[jillybean]

..,and the players are still using pickup slips.

No working Bridgemates, something is wrong with the connectivity, software, who knows.
As expected, McBruce is making Herculean efforts getting the scores in, I really didn’t notice a delay in getting results.

Scares me , being too new to have ever entered scores manually. I’m looking forward to learning what the problem and fix is.

[mycroft]

Argh I didn't see this - because of the competing sectional *I* was running. If I had seen it yesterday I would have had a suggestion that couldn't have hurt (though may not have helped).

I know of one issue with my computer (haven't heard it happen to anyone else yet) where a Microsoft Update will trigger a bridgemate bug on enable. There's a fix for that (even if it's not the "right error", the fix works) and I've had to do it three times (starting January 3 this year) so far.

I got an email this morning from [ACBL official] saying "we have an issue, please don't allow your computer to update until we find and fix it", but the description of the problem is *not at all* what I saw. So I bet it's not the same problem (although I don't know if the same fix would work).

Very glad I still know how to do this from pickups, yes(*). 28 tables with McBruce and hopefully a helper - well, in his shoes I'd be upset about what I *couldn't* do for the tournament, while still accepting the praise for what I can do.

(*)Footnote longer than post, so story spoilered. Many have read it before anyway.

Spoiler

Many *many* years ago I am working the Kimberley sectional with Steve. Saturday afternoon, I am told "do the entry, I'll take the floor; I need to spend a bunch of time on the finances." 5 13-15 table sections running two-board rounds. I get the names in by the first break (which I have been told is "good time") and start working on the backlog of rounds. At the second break (when I have been told "if I'm caught up by now, I'm good"), I'm still 2.5 to 3 rounds behind, and it's taking me 15 minutes to sort, check, enter and double-check a round. Given the rounds are 15 minutes, this is not looking good...

Raise the panic signal, Steve says "I'll be done in a few minutes and I'll take a couple sections for you." He is, and he does, and we get it done. But my eyes are bleary...

Fast forward a year, and we're back in the curling club, and the same situation, same time. This time, however, I'm just that bit more experienced and therefore faster, and I'm only one round behind by the second break, and I am visibly catching up. So I don't raise the panic signal, and I get the last results in a reasonable time after the rounds! Back up to stick, and *BOOM*, the power goes out. 60-65 tables of bridge players, tables, 4x chairs, no windows, no lights, and 2300 at night - and before the ubiquitous cell phone flashlights. "DO NOT MOVE, PLEASE, STAY IN YOUR SEATS" as I very carefully and with hopefully a good memory of what's behind the director's table, hug the wall to the door at my near end and open it - where at least there's the streetlights and an emergency light over the door. Eventually the power gets back on, we get the scores printed, and...

Fast forward two months, and I (still somewhat proud of what I did) am working Penticton. Where I see DBP calmly relaxing at the second break, in front of her computer with "sections IJKLMN" (all two board rounds, including IJ the 199er sections - known for a larger fraction of misscored pickups) taped to the monitor...

[jillybean]

good story

Would you care to share the fix so that I can file it away in my Director binder, just in case.

[HardVector]

You should see an expert director matchpointing a game WITHOUT computers at all. Pickup slips and manual scoring. Watching a good one go to work is impressive.

[jillybean]

To: Club Managers, Club Directors, Tournament Directors, Headquarters Employees:


Please be sure to check your machine for possible trouble before game time.

You may need some time to get things in order on your computer.


We have been made aware that some directors are encountering difficulties using Bridgemates with ACBLscore. Our team has verified the matter in consultation with Bridgemate representative, Joe Steele. While the root cause has not yet been confirmed, preliminary indications suggest a link to the Windows update below.


We are working diligently toward a permanent fix for this issue. In the meantime, our suggestions are as follows:

1. If you are currently not experiencing difficulty in this area, we recommend temporarily stopping Windows from performing automatic updates.

Click on the Windows Start icon.
Find Settings and click on it.
Windows Update should be in upper right quandrant. Click on it.
Find “Pause updates.” Click on the time period to the right. Choose 4 weeks.
This should keep you safe for a month.
2. If you are running a game and you cannot get the Bridgemate Control Software to start by using F11, BMS, perform the steps below to get the game running correctly.

Dismiss the error message
Open the Bridgemate Control Software (BCS) by itself
Confirm that the server is being shown as “Connected”
Click on File, then Open. Navigate to the ACBLSCOR/GAMEFILE folder
Select the latest .bws file where the “Unable to open” error was encountered
Double click on the .bws file
The Bridgemate software will most likely close
Reopen BCS and again confirm that the server is showing, “Connected”
Click on File, then Open again and choose some older .bws file
This should open normally – confirming that Bridgemate software and .bws files are working.
Click on File, then Close
Click on File and then Open again to choose the problem file. (The one that wouldn’t open.)
It should now open normally
Close the Bridgemate software
Return to ACBL Score in the game file that would not start the Bridgemates
Repeat the F11 and BMS commands. They should now work as expected.
This fix will work but it will need to be repeated each time you need to set up a new game. For a more permanent fix, please use #3 below.
3. This fix will keep you from having to perform the actions above each time you start a new game. This fix will require approximately fifteen minutes to complete.

Click on the Windows Start icon.
Find Settings and click on it.
Windows Update should be in upper right quandrant. Click on it.
Click on Update History
Roll down to “Uninstall updates.” Click there.
Find the update listed at the top. It should be (KB5064081) Version 24H2
Click uninstall
It will tell you that your computer will be at risk. Uninstall anyway.
Note: After the computer is finished with the uninstall, you should perform the actions in #1 above to keep that update from returning.
Windows will eventually reinstall the update, but we are working on a more permanent solution.

We appreciate your patience with this, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Please call the Technical Support Team if you need help: 662-253-3181, option 1

We will be in touch again as soon as we have more information.

[mycroft]

Heh, as I said to IT, it's a registry hack; I feel uncomfortable passing it on "just in case", but it is available from the BridgeMate web site.

I'd wait for this issue, as it is clearly different from mine, and nobody else has had mine yet :-).

[jillybean]

You can share it with me. I run a non sanctioned game, noone will know.

[mycroft]

That's not the problem. You've seen the many, *many*, "this involves changing the registry. If you don't know what you're doing, you can brick your computer" notices? And how that never happens, but you check anyway?

Yeah, this is a registry hack, and whenever you're in the registry you can brick your computer. Not gonna provide that "just in case".

And it's on the Bridgemate site if you do need it (and no, I won't point you at it :-).

[mycroft]

Well, it happened to EBU Scoring programs as well.

Bridgemate has a page on the issue (which turns out to be Microsoft obsoleting Microsoft products, probably after 10 years or so of telling people they would, and "it works, we'll deal with it later" or "not a problem for us, obviously we don't use that" (the person who knows better having left the company more than 10 years ago)): https://www.bridgema...te-affects-bcs/