Recovery during a session after a computer crash
We had a session scored with Bridgemates and EBUScore the other day where the computer went into a Windows update during the session, effectively crashing the computer. When the session was over, I was able to get the data for the session from the Bridgemate server and import it into EBUScore and all was fine.
However, I couldn't find a way to re-link the computer and Bridgemate server while the session was still underway, so as to have live results while the session was still running. Is there a way to relink the computer and Bridgemate server, import results so far, and carry on while the session is still underway? I recall that I was able to do this back when we were using ScoreBridge.
Comments
You need to use the Synchronise/Recovery facility in BCS. I can never remember which one is which, but reading the instructions makes it completely clear: you want to over-write the database with the information that's in the server.
Thank you, Gordon. I'll look into it.
Contrary to your experience - whenever things went wrong with Scorebridge & Bridgemates, i was never able to recover!
If the Bridgemate server never shut down, then it should have retained all its information, and continued to receive information from the BM units even while the computer was shut down or unresponsive. THis is a good reason to ensure that you always have backup battery power to the server.
To 'reconnect', you basically need to restart BCS without restarting the server or overwriting the bws file.
1. From EBUScore, retrieve the event & go to the Bridgemate scoring screen.
2. Click on "Create Database" (this might be counter-intuitive!) but click on "NO" when it warns you about overwriting existing database. This serves only to enable the other buttons that were previously greyed out.
3. Click on "Launch BCS", but making sure that the "reset server" tickbox is NOT ticked.
4. Assuming that the server is plugged in, then communication should be restored.
If the server had lost power, then you might try the above but with the "reset server" box ticked. Alternatively, having launched BCS, try the "Recover Server" option in BCS. ("Synchronise / Recover" from the Session menu)
You might then need to re-send some information from the BM units themselves.
That sounds great, Mitch, and it is indeed counter-intuitive. I'll pass this info along.
I did dig out ScoreBridge at one point but I could not remember how I used to relink them. I know that I've done it, though, one night with the old computer when it crashed on me three times during one session.
When we last experimented with this with Scorebridge, there was an issue re-launching BCS without server reset. I think we unplugged the server from the computer, and then re-launched BCS and the server reset message was sent nowhere, and then reconnected the server. All a bit hairy
We use Bridgemates and EBU Score. We had a power failure half way through the event. The computer shut down and the server stopped as it has no batteries. At the end of the evening only a few scores were showing on EBU Score and in BCS. So I was concerned about how to recover the evenings results. Fortunately the Bridgemate machines seem to continue working throughout the evening, showing all the scores from previous rounds. The machines are very clever because they store the scores until they are used in a new session and can be used to recover the results. Make sure EBU Score and BCS are closed on your computer. Launch EBU score, retrieve the event, Select Bridgemate Scoring, click Create database, and click Yes to start an event. and select then Launch BCS, making sure the Reset Server is ticked. A box appears telling you this resets the server. Click yes This will remove any previous scores. BCS will now start. Click on BCS so that you can see it on your screen.
Now, on each of the Bridgemates that were used, select set up, you may need the PIN, which for us is 749, select Info, select resend then OK. You will see all the scores appear on BCS. Do this for all the Bridgemates and you will have a full set of scores. Now go back to EBU score and you will see the results as you normally would.
We had a similar thing at our club, not quite so drastic but the server had crashed. The tabletop units had still retrieved and stored the scores and after a restart we were able to resend the scores. I did have to hit update movement before the software would accept the scores for some reason, but bridgemates really are very good at managing mishaps in this way.