Re: [Rails-devel] Bug in 1856

[Bill R. <ro...@gm...>]

Erik,

As you may already have discovered, the problem is an interaction with the code that checks if a share fits into the pool and the code that checks if we can sell a just bought share.  In this case both of these checks are reducing the number of shares we can sell, i.e. the code is double counting in this case.  The easy fix is to add the check that 'number == shareCountPerUnit[i]' on line 442.

The problem is that this introduces another problem.  With this check added a player who owns only the presidency of a company may buy and then immediately sell a 10% certificate, which is currently forbidden by Rails.  A reading of the rulebook supports the way that Rails currently handles things: 

"A certificate cannot be sold during the stock turn it was purchased."

Steve Thomas's list of 1856 clarifications (at http://www.18xx.net/1856/1856f.htm) contradicts this, saying that:

{p12} A player may sell stock in a Corporation bought earlier in the same turn of a stock round but must retain at least one share in the Corporation just bought. If necessary the same certificate may be bought then sold immediately. For example, a player owning just the President's certificate of a Corporation may buy and then sell a share of that Corporation. [This ruling directly contradicts the statement on p12, but accurately reflects the intentions of Bill Dixon.]

This clarification agrees with the simple fix suggested above, but it disagrees with the rules.  The more complicated fix that agrees with the rules as written is to check if either 'number == shareCountPerUnit[i]' or in the case that the current player is the president and the company is *not* dumpable that 'number == shareCountPerUnit[i] - 2'.  It may also be simpler just to check if the space in the pool has reduced maxShareToSell and not decrement the number of shares available for sale if this is the case.

I'd have included a patch, but it's not clear to me what the best solution is.  If the implementation follows Steve Thomas's clarification list, then the fix is relatively simple and I am happy with it, but this would be a change in how Rails behaves.  If Rails is to follow the rulebook as written, then I'm not really happy with the fix listed above as it requires testing for things like dumpability well outside of where the code for that currently resides.

Bill


On 2011-10-04, at 0:44 , Erik Vos wrote:

> This only seems to occur if the second buy is from the IPO, not if from the Pool.  Strange.
> I'll investigate. There might be a connection with the don't-sell-a-just-bought certificate rule.
> 
> Erik.
> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: ar...@gl... [mailto:ar...@gl...]
>> Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 8:25 AM
>> To: rai...@li...
>> Subject: [Rails-devel] Bug in 1856
>> 
>> 
>> There is a bug in 1856.
>> 
>> I own 10% of CPR and buys another 10%. Then I want to sell my  previously
>> owned share, but I can't. Save file attached. I run Rails  1.5.
>> 
>> /Arne Östlund
> 
> 
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