Monthly Updates

WinChloe - Monthly Updates

by
Reb Orrell, III

Note: I generally place a shortened hyperlink directly to an internet page within websites I develop. However, in this section I am giving the complete webpage address as many will print out this page for future reference. Also note, that below is the way I go about keeping up with WinChloe. It should not be taken as the only way to do so. As Christian has express to me

This page is interesting but the options you use can't be generalized. For instance, some WinChloe users don't keep a copy of the 'new tables' after they have been copied, as with ADSL, 2 or 3 seconds are sufficient to download them again if necessary. Also, translating automatically all the new problems will be bad when there is text in the solution, which is often the case in retro problems for instance.

While there are various chess solving programs available, WinChloe has one major advantage over their competition. In addition to providing an excellent solving program plus the ability to retain a chess database (as several of the other programs do), it provides a source for constant updates. These updates are sometimes daily or weekly in the form of updating composers, sources, stipulations, aims, tournaments, etc or they are monthly in the form of additional chess problems added to its database. Additionally, Christian provides a monthly update whereby you can download new problems added to his master WinChloe database. This database is added to constantly by WinChloe users from around the world.

Every time you run WinChloe you should open up you internet connection and go to the Tables Auxiliaries Menu and select 'Mise a jour des tables auxiliaires' from the list.

A recent download showed the following items which have been added to the WinChloe Table since my last Tables download:

COMPOSITEURS:
8867=PEREZ CARBALLO Manuel
8868=PASKALEV Ivan
2 nouveau(x) COMPOSITEUR(S)

SOURCES:
3188=Pestry Tyden
3189=Lada
3190=Narodni Prace
3191=Sachova Kniha
3192=Rep. TV-inform
3193=Zabava
3194=Vechernaya gazeta
3195=Forward!
3196=S.C.A.R.T.
3197=Shakhmatnaya Muza Zauralya
3198=Curiosités Tactiques
3199=Femeya Moldovei
3200=170 Skakopgaver
13 nouvelle(s) SOURCE(S)

CONDITIONS:
944=Labyrinthe pour les Blancs
945=Grille pour les Noirs
946=Grille sauf pour capturer pour les Blancs
947=Grille sauf pour capturer pour les Noirs
948=Labyrinthe sauf pour capturer pour les Blancs
949=Labyrinthe sauf pour capturer pour les Noirs
950=Pas de sautoirs pour les Imitators
7 nouvelle(s) CONDITIONS(S)

PIECES:
1239=Bondisseur extensible(3,5)
1240=Bondisseur extensible(3,6)
1241=Sauterelle temporaire
1242=Fers Troyen
1243=Chameau Troyen
1244=Alfil Troyen
1245=Zèbre Troyen
1246=(3,3) Troyen
1247=Vizir Achéen
1248=Dabbaba Achéen
1249=(0,3) Achéen
1250=Chameau Achéen
1251=Zèbre Achéen
1252=Chasseur Pion-Cavalier
1253=Dame de Richard
1254=Pièce cannibale
16 nouvelle(s) PIECE(S)

JUBILES:
0 nouveau(x) JUBILE(S)

MEMORIAUX:
0 nouveau(x) MEMORIAUX

CONCOURS SPECIAUX:
0 nouveau(x) CONCOURS SPECIAL(AUX)

THEMES:
0 nouveau(x) THEME(S)

BUTS:
0 nouveau(x) BUT(S)

STIPULATIONS:
0 nouvelle(s) STIPULATION(S)

RECOMPENSES:
0 nouvelle(s) RECOMPENSE(S)

0 nouvelle(s) PIECE(S) DEFINIE(S) DANS LA BASE DE REGISTRE

0 nouvelle(s) PROMOTION(S) DEFINIE(S) DANS LA BASE DE REGISTRE

If you have a new items to add please contact Christian. It will be quickly added and available for download into your system very quickly.

Monthly Updates

While I refer to Monthly Updates, it is approximately a monthly update. Sometimes there are more than one update per month. To check the latest available update go to http://winchloe.free.fr/newtables.html.. These problems are sent in by WinChloe from all over the world. For a list of current works in progress go to http://winchloe.free.fr/ouvrages_table_echecs.html. Christian and his fellow WinChloe enthusiasts welcome any problems you wish to add.

Before explaining the download and install process, let me explain my method of setting up WinChloe on my computer. While this might seem complicated or unnecessary by your methods it does work nicely for me. (Before beginning I always make a backup of the main Echecs files and any personal databases I am going to be adding the new problems into.) Below is the structure of my WinChloe folders:

WinChloe, by default creates the folders Aid, Base Chloe, Auxiliare, and Requetes. Program files are located in the root of the WinChloe directory, Help files are located in the Aide folder, Filters & Queries are located in the Requetes folder, and the main Echecs database is located in the Base Chloe directory. Any new database you create should also be placed in the Base Chloe directory.

To these initially created directories I have added another directory call Monthly with two sub directories called 2Christian and Updates. The 2Christian directory contains a monthly folder of problems I am sending 'to Christian'. The Updates sub directory contains WinChloe's updates, each with it's own folder. This helps me organize everything and may, or may not, work for you.

Once you have determined a new update is available download the ZIP file to your computer. Before I download I create a new folder (matching the download file name) in my /WinChloe/Monthly/Updates directory. For the purpose of demonstration we'll select the 26_05_26_06_04 download. Go to http://winchloe.free.fr/newtables.html and click on the appropriate file.

Select SAVE and download directly in the 26_05_26_06_04 folder. Then using WinZIP, extract (unzip) these files directly into your /WinChloe/Monthly/Updates/26_05_26_06_04 folder. The following files should be in that directory:

At this point, copy all files with the exception of the Modifications_in_table_Echecs.html and ZIP file into the Base Chloe directory. NOTE: When copying to the Base Chloe directory replace the _Important modification files (if found). While WinChloe gives a different name each time to it's monthly updates, the _Important modifications files remain constant). Then open up WinChloe and select Ficher, then Ouvrir (File/Open). Select the 26_05_26_06_04.DB file. Your other databases will also be listed in the window. If you have not created any databases yourself you will only see the Echecs.DB, _Important modifications.DB, plus any other previously download monthly databases.

The first thing I do is translate the solutions from French to English. Go to Solutions/Traducion and select your language of choice. In this example I selected Anglais (English). Make sure you select the "Toutes les solutions des enregistrements de '26-05_26-06-04.DB" to translate all of the problems in the database. Be patient while the program performs the translation. Please note that Christian advises against translating all of the problems noting that will be bad when there is text in the solution, which is often the case in retro problems for instance.

At this point you are ready to copy the new problems into the master Echecs database. Select Ficher/Copier dans une autre table (Files/Copy problems). Select the top option to copy all of the problems in the update database, then select one of the bottom options. 'Verifier' will ask if you want to replace an existing problems (if found), 'Conserver' will not overwrite any existing problems found, and 'Remplacer' will replace any problems with the current problem. I chose 'Remplacer' because as errors are found in previous problems, or the problems has been reproduced in another publication, I am able to have the most currently updated information on any problem within the WinChloe Echecs database.

When completed repeat the above process with the _Important modifications.DB.

At this point you might want to Filter any particular types of problems you specialize in and copy into your personal database. I pull out all series mover problems (standard chess board and rules / no fairy pieces) and place in my fullseries.DB. (See the section on the Filters & Queries Menu and Filtering Instructions). I do this for the monthly database file and the _Important modifications.DB

At this point you are finished and both your main Echecs database and any personal databases are complete and up to date. Here are a few important points to keep in mind:

	Never work directly within the main Echecs database. Always made a copy of these database files and work within the 'Copy of Echecs' database.
	While not required, it is a good idea to keep a copy of the monthly downloads on your computer in separate folders.
	Check for the latest Tables download every time you run WinChloe.
	Create personal databases for special interests or special projects you are working on. For instance, if your special interest is 'series-movers' create a database strictly for those types of problems. If you are working on a project involving problems of Dr. Milan R. Vukcevich create a database for that purpose. WinChloe is able to recognize various themes. If you are studying 'Organ Pipes" ("Tuyaux d'orgue" in French) create a database which 'Queried' on 'Themes' 'like' 'Tuyaux d'orgue'.
	Back up your data! This doesn't mean just making a copy of the database and placing on your hard drive (although you should always do this in case a database gets corrupted). Copy your important data to ZIP disks or burn CDs. Don't Stop There ! It does no good if all of your data is sitting next to your computer and your house catches on fire or the roof leaks. Store these backups in an off site location, otherwise you risk losing years of hard work creating any special databases. Obviously, this should be done with all of your important computer data.

Again, I stress that the above is the way I go about updating WinChloe. Other users will have a different method. Please note Christian's comments at the top of the page. - Reb Orrell