Auto-save games options

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It will be nice to have options preferences for saving game.
For example, under xboard, I configure a destination directory for the
auto-save pgn game.

What version of the product are you using?

0.8.1
Did you use an installed version of PyChess or did you run in from a
tarball/svn?
tarball

Original issue reported on code.google.com by armand.d...@gmail.com on 11 Nov 2007 at 12:15

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So you say you'd like PyChess to like autosave once a minute?
Or you you mean like in glchess where games are automatically saved when you 
close
the client, and then reopened next time you start?

Original comment by lobais on 11 Nov 2007 at 4:14

• Added labels: Type-Enhancement, Priority-Low
• Removed labels: Type-Defect, Priority-Medium

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When my game is over, I would like that this game is automatically save as a pgn
file. (or a popup proposition). So it is not like glchess.

Thanks you !

Original comment by armand.d...@gmail.com on 12 Nov 2007 at 8:24

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So it is more like PyChess should manage a database of all games you've played?

Original comment by lobais on 12 Nov 2007 at 3:18

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Why not, but sufficient for me is to save each game in a pgn file. It is not
necessary to have a full database concept.
I use the pgn file for a crafty's analyze after my game.

for example, in the preferences, i could choose the format of the filename for
example (for fics): 
"nickname-white-color"-"nickname-black-color".pgn 
and i could choose an auto save game option.

Original comment by armand.d...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2007 at 12:43

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Ah I see.
What do you think about a preferences section, like the one attached?

If we were to implement a database and/or analyzing directly into PyChess, 
could you
describe or make a mockup of an ideal structure?

Original comment by lobais on 13 Nov 2007 at 3:15

Attachments:

• screenshot.png
• mockup.glade

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About the first question. It seems simple and great !

About the second question. About the database, I think we should take a deep 
look on
scid chess database. And this is a long story :-). The big problem of scid is 
that
you don't have the wonderfull svg enable. About the analyze feature, my need is 
very
simple. Again, in the preferences, I would like a section like this one :

---------- analyze options ---------------
analyze after end of the game ? [X]
choose analyze engine  : [-------]
       time by moves in seconds : [ ... ] (120 seconds for example)
       analyze options : [--------] (for example smpmt=2 for crafty (dual core procs))
------------------------------------------

When the game is finished, a sort of popup window appears :

---------------------------
Would you like to analyze the game ? 
[YES] [NO]
---------------------------

( I prefer that pychess ask me because analyze is not necessary when me or my
opponent made a blunder).

So this is my dream !

Thanks you !

Original comment by armand.d...@gmail.com on 13 Nov 2007 at 8:27

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I know scid has a hell lot of advanced (and ugly) analyze functions.
Stuff like this could be implemented in a pluggable manor i the far future, but 
for
now it would probably not fit very much in.

For the analyze, how'd you like the output of that analyze displayed?
In Stauton or the version after, we'll probably have an analyze sidepanel, that 
shows
you the e.g. crafty analyze output for each position.
Would that do?

Original comment by lobais on 9 Dec 2007 at 2:37

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I agree with you.I think the most simple output is sufficient. The crafty 
output is
ok i think. the auto-save game options is clearly more important than the 
analyze option.

Original comment by armand.d...@gmail.com on 9 Dec 2007 at 2:44

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Hey, I think BabasChess (Win FICS client) for example has very well done this 
feature
- autosaving finished games into a file. You just play and at any time later 
you can
replay your games. Simple and useful.

Original comment by pe3...@gmail.com on 4 Jan 2009 at 2:35

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Tamás is working on a database for PyChess. The next version will surely be 
much
stronger on this area. I hope you can wait.
And yes, we are much inspired by BabasChess, Aquarium and more.

Original comment by lobais on 4 Jan 2009 at 4:14

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Apart from autosaving it might be also useful to put button on "notice bar" 
(the one
which says that game ended and how) which would say: save game to default 
database.
Take this just as an idea - I do not really know if this is really needed. On 
the
other hand, what else may one want to do with a finished game? (close/analyze
immediately/save for later replay)

Original comment by pe3...@gmail.com on 10 Jan 2009 at 10:18

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I think all games you have ever observed or played should be put to some 
standard
database, which could later be searchable.
When a game has finished, the yellow bar would have a button "Open in
sandbox/database" and from there, the user could move it to a more 
permanent/tagged
database. (And of course do all kinds of analysing, examination and continued 
play)

Original comment by lobais on 11 Jan 2009 at 10:02

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Yep, I think that might be fine.

There are several possible approaches to autosaving.
1) save everything to single file
2) save to several files depending on pychess logic
3) save to several files depending on rules (inspired by jin)

I would do 2nd, but 1st might be as good if easy to use (and fast) filtering is
possible to use on games database. 3rd might come in some far future, if needed.

Just do not forget that especially on observed games - user may close the game 
BEFORE
it is finished. I think you should have a clear idea of what should pychess do 
with
games and how possibly interact with user in all combinations of
local/server/observed and finished/not finished games. Which makes six possible
situations.
As I wrote earlier, I am personally strongly against any popup dialogs. They 
might be
useful but one should be able to turn them off in preferences.

Original comment by pe3...@gmail.com on 11 Jan 2009 at 4:10

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(2) and (3) can be implemented using filters/advanced search of the large 
database.
Observed games can be discussed, but games take up so little space, that there 
is no
reason not to store tons of them, at least for a couple of months, just like the
history in webbrowsers.

Original comment by lobais on 11 Jan 2009 at 4:38

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Just look at it this way. You have a DB full of everything, but of little value.
Mostly just your own games are of a value to you. So why to lose time (space is
really not imporant) filtering those others?
Even Fritz uses the same approach - three DBs for local games, server games and
observed games.

I think that if someone wants to have it all in one file, then such user will 
just
put same filename in for all three DBs.

Original comment by pe3...@gmail.com on 11 Jan 2009 at 5:23

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I don't see us having the user set the filenames. Rather some sqlite stuff.
But of course, at that time we can see, if there are performance wins be 
splitting
into mulitple databases.

Original comment by lobais on 11 Jan 2009 at 9:58

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I don't think we ever want multiple databases. We should use a collection table 
and a
reference field in the games table
(http://jose-chess.sourceforge.net/images/shots/shot03.png) to group games. It 
can be
a database/pgn where the games was imported from, or others, like clipboard, 
trash,
and auto saved.

Original comment by gbtami on 12 Jan 2009 at 7:56

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I've done a lot of research on rybka, itunes and chessbase, and I've compiled a
layout that will work very well.

Original comment by lobais on 13 Jan 2009 at 10:12

Attachments:

• database.svg

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The recently played lists will contain a reasonable number of games, of which 
the
important ones can be moved to playlists or tagged properly.
If you import e.g. a large base of grandmaster games, you could just let them 
lie
tagged in the global Games list - perhaps using a dynamic filter in case you 
get more
games later - or create a 'play list' for them.

Original comment by lobais on 13 Jan 2009 at 10:18

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In save games options may have an option to send the game (fen, pgn, picture) 
by email, surely should have a record of your name, email, smtp, etc.

Original comment by leogregianin@gmail.com on 23 Jan 2011 at 2:43

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Original comment by gbtami on 20 Apr 2013 at 8:16

• Changed title: Auto-save games options
• Changed state: Accepted

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Original comment by gbtami on 20 Apr 2013 at 8:16

• Added labels: Priority-Medium
• Removed labels: Priority-Low

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Original comment by gbtami on 27 Jun 2013 at 9:59

• Added labels: Milestone-Post-0.12

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Issue 783 has been merged into this issue.

Original comment by gbtami on 7 Jul 2013 at 4:03