Sorting a database

[daSilva65]

"Sorting a database" is still a content in the help files. Question is I can't find the functions to do it in the Maintenance Window or elsewhere in scidCommunity. Only alternative is to sort the Game List View one column at a time (what is poor) and when I chose Load Next Game what I get loaded is not the next game in the Game List View but the next game by database number, which means nothing in a database of annotated games composed over decades.

[daSilva65]

By the way, what is written in "Sorting a database" help file "so you should reorder the game file by compacting it after sorting the database to maintain good search performance." it is not policy in Scid vs. PC. I sorted my database so many time, mainly after importing new games, and I don't remember ever compacting it just after sorting.

[whelanh]

I will take a look. Regarding sorting, if you hold down the Ctrl key and click multiple columns, the game list is sorted in that key order (i.e., you can click "White", then click "Black" while holding down the Ctrl key, and so on). It seems to me that sorting works quickly and the way one would think sequential key ordering should work. Can you elaborate on why that is not working for you?

Regarding the "Load Next Game", I see what you mean: it is only using the game database number. I can take a look at having it use the game list view order instead.

[daSilva65]

I didn't know that I could sort more than one column in sequence. That is a very good and modern feature I am already used to use in the program "DB Browser for SQLite". Other versions of SCID I used before didn't had this feature, as far as I know.
Yes, I feel like "Load Next Game" and correlates like "Load Previous Game" need attention, at least in Windows 11. Most of the time the options for Load Next Game are inactive, or load the next game in database numbering, or select the next game in List View but not load it.

[whelanh]

I agree with you about "Load Next Game" (and the menu is inaccurate as Ctrl + down doesn't invoke it) and "Load Previous". And you are right the "Help" content is inaccurate. I will see what I can do without breaking anything! :-)

[whelanh]

v5.1.3.06 now honors the order in the Game List Window for Load Next Game and Load Previous Game.

Once you have your Game List Window sorted to your liking, I actually think the easier workflow is to just use the up-arrow and down-arrow keys until you get to the game you are interested in and then just hit the "Return" key to load the game.

[daSilva65]

Got a crash on opening, three times. Opening from the start menu icon and opening double clicking the .exe file. Nothing written in the log folder.

[daSilva65]

Usage: sc_base gamelocation baseId filterName sortCrit <gnumber | 0 text start_pos forward_dir>
Usage: sc_base gamelocation baseId filterName sortCrit <gnumber | 0 text start_pos forward_dir>
while executing
"sc_base gamelocation $::curr_db $filter $sortStr [sc_game number]"
(procedure "updateMenuStates" line 52)
invoked from within
"updateMenuStates .menu.game"
(menu preprocess)

[whelanh]

I am not (so far) able to duplicate this error on Linux. Do you have a database "auto-load" when you open scidCommunity? I will try on my Windows VM.

[daSilva65]

Got this, opening the error message from the Activities Monitor, while the GUI was freeze.

[daSilva65]

Maybe the work database is responsible, it opens automatically.

[daSilva65]

Looks like it is trying to sort games in the work database but there are no games in it.

[whelanh]

Exactly. That's what caused it. Please try the next version 5.1.3.07 (it's building now) when it is available (should be in about 7 minutes) to see if that fixes your crash issue.

[daSilva65]

Ok. That's perfectly nice now. Thank you. Take a rest you deserve it. Have a nice week-end.

[whelanh]

Thank you. Enjoy your weekend as well!