This is a simple newbie question, but I am a little confused on how to establish a USCF database in SwissSys from scratch.
I know that I should start with a Golden Database. At this time, when I look at the Rating Supplement download page, I am given three choices: Oct 2006, Dec 2006, Feb 2007. I assume I download the Feb 2007 version (but the web page says all three are through the Oct 2006 Rating supplement - this is confusing - isn’t the Dec 2006 through the Dec 2006 Rating supplement and the Feb 2007 through the Feb 2007 Rating supplement?). Why are all three there in the first place rather than the latest one?
Also what use is the 2006 Annual List - should I even bother with this given the Feb 2007 Golden Database?
Once the Feb 2007 Golden Database is loaded, then do I just import the April 2007 Rating Supplement, or do I need to import March 2007 Rating Supplement first, and then April 2007?
Chris,
My method is to find the most recent golden database. Set this as your database in Swissys. Generate an index. Then import all of the ratings supplements after the Golden database. Then generate the index again.
I was also confused about the comment on the feb 2007 and dec 2006 golden databases. The December one was through the December supplement so I assume this is just a typo.
Mike Regan
a) Download the new “Golden Database” each time and replace the old one. Advantages: Fewer steps, all players will be included. Disadvantages: Much larger file to download, Golden Database is usually not posted as quickly as the updates. Note that after doing this, you should re-index. BTW, I suspect that all those older “Golden Databases” are there simply because no one ever gets around to deleting them.
b) Download the supplements and import them with . Advantages: Smaller files to download, usually posted sooner, faster if you know what you’re doing. Disadvantages: More downloads. If you want to import, e.g. March and April, you must do so separately and in order. Only December and June are cumulative.
Thank you for your replies. That clarifies things a bit, although I wish the USCF could make this a little clearer on their download page for the rating supplements.
I don’t believe the USCF should be responsible for producing (and then maintaining) documentation for how to use third party pairing programs. That’s the responsibility of the author of the program you use.
Now, if they want to make some documentation available on how to deal with the two types of supplement files (to become three types at some point), I’m sure we can find an appropriate place to link to it.
We have a published file standard, and if our files have errors in them, that’s our responsibility to correct. But the USCF staff cannot provide support for those programs.
That sounds nice, but since the files are essentially useless without those programs (does anyone still use Tournament Administrator?), it’s not very realistic.
The problem is that there are about a dozen different releases of WinTD and SwisSys in active use out there. There may be more than that, we still get some rating reports done with programs that date back to the mid 1990’s if not earlier, we had to develop a work-around for a Y2K issue in the files one such old version prepares to enable those files to work under the current ratings programming.
We would be MORE THAN HAPPY to provide appropriate links to the support pages for the pairing programs out there.
As an occasional SwisSys user (going back to at least DOS version 6) I KNOW that there are some differences between the releases of SwisSys in how to best handle the two update formats.
I suspect, based on some email exchanges I’ve had with Tom Doan, that there have been some minor tweaks to how best to deal with the supplement files as WinTD has evolved, too. Specifically, I think he has moved where the ‘default’ files go several times, and fixed a problem that caused it to find the wrong file on occasion.
We still get occasional queries about Pair Plus, though I think Jo stopped active development on it nearly a decade ago. There are a couple of people who have posted in the Forums about their intent to create and market or release their own pairing programs. (I think one of them has quietly abandoned work on that project, though.)
We recently had someone who claimed that he successfully submitted a rating report creating the three upload files in Excel, and we have had people take the rating supplement files and load them into MS Access, Does that mean the USCF staff should have to provide support for Excel and Access users too?
I totally understand that the USCF does not need to document how to import the databases into programs like SwissSys and WinTD - that is the responsibility of the developers of those programs.
However, on the download page, it would be appreciated if the USCF could correct the Golden Database file descriptions to reflect through what Rating Supplement they were updated (all three show October 2006 - that is what is confusing to me). Also, is there any point in keeping the older versions available (just keep one old Golden Database and relevant Rating Supplements to bring the ratings up to date)?
Finally, what is the purpose of the 2006 Annual Rating list, if there are Golden Databases and monthly Rating Supplements?
I’m new to this, so I’m sure there is a history behind these.
I’m not sure I understand your question. The annual rating list is a “supplement” covering everyone who played in the previous year. The corresponding “Golden Database” is a version of the master DB after importing the annual list. I suppose you can make an argument that you don’t need both, but people who still use dial-up (the number is dwindling, but there are still a lot of them) are not going to want to download a 10MB file every month.
It’s also important to note that the December Annual, unlike the other supplements, is cumulative. You must import it to get the rating changes for the last two months, but you also get any changes in the previous year that you missed (if, e.g., you skipped a supplement).
There are events that by design do not use the most current Ratings List (for example the spring national scholastics), for such events having an older Golden Master available may be helpful. I would agree that other than the one tied to the latest annual list we probably don’t need to keep them on file for more than about six months.
We should probably create a new Golden Master to go with the April list.
I think I’ve fixed the incorrect references to October.
We actually offered two separate files for December, one that had just the two months for that supplement and another that was the full 2006 Annual List.
People use the download files for things other than updating their pairing programs, especially the annual list.
We have a new person in Crossville building the DBF files, I will be making sure he’s up to speed on all the little things to check when I’m down there at the end of the month.
I maintain the Pittsburgh Chess League in Paradox which I export to a text file which is input into Tournament Adminstrator. It also looks to me that TA still does a better job than SwissSys at importing the newest rating supplement. I tried SwissSys and it lost the the information on games played by provisional players.