Re: [Scid-users] Opening tree easier? Multiple tries at once? Disabling tree sync temporarily?

[Marcin K. <Mar...@so...>]

> > It would be nice to have sth like File/Open Tree or
> > File/Open as Tree, what would do just the same - open
> > selected database, open it's tree, and lock it - while
> > keeping the currently loaded game active.
>
> You are right, and also that seems pretty easy to do 
> (...)

(keeping fingers crossed ;-))

> Another suggestion you may find useful : I added a book
> window, so if you really have a favorite reference DB, why not
> generate a book with polyglot from it so you will get a very
> quick navigation (no calculation when moving). (...)

Well, this suggestion finally motivated me to patch your scid so
it is able to access the book even if it is not under the 
directory where main binary lies (if you are interested in 
patch, let me know, I would need to polish it a little bit,
it extends my old patch significantly and keep windows
convention as it is).

And ... yes and no. Book window may be valuable reference
for early moves, but later on it is not that useful. It does not 
offer any statistics (who played such move and with which 
result), and - what is more important - it does not offer any
method to navigate to the games where the quoted moves
were played.

So I would rather stick with the tree...

> But when I added the book window feature, I thought that would
> make useless the need for multiple trees, don't you think ?

Well, see above. The book window would be great for the opening
study/analysis purposes if:
- it offered wider, tree-like stats
- it offered direct navigation to the top matching games

> Tree is slow : Yes ! this is where the books come into action
> : fast, lightweight and efficient !

Well, I think I will stop repeating myself. Maybe I will add one 
more note: ChessAssistant uses something a bit similar to the 
book - precomputed, quickly displayed information about the 
moves played in selected positions. But it keeps far more info 
there (well, more or less all what scid tree window has).

In fact, I think that maybe the best of all worlds would be to 
use some book-building-like-technique to build index(es) for the 
tree, so they work as fast as the book ;-)

>
> Ok, I added a button in engine window to start/stop analysis
> for exactly the same reasons you explain here for tree window
> : so I will do it

:-)

Best regards.