Where does it go?

[CheckersStrongplayer]

ok, i think i've asked this before, but i don't remenber the name of the topic which it was put in, ok, i downloaded Chinook's 8-piece endgane database, i got all those zipped folders, i have unzipped them, but now, where am i suppose to put those files in those unzipped folders? I have tried to go into My Computer, then Local Disk (C:), then Program Files, once there i went to look for CheckerBoard folder went in and i saw folders inside the CheckerBoard Folder, then in there were folders named analysis which i don't think it's the one where i'm suppose to put it in, then bmp, then db, then engines, games, nutshellgif, source, and some more files, so where exactly am i suppose to put those files of Chinook in order for Kingscourt to read them and use them, i have enough Ram so don't worry, and please don't give me one of those links that explains it because i don't understand them very well. i have tried to use a folder inside the db folder meaning that i made a new folder in the db folder and put the files in that folder, i also put the files alone with those others in the db folder, but that didn't work neither, and finally i just put the files with all those folders inside CheckerBoard meaning that when i went inside the CheckerBoard folder i put all those files in there with everything else not putting non of them in any folder, but the main folder which is CheckerBoard.

[CheckersStrongplayer]

ok first of all i found the link, but it's still useless....

http://usacheckers.com/forum/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0

Anyway, i think that i explained this too complicated to understand ok let me explain it again in a more simple manner

1. I went to My Computer
2.Went to Local Disk (C:)
3. Went to Program Files ( C:\Program Files )
4. Then went to look for CheckerBoard Folder ( C:\Program Files\CheckerBoard )
5.Once here i tried here different methods.
-I put all those unzipped files in the db folder directory, that didn't work... ( C:\Program Files\CheckerBoard\bd )
-I put all those files in a folder then put the folder in the db folder, i named the folder "Chinook" ( C:\Program Files\CheckerBoard\bd\Chinook ) and that didn't work neither.

Ok, i went to Checkerboard set Kingsrow as the primary engine then adjusted my Hashtable with 32 and my Endgame DB with 192, since i have 512 MB Ram, the Hastable it's the double on which would be usually used on a 256 mb Ram and EndGame DB 192 which is less than 200 to let 256 MB free for good performance then in the Database Directory i typed " Chinook " and clicked Apply then OK i restarted CheckerBoard and still nothing, when i reloaded CheckerBoard i forced the Kingsrow program to Play and it didn't read the database for some reason...? I'm not sure whether i put the files in the right place or not, the explanation given by Ed Gilbert doesn't explain in a great matter in my opinion. And Finally what does he mean by install? does he mean getting the files transfer over to the folder that i named "Chinook" or what?


Installation:
Download and run KingsRowSetup.exe using the above link. Run CheckerBoard, click on Engine, Select, and select KingsRow as the primary engine. If you have not yet installed CheckerBoard, you can get it from Martin Fierz's CheckerBoard website.

Install the endgame database files.

If you have the Cake database, install it in the "db" directory under the directory in which CheckerBoard is installed (usually \Program files\CheckerBoard).
If you have the Chinook database, install it in a directory named "Chinook" under the directory in which CheckerBoard is installed. You will probably have to create this new directory when you unzip the files.
Note: if you are installing the 8-piece db, you need to install all the files, including the db6 and db7 files.
Database configuration instructions:
To configure KingsRow for the endgame databases, go to the Checkerboard menu Engine, Options:

The Database Directory option tells KingsRow where to look for the endgame database files. Enter the path to the directory where you put the db files:
If you are using the Cake database, type db in the Database Directory box.
If you are using the Chinook database, type Chinook in the Database Directory box.
In the Memory section, set the "Endgame DB" option to the number of megabytes of RAM the endgame database code will use for caching. If your PC has 256mb of RAM and you are using the 8pc database, then set this to either 128 or 160. If your PC has more than 256mb of RAM then set the "Endgame DB" to a number that is approximately 200 mb less than the total RAM in you PC. Your PC should have a minimum of 256mb if you want to do searches with the 8-piece database, and you will get better performance if you have more. If your PC has only 256mb RAM, don't set your hashtable size to more than 16mb, and close any other programs that you don't need running. See the Engine, Help menu in Checkerboard for more information about engine options.
KingsRow does not initialize the endgame database drivers until you start the first search. It can take up to one minute to read all the 8-piece index files and load portions of the database into cache memory.

If you have problems. The two most common problems are giving it the wrong database directory name, and not having all the free ram that you told it to use. If you have either of these problems then CheckerBoard will display an error message on the status line at the bottom of the window when you start the first search. KingsRow creates a log file in the engines directory named KingsRow.log. Look in this file for any messages about startup problems. You can also use the CheckerBoard commands Engine, About, to see if it is using your settings correctly.

-

[Ed Gilbert]

Hi strong,

I am sorry that you are having difficulty using the chinook db with kingsrow. The instructions for doing this are terse, I know, and you have to follow them correctly for things to work. I think all the answers to your questions are in the text that you pasted here from my web site, and I will try to point you to these answers to help you get it working.

ok, i downloaded Chinook's 8-piece endgane database, i got all those zipped folders, i have unzipped them, but now, where am i suppose to put those files in those unzipped folders?.

instructions: If you have the Chinook database, install it in a directory named "Chinook" under the directory in which CheckerBoard is installed. You will probably have to create this new directory when you unzip the files.

Of course to do this you need to know how to create a directory. There are lots of ways to do this, and anyone that is familiar with computers will know how to do it, but if you are not then you could get stuck here. Get some local help from a friend or family member if you need it to create a new directory.

so where exactly am i suppose to put those files of Chinook in order for Kingscourt to read them and use them

You wrote "Kingscourt". Kingscourt is a the name of a variation of checkers, and has nothing to do with kingsrow or using the chinook db. If you selected kingscourt as the engine then you are not using kingsrow.

then adjusted my Hashtable with 32 and my Endgame DB with 192, since i have 512 MB Ram, the Hastable it's the double on which would be usually used on a 256 mb Ram and EndGame DB 192 which is less than 200 to let 256 MB free for good performance

instructions: If your PC has more than 256mb of RAM then set the "Endgame DB" to a number that is approximately 200 mb less than the total RAM in you PC.

Your PC has more than 256 mb of RAM, so for you this setting should be approximately 512-200, or 312. Pick one of the settings in the drop down memory box that is close to 312.

And Finally what does he mean by install?

In this case "install" means unzip, or copy, or put, ... I.e., it means get the files into that directory.

If you complete these steps, then kingsrow will be working with the 8pc database.

-- Ed

[CheckersStrongplayer]

Ok, so i have to make a new folder named "Chinook" inside the CheckerBoard folder? Along with all those folders in there that are analysis, bmp, db, engines, games, nutshellgif, source, and other help files for the engines, meaning that i will right click and create a new folder, is this the directory? Or should i put the folder name "Chinook" inside the folder name db or should i leave it as an indivual folder in the Program Files folders? I pointed out the exact place by saying (theplace\Program Files\ etc ) Please check that point out where i have to go please. And Yes, the newest version of CheckerBoard includes an engine called KingsCourt which is not Kingsrow, i read in your site that Chinook's database needs a certain version of Kingsrow which is the KingsRow 1.15 version, i downloaded that version and still nothing...Now how come CheckerBoard's newest version includes this new name for kingsrow? Are they the same or what?

[CheckersStrongplayer]

Ok, should i put all the files in the db folder individually with the others or should i make a new folder in the db folder directory named "Chinook"?

[CheckersStrongplayer]

I have put the files individually in the db folder, i set the Database Directory to db and nothing yet, the CheckerBoard program says "cannot open endgame db driver. See KingsRow.Log for details" I checked the log and still nothing, i have my Hashtable set to 128 and Endgame db to 320, i have a 512 MB of RAM, i'm not sure if this is too much or not, but i read that it should never be more than the actual amount of RAM that ones computer has.

[CheckersStrongplayer]

Ohhh, i'm screwed then, since i don't have nobody to tell me or to help how to create a directory, i've googled and it seems like it involves programming which i don't know much about. You know a place where i can get from or somebody?

[CheckersStrongplayer]

ok, if you mean a Directory/Folder i can do that with Windows, but not with other OSs, which OS are you referring to?


My Computer

1.Open My Computer or Windows Explorer
2.Open the drive you wish to create a folder on, for example: the C: drive.
3.If you do not wish to create a folder in the root directory browse to the location you wish to create a folder and click File and then Folder or right-click on a blank portion of the folder and click New and click Folder

This is the way in windows, i don't know if it requires another way or not? I have already done that before and i also had put the files in that directory, i named it Chinook like you said and i put this Chinook Folder under the CheckerBoard directory as an individual folder and still nothing, all those putting in places stuff are said above this topic, that's what i meant about putting the files in a folder.

[fastech]

Hi check

Have you solved the problem?
I have the same problem and I don't know what can I do!

[CheckersStrongplayer]

are you using the right directory?

[Patrick Parker]

i told u how to do this
u just havent followed the instructions exactly...only just
kind of close

[Patrick Parker]

also how much RAM do u have?

[Ed Gilbert]

I have put the files individually in the db folder, i set the Database Directory to db and nothing yet, the CheckerBoard program says "cannot open endgame db driver. See KingsRow.Log for details" I checked the log and still nothing, i have my Hashtable set to 128 and Endgame db to 320, i have a 512 MB of RAM

You don't have enough ram to set your hashtable to 128mb. Set it to 16, or 32 max. Drop your endgame DB setting back to 256.

[Ed Gilbert]

Have you solved the problem?
I have the same problem and I don't know what can I do!

Send me an email and I will help. Tell me how much ram you have, which endgame db you're trying to use, and where you put the db files. Tell me what your Engine Options are for hashtable, endgame db, and database directory. Also, find your kingsrow.log file in the engines directory under CheckerBoard and email it to me.

-- Ed

[fastech]

Excuse me, very thanks but I have solved... the problem was caused by db8.41!
I have re-unzipped it and now is ok!
However I noticed chinook db it's not very performing!
In a game 3 kings (pc) vs 2 (me) I managed to draw... unfortunately I can't remember pieces position in order to show you the game...
I think there could be several errors in this db so I would like to try another one...
I didn't understand if it's better cakeM with its db 6pieces + the 4man-4man endgame database (downloadable on http://www.fierz.ch/checkers.htm) or kingsrow with chinook db... I'll try both engines to find it.
Have you compare them?

byezzz