                                 CB2ASCII
                                version 1.0
                                     
                                    by
                                     
                                Steve Kelly
                         2820 Old Canoe Creek Road
                           St. Cloud, FL  34772
                                     


A word about SHAREWARE:

This program   is  distributed under the shareware concept. You are free to
try it   out  and  use it  for a  "trial period".  If  you continue to  use
this program, then a registration of $5.00 would be greatly appreciated.

You are   also free to distribute the program and its accompanying files to
others   under   the   condition  that  the  files  remain unmodified,  and
are  distributed   in  full,   including  this documentation.

I the  writer, maintain  ownership of  the software,  and all  rights  that
pertain to such ownership.



Contents of ZIP file:



     CB2ASCII.EXE   The program file itself
     CB2ASCII.DAT   The ASCII Translation table
     CB2ASCII.TXT   This documentation



Purpose of CB2ASCII:



CB2ASCII was   developed  for   the express   purpose  of  translating text
files   processed from   ChessBase  3.0   into a  more  readable version of
ASCII. It   can,  however,   be used   as  a generic  ASCII  translator  to
translate almost   any  text   file into   almost   any other text  file of
your choosing.   CB2ASCII  simply   replaces  a specific character within a
text file to a different character or characters.

ChessBase,  like  other  chess  databases,  use  the  high  ASCII character
set (characters  128-255) in order to represent figurine algebraic notation
and Chess  Informant symbology  for  its  own internal use.  This character
set, if  printed on  a printer,  makes no sense  unless you  happen  to  be
endowed  with  a  desk  top publisher, a laser printer, and the appropriate
downloadable soft  fonts. CB2ASCII  will take  such a text file, read these
high ASCII  characters, and   change  them   into something  better  suited
for printing on an ordinary printer.



COMMAND SYNTAX:



The proper command syntax for CB2ASCII is:

     CB2ASCII <path>filename

where 'path'   is the optional DOS path, and 'filename' represents the text
file  you  wish  CB2ASCII  to  translate.  CBASCII  will  create  the  file
'filename.NEW' in processing.



ChessBase 3.0 Settings:



If you   are  using  an ordinary  printer,  you  have  most  likely already
entered the  'Options' and  changed the pieces from their internal figurine
symbols to the English 'KQNBRP', and 'P' is most likely blank. If you liked
the idea of having figurine notation in the program, go ahead and change it
back. CB2ASCII will translate your ASCII exports back to English using its
tables. The  ASCII values of these special characters for 'KQNBRP' are 177-
182, respectively.  To refresh  your memory,  when on  the definition line,
hold down  the <ALT>  key, hit  '177' for  the King, then release the <ALT>
key. Continue  this process  for the  rest of  the pieces.  If you liked it
showing English letters, then just leave it as it is.



ChessBase 3.0 Exports:



When exporting  to text,  follow the  procedure as  normal. Export the text
file answering  'NO' to the question 'Use CB Format?'. The ChessBase format
is for  its hypertext,  and mainly for internal use only. The non-CB format
is what  you want  for getting  a clean  ASCII  file  for  use  in  a  word
processor, or whatever.



CB2ASCII.DAT



The data  table supplied,  CB2ASCII.DAT, represents the heart & soul of the
translation routine.  This allows  the user  to modify  the data  table  to
his/her own  specific needs,  or perhaps  even create  one for  a different
Chess Database,  or perhaps  for some  other purpose  involving ASCII files
altogether.

The CB2ASCII.DAT file is a simple text file in the following format:

     number, string
     number, string
     ....

Where 'number'  is the  ASCII code  to translate,  and 'string'  is the new
character string  to replace  the character with. The only restrictions are
that any number greater than 255 or negative numbers will be wasted effort,
and the string must be a string.

Special note  about the  'string' variable.  If the  first character of the
string is  the '  character, then  the string  will have  a space character
inserted before  the string  itself. Thus,  in the  CB2ASCII.DAT file,  the
line:

     207, 'with initiative

Translates the ASCII line from ChessBase:

     (23 Bc3)

to:

     (23 Bc3 with initiative)

The CB2ASCII.DAT file supplied looks as follows:


Line of CB2ASCII.TXT               ChessBase 3 symbol description
====================               ==============================

24, 'with initiative               Up Arrow
26, 'with attack                   Right Arrow
177, K                             Figurine King
178, Q                             Figurine Queen
179, N                             Figurine Knight
180, B                             Figurine Bishop
181, R                             Figurine Rook
182, P                             Figurine Pawn
183,                               - ASCII character 172
184,                               - ASCII character 171
185, '3/4                          3/4 character in ChessBase
187, +/-                           White is clearly better
188, +/=                           Thite is slightly better
189, 'with compensation            the "'unclear'/=" character
190, 'unclear                      The figure 8 on its side
191, 'with compensation            the "=/'unclear'" character
192, =/+                           Black is slightly better
193, -/+                           Black is clearly better
194, 'bishop pair                  Two overlapped white boxes
195, 'opposite colored bishops     Overlapped white & black box
196, 'bishops of the same color    Two overlapped black boxes
199, 'better is                    Semicircle, flat side down
200, 'with greater board room      Circle
201, 'forced                       Box (my personal favorite)
202, 'with the idea                White Triangle
207, 'with initiative              Up Arrow
208, 'with attack                  Right Arrow
209, 'with counterplay             Right Arrow/Left Arrow
210, 'diagonal                     'Up to the Right' Arrow
211, 'center                       Box with Quartered Lines
212, 'file                         Left/Right Arrow, Double Lined
213, 'ending                       Upside-Down 'T'
214, 'weak point                   Oversized 'X'
241, +/-                           White is clearly better

Forgive some  of my  descriptions, but  some  of  those  "Chess  Informant"
symbols are a bear to describe in words.

Note that  characters 24,  26,  and  241  were  added  for  safety's  sake.
ChessBase itself  actually uses  207, 208,  and 187  respectively for these
symbols. I  added these  to the  table in  the chance  that some  ChessBase
users, unaware  of the  internal differences  of  these  characters  within
ChessBase, may  have added  them in their "Annotations" fields on their own
using the keyboard, unaware that ChessBase was using different ASCII values
for the same symbol. Using a text editor, these can be deleted.



OTHER USES:



It should be obvious from this description that one could build a table for
many  other  purposes,  and it wouldn't  have to have  anything to  do with
chess.

I don't use NICBase, but  NICBase does export  ASCII. If you know the ASCII
representations of its symbols, then there's  nothing on earth stopping you
from getting out your text editor, and making your own CB2ASCII.DAT file.



COMMENTS:



I am  open as  to how  CB2ASCII can  be improved.  Even if you elect not to
register CB2ASCII, I would appreciate your input. Especially if their was a
specific reason you didn't register that I can correct!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



I am  an avid,  active chess  player through  and through. I play regularly
both over-the-board  and in correspondence chess. I am also becoming active
in journalism,  and am  currently the  Editor of  Florida Chess  News,  the
quarterly publication of the Florida Chess Association.

It was  the realm  of chess  writing to  opened my  eyes  to  the  lack  of
available software  for chess  writers that  by all rights should be there.
When I  found a need to do a job, and didn't like the cost of alternatives,
I basically  wrote the  program myself.  Some of my efforts are commercial,
and most operate under the 'shareware' concept.

To make a long story short, I hope simply to make the life of chess players
and writers a little easier, and try to keep it inexpensive.



OTHER CHESS PROGRAMS:



I don't  write chess playing programs - there's too many people better than
me doing  so. Nor do I write Chess Database Programs. Once again, that void
has been filled. I write the little stuff that they forgot.

DIAGRAM 1.02:

Makes .WPG  files of  chessboards for  import into WordPerfect, and special
files for  Microsoft Word  5.0. Great  for the Chess Club Bulletin. Used by
several state magazines. Available as shareware, $10.00 registration.

DIAGRAM 2.00

AS above,  but adds  .PCX format  for Word  5.5, Ventura,  Aldus, and  many
others. Also  processes ChessBase, NICBase, and Zarkov text files for "mass
diagramming". Reads  Bookup7 files directly. Includes mouse support, online
help, and  a host  of goodies. Available commercial only (sorry) for $30.00
from the author, or from Chess Laboratories, makers of Bookup. Call them at
818-799-7567.

If you're  leary about  this, then I recommend downloading version 1.02 and
giving it the "free test drive".

There are  other smaller  utilities. Will give you a list upon receipt of a
self-addressed stamped envelope.
