Re: [Bug-gnubg] Database names

[Michael Petch]

On 23/02/2012 3:58 AM, Jim Curtis wrote:
> Sorry I wasn't clear.  Thanks for responding.  I am talking about the 
> bearoff databases found
> at: http://www.gnubg.org/index.php?amount=0&blogid=1&query=database.  
> Also hypergammon databases.  My fear is that when downloaded the 
> databases aren't named correctly.  I don't know how to rename them.   
> For example gnubg_os0.bd sounds right but 6x13.bd seems wrong.
> 

Okay, there are 5 different databases that GNUBG actually uses. As follows:

gnubg_os0.bd            The one sided bearoff database (os=one sided)
gnubg_ts0.bd            The two sided bearoff database (ts=two sided)

hyper1.bd               Database for Hypergammon with one chequers
hyper2.bd               Database for Hypergammon with two chequers
hyper3.bd               Database for Hypergammon with three chequers

When you download new databases they may be called anything. You have to
manually rename/copy or delete files. The files above are the ONLY ones
GNUBG reads from a directory. So if you download a new database you need
to go into the GNUBG directory and either remove or rename the original
database and then copy in another.

SO if you downloaded the one side bearoff database called os13.bd you
would need to rename/delete gnubg_os0.bd in the GNUBG directory. Then
rename/copy the new os13.bd file to gnubg_os0.bd .

When you reload GNUBG and go to the evaluation engine in help/about you
will see the new database. I did this procedure for the os13.bd database
and when I reloaded I saw this:

* On disk 1-sided bearoff database evaluator
   - generated by GNU Backgammon
   - up to 15 chequers on 13 points (37442160 positions) per player
   - database includes gammon distributions
   - number of reads: 0

Which is correct.

> one other question:  Should gnubg be uninstalled before installing a 
> more recent build or does it matter?  Will installing over a build erase 
> the huge databases that I have?  Thanks for your help again.
> 

If you are installing a new version, your settings and databases will
not be removed/reset from the directory. Installing without uninstalling
is perfectly fine and you won't lose this information.


-- 
Michael Petch
CApp::Sysware Consulting Ltd.
OpenPGP FingerPrint=D81C 6A0D 987E 7DA5 3219 6715 466A 2ACE 5CAE 3304