Chess Federation Rating System – CFRATSYS
1.
( Enter / Read / Edit Old ) Tournament Data
2.
( Validate / Rate / Convert / Supp / Edit Xtbl / Rerate )
3.
( View / Select /
Print ) Crosstables
4.
( Balance / X-Member / Delay / Bad TD ) Letters
5.
Rat. List / Imp. Rcv / Update / History / Current / Report
6.
( Status / Reorg / Utilities / Reset ) Management
The
above menu items are mostly self explanatory.
Detailed explanations will be given with each submenus.
1. ( Enter / Read / Edit Old ) Tournament Data
This
module allows the department to enter and edit tournament data before it is
rated. It uses three .dbf files that
contain data for all the events that have not been rated and converted to
crosstables. The following is a description of the submenus found under this
main menu selection. A description of the current edit file structure is
included as Appendix E. This is also the same structure used in disk reports
and our tournament administrator program. There are significant changes that I
desire to make to the organization of the data in these files. This is also
contained in Appendix E.
Allows the data entry person to completely enter a tournament by hand.
This menu item and menu item three are almost identical. The only difference is
that when this item is selected, the operator is prompted to provide the ending
date for the tournament. Once provided, the computer then generates the event
ID number and database record space and then goes into the edit mode. Please
refer to appendix B for a description of how the edit module operates.
2.
Read New
Tournament Data from disk
Allows the operator
to enter a complete tournament from a disk provided by the tournament
organizer. There are several changes
that we desire to implement in this area and this will be complicated by a
necessity to support both the old and new formats for the next few years. Please
refer to appendix E.
3.
Edit Existing
Tournament data
Allows the operator
to work on a section that needs correction or was not completely entered
previously. Please see appendix B for complete information concerning the edit
function.
2.
( Validate / Rate
/ Convert / Supp / Edit Xtbl / Rerate )
1.
Validate new
tournaments
This module will examine every
tournament in the edit files section by section and set a flag to indicate the
status of each section. Please see appendix C for a description of the current
validation process and the requested changes.
The validation module prompts the
operator to enter a starting and ending event ID number for a range of events
to be validated. A single event can be validated by using the same ID for both
fields. Default values of the oldest and newest events in the edit files are
provided each time that this menu item is selected. Note that the validation
skips sections already validated.
2.
Rate New
Tournaments
This module takes each section in the
edit file that has passed validation and calculates the new ratings for each
player. As each section is completed, I
think a temporary file is created to keep track of each players current rating
so the new rating is available the for the next section in which the player
participates. The sections are handled in ascending event and section order. At
some point, the membership records are updated with the new rating information.
As in the validation module, the
operator is prompted for a starting and ending date with the default values
provided.
3.
Convert
Tournaments to crosstable file
After the rate module is run each week,
this module is run to create and append records to the crosstable files. These
files incorporate the Tnmtevnt.dbf and Tnmtsect.dbf files into one CTBHyyyy.dbf
file and the Tnmtdetl.dbf files into the CTBDyymm.dbf file. An option is
provided to also create the print file Tcyymmdd.pnt of crosstables for every section that was just
rated. I have attached a sample printout of several crosstables as appendix D. These
are produced as a DOS .pnt file and I have also included that file as part of
appendix D. I expect that the 11” x 17” format produced on our dot matrix
printed will continue to be used for the foreseeable future and the new program
should support both dot matrix and laser reports for crosstables.
4.
Create Rating
Supplement
The module creates the text files
necessary for our bi-monthly rating supplements. When the module is started, it
first asks to check for national events. This allows us to move our national
events from the state to national listing in the rated events list. It then requests the date range for rated
events. The date range varies depending on which supplement is being created.
The Dec. supplement includes all rated events for the preceding year. The June Supplement
for the preceding six months, and the remaining 4 (Feb, Apr, Aug, and Oct) for
the preceding 2 months. Inclusion is based on date rated, not the ending
date. The program then begins to work
and creates a text file with the following information.
Events
Rated list
– This is a list of every event rated since the last rating supplement. I have
included a copy of our rating supplement as a sample of the output. See pages
14 to 17. I can provide the actual file if requested. The output is sorted by
state and ending date except for our national events. The national events are
designated when the Create Rating Supplement module is started.
Senior
Masters List – an alpha list of every player who has played in an event
included in this supplement. A senior master is one whose regular published
rating is equal to or greater than 2400. See page 18-19 in the rating
supplement.
Masters
List
– Same as the senior masters list except that the rating range is 2200 to 3399
Complete
regular list – an alpha list of every player who has participated in a
regular rated event in the date range for the supplement. There is an exception
to this in that a player is never listed in a rating supplement until they have
played at least 4 games total.
Complete
quick list
– same as the regular list but includes only the quick ratings for players who
have participated in a quick rated event.
The current text file (ratesupp.pnt)
uses a monospaced font with spaces for alignment. The new program should use
tabs to separate the fields. Font is not important as this will be adjusted
when the data is brought into Quark Express for pre-press formatting.
5.
Edit
Crosstable file
This module allows
the operator to edit data in the crosstable files (ctbhyyyy.dbf and ctbdyyyy.dbf). When selected, the operator is prompted to
provide an event ID and section number and will accept partial data input. This
will bring up a screen with a Event and section ordered list of events. The
exact ID entered or the closest next matching event appears at the top of the
screen and the operator can scroll to find the exact event that they want to
edit. Once the event is found, the operator selects that event and this brings
up the event header information. All header fields are available for change
except for ending date information. The operator can then use a function key to
bring up a screen that allows them to change individual player information. The
normal changes are to change the ID number or change a result for one or more
games. The changes are then saved directly back to the crosstable files. In our
current system, if any of the changes resulted in changing the ratings of one
or more players, the operator then has to go and manually change each involved
players rating in the membership record. We are expecting to have a completely
automated correction procedure in our new software.
6.
Rerate
Selected Crosstable
This
module uses the same edit procedure that the 5. Edit Crosstables uses except
that once the changes are entered, it allows the operator to use the rating
portion of CFRATSYS to recalculate new ratings based on the changes. This
differs from a normal rating in that it uses the pre-event ratings in the
selected crosstable as starting rating rather then getting the current rating
from each players membership record. The
output of this program is both on the screen and in a text file. It does not
make any changes to the crosstable files. The output consists of both the
original and the changed crosstable. The operator will then review the changes
and use menu item 5. Edit Crosstables to make the actual changes to the
crosstable files. Then, any necessary changes to members ratings has to be done
in the membership files.
3.
( View /
Select / Print ) Crosstables
This
module deals with only rated events. It allows the operator to view or select
and print crosstables and labels based on several criteria.
1.
View
Crosstable file
Selecting this option brings up an
entry window that asks the operator to enter the event ID and section. Operator
enters partial or full information and program shows a table with closest match
at top of screen. Information displayed is
Event ID, Section #, Event Name, State,
Type, total Rounds, Total Players, Total Games, Sys. Ref, Affiliate ID, Chief
TD ID, Last updated
Once you have found and highlighted the
tournament you are interested in, you can depress the F2 key to view the header
information or depress the enter key to view the players ID numbers and
results. You can also depress the F4 key to add the selected section to the
print queue.
2.
Select members
last 5 events
Selecting this option brings up a screen that asks for the ID number of
the player and asks if the operator wants all sections (Y or N). If no is
selected, only the sections in which the player played are selected. Once the
sections question is answered, it clears the two fields and repositions the
cursor back in the ID field to select another member. The operator continues
until done selecting and escapes out to the previous menu. The selected events are
added to the print queue.
3.
Select
crosstables by criteria
Allows the operator to select events to be added to the print queue
based on almost every available data field. Additionally, a range of years can
be specified to speed the search.
4.
Select crosstables
by Tnmt ID
Similar to menu item 2, it selects and adds the specified events to the
print queue.
5.
Print selected
crosstables
This menu selection allows the user to
view the events in the print queue. A list of event ID numbers is displayed.
The user can mark events as deleted. Once the list is reviewed, the user is
allowed to print at that time or go back to select additional events. Once the
print command is given, a file is created with crosstables for all the given
events. The operator must then print the created file.
Note! Each time the print file is
created, it uses the same name and overwrites the previous file.
6.
Print Player
lables / ascii files
This menu item allows the operator to specify a specific event and
produce either a printed set of labels or an ASCII file with the label
information. The purpose of this module is to allow the operator to do a
mailing to the participants of a given tournament. The operator can select
either the entire event or specific sections.
4.
( Balance / X-Member / Delay / Bad TD ) Letters
This
menu is used to handle administrative problems with tournament report
submission and finances, memberships,
and Tournament Directors. Much of this area has never been implemented
and no code exists to execute the various menu selections. This is all necessary and I hope to have it
implemented in the new program.
1. Letters for
inaccurate amounts
Not implemented – should create a letter to report that insufficient or
excessive funds were send to rate the tournament.
2. Letters for
late tournament results
Not implemented – Needed to deal with reports not submitted in a timely
manner.
3. Create
letters for X-Members
Notifies and bills event organizers who have expired or non-USCF
members who participated in their event. Generates and sends an initial and 30
day follow-up letter
4. Edit filing
list for X-Members
Keeps track of the responses to initial and 30 day X-Member letters.
5. -------------
6. Create Bad
TD names list
Not implemented. Ignore as this will be the subject of the module to
take care of TD certification and appeals.
5.
Rat. List / Imp. Rcv / Update / History / Current /
Report
We
have not been using this function and I thought it was not implemented. Menu
items 2-6 are very important to us and need to be included in the new system.
The Grand Prix and the USCF Tour require specific information from the TLA
portion of our new software system. I have not provided a description for the
various menu items as first, I am not familiar with them and second, I have provided
a complete description of what we need.
1.
USCF Annual Rating list by year
2.
TLA Logbook
3.
Grand Prix Calculation
4.
Grand Prix history
5.
Grand Prix current winners list
6.
Grand Prix current winners Report
6.
( Status / Reorg / Utilities / Reset ) Management
Database
and unrated event management functions. This menu item deals mostly with the
edit files except where explicitly noted.
1. Override
Tournament Status
Allows the operator to change the status for a given section in the
edit file. Please see a description of the status codes in appendix C.
2. Reorganize
Tournament Files
Database management function.
3. Re-index
Tournament Files
Database management function
4. Delete
Tournament in Crosstable files
Deletes a tournament stored in the crosstable files. Rarely used but
necessary
5. Change
Password and constants
I am not familiar with this screen as I was never trained on it. I
assume it allows the supervisor to view and change various pieces of data.
Probably not necessary as this function is handled using the NT security
package.
The first section includes Last rate date, Last rating supplement date,
Last year end reset date, Last modified date, and two y/n flags, Rate
tournament and Convert Crosstables. I
suspect that this indicates what was last selected when submenu 2 – rate tournaments from main menu
item 2 was selected and executed.
The second section includes supervisor password, and 5 spots for clerks
initials
The third section covers rating floor constants.
6. Zero out
year end totals.
Zeros out the current year accumulator totals in the CFMEMVIP
membership file. This is the equivalent dbase file for our Cobol membership
file.