AboutScidBases

• Is there a way to stop SCID from automatically loading the example game database startup?
• Can I Edit PGN Files?
• Why does My Base Get Bigger without Adding More Games to It?
• Why is the Tree Window Slow?
• Will Stopping Compilation Corrupt a Database?
• Why Should I Upgrade SCID?
• I got "Database is corrupt" - What should I do?
• I entered five position, saving it to an exist file with a .pgn file extension. While the tool was open I was able to navigated between the five positions successfully. However, when I closed the tool and came back the positions were gone. Is there anyway to recover the lost work?

Is there a way to stop SCID from automatically loading the example game database startup?

Yes:

1. Open [TheGamelistWindow].
2. Click on the Book icon.
3. Rick click on the database you want to stop from loading at startup.
4. Uncheck "Load at Startup"

Do the reverse to load one or more databases at startup.

Can I Edit PGN Files?

Sorry, but no. In SCID, PGN files are read-only.

More precisely, it is possible to modify a game in a PGN file, say by adding a variation to a game or by editing its headers, but the modification can't be written back to the file. The only way to preserve modifications brought to a game in SCID is by using a [ScidDatabase].

Tip. If you already modified a game that is in a PGN file, copy it to [TheClipbase], then to a [ScidDatabase].
As a design choice, the SCID creator, [ShaneHudson], decided to use a format for SCID to speed up search. So he joined the editing facilities to that format. We can thus say that SCID is a PGN reader.

See also [HowToImportGames]

Why does My Base Get Bigger without Adding More Games to It?

When a game is replaced, its new version is saved to the end of the game file, so wasted space can accumulate over time. You can reduze a base to its minimal size by compacting it -- see [HowToCompactDatabases] for more.

Why is the Tree Window Slow?

If [TheTreeWindow] seems to be slow try compacting the database

The speed of the algorithm for position searching is increased on a compacted database.

TODO. WHY?

NB. [TheTreeWindow] takes lots of memory. It may crash slower computers. Use it only if you need it.

Will Stopping Compilation Corrupt a Database?

During compaction SCID creates a temporary database (called originalnameTEMP) during the compaction process. Only when there's no error or interruption will SCID overwrite the original database.

Having a backup copy of your databases is always a good idea.

Why Should I Upgrade SCID?

When opening a database, I got this:

Database version newer than SCID. Please upgrade SCID.

What Is Happening?

At the beginning of every *.si4 file, there are some information about the database.

One of this is the database format number (400 from 4.* scid versions).

If the number stored in the file is greater than 400, you get that error message.

Usually this means that the index file is corrupted and must me repaired.

What should you do?

First, do not panic. Everything should be fine with your games. There are two ways out of this:

The first you can try is to repair the database. Click on File / Maintenance / Repair Base, and then select your database.

The second is to open the file with the SCID version under which you created the database, create a new database and copy all the games to it.

The new database should open without errors in the new SCID version.

I got "Database is corrupt" - What should I do?

First, know it only means that [TheIndexFile] is corrupt.

Try to repair it using

File / Maintenance / Repair base

For this to work, the base in question must not be opened.
(This is not possible in most cases anyway.)

SCID will then try its best to get the database back in a consistent and usable state.

(TODO - What if you can't do nothing. Make backups!)

I entered five position, saving it to an exist file with a .pgn file extension. While the tool was open I was able to navigated between the five positions successfully. However, when I closed the tool and came back the positions were gone. Is there anyway to recover the lost work?

Sadly, no. SCID only allows you to save games in a [ScidDatabase].

Sorry.