

Save

This is only available for games which come from a file and are going back there. No file name is required.

NOTE: If you Save a game from a collection, the position of the game within the file may be altered (it may take up more space than before), and any Cross Reference File which refers to this game may therefore be invalidated.

Save As...

Available for any games. You will be asked to supply a file name. If you choose an existing file, you will be asked to confirm the overwrite. If you continue, you will lose ALL the games already in the file, which will then only contain the single game. If instead you want to add the game to a file already in existence, use Save Into....

Save Into...

Add the game to an existing file. If there are now file names appended to this menu item, or there are, but you chooses 'Any File', you will be asked to supply the file name. A game cannot be Saved Into its own file. If file names are appended, you may save into them by selecting the name directly, you are not then asked for a file name. the existence of this (new) option really makes Save using Mark (see below) obsolete, although it is maintained for the present.

Save using Mark

The program will search for any games files that have a position file linked to them. If it finds the key position in the position file, it will attempt to save the game into the linked games file (after confirmation). It will continue to search through games and position files until it has successfully saved the game, or you have selected Cancel from the confirmation dialogue.


Set up a position
Set up (new game)

Set up a position as the start of a new game.

The board works very like a game board, with some important differences.

Very simply - use the left button for picking up pieces and placing them, use the right button for clearing things. To be exact...

When the cursor is an arrow:

Click  with the left button on a piece on either side of the board to pick it up.

Click  with the left button on a piece on the board to pick it up and remove it from its square.

Click with the right button on the board to clear the square, but not pick up the piece.

When the cursor is a piece:

Click  with the left button on a piece on either side of the board to pick it up.

Click with the left button to place the piece. The cursor is NOT changed back to an arrow.

Click with the right button to change the cursor back to an arrow. If over a square on the board, this will also clear the square.

Shift-click-right button will toggle the piece colour.

Control-click-right button will cycle through the available pieces (and the arrow shape).

NOTE: when the cursor is a piece, you cannot move it away from the board area. To regain your freedom, first change the cursor back to an arrow (right click).

Use the Clear button to clear the board.

Use the Invert button to invert the display.

After setting up the position, tell the dumb program about castling and en passant. Also tell it who is to move, and if you like, enter the move number of the first move (this way you won't have endgame notation starting at move 1, but move 42, or whatever).

When you exit with OK, the position is checked to see if it is legal (e.g. if you've indicated that White can castle but the White King is not on e1, the program will complain. It will also complain if you've put 9 White Pawns on the board, or 2 Black Kings, and it knows things like Queens + Pawns of one colour can't be more than 9 - so watch it!). If all is well, a new game is created starting from this position.


Searching
Search

Searches may be done using any combinations of player names, year, colour, and result, together with a position if required (see Filter). Alternatively, a position can be used by itself. Once you have set up the filter options, indicate where you want the result to go, and which files to search - then click on the Search button.

To set up a position:

The board works very like a game board, with some important differences.

Very simply - use the left button for picking up pieces and placing them, use the right button for clearing things. To be exact...

When the cursor is an arrow:

Click  with the left button on a piece on either side of the board to pick it up.

Click  with the left button on a piece on the board to pick it up and remove it from its square.

Click with the right button on the board to clear the square, but not pick up the piece.

When the cursor is a piece:

Click  with the left button on a piece on either side of the board to pick it up.

Click with the left button to place the piece. The cursor is NOT changed back to an arrow.

Click with the right button to change the cursor back to an arrow. If over a square on the board, this will also clear the square.

Shift-click-right button will toggle the piece colour.

Control-click-right button will cycle through the available pieces (and the arrow shape).

NOTE: when the cursor is a piece, you cannot move it away from the board area. To regain your freedom, first change the cursor back to an arrow (right click).

Use the Clear button to clear the board.

Use the Invert button to invert the display.

A position can also be set up on the board by using Open File to open a Position File and selecting a position from the list at the head of the board.

Filter

Check one or both of Players only and Position only (default). The options below then become available.

Players:

Enter one or more players names, and check the Radio Buttons as required. 'Name' is the controlling player ( a brief moment's thought should tell you that if Player 1 is white, Player 2 must have been black, and so on). If no players names are entered, the search may be used to find (say) all White wins from a certain position.

The Check Boxes marked Any after the names are used as wild cards. If for example you type "Kasparov" WITHOUT checking Any, the program will find Kasparov, but not KASPAROV or Kasparov, G.. If you type "Kasparov" and also check Any, it will find all three. It would also find all three is you just typed "Kasp" and checked Any. It might also find others (anyone else out there start with "Kasp"?).

For example, if you want all games between Kasparov and Karpov, enter their names, set colour to Any, set result to Any, and leave the year blank. If you want all games that Kasparov lost as Black in 1993 (if any), enter Name as Kasparov, leave Opponent blank, set colour to Black, result to 0-1, and year to 1993.

Date:

To search for the exact year entered, type in the year and select the "=" button.

To search for all games BEFORE the year entered, type in the year and select the "-" button.

To search for all games AFTER the year entered, type in the year and select the "+" button.

e.g.	1993 with = will find all games in 1993

1992 with - will find all games up to and including 1991

1992 with + will find all games after 1992 (at the time of writing, 1993 and 1994 only)

Position

Various types of position search are currently available. They are:

Exact - match exactly

Ignore Pawns - match pieces exactly, ignore pawns

Ignore Pieces - match pawns exactly, ignore pieces

Material only - match material, ignore placing of pieces and pawns (e.g. Endgames with a set number of pieces and pawns)

Piece Material only - match piece material, ignore number of pawns, and placing of pieces and pawns. (e.g. Endgames with pieces and variable numbers of pawns)

Opposite Bishops (only available when Piece Material only is selected), search for positions with opposite coloured Bishops only. This option is ignored during the search unless there is exactly one Bishop on each side. Positions with Bishops of the same colour will not be found.

Skeleton - Search for any position which includes the position on the board. e.g. Set up W pawns on c4,d5,e4; B pawns on f7, g6, h7, and search to find all games with this type of pawn structure - however many other pieces and pawns are on the board. This lets you search for typical attacking formations, and so on. This option was added at the suggestion of a user, and is VERY useful.

Some examples of the above

To find all Bishop and Pawn endgames starting from a set position, set up the Search board with the required position, and select Exact.

To find all Bishop and Pawn endgames with 4 pawns on each side, put a Bishop and 4 pawns of each colour anywhere on the Search board and select Material only.

To find all Bishop and Pawn endgames with any number of pawns on each side, put a Bishop of each colour anywhere on the board and select Piece Material only. If you add Opposite Bishops to this, you will only get endings with opposite coloured Bishops.

To find all King and Pawn endgames, leave the Search board blank, and select Piece Material only. (Yes, really - work it out!)

NOTE: (1) To set up a position where exact placing of pieces is not to be taken into account (e.g. endgames), all you need do is put the right number of pieces anywhere on the board.

NOTE: (2) When searching on material, both sides are assumed to have a King, so it is not necessary to put the Kings on the board.

NOTE: (3) When setting up a position for a search, the position is not checked to see if it is legal. Presumably if it is illegal, it won't be found! (Well, maybe not!)

More search options will be added in future (e.g. IQP positions). Any other suggestions from users are most welcome.

Results

Results sent to a file are sent to a Cross Reference File. You will be asked to supply a name for the file.

Results sent to the printer are sent to the printer, with any luck.

Results may be displayed on screen after a search by selecting the Analyse button.

Results may be shown as Game IDs or as player names, depending on whether you select the button Names or  IDs. Searching using IDs is slightly faster, but the results may not be so easily comprehensible. Any searches using player details always use their names to show the results (even if no boxes in the player details section are completed).

Files

You may search the Current games file, if one is open

or

Select one or more files from the list

or

Select all files.

You may also change the default search path by editing the box next to the Look in... button. When you have edited the path - click on the Look in... button to change the list of files shown above. If the path cannot be found, the list of files will not be altered. Please note that if you change the path here, it will change the default games path for the duration of the program only, or until you change it again. It will not save this change permanently.

NOTE: The current file option reflects the last file opened in the Game Selector, provided that a game from this file is displayed for playing

Analyse

An analysis of the search is displayed in a new dialogue. This shows:

1) The position you were searching for, if you were using the exact position option.

2) A list of games found

3) An analysis of results arranged by the next move played

If you select one of the games in the list at the top right, the dialogue will show the search position (if any) on the board, and you will be able to play through this game as if it were on a normal display board, using the scroll bar, or clicking on moves in the move display.

If you select one of the lines in the analysis of results (lower right), the list of games in the box above will be changed to show only those games which continued in this way.


Customising ClubMate
User Preferences

Customise the program to suit your taste.

This is now (2.1) a tabbed dialog (and, no, it's not VBX or anything else, it's all my own work!) divided into four sections - Board, General, Notation and System. There will eventually be more preferences here, as soon as the supporting code is written.

Board Options

Choose large or small boards as you prefer. (When this program was originally written, I always used small boards. Everyone who saw the first version requested larger boards. I wasn't convinced, but I now never use anything else. The moral of this story is that YOUR ideas may be more important than you think).

The size to which the board window initially opens may be set to include Comments and/or Moves. If comments are included, moves are also included, so the order left to right is minimum to maximum. Default is to include everything.

Inverted

The board starts inverted.

NOTE: Analysis boards take their inverted state from their parents rather than the option set here, so if you have changed the option while a main line board was open, any analysis boards will not be affected until you alter the main line board.

Notation

Add algebraic notation letters and numbers round the side of the board. This option may also be toggled on or off when a board is on display by using Control n (hold down the control key and press 'n').

Captions

Partially controls what is included in captions (e.g. when printing or displaying a board). Complete control is not possible because the program limits the caption in many cases (e.g. when displaying a board, the venue and opening is not shown as part of the board title, whatever you select here). Default is to include everything.

Piece Set

You may change to an alternative (large) piece set. The small set cannot be altered. If anyone out there would like to design another set, I will be happy to give them specs, and put it in the program if OK.

Autoplay delay

Set the delay between moves when using Auto in milliseconds.

Sliding Speed (0-9)

Set the rate at which the pieces slide. 0 is off (no sliding), 1 is fastest, 9 slowest. You will need to alter this according to your taste and the speed of your machine. (Default is 0 - off, because many machines are not fast enough to produce anything other than a HORRIBLE effect!. With a decent graphics card you should be OK on a 33MHz machine). You can also change sliding speed by using Control with a numeral. (Hold the Control key down while pressing a number key).

Note: Sliding pieces are only used during replaying forward. When entering a game you'll be waving the piece about on the end of your mouse, and if you take a move back you'll want that to be as quick as possible so that no-one else sees - won't you?

Notation Options

You may customise the notation by entering a single letter for each piece in the box provided. (Pawns are never referred to by a letter).  You may also have a dash between the piece and the square - as in N-f6 rather than Nf6. (Defaults: R,N,B,K,Q and no dash).

(WARNING - if you choose to edit the CLUBMATE.INI file directly, note that the letter P for the Pawn must be there, although it is only used as a place holder).

Notation type

Not yet available

General Options

Game Selector

Refer to games by ID or player names. (Default: player names)

Set a default sort. (Default: None - order as found in file). This may be unavailable, and default to file order.

Enable Auto-save

When you close a game, you are normally warned if it has not been saved. If you turn this option on, the game will always be saved. Frankly, I prefer the warning - that way you can't inadvertently save over something you want to keep.

Maximum games list size

Set the maximum buffer size for displaying lists of games in files. (See buffers). There is a lower limit of 200 and an upper one of 4000. This feature is to enable you to load in very large files in manageable chunks. It also helps you set the buffers to suit the speed of your machine. Since a listbox typically displays only about 16 games, setting the lower limit will appear to make reading of files much faster. It will also (however) restrict the scope of sorting and statistics.

System Options

Date Format

Set day-month-year or month-day-year. (Default: day-month-year)

.GMS path

Enter the full path name (drive + directory) for your data files here, if different from the program path name. Default is to use the program directory.

Warnings

Normally you are warned if you try to play beyond the end of a line, or move back before the start. You can disable these warnings here.

Use 3-D effects

Use special Windows 3-D effects in dialogues. Turning this option off has no effect unless preferences are saved, and then does not take effect until next time you run the program. An alternative way to turn this option off is to change the line 3DDialogs=1, in CLUBMATE.INI, to 3DDialogs=0.

Using Large Fonts

This does not set large fonts, but informs the program that you are using a high resolution display with large fonts. (There appears to be no easy way of getting this information from Windows). This fixes the problem of displaced graphics in dialogues (not the main boards), although the dialogues themselves are still badly proportioned. If you change resolution and/or go back to using small fonts, don't forget to change this box. Alternatively edit CLUBMATE.INI so that the line starting LargeFonts reads LargeFonts=1 (large fonts) or LargeFonts=0 (small fonts).

Bypass Opening screen

Bypasses the opening screen

Maximize on startup

Maximize the initial ClubMate window.

Save (button)

Save the preferences to CLUBMATE.INI. If you don't save them, they only last for the duration of the session. Preferences are always picked up from CLUBMATE.INI on program initialisation. If the file does not exist, you will be presented with the User Preferences Dialogue as soon as the program starts. The file will then be created with the values you enter, or defaults.

OK

Continue the session with the preferences you have indicated.

Cancel

Ignore any changes you have made - return to previous settings.


Player details
Game Details

This dialogue needs to be completed whenever a new game is entered. However, not all the fields need to be completed every time. Some parts of the dialogue (e.g. Moves) are only available when it is called from the Game Selector. There are very few rules about what to enter - by and large suit yourself. Most of the text fields are compressed before being saved to disk.

The data here may be edited at any time during game play-through by selecting Details from the Game Menu, although for protected games not all fields are editable.

The fields are as follows:

Game ID (Default: None. No entry becomes "NO ID")

This ID may optionally be used to distinguish games in the Game Selector. Game IDs need not be unique, and a suggested way of using them is to enter abbreviated versions of the player's names. For Templates, something like "T1", "T2" and so on may be useful. (Note: this field may be abandoned in future versions unless users tell me they find it useful.)

v 2.03+ only. Putting 'temp' (not case-sensitive) in this field will allow you to edit the game even in multi-game files. Included for correspondence, where files may have a number of ongoing games.

Tournament (Default: blank)

The tournament, congress, league etc. in which the game was played.

Date (Default: current year)

The date may be entered in full or as the year only. The date format (day-month-year or month-day-year). and the full/year only date preference may be set in the User Preferences Dialogue but is only used in case of doubt. A single number greater than 1800 will be taken to be a year only date, otherwise the field will be parsed as a full date.

White, Black (Default: None. No entry here classifies the game as "Theory")

The names of the players. These names appear as the title of the board when the game is played through. If no names are entered here, the title reads "Theory". The names that you enter here may be used during a Search, but you need not worry in case you have not entered the same name identically each time, as the search can use wild cards (i.e. it will find "Kasparov" if you just ask it to use "Kasp", or "KASP").

Opening, Variation, Line (3 fields - default: Blank)

The name of the opening variation. Use whatever description you like - the classification of games is always done by position, not by what you enter here. Variations in move orders are therefore automatically catered for.

Result (Default: "None")

Select the appropriate one. None is provided for games where you do not know the result, do not want to enter one (Theory), or only enter a partial game. When None is selected, the result in the board title reads "Incomplete".

Remark (Default: Blank)

Enter anything you like here - a comment (e.g. "How not to play the Sicilian") or the grade of the opponent might be useful.

Full/Main Line (when available)

Duplicate the full game (including all analysis and comments) or the main line only (no analysis).

When the dialogue is called from the Game Selector by selecting Info, there is an extra list box and button. The buttons Next and  Previous also become available if more than one game has been selected in the Game Selector.

Moves (toggle)

Show the moves of the game in the list box.

Next/Previous

Show information on the next (previous) game selected.

Allow edits

Allow editing of the game even in multi-game files (overrides protection). Included for correspondence, where files may have a number of ongoing games.


Tutorial mode

This lets you predict the next move as Black or White (or both if you're a real sucker for punishment).

Move to the position from which you want to start testing yourself, then choose from Tutorial..., as White, as Black, or Both sides. This is found in the Tools Menu.

The notation is removed, and you move the pieces as normal to predict the next move. If you get the next move for your chosen colour right, the next move for the other player is played at the current rate for auto-play. (You can alter this rate in the User Preferences Dialogue). You can always cheat by using the arrows at the bottom of the board to move on a move or two.

If you get the move wrong, or try to move the wrong colour, the program will bleep at you.

To return to the normal game, select Return to Game at the bottom of the board.

NOTE: If the first move in the tutorial start position is NOT the colour you have chosen to test, it will not be made automatically. Instead, use the arrows to move on a move.


Doodling
Doodle Mode

This lets you move the pieces freely, without recording or overwriting any moves. It is useful when you want to look at a line without setting up an analysis board.

To return to the normal game, select Return to Game at the bottom of the board.


Printing Options
Print Options

The options control how much of a game or file is printed.

Everything (file)

Print everything in the file. WARNING! - This can take for ever under Windows.

Games and Theory (file)

Print the games and theory only. Do not print the templates.

Games only (file)

Print the games only. Do not print templates or theory.

Theory only (file)

Print theory only (games with no player names entered).

Templates only (file)

Print the templates only.

with Headings (game)

Print the game with a heading giving the players' names, venue, date etc.

with Comments (game)

Include the comments.

with Analysis (game)

Include any analysis.

Lines per page

Set the number of lines per page that suits your printer and paper size. To get continuous printing (no page breaks), set the lines per page to 0. Apart from this special value, there is a minimum of 15, and a maximum of 99 lines per page.

Print to Text file

All output is sent to a text file. These files can be edited on a Word Processor, or printed directly from DOS, which is very much faster than printing through Windows, although the end result might not be quite as smart.

Save (button)

Save the preferences to CLUBMATE.INI. If you don't save them, they only last for the duration of the session.


Importing Files

I am tempted to write a few hundred lines on the morality of collecting data freely available in the public domain, encrypting it in such a way that people are forced to pay large sums of money if they want access to the collections, and doing everything possible to keep the encryption method secret . If anyone would like to know the format of ClubMate files, how the data is stored, and so on, I will provide them with full information, and even the code to read the files if required.

ClubMate is now able to read ChessBase files, thanks to a lot of hard work. If you are the bona-fide owner of ChessBase data disks, you may of course use that data in any way you wish, which includes reading it into another program. However, what you may not do is re-sell such disks in a different format, if they contain anything other than the games themselves. Games are not copyright, annotations probably are.

You may also import files in ChessBase ASCII format, or user-defined ASCII format.

To import a ChessBase file complete, use the Tools - Import - ChessBase (Native format) option. The games in the file are read, assigned keys, and re-saved to a ClubMate file.

ChessBase files may also be read into the Game Selector, and individual games played through, or extracted or copied into ClubMate files from there. To do this, open a file as normal (using Open in the Game menu). When the standard Windows file selector appears, use the File Type combo box (lower left) to select ChessBase files. Then continue as usual. Note that the .CBF file and the .CBI file must be in the same directory.

ChessBase files may also be opened using Open in the File menu, and proceeding as above in the Windows file selector. The list of games that appear in the windows may be treated as if they were ClubMate games.

Note that if you are playing through a ChessBase game taken from its original file, you will be asked if you want to save it when you go to close it. If you answer yes, you will be asked to supply the name of a ClubMate file to use. This is a Save, not a Save Into operation, so if the ClubMate file already exists, it will be overwritten.

General note: A Text file for import must not contain any comments or annotations, or if it does, they must be bracketed out

Import ASCII file (ChessBase format)

After you have selected this menu option, supply the name of the file you want to import. When the first game has been taken from the file, you will also be asked to supply a file name to save into. This will be a ClubMate .GMS file.

Note that the program copes with both types of ChessBase ASCII export. You do not have to say which one you are using.

Import ASCII file (user-defined format)

A default format is defined, but you should check that it matches your text file if you are going to use it. Alternatively, make your own, or load one of the predefined files as follows (examining these files in the dialogue will show you how they work):

CRDIBM.FMT	ChessReader IBM format. To ensure that the game details are correct, check that the headers are consistent in the file (sometimes untypical data is included).

4LINE.FMT	4 line headers as found in many Cserve text files. (e.g. Keycode:, White:,

Black:, Place: etc). To ensure that the game details are correct, check that no header has more than 4 lines.

5LINE.FMT	5 line headers as found in many Cserve files. As above but with the extra line 'Annotator:', and perhaps 'Source:'. To ensure that the game details are correct, check that no header has more than 5 lines.

SIMPLE2.FMT	2 line headers - typically 'White-Black' on the first line, and 'Place Date' on the second.

(These files may also be used for Export. Note that ChessBase files do not require an import format file, as they are a little strange - and require different treatment which the program knows about).

Defining a format

Select the menu option Tools - Define Import Format. The dialogue contains the following fields which may be edited to suit the particular type of ASCII file you want to import. You may define the header, various crucial specific characters, and the pieces. You may also like to know how the program copes with promotions, castling, comments, incomplete games, and multiple games in a file. You may also like to know what can go wrong.

A format may be saved once it is defined, and reloaded on subsequent occasions. Once a format has been saved, it becomes the default format for the current session, and does not have to be re-loaded.

Non-move text

Number of lines in Header

Each game is assumed to have some kind of header, with at least the players names. You need not include blank lines in the total. It is essential that this field be correct - otherwise the program may crash.

White name ... (black's name may also be on this line)

Black name ...

Opening ...

Venue ... (date may also be on this line)

Date ...

Remark at line number

The line number these are to be found at. Start counting at 1. If the field is not used, enter 0. Anything which cannot be easily categorised can be imported under remark. Text will then be included in the Game Details in the ClubMate game, and you can edit it there. A 'year only' date may be included in the line for the venue - the program will normally be able to separate it from the other text. Except where noted above, fields should be on SEPARATE lines.

Preceded by...

Each of the above fields may be preceded by an introductory character or characters. For instance, some formats use 'W:' or 'White:' to precede the white player's name, and so on. Enter these characters in the space provided.

If preceding characters are used, any number of fields may be placed on the same line. If they are NOT used, only the player names (with a separator), and the venue and date should be placed on the same line. All other fields must be on separate lines - i.e the program is able to distinguish names if they are separated by a specific character (such as '-' in A.Player - B.Player), and will extract the date separately from a line such as 'London 1895'.

Results

Check the box if results are included in the game. Then edit the form of the results.

A blank line MUST be left between the end of one game and the start of the next, if the file has more than one game in it.

Other characters

Separating names (when on same line)

 Whatever is used to separate White from Black, e.g. - as in White - Black. A space is also possible, but in this case there must not be any spaces within names themselves. e.g. A.Player B.Player (space between Player and B only) would parse correctly, but A. Player B. Player (space between A. and Player) would parse as A. versus Player. Spaces are permitted within names as long as the separator is something else - (A. Good Player - B. Awful Player would parse correctly). if the names are not on the same line, the program will set this character to 0 (nothing).

Separating moves

e.g. ';' as in 1.e4 e5; 2. Nf3. A space may also be used, but note that if it IS, and you want to change it, you must delete the space (which only shows because when you click on the field the cursor does not go to the far left) before Windows will let you type anything else. If each move is on a separate line, leave this field blank.

Comment start and end

If there are any comments at all in the file (this includes annotations as well as normal text, but does not include position assessments immediately following a move), they MUST be bracketed by start and end characters, e.g. {better would have been 16 Bxc4...}. The program would probably cope with text comments alone, but is likely to get hopelessly confused if comments include moves - so bracket the lot out if they exist. With future versions in mind, it is probably better to use {} rather than [] because ECO codes invariably appear inside square brackets.

Note: It is essential that comments are indicated correctly if they exist - otherwise the program may crash helplessly!

Check and Capture

The characters used to indicate these in the file (normally '+' and 'x').

NOTE: Promotions are assumed to be indicated as c8=Q or c8Q where 'Q' is the character representing the piece promoted to.

NOTE: Castling is assumed to be '0-0' and '0-0-0' (zeros) or 'O-O' and 'O-O-O' (upper case letter O).

Pieces

Enter the letters representing the pieces. a 'P' (or another letter) may be entered for a pawn, but it will normally be assumed to be blank - as in 'c4'. If a piece is represented by a character outside the range of the normal ASCII (as in ChessBase ASCII files) use the ALT key + the number pad to type in the value - e.g. ALT 171 produces ½.

Move numbering pattern

Files which output moves consecutively will normally have numbering of the type '1.', the '.' being the crucial character for the program. However, text files such as ClubMate itself outputs for printing have moves on separate lines, and numbers use the type 1 followed by a number of spaces. For this type choose the second numbering pattern.

NOTE: All games must start at move 1. Incomplete games starting after a few moves (from a set position) cannot be imported at the moment.

Load

Open an import format file for editing. Also makes this file the default format during the current session.

Save

Save an import format. If you do not save an edited format, it will still become the current default for free form ASCII imports, but you will lose the definition when you exit the program.

If you have edited an existing format, and exit without saving it, you will be warned.

What can go wrong (or why are my imported games garbage?)

Unfortunately the quick answer is an awful lot. If you really want to, you can probably cause the program to crash round here, although it does its best not to! Two non-fatal warning messsages may be given (as well as some fatal ones):

Warning 1: occurs if the parser finds what appears to be a move numbering system which is not the one defined (e.g. 1. instead of 1 (space)). You may continue at the warning without the likelihood of any damage other than getting no moves in your games. You are also offered the option of ignoring all other warnings of this type.

Warning 2: occurs if the parser finds what appear to be moves when it should still be reading the game header  (e.g. you may have entered too many lines in the format definition). This is a serious warning. If you continue, and the program is right, it will probably crash. (The only occasion I have found when it is safe to ignore this warning is when inporting files with a Keycode field. The figures in the Keycode can confuse the program into thinking 'this line should be a move'). You are also offered the option of ignoring all other warnings of this type.

In general, mistakes happen when your format definition does not fit the text file exactly. Check things like the headers (are there the correct number of lines), comments (are they bracketed out - or have you started one comment with a bracket, but not included the closing bracket?). You may need to do a bit of editing on the text file before it will import correctly. Some examples:

ChessReader IBM format files will need all notes removed from the top and bottom of the files.

Some ChessReader IBM files are inconsistent in their placing of data - e.g. line 3 in the header is usually the Tournament, but is sometimes used for the opening. The game will import fine, but once in ClubMate, you will have to extract it from the file, edit the details, and replace it in the file.

Some NIC format files are inconsistent as regards the number of lines in the header. Mostly they have 4, but sometimes 5 lines. Again, the games will import OK, but when you open the GMS file, you will see that some of the player names are incorrect.  Either correct them in the details dialogue, or (easier), just remove the troublesome 5th header line wherever it appears (usually only once or twice in a long file).

It is unlikely that the program will fall over during an import, but if something has gone wrong, you may end up with some very odd looking games. It's just like when you're playing through a game from a magazine, and you play the wrong move without noticing it. Sooner or later you get to a position when it's impossible to make the move required. If something occurs to upset the program's understanding of the text file, it will likewise eventually find illegal moves. The import continues anyway so that the game can be completed, in the hope that the next one will make more sense. But when you come to replay the game, you will most likely find an odd looking starting position, typically with pieces missing, or some pieces the wrong colour.

Some errors:

Game has no moves.

Likely that the program found the header (or what it thought was the header) but couldn't find the start of the moves. Check headers and move numbering. Also check move separators (this happened to me when I had the move separator as ';' when it was in fact just a space).

Starting position odd (pieces missing or wrong colour).

At some point the program found what appeared to be an illegal move. Compare the moves displayed with the text file, until you find the one that went wrong. Check that your text file is in fact correctly notated (castling correct?). Check for incorrectly notated piece moves where there is a valid alternative - e.g. Ne2 when there was a Knight on f4 and another on c3. The program will have had exactly a 50% chance of picking the right one unless the notation reads Nc3e2 (or even Nce2). (I had this happen during development when, due to a bug, 'Q' and 'K' were being transposed - so no Queen or King moves were imported - the end results were quite funny).

Start position OK, but at some point moves missing or wrong.

Check as above.

If all else fails, send me a copy of your text file, and a copy of your CLUBMATE.INI, and I will do my best to sort something out for you.


PGN Files
Import PGN file (Portable Games notation)

After you have selected this menu option, supply the name of the file you want to import. When the first game has been taken from the file, you will also be asked to supply a file name to save into. This will be a ClubMate .GMS file.

The program will ignore any text in the file which is not game text, so you can download a file from the networks, and put it straight nto the program without any editing. If you have imported a file in UNIX format, the program will also read this correctly.

If the import process finds an illegal move in a game (as sometimes happens when the moves have been entered incorrectly), that game will be marked bad and not imported. At the end of the import you will be told how many games were successfully imported, and how many were bad.

Faulty PGN files

The results of errors in a PGN game score are unpredictable, but the following are more predictable than others:

If the importing routine finds incorrect moves, either the initial game position will be corrupt, or (more likely) the game will be marked as bad and not imported. Comparison of the list of imported games with the original file will show which games are incorrect,

A PGN NAG (assessment) is required to be preceded by the token '$'. In some files it is included in the comment delineators - the curly braces '{}'. Such assessments will be ignored by ClubMate.

Some game scores are being prepared with a comment following the game result, typically clock usage. PGN defines the result to be the game terminator. It is therefore strictly incorrect to follow this with any information relating to the game. In such cases ClubMate may not pick up the game result correctly, but there will be no other effect.

Certain errors will cause the entire import to be aborted, as they are potentially able to crash the program. These include failure to terminate a comment correctly, and failure to find a game terminator. In such cases the file must be corrected manually, or the offending game removed, before the import can be done.

Export PGN File

The dialogue allows you to choose between reduced format (a 7 line predefined header, no comments, analysis or assessments) or standard format. If you select standard format, you may also set the following:

Extra header lines:

Define the tag pair by using the combo box. The line number for which you are setting the header is shown. To edit or review previously set header lines, use the Previous and Next buttons. To delete previously set header lines, use the Remove button. Please note that this facility is largely for future expansion. At the moment, ClubMate does not store the data needed for these extra fields, and you will have to add it to the exported file manually.

Inclusions:

You may include any, all or none of analysis, comments, and assessments. Assessments recorded in ClubMate which are available as PGN NAGs (Numeric Annotation Glyphs (sic!)) will be translated appropriately, except that "==" becomes NAG 11 - "equal chances, quiet position", as ClubMate itself has no means (as yet) of distinguishing between dynamic and strategic equality. Please note that NAGs are properly represented in a PGN file as '$' followed by the numeric value of the NAG, and not, as in some realisations, enclosed in the curly braces '{}'.

When you exit the dialogue with OK, you will be asked to supply the name of the .GMS file you want to export, and then the name of the .PGN (text) file to which it is to be converted.


CLUBMATE.INI Fields

Fields marked DO NOT EDIT must only be changed by using the User Preferences Dialog.

GamesPath	Games directory

PrefsFlags	DO NOT EDIT

AutoPlay	Interval in milliseconds

LinesPerPage	Printing lines per page

Caption	DO NOT EDIT

PrintOpts	DO NOT EDIT

Notation	Piece name letters

PieceSet	DO NOT EDIT

ClubMateVersion	DO NOT EDIT

LargeFonts	Set to 1 if using large fonts (Default 0)

3DDialogs	Set to 0 to turn off (Default 1)

SlidingSpeed	DO NOT EDIT

LastFile1	Why would you want to edit this?

LastFile2	Ditto

LastFile3	Ditto

LastFile4	Ditto

GameListLimit	Size of game blocks loaded for list windows, must be 	between 100 and 4000

PrefsNewFlags	DO NOT EDIT

UserData	Edit at your peril!


Printing

Please note that printing under Windows is very slow. By selecting the option Print to Text file in the Print Options dialogue, you may send output to a text file, which can then be printed direct from DOS. This is a very much quicker, although the final result may not be quite so smart.

NOTE: Your default printer must be set up from the Windows Control Panel. There is no facility within ClubMate for doing this.

Games may be printed from the Print option in the Game Menu, or by using the Print button in the Game Selector.

Files may be printed from the Print File option in the File Menu.

In all cases, you can control how much of the file or game is printed from the Print Options dialogue.


Support
About ClubMate

ClubMate is a fully featured Chess Database designed for the Club player. The author is a Senior Software Engineer for a business software company which has a growing international reputation, and was for some years Hereford and Worcester Junior Chess Organiser.

For queries and support contact

Ian Murray-Watson, The Slade, Peterchurch, Herefordshire, HR2 0SP.

Compuserve address: 100413,621. Internet address: ian@gval.demon.co.uk

NOTE: Support is only available for registered users. All communications MUST be accompanied by your serial number, which is shown on the dialogue with which the program starts.


ChessBase Files

To open a ChessBase file, go to the menu File-Open or Game-Open options as if you were going to open a ClubMate file. The Windows open file dialogue has a list of file types on it. The one showing will be ClubMate. If you open this list by clicking on it, you will see that ChessBase is also listed. Select this type, and open the files as you usually do. The .CBF and .CBI files must be in the same directory.


Duplicates
Duplicate Search

You may look for duplicates within selected files - without any comparison with other files- or compare the games in each file with every other selected file, or both. To achieve this select the appropriate check box on the right of the dialogue - Search internally or Compare file with file or both.

If you have chosen to do a full search of your complete database, with full file comparisons,  this can take a very long time. Every game in every file has to be compared with every game in every other file. It is better to work with a few files at a time, especially if you know where duplicates exist.

Once the comparison has been done, the dialog will display a list of games which it has found to be duplicated. You may mark one or both games for deletion - but note that nothing is changed until you exit the dialog with OK. Deletion is NOT done automatically. You may have one copy with annotations in which you would like to keep, and so on.

Reset. 	Use this button to reset the dialog for a subsequent search.

Search. 	Start the search.

Next. 	See the next duplicate (when available)

Previous. 	See the previous duplicate (when available)

Look in...	Change the default directory.


Exporting Files

General note: An exported text file will not contain any comments or annotations.

A default format is defined, but you can make your own, or use one of the files provided (examining these files in the dialogue will show you how they work).

CRDIBM.FMT	ChessReader IBM format.

4LINE.FMT	4 line headers as found in many Cserve text files. (e.g. Keycode:, White:,

Black:, Place: etc).

5LINE.FMT	5 line headers as found in many Cserve files. As above but with the extra line 'Annotator:', and perhaps 'Source:'.

SIMPLE2.FMT	2 line headers - typically 'White-Black' on the first line, and 'Place Date' on the second.

CBS_EXP.FMT	As one of the ChessBase formats (the one without control characters).

(All these files, with the exception of CBS_EXP.FMT, may also be used for Import).

Defining a format

Select the menu option Tools - Define Export Format. The dialogue contains a number of fields which may be edited to suit the particular type of ASCII file you want to export.

A format may be saved once it is defined, and reloaded on subsequent occasions. Once a format has been saved, it becomes the default format for the current session, and does not have to be re-loaded.

Non-move text

Number of lines in Header

This will define how many lines are placed in the game header. You need not include blank lines in the total.

White name ...

Black name ...

Opening ...

Venue ...

Date ...

Remark at line number

The line number these are to be placed at. Start counting at 1. If the field is not used, enter 0. Anything which cannot be easily categorised can be exported under remark by editing the preceding characters for this field.  Fields need not be placed on separate lines.

Preceded by...

Each of the above fields may be preceded by an introductory character or characters. For instance, some formats use 'W:' or 'White:' to precede the white player's name, and so on. Enter these characters in the space provided. Thus to get the NIC first field - Keycode:, enter 'Keycode:" as the field to precede a remark, and put it at line 1.

Results

Check the box if results are to be included in the game, and enter the form of the results (usually '1-0', '0-1', ' ½-½', although NIC uses '1/2' for a draw).

Other characters

Separating names (when on same line)

 Whatever is to be used to separate White from Black, e.g. - as in 'White - Black'.

Separating moves

e.g. ';' as in 1.e4 e5; 2. Nf3. A space may also be used, but note that if it IS, and you want to change it, you must delete the space (which only shows because when you click on the field the cursor does not go to the far left) before Windows will let you type anything else.

Check and Capture

The characters to be used to indicate these in the file (normally '+' and 'x').

Pieces

Enter the letters which are to represent the pieces. A 'P' (or another letter) may be entered for a pawn, but it will normally be assumed to be blank - as in 'c4'. If a piece is represented by a character outside the range of the normal ASCII (as in ChessBase ASCII files) use the ALT key + the number pad to type in the value - e.g. ALT 171 produces ½. if you load the file CBS_EXP.FMT you will find that these characters look very odd. DO NOT CHANGE them, they are correct, and will translate to the characters used in the graphic chess font which ChessBase uses.

Move numbering pattern

Files which output moves consecutively will normally have numbering of the type '1.', the '.' being the crucial character for the program.

Open

Open an export format file for editing. Also makes this file the default format during the current session.

Save

Save an export format. If you do not save an edited format, it will still become the current default for free form ASCII exports, but you will lose the definition when you exit the program.

If you have edited an existing format, and exit without saving it, you will be warned.