[Scid-users] About null-moves and editorial capabilities

[Denis J. N. V. <dj...@so...>]

On 2002.02.13 01:44 jason varsoke wrote:
> Probably the biggest problem I have when reading PGN files, or
> converting ChessBase files to PGN to SCiD is the NULL move "--".
> It'd be really nice to have support for this.

I had no idea ChessBase exported PGN files with moves like that.
Supporting Null-moves in Scid could be done, but would require a
bit of hacking on the move encoding and decoding format.

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I have had scores with null moves, and they are imposible to  read, =
because a null move does not exist in pgn std.  My thoughts are that, we =
should not alter the "pgn export standard" because this will be the seed =
to future  incompatibilities.  If someone wish to include null moves I =
suggest to include it in a text comment.

This topic brings to my attention, why a null-move is needed?  If the =
purpose is to illustrate how the course of the game will be under =
different piece positions or turn to move, this is like saying that we =
will see the continuation of this game with a fragment of another =
(almost similar) game. =20

Comments like this, are more complex that an exclamation mark or a =
single sentence.  This is like refering to another game, drawing =
attention to a diagram of a different game or drawing arrows on a board. =
=20

I think of pgn as a format readable by humans and by programs, that =
should be used only for archival not for editorial purposes, due to its =
poor readability.

I believe that the ultimate format for reading and analysing games is a =
free form format (with a way to edit it), that allows to comment a game =
more in the way we see a printed page linked with a database of chess =
scores. =20

General comments, comments before variants, diagram interspersed from =
the game or from other games, use of font and paragraph formatting to =
improve readability, and specially a board incorporated inside the text =
to follow the game score, variants and positions. =20

To avoid duplicating storage space, will be needed the ability to access =
the database or to include the score within the document to disconect =
the document from the database of games and send it to a friend.




Thanks,


Denis J. Navas Vega