Re: [Bug-gnubg] Problems in understanding the train-menu

[Øystein O Johansen]

> I'm sorry to bother you with a probably simple subject:

Just shot! That's what the list is for!

> I've installed GNU backgammon v0.12 build from 12.01.2003.

Ehhh - did I miss something in last build, I think it should be
0.13-devel now.

> I swear that I read the manual and the faq, but obviously I don't
> have the right idea or have already understood how GNU bg works.
> Though some questions came up to me:

The manual is a bit sparse... we apologeeze.

> - I try to generate database like I was told by a manual I found.

What kind of database? A bearoff database or a neural net training
database?

> It says the gnubg.gdbm would be generated. The file grows indeed and
> has now a size about 2 MB.

It sounds to me like you want to build a bearoff database, and clicked
"Generate database" from the "Train" menu? Right? THat will generate
a database of positions for neural net training. Probably not what you
want.

> My question now is: how big will it be, almost how many time will
> it take and does the program stops generating itself when it is
> ready or do I have to do anything?

It will go on forever until you stop it! (or when the disk or memory
is full or a power breakdown or something like that..) You can stop
it with the stop button in the toolbar.

> - there are certain files with the extension .bg like gnubg_os.bd.
> Do I need them and how does the programm know what the name of the
> file is? Can I add other files with that when I generated them with
> the makebearoff.exe ?

gnubg_os0.bd - one sided bearoff database. You want this file!
gnubg_ts0.bd - two sided bearoff database.
Both the files above is read into memory at startup.

In addition to these two files you can generate your own database
files. Be sure to call them gnubg_ts.bd and gnubg_os.bd. These
files can be generated by makebearoff.exe. See the manual.

> - what about the rollout database or train td(0) and the other menu
> points?

Everything in the "Train" menu is for training the neural nets. This
is something you don't want to do on your own, so don't worry about
the "Train" menu at all.

To everyone: It looks like it is a misunderstanding between the
database generation in the train menu and a bearoff database. What
should we do to avoid this misunderstanding for other users? Should
we disable the "Train" menu?

-Øystein




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