4NCL Software Captains Guide by Dave Thomas

 

This document deals with the use of the software for the entry of teams by captains, including the addition of wildcard players to the list. There are separate user guides for the control team and system administrators.

Table of Contents

1. Starting the Software

2. Entering Teams

3. Adding Players

Starting the Software.

 

To start using the software, ensure you are connected to the internet, open a web browser, and navigate to http://www.4nclresults.co.uk/2019-20/4ncl/

 

At the login screen type in your username and password, and click the login button. The home page will appear.

 

If you have forgotten your password or username click on the Forgotten your password or username link. This will take you to a screen where you can enter your e-mail address and (provided the system recognises the address entered) you will be e-mailed a link which you can use to reset your password.

 

Note that in the top right-hand corner of this screen, and on most other screens within the software, there is a record of the name of the logged-in user, a link to change that users password, and a logout button. The change password option should be self-explanatory. Use of the logout button before shutting down the computer is encouraged.

 

You will also note that the various rounds listed on the home page are highlighted in different colours. These colours are used throughout the software as an indication of the status of a round. The significance of the different colours is:

 

Red	Round is complete and cannot be edited.
White	Published round, into which results should be entered; team entry should only be of late changes.
Cyan	Current round, not published. Results should not be entered, but entry of team lists is normal.
Green	Next round. Results should not be entered, but entering teams for the Sunday is correct.
Yellow	Future round: do not enter data (except for Monday teams on final weekend).

 

The software is web-based, and is designed to make as few assumptions about the computer you are using as possible. An unfortunate side-effect of this decision is that data is never saved automatically. If you enter data on a screen there will be a button somewhere on that screen, usually at the bottom, to save that data. If you move to another page without using the save button first you will lose the data you have entered.

 

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Entering Teams.

 

If you are aware that entering the team will require the addition of new players to the database (e.g. wildcards) it is preferable to deal with the process of Adding Players before starting to enter the team.

1. From the home page click on the particular team for which you wish to enter a list.

2. Click on the round for which you wish to enter a list.

3. For each board in turn, including reserves, select the name of the player for that board. This can be done either using the mouse, by typing the first few characters of the players surname (not case sensitive), or by tabbing to the relevant box and stepping through the list with the arrow keys.

4. If you cannot find the player on the drop-down list you must save the part team you were entering; if you do not do this you will lose the data you have entered.
   You may then click the Edit Squad link at the foot of the page and follow the instructions under Adding Players from step 2.

5. When you have entered the complete team, click the Save Team button.

6. If the team entered contravenes the rule requiring a female player in a division one team or a female or junior player in a division two team then an error message will appear. Correct the error (if necessary leave a board blank), and click the Save Team button again.

7. The ratings of the players used for 80-point rule purposes will be displayed. If any of these appear in underlined bold this indicates that the 80-point rule has been violated. The highlighted player will be the one who is placed too low according to the rule, except when the violation is that a higher rated player is listed in a lower team.

8. Entry of this team is now complete. You may use the links at the top left to return to an earlier screen, or those at the top right to navigate between the other teams of this squad or the other rounds of this weekend.

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Adding Players.

 

If you are in the process of entering a team when you find that a new player needs to be added you must save the part team you were entering; if you do not do this you will lose the data you have entered. You can then use the Edit Squad link at the foot of that page and follow these instructions from step 4.

1. From the home page click the Edit Squad link at the foot of the page.

2. Click on the Add Player link at the foot of the page.

3. You may search for the player you wish to enter by ECF Membership Number, ECF Grading Reference, FIDE ID, or surname. Search by surname should not be used if one of the other identifiers is known to you.

    

   • If you wish to select by ECF Membership Number enter the number including the prefix indicating the membership category into the Name box and click the Search button. It is not necessary to type the prefix in capitals, and the player will still be found if the category is incorrect.

   • If you wish to select by ECF Grading Reference enter the number and check letter into the Name box and click the Search button. Again, it is permissible to enter the check letter in upper or lower case.

   • If you wish to select by FIDE ID enter the number into the Name box and click the Search button.

   • If you need to select by surname type the surname of the player (or a prefix thereof) into the Name box. For a common surname this can be followed by a comma, a space, and the first initial if you wish. Then click the Search button.

      

     • You will be presented with a tabulation of the players of this name who are on the ECF membership list, ECF grading list or the FIDE rating list.

     • If the correct player can be identified from any of these lists click on the highlighted reference number.

     • If the player does not appear on any of these lists they cannot be entered online; please e-mail the Registrations Secretary with details of the player including an estimated strength.

      

   • If you enter a surname and no players are found you will see the headings for the various lists but no links to select. Click the Search ... item in the menu bar to go back and try again.

   • If you enter a reference number (ECF or FIDE) which is not found on the list you will remain on the Search page with an error message displayed. Simply enter a new search criterion.

    

4. You will now have entered sufficient information to identify the player, and the system will ask you for any missing details. The screens listed below will appear in sequence, omitting any for which all data is available. Clicking Cancel on any of these screens will return you to the search screen, and is only appropriate if you do not have the data to proceed or the heading shows that you have selected the wrong player.

    

   • If the system has not identified a FIDE ID for the player you will see a screen asking for FIDE data. If you have a FIDE ID enter it and click OK, otherwise you must enter both a full date of birth and the player's Federation for FIDE registration and then click OK.
     Unfortunately compliance with FIDE regulations means that we are not able to permit the addition to the list of players with no FIDE ID who are not English. In this situation you or the player must contact his home federation for a FIDE ID prior to registration.

   • If the system has not identified an ECF Grading Reference you will be given the opportunity to enter one. If you know the grading reference enter it, and then click OK.

   • If the system has not identified whether the player is male or female you will be asked for this information. Select the appropriate radio button and click OK.

   • If the system has not identified an ECF membership number for the player you will be given the opportunity to enter one. If you know the membership number enter it and click OK. It is your responsibility to ensure that a membership number entered on this screen is current, and that a player who is registered as English becomes an ECF Gold member prior to being named in a team.

   • If the system has not identified an ECF grade or FIDE rating for this player you will be asked to enter an estimate of their strength. Enter the estimated strength, click the radio button to indicate the origin of the estimate, and click OK.

   • If the system has identified both a FIDE rating and an ECF grade for the player you will be asked whether you wish to use the latter in preference to the former. Click the Yes or No button appropriately.
     At present the system is unable to accept an instruction to use a Welsh or other national rating in preference to a FIDE rating. Captains wishing to make use of this option for a player must contact the Registrations Secretary.

   • Captains must also contact the Registrations Secretary if they wish to designate a player as Northern or Southern only in accordance with rule 3.2.

    

5. You will finally reach a screen summarising the information available on this player.

    

   • Click Register to register the player. This will result in the player appearing on the published registration list within 24 hours, even if it is too late for them to play in a forthcoming weekend other than as a wildcard.

   • Click Add as Wildcard to add the player to your list for selection as a wildcard. The addition of the player to your list will be visible only to registered captain of your teams and the 4NCL control team.
     Players added as wildcard who play and for whom a wildcard fee is played will be registered by the Registrations Secretary after the weekend on which they play.

   • Click Cancel if the player described is not the player you wish to register.

    

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