docs/SGF Spec/compatibility.html

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   8 <H1>Compatibility of FF[4]</H1>
   9
  10 The following list summarizes the compatibility problems
  11 of FF[4]. This is done both ways: problems for old (FF[3])
  12 applications when reading a FF[4] file (3 rd 4) and problems of converting
  13 FF[3] to FF[4] (3->4). <I>'np'</I> is used as abbreviation of
  14 <I>'no problem'</I> and <I>'nrp'</I> is used as abbreviation of
  15 <I>'not really a problem'</I>.
  16 <P>
  17 If you find some compatibility issues I've missed, please let me know.
  18
  19 <h2>General & Types</h2>
  20
  21 <UL>
  22 <LI><B>Verbose property names no longer exist.</B>
  23         <UL><LI>3->4: np (delete all lowercase letters from IDs)
  24         <LI>3 rd 4: np
  25         </UL>
  26 <LI><B>Five property types are introduced (and thus 2 node types)</B>
  27         <UL><LI>3->4: FF[3] files may have mixed setup and
  28         move-properties in one node. In that case an application
  29         should split that node into two nodes: all setup, root and game-
  30         info properties and
  31         the node name ('N[]') into the first node, all other properties
  32         into the second.
  33         <LI>3 rd 4: np
  34         </UL>
  35 <LI><B>FF[3] text type is split into two types: SimpleText and Text.</B>
  36         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  37         <LI>3 rd 4: Soft linebreaks may be treated as hard linebreaks
  38         </UL>
  39 <LI><B>Within the text types anything after a '\' is inserted verbatim.</B>
  40         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  41         <LI>3 rd 4: FF[3] only knows some 'escaped' chars. It's uncertain
  42         what old applications will do (most likely their routines are
  43         already coded in the newly specified way).
  44         </UL>
  45 <LI><B>Recangular boards and boards >19x19 possible</B>
  46         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  47         <LI>3 rd 4: totally incompatible
  48         </UL>
  49 <LI><B>Compressed point lists</B>
  50         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  51         <LI>3 rd 4: totally incompatible
  52         </UL>
  53 <LI><B>Time values are in seconds</B>
  54         <UL><LI>3->4: concerning server-games: np, otherwise wrong time
  55         is displayed
  56         <LI>3 rd 4: np
  57         </UL>
  58 <LI><B>Used (default) charset defined</B>
  59         <UL><LI>3->4: some files may contain a charset different
  60         from the default. Text will then be unreadable (unless the
  61         application allows to switch to another charset manually).
  62         <LI>3 rd 4: nrp (as default charset is the one used in FF[3])
  63         </UL>
  64 <LI><B>Pass move may be '[]' now (alternativ to '[tt]')</B>
  65         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  66         <LI>3 rd 4: '[]' pass may cause problems (at the least the move
  67         will be ignored)
  68         </UL>
  69 </UL>
  70
  71 <H2>Properties</H2>
  72
  73 <UL>
  74 <LI><B>Obsolete properties</B><BR>
  75 (CH, SI, SE, LT, ID, OM, OP, CI, OV, BS, WS, SC, RG)
  76         <UL><LI>3->4: nrp (properties are treated as unkown properties
  77         and are preserved. Information is no longer displayed, though.)
  78         <LI>3 rd 4: np
  79         </UL>
  80 <LI><B>New properties</B><BR>
  81 (AP, ST, AR, LN, SQ, OT, BO, WO, DD, VW, PM)
  82         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  83         <LI>3 rd 4: nrp (properties are treated as unkown properties.
  84         Information is not displayed though. Some applications may
  85         even strip these properties without displaying a warning)
  86         </UL>
  87 <LI><B>LB may hold more than 4 chars now </B>
  88         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  89         <LI>3 rd 4: only 4 chars are displayed/saved (labels get cut)
  90         </UL>
  91 <LI><B>SZ may hold rectangular boards now</B>
  92         <UL><LI>3->4: np
  93         <LI>3 rd 4: incompatible
  94         </UL>
  95 <LI><B>Format of DT,RE and RU is specfied explicitly</B>
  96         <UL><LI>3->4: unknown formats may appear - should be corrected if
  97         possible
  98         <LI>3 rd 4: np
  99         </UL>
 100 <LI><B>FG may contain flags and diagram name</B>
 101         <UL><LI>3->4: np
 102         <LI>3 rd 4: nrp (information may get lost though)
 103         </UL>
 104 </UL>
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