TheImportTool

Scids Import window provides an easy way for you to paste a game in PGN format into Scid from some other application or window.

The large white frame in the window is where you type or paste the text of the game in PGN format, and the gray frame below it provides feedback of any errors or warnings.

Editing the current game with the Import window

The Import window also doubles as a convenient way to make a few changes to the current game: you can paste the current game into the Import window (with the Paste current game button), edit the text, and click Import when done.

PGN tags in the Import window

Scid expects to see PGN header tags such as
[Result "*"]
before any moves, but you can just paste in a game fragment like
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qh5?! Nf6?? 4.Qxf7# 1-0
without any header tags and Scid will import it.

Using PGN files in Scid

If you want to use a PGN format file in Scid but do not want to convert it with pgnscid first, there are two possible ways.

First, you can import the games in the file to an existing database with the [Tools: Import file of PGN games...] menu command.

The alternative is to open the PGN file directly in Scid. However, PGN format files are opened read-only and consume more memory than a comparable Scid database, so this is only recommended for relatively small PGN files.

[Maurice]

Currently the only way to bring up the Import Window is with Ctrl-I . However, it can be slow to load and sometimes seems not work for me at all. Still investigating.

[Maurice]

Scid 4.7.0 is way faster in OpenBSD 6.6 than in Windows 10. I have found that whereas Ctrl-I from the Main Window brings up the Import Window in Windows10 but in OpenBSD6.6 it requires Ctrl-Shift-I. Guess I'll really need to know the nitty-gritty of Scid to really be of help in improving the documentation. So be it.