American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Gentlemen,

There have been several instances of duplicate filings of games. Remember, as I was taught, the protocol is that when you start a new game the player that files the start game report is selected by mutual agreement. Usually it is the person that moves second so that he can be filing the start game report while the other player is making his move. The end game report is filed by the winning officer and in the case of a draw the officer to file is selected by mutual agreement. Please help me out by not filing duplicate reports as I do not go back and read what has already been filed. I do it one game at a time. I then have to go back later and delete the duplicate game AND send an email to all of the command staff involved for them to also cancel the game from their records. This can be as many as 12 notifications so please be careful.

The other thing I see happening, which is no problem but is unnecessary, is an officer is selected from the drop down list AND the information is filled out below his name. You do not have to do that. On the database on my computer I simply click on the name you have selected from the dropdown box and all of the other information is entered automatically. You do not have to remember your opponents exact unit and all as long as you select the right officer from the drop down box to begin with. We have very few duplicate last names, but in those cases just make sure you get the first name right.

I am getting out confirmation emails within 48 hours usually and sometimes 72 hours. If you haven't heard from me in 3 days send me an email and let me know that something is amiss.

The site will be automated soon and hopefully things will work much smoother than they are now. I make mistakes that hopefully won't happen once I get it going, so bear with me a little while longer.

One other small item. Ranks change fast below Brig. Gen. I will only be updating ranks once a month or so on the game site for now, so again, be patient as I do have another life somewhere my wife tells me. [:D]

Edited to add: One other thing you should all be aware of is the trash registrations I get from non club members. They are easily spotted and deleted, but I forsee a password or some other means of protected game registration site in the future as well.

Thanks for your help.



Lt. Gen. Don Adams
5th Texas "Lone Star" Cavalry Brigade
I/III ANV
http://www.rootsandsaddles.com/index.htm

Don,

A question. Now that you have automated the forms, seriously, how much time is still taken up dealing with making sure everything correct and updating records?

Is this something that is being spread among the Army leaders?

Just curious, and I would hate to see burn out for all your hard work.

You do deserve some time to play.

Cheers,





<font color="gold"><b>Lt. Col. </b></font id="gold">Paul Wakeman, <font color="limegreen">Sharpshooter</font id="limegreen">
<font color="beige">3rd</font id="beige"> '<font color="red">Jayhawk</font id="red">' <font color="beige">Brigade
1st Light Inf. Div.</font id="beige">
<b>XIX Corps, AoS,<font color="gold"> USA</font id="gold"></b>



Cartographer

Paul,

Actually it goes pretty smoothe most of the time.

Hmmm....Define automated? It is not automated at all yet. The database picks up the registration at the website. I access the website and pull the information off into a spreadsheet on my computer. I then read through the entries to delete the junk registrations I get every week from non club members. I then match up game id's and game keys for end games to start games. I then copy and paste this corrected information into the database on my computer. I create a report in Word of the entire game registration database. I then take each new entry (start or end game) and copy that report into an email. I then insert the addresses of the two (or more if it is a multiplayer game) players into the "To:" field. I then go to a word document that I created that has the command pyramid for each Corps in both armies. (CC, TC, AC, CoA, plus others-Chief of Staff- that AC's have requested they be sent to) I copy and paste the addresses from the two players armies into the "CC:" field on the email. I then type in the "05FEB0000 ACWGC Start Game" into the "Subject" field and then click on send. That is my automation at this point. I use a new account I set up on Yahoo to do this with. I learned the hard way that Yahoo has an hourly and daily limit on the number of emails you can send. It climbs over time but it is all to prevent spamming which I am all for. Unfortunately, I have come up against those limits several times and all I can do then is quit and wait.

However, the good news is, that is all changing. The site will be fully automated soon, you just have to give me time. All I ask is that everyone help me out by being careful in submitting the reports by making sure that they have the right information in the form BEFORE they submit it. I spend everybit as much time fixing peoples mistakes as I do working on the confirmation emails in the first place. With good data entry from the submitters it will free me up to spend more time on the design and implementation of the automated site and maybe squeeze in a turn or two now and then. [:D].

Now, please, after I have said all of this, I am doing this willingly and knew what I was in for when I took it on. So, this is not to just whine and complain, but simply to ask for your patience as the new site comes on line soon. How soon? I am not sure yet but will have a pretty good idea in the next week or two. How will it be automated? Cold Fusion working with the existing Access database.

Thanks again for your support and understanding. I am not perfect and make mistakes but I do try to fix my mistakes when they happen.


Lt. Gen. Don Adams
5th Texas "Lone Star" Cavalry Brigade
I/III ANV
http://www.rootsandsaddles.com/index.htm

A Great site Don...

Is there a master list of games currently registered ?

Seems I lost an ID

Colonel John Corbin
Commanding officer
2nd Division
XVIII Corps
AoJ