Step 16 - Setting Up a Database for Player Registration

If you receive a database or list of players from the USCF, FIDE, the CFC, or any other group, or if you maintain your own list of players in a database, you may be wondering how it could help you save time and effort.

Here is an introduction. For more specifics, read the various help topics dealing with database use and customization.

Keep in mind that for USCF tournaments it may be easier just to load player data online from the “Search online” tab of the registration dialog.

Database formats

Databases come in different formats. The USCF, for instance, publishes lists in several different formats, the most commonly-used of which is the dBase format.

FIDE publishes a list in text format, and the CFC uses Access format.

Using the Database Wizard

The Database Wizard quickly sets you up to work with any of these lists. (To use other customized formats, you will need to bypass the Wizard and tell SwissSys some details about the database structure in the Database | Database setup dialog.)

Example: USCF list setup

Let’s use the USCF list as an example. (Note that the quick USCF setup option is not available in the FIDE-only version). If you have already downloaded a complete and up-to-date membership list, there is very little more you need to do.

Click on Database | Database wizard. In the dialog that appears, click on the appropriate format (USCF in this example).

This takes you to a dialog from which you will navigate to the folder containing your database. Once you have chosen the folder, click OK. If SwissSys finds a valid database there, you are done. (The program may prompt you to index the database, in which case you should say yes.)

The other formats work similarly.

Conclusion

Enough talk. Let’s play chess.

End of Tutorial.

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