Additions:
If the search is interrupted before it is finished it will display the games found so far, which can be quite useful.
Deletions:
If the search is interrupted before it is finished it will display the games found so far.
Additions:
{{image class="center" alt="Composite Search Progress Indicator" title="Composite Search Progress Indicator" url="images/CQL-ProgressIndicator.gif"}}
Deletions:
{{image class="center" alt="Composite Search Progress Indicator" title="Composite Search Progress Indicator" url="images/CQL-ProgressIndicator.jpg"}}
Additions:
Composite search in Chess Assistant is based on CQL (Chess Query Language). CQL is an extremely powerful query language designed for searching chess databases. All the different types of searches that are possible in modern chess database systems can be done with CQL. That is, however, just a starting point for CQL which offers so much more power and types of searches that previously were impossible.
~1) Chess Assistant allows you to organize your whole collection of queries into a neat structure, so you can quickly find any query you may be looking for. Each query is identified by a description and you can even attach an illustrative chessboard diagram, which greatly facilitates the usage of this feature.
When #% Region #% is selected the diagram displays the region of the board that applies to the query. This advanced feature was primarily introduced for use in the pre-built queries that come with Chess Assistant.
Before using Composite search the dataset to be searched must be selected. Then open the //Condition// dialog by choosing //Composite search// from the //Search menu//.
What if you wanted instead to look for positions where the search condition is applied to the black side? In the past, before Chess Assistant 8, the only way to handle that situation was to modify the query. Then the query would be saved and run again. And if you wanted to apply the search condition to both black and white a third version of the query would be needed. Here, Chess Assistant helps to reduce the multiplicity of essentially the same query. Instead of three different queries only one is needed. The trick is to use the //Side// drop-down list box to instruct Chess Assistant to switch colors or to run the query for black and white simultaneously:
Let's take a simple example. In the //Controlling center and periphery// section of the pre-built queries choose //9.12. Weak square occupied by enemy piece//. If run with the default settings this query will find all games containing positions with 1-10 weak squares in white's camp that are occupied by enemy pieces. Let's change the //to// spin box of the //Quantity// parameter to 2. This means that we will be searching for positions with at least two weak squares occupied by black pieces. Of course we can also change the //Side// to //Any// to perform the search for both black and white. Note that in this case the query does not search for a total of 2 or more weak squares on the board. Instead it finds all positions where either black or white has at least 2 weak squares occupied by enemy pieces. That excludes position where, for instance, white has tone weak square and black one weak square, both occupied by enemy pieces.
===Region===
When a query has a region definition it can be used to limit the location of some or all the pieces, but the precise meaning of a region depends on implementation details of the query. To see the currently define region for a query click on #% Region #% below the board. The region button is only displayed for those queries that use a region.
The following diagram shows a region that is composed of the e-h files. This could, for instance, be used to restrict the location of the white king to that region of the board.
===Start searching===
After the query has been selected and the parameters have been adjusted as needed its time to run the query by clicking on the #% OK #% button in the //Condition// dialog. Note that CQL searched can take a much longer time than other types of searches in Chess Assistant. When running a query you haven't tried before it makes good sense to test it first on a small dataset and use the duration to estimate how long it would take to run on a larger collection of games.
A composite search can be interrupted at any time by clicking on #% Cancel #% in the message box that is displayed while the search is in progress. The progress indicator in the message box always shows the elapsed time for the search and the estimated total time which will help you to decide if it is necessary to interrupt the search.
{{image class="center" alt="Composite Search Progress Indicator" title="Composite Search Progress Indicator" url="images/CQL-ProgressIndicator.jpg"}}
If the search is interrupted before it is finished it will display the games found so far.
Deletions:
Composite search in Chess Assistant is based on CQL. CQL is an extremely powerful query language for searching chess databases. All the different types of searches that are possible in modern chess database systems can be done with CQL. That is, however, just a starting point for CQL which offers so much more power and types of searches that previously were impossible.
~1) Chess Assistant allows you to organize your whole collection of queries into a neat structure, so you can quickly find any query you may be looking for. Each query is identified by a description and you can even attach an example chessboard diagram, which greatly facilitates the usage of this feature.
When #% Region #% is pushed the diagram displays the region of the board that applies to the query. This advanced feature was primarily introduced for use in the pre-built queries that come with Chess Assistant.
When a query has a region definition it can be used to limit the location of some or all the pieces, but the precise meaning of a region depends on implementation details of the query. The following diagram shows a region that is composed of the e-h files. This could, for instance, be used to limit the location of the white king to that region of the board.
Before using Composite search the dataset to be search must be selected. Then open the //Condition// dialog by choosing //Composite search// from the //Search menu//.
What if you wanted instead to look for positions where the search condition is applied to the black side? In the past, before Chess Assistant 8, the only way to handle that situation was to modify the query. Then the query would be saved and run again. And if you wanted to applythe search condition to both black and white a third version of the query would be needed. Here, Chess Assistant helps to reduce the multiplicity of essentially the same query. Instead of three different queries only one is needed. The trick is to use the //Side// drop-down list box to instruct Chess Assistant to switch colors or to run the query for both black and white:
Let's take a simple example. In the //Controlling center and periphery// section of the pre-built queries choose //9.12. Weak square occupied by enemy piece//. If run with the default settings this query will find all games containing positions with 1-10 weak squares in white's camp that are occupied by enemy pieces. Let's change the //to// spin box of the //Quantity// parameter to 2. This means that we will be searching for positions with at least two weak squares occupied by black pieces. Of course we can also change the //Side// to //Any// to perform the search for both black and white. Note that in this case the query does not search for a total of 2 or more weak squares on the board. Instead it finds all positions where either black or white has at least 2 weak squares occupied by enemy pieces. That excludes position where, for instance, white has two weak squares and black one weak square, all occupied by enemy pieces.
Additions:
Chess Assistant offers users the flexibility to apply the same query to any database or dataset, and reduces the number of queries needed to perform related tasks. Besides what has been described above, there are other powerful options that CQL users should explore in Chess Assistant, such as adding new queries and defining their own queries.
Deletions:
Chess Assistant offers CQL users an excellent way to organize their queries, the flexibility to apply the same query to any database or dataset, and finally reduces the number of queries needed to perform related tasks. Besides what has been described above, there are other powerful options that CQL users should explore in Chess Assistant, including the //Compound characteristic// that can be accessed through the shortcut menu in the //Condition// dialog.
Additions:
Let's take a simple example. In the //Controlling center and periphery// section of the pre-built queries choose //9.12. Weak square occupied by enemy piece//. If run with the default settings this query will find all games containing positions with 1-10 weak squares in white's camp that are occupied by enemy pieces. Let's change the //to// spin box of the //Quantity// parameter to 2. This means that we will be searching for positions with at least two weak squares occupied by black pieces. Of course we can also change the //Side// to //Any// to perform the search for both black and white. Note that in this case the query does not search for a total of 2 or more weak squares on the board. Instead it finds all positions where either black or white has at least 2 weak squares occupied by enemy pieces. That excludes position where, for instance, white has two weak squares and black one weak square, all occupied by enemy pieces.
Deletions:
Let's take a simple example. In the //Controlling center and periphery// section of the pre-built queries choose //9.12. Weak square occupied by enemy piece//. If run with the default settings this query will find all games containing positions with 1--10 weak squares in white's camp that are occupied by enemy pieces. Let's change the //to// spin box of the //Quantity// parameter to 2. This means that we will be searching for positions with at least two weak squares occupied by black pieces. Of course we can also change the //Side// to //Any// to perform the search for both black and white. Note that in this case the query does not search for a total of 2 or more weak squares on the board. Instead it finds all positions where either black or white has at least 2 weak squares occupied by enemy pieces. That excludes position where, for instance, white has two weak squares and black one weak square occupied by enemy pieces.
Additions:
Let's take a simple example. In the //Controlling center and periphery// section of the pre-built queries choose //9.12. Weak square occupied by enemy piece//. If run with the default settings this query will find all games containing positions with 1--10 weak squares in white's camp that are occupied by enemy pieces. Let's change the //to// spin box of the //Quantity// parameter to 2. This means that we will be searching for positions with at least two weak squares occupied by black pieces. Of course we can also change the //Side// to //Any// to perform the search for both black and white. Note that in this case the query does not search for a total of 2 or more weak squares on the board. Instead it finds all positions where either black or white has at least 2 weak squares occupied by enemy pieces. That excludes position where, for instance, white has two weak squares and black one weak square occupied by enemy pieces.
Deletions:
Let's take a simple example. In the //Material// section of the pre-built queries choose //1.1. Queens//. If run with the default settings this query will find all games containing positions with 1--10 white queens on the board. That, of course, is not interesting at all! To make it more interesting change the //to// spin box of the //Quantity// parameter to 3. This means that we will be searching for positions with at least three white queens on the board which is much more interesting. Of course we can also change the //Side// to //Any// to perform the search for both black and white. Note that in this case the query does not search for a total of 3 or more queens on the board. Instead it finds all positions where either black or white has at least 3 queens. That excludes position where, for instance, white had two queens and black one queen.
Additions:
===Side===
===Quantity===
The //Quantity// fields offer users another way to reduce the number of queries needed to accomplish certain related searches. When //Quantity// does not apply to a query it is grayed out. If it is active it means that the query accepts quantity as a parameter that affects the search condition.
Let's take a simple example. In the //Material// section of the pre-built queries choose //1.1. Queens//. If run with the default settings this query will find all games containing positions with 1--10 white queens on the board. That, of course, is not interesting at all! To make it more interesting change the //to// spin box of the //Quantity// parameter to 3. This means that we will be searching for positions with at least three white queens on the board which is much more interesting. Of course we can also change the //Side// to //Any// to perform the search for both black and white. Note that in this case the query does not search for a total of 3 or more queens on the board. Instead it finds all positions where either black or white has at least 3 queens. That excludes position where, for instance, white had two queens and black one queen.
Deletions:
Note that the //Quantity// fields offer users another way to reduce the number of queries needed to accomplish certain related searches.
Additions:
Before using Composite search the dataset to be search must be selected. Then open the //Condition// dialog by choosing //Composite search// from the //Search menu//.
The simplest way to use Composite search is to select a query in the //Condition// dialog and click #% OK #% to start searching, but there are also ways to modify the search by setting the different parameters that are offered in Composite search.
It is important to realize that the pre-built queries in Composite search do not search for the given condition for both sides. For instance one of the pre-built queries searches for positions with a protected passed pawn. If that query is run in the simple way described above it will only return games where white has a protected passed pawn. The same applies to other queries, but when in doubt the illustrative diagrams will help.
What if you wanted instead to look for positions where the search condition is applied to the black side? In the past, before Chess Assistant 8, the only way to handle that situation was to modify the query. Then the query would be saved and run again. And if you wanted to applythe search condition to both black and white a third version of the query would be needed. Here, Chess Assistant helps to reduce the multiplicity of essentially the same query. Instead of three different queries only one is needed. The trick is to use the //Side// drop-down list box to instruct Chess Assistant to switch colors or to run the query for both black and white:
Deletions:
Select a query in the //Condition// dialog that you want to run on the current dataset and click #% OK #%.
Those who are familiar with CQL will note that the smothered mate query only looks for positions where black is checkmated:
##:mate :btm##
Here ##:mate## tells CQL to look for a checkmate position and ##:btm## adds that it must be black's turn to move. What if we wanted instead to look for positions where white has been checkmated? In the past, before Chess Assistant 8, the only way to handle that situation was to modify the query, change ##:btm## to ##:wtm## and a few more changes would be needed to make the query work correctly. Then the query would be saved and run again. And if you wanted to find smothered mate regardless of which side won a third version of the query would be needed. Here, once more, Chess Assistant helps to reduce the multiplicity of essentially the same query. Instead of three different queries only one is needed, and we can use the query we have already entered without any changes. The trick is to use the //Side// drop-down list box to instruct Chess Assistant to switch colors or to run the query for both black and white:
Additions:
Select a query in the //Condition// dialog that you want to run on the current dataset and click #% OK #%.
Deletions:
Select a query that you want to run on the current dataset and click #% OK #%, or if you just want to add characteristics without running a query, click on #% Cancel #%. In both cases you will get a warning saying //Characteristic info is modified. Save changes?// Of course you must click on #% Yes #% if you want to save your work.
Additions:
Composite search in Chess Assistant is based on CQL. CQL is an extremely powerful query language for searching chess databases. All the different types of searches that are possible in modern chess database systems can be done with CQL. That is, however, just a starting point for CQL which offers so much more power and types of searches that previously were impossible.
The organization of CQL queries into a hierarchical structure is accomplished through Composite search, which at the same time offers several convenient features for managing and running CQL queries. This tutorial describes how to use Composite search in Chess Assistant based on previously defined queries. It goes into more details than the Chess Assistant manual and the built-in help, which are highly recommended as an introduction to Composite search.
====Composite search overview====
Composite search stores CQL queries with some useful information, such as a description, example diagram, region definition etc.
On the left side of the dialog the existing queries are categorized in a hierarchical structure. As you can see, Chess Assistant comes with a large collection of pre-built queries that can be useful on their own or serve as examples and building blocks when you start writing your own queries. The pre-built queries are organized into nine sections, and each section contains several queries.
In the dialog above a query has been highlighted. This is query number 15 in section 2, King's position. It's index is therfore 2.15 and the description of the query is "King has one move". The diagram illustrates that situation. The white king, the object of this query, is marked with a red rectange. All squares around it, except one, are attacked by enemy pieces. Those squares are marked with a green X. The only square that the king can move to is c1 and that square is marked with a green border. Obviously, a diagram like this is very helpful when searching for queries and understanding their purpose.
The example diagram position can be modified by pushing #% New example #%.
When a query has a region definition it can be used to limit the location of some or all the pieces, but the precise meaning of a region depends on implementation details of the query. The following diagram shows a region that is composed of the e-h files. This could, for instance, be used to limit the location of the white king to that region of the board.
Note that some of the pre-built queries don't have a region definition, while others may limit the allowed selection to either ranks or files. In some cases a query depends on a fixed, predefined region and changing it would produce unpredictable results. In such cases the query author may have disallowed any modification to the region.
====Searching====
Select a query that you want to run on the current dataset and click #% OK #%, or if you just want to add characteristics without running a query, click on #% Cancel #%. In both cases you will get a warning saying //Characteristic info is modified. Save changes?// Of course you must click on #% Yes #% if you want to save your work.
Deletions:
Composite search in Chess Assistant is based on CQL. CQL is an extremely powerful query language for searching chess databases. All the different types of searches that are possible with modern chess database systems can be done with CQL. That is, however, just a starting point for CQL which offers so much more power and types of searches that previously were impossible.
The organization of CQL queries into a hierarchical structure is achieved through Composite search, which at the same time offers several convenient features for using CQL queries. This tutorial describes how to use Composite search in Chess Assistant based on previously defined queries. It goes into more details than the Chess Assistant manual and the built-in help, which are highly recommended as an introduction to Composite search.
====Using Composite search====
Composite search stores CQL queries with some useful information, such as a description, example diagram, region definition etc. Such a package is called a //characteristic// in Chess Assistant.
On the left side of the dialog the existing search conditions are categorized and stored as a hierarchical structer. As you can see, Chess Assistant comes with a large collection of pre-built queries that can be useful on their own or serve as examples and building blocks when you start writing your own queries. The pre-built queries are organized into nine sections, and each section contains several queries.
In the dialog above a query has been highlighted. This is query number 15 in section 2, King's position. It's index is therfore 2.15 and the description of the query is "King has one move". The diagram illustrates that situation. The white king, the object of this query, is marked with a red rectange. All squares around it, except one, are attacked by enemy pieces. Those squares are marked with a green X. The only square that the king can move to is c1 and that square is marked with a green rectangle. Obviously, a diagram like this is very helpful when searching for queries and understanding their purpose.
The example position can be modified by pushing #% New example #%.
When a characteristic has a region definition it can be used to limit the location of some or all the pieces, but the precise meaning of a region depends the query. The following diagram shows a region that is composed of the e-h files. This could, for instance, be used to limit the location of the white king to that region of the board.
Note that some of the pre-built queries don't have a region definition, while others may limit the allowed selection to either ranks or files.
When you are done adding characteristics you have two options. Select a characteristic containing a query that you want to run on the current dataset and click #% OK #%, or if you just want to add characteristics without running a query, click on #% Cancel #%. In both cases you will get a warning saying //Characteristic info is modified. Save changes?// Of course you must click on #% Yes #% if you want to save your work.
Additions:
====Using Composite search====
Composite search stores CQL queries with some useful information, such as a description, example diagram, region definition etc. Such a package is called a //characteristic// in Chess Assistant.
Select //Composite search// from the //Search// menu to display the //Condition// dialog. Note that unlike other types of searches in Chess Assistant a dataset must be selected before Composite search or CQL search can be performed.
Deletions:
====Composite search====
Composite search stores CQL queries with some useful information, such as a description, example diagram, region definition etc. Such a package is called a //characteristic// in Chess Assistant. Select //Composite search// from the //Search// menu to display the //Condition// dialog. Note that unlike other types of searches in Chess Assistant a dataset must be selected before Composite search or CQL search can be performed.