Transferring Statistics

Last updated: October 17, 2000

When we began work on the stats transfer tools, we had a decision to make. We could replicate what we had in version 7 with a modest amount of time and effort, or we could take more time and make some dramatic improvements. We chose the latter course, and we think you'll be pleased with the results.

Let's start with a quick look back at the most common scenario for running leagues in version 7:

• the league commissioner would start a play cycle by using a product like PKZIP to zip up all the files in the league directory, then sends that zip file to the league managers, each of whom is responsible for unzipping the files into the right directory

• after reviewing reports, but before playing any games, each manager would zero out the stats for the season

• after each game, the manager would have to remember to save a boxscore and/or a scoresheet for the game if the league wishes to keep them

• after playing the games, the manager would use the export feature to create a series of files that include team rosters, manager profiles, and updated year-to-date statistics. The manager would then zip up these files and send them to the commissioner.

• the commissioner would unzip the files from each manager and then import them into the master copy of the league disk. If the same team was used in games by more than one manager, the fatigue information and hitting streaks may or may not be correct for that team, depending on the order in which the games were imported.

Why was it necessary to zero the stats in this approach? Because we were transferring year-to-date stats. If a player is 30 for 100 at the beginning of a play cycle, and he goes 5 for 10 in the games played by Manager A and 2 for 12 in the games played by Manager B, his new year-to-date totals should be 37 for 122. But if neither manager zeroed the stats before playing games, Manager A's disk would show 35 for 110 and Manager B's disk would show 32 for 112. Neither total is correct, and adding them together is wrong, too.

By zeroing the stats, each manager was able to export stats that reflect only the games played on that computer, and those stats could be imported by the commissioner and added to the previous year-to-date totals to get accurate updated totals.

But we know that it's not nearly as much fun to play games without having the year-to-date totals available, and we decided we could do a lot better. So version 8 focuses on transferring the results of each game instead of year-to-date totals.

Here's how the new process works:

• while setting up the league, the commissioner can choose league options that (if activated) will automatically generate a boxscore, scoresheet and game account file after each game, so league managers don't have to remember to save these items manually.

• the commissioner chooses a menu command that automatically zips up all of the files in the league database and creates a single transfer file that is ready to be sent to the league managers

• each manager uses another menu command to install the updated league database. Note that neither the commissioner nor the league managers need to own a copy of PKZIP or any other tool of that sort, as the capability is built into the game.

• managers can generate reports, move players between the active roster and the reserve rosters, update their manager profiles, and play games without having to zero the stats

• to export these changes, the manager chooses a menu command that leads him through a simple three-step process to select the games, manager profiles and transactions to export. Version 8 keeps track of which games and transactions were already there at the beginning of the play cycle and automatically selects the ones that have been added since. (You can override these selections if you ever need to send something to the commissioner a second time.) When the selections are complete, version 8 creates a single transfer file that is ready to be sent to the commissioner.

• to import these changes, the commissioner chooses a menu command that leads him through another simple three-step process to select the games, manager profiles and transactions to import. When the selections are complete, version 8 imports all of the selected items, updating the schedule, year-to-date statistics, injury logs and everything else that is affected, after performing validations to ensure that the same information is not imported more than once.

• after the imports have been completed, the commissioner can choose another menu command that rebuilds the usage and streaks information. Now that all of the games are in one place and can be evaluated in the proper sequence, version 8 can go through the game-by-game logs and figure hitting streaks and fatigue information correctly.

Our goals with this new system were to:

• allow managers to play games without zeroing the statistics first

• eliminate the need for commissioners and managers to acquire, learn and use tools like PKZIP

• reduce the potential for error throughout the process by putting more of the steps under the control of the game and by more thoroughly validating the data when the commissioner imports the statistics

• keep the transfer files as small as possible given the amount of data being sent back and forth

Judging by our experience providing technical support over the past five years, these improvements will go a long way toward making league play easier and more fun for commissioners and managers.