Miniban

Record and replay Go games with a Pocket PC.

This is an evaluation version. You are free to use it. All I'm asking for is your feedback.

Note: Since this is a Beta version data loss can not be ruled out. Use at your own risk and back up files before you edit them.

Features

The current version includes:

• Play, Replay and Build modes.
• A Game Clock with an intuitive display which pauses if you tap on in to quickly allow for disruptions.
• Reading and Writing of SGF files.
• Comfortable entry of all suitable Game Properties.
• Several accessible Zoom and Navigation features to allow you to enter moves conveniently securely.
• Adjust last entry using Hardware Buttons (Left, Right, Up, Down)
• Navigation (Forward and Back) with Hardware Buttons
• Support of all Board Sizes.
• Intelligent handling of Ko Fights.
• Optional display of Coordinates.
• Node Annotations such as Hotspots, Good, Bad, Interesting and Doubtful Moves.
• Markup, such as Squares and Diamonds.
• Automatic Labels
• Seven different Find criteria to easily study games in Replay mode.
• Easy viewing of Comments.
• Discover (in Help menu), which lists features not on the menu, such as gestures.

Limitations

The current version does not handle the following:

• Files over 50k. Above this size the Pocket PC will get slow and may freeze. Files only get this big when they contain lots of additional information, such as territory markup for each move. Workaround: Restrict the file to the properties you're interested in, e.g. with SGFC or with SmartGo's new Delete Properties feature. (BTW, SmartGo V 1.2 defines some bulky labels for alternative moves. It seems the only way to get rid of them is to save in FF[3] format.
• Game Variations (aka alternative moves).
  Attention: This means, if you are editing a file that contains variations you need to save it under a different name to avoid losing them. (Workaround for recording a variation: Save the variation in a separate file - recommended syntax: "oldname#variationnumber.sgf". This way, we can later automatize importing such files back into one file with variations.)
• Territory Marks and lesser used SGF properties, such as View Areas. These are, however, preserved in the file (roundtrip enabled).
• Reading Compressed Point Lists from SGF files (that is, "[xy:xy]"). This rarely poses a problem, since ranges are primarily used for territory marks and view areas, which Miniban does not support. (Since these properties are simply stored as text, the range information is roundtrip enabled). Workaround: Save file as FF [3] format.
• End of Game Automatization. This means, you have to count the result yourself and enter it in Info/Options (in the File menu).
• The clock does not support byoyomi yet.

Installation

1. Click on the appropriate link for your processor:

• ARM (works for ARM SA1110 processor)
• ARMV4 (works for Toshiba® e335, PXA250 processor, iPaq 1945; should work for Intel® XScale™ Technology)
• MIPS (works for Compaq® Aero)
• SH3
• WCE420X86
• X86

2. Save the CAB file (temporarily) anywhere on your Windows PC.

3. Move the CAB file anywhere on your Pocket PC (Just move or copy - don't do anything fancy with it, such as right-click or unzip).

4. On your Pocket PC, open Explorer and tap on the CAB file. (It has the same name as the link you clicked on. It will automatically destruct itself, like the secret files in a James Bond movie.) Now you should have the Miniban icon in your Program Files.

5. If you are running an older version of the operating system, you may need the Common Language Runtime, which you can download for free from Microsoft. (If this link is unavailable, try clicking directly on "Download the .NET Compact Framework 1.0 Redistributable" under http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/device/).

Feedback

Please send your feedback to miniban@helm.org or post it on http://senseis.xmp.net/?Miniban. In either case, pls make sure you include the build number (which you can find under Help -> About. If you send e-mail it should already automatically be included in the header). Before you spend a lot of time describing a complicated bug feel free to ask me for the latest known bugs list.

I will update this site regularly. If you send mail to me I will keep you up to date about updates, if that's fine with you.

Some Feedback I received so far

"Thank you for making Miniban!  Now my opponents have to worry, because I'm going to start recording and studying my games.  I'm looking forward to the release of Miniban 1.0." -- Roy Laird

"Miniban is absolutely brilliant. It's just what I'm looking for." -- Doug Buckser, 11k before Miniban, 7k after ( projected  ;-)

Change History