Ugly BBO UI - Reviewing Hands

[broze]

I just wanted to go on record to say that I really hate the experience of reviewing hands in the new HTML BBO. I used to enjoy this as much as playing and now it sucks.

 

When you review hands, the board only appears in a small window in the bottom right-hand corner so the focus of your attention only takes up about 1/8 of the screen. This is a cardinal user interface sin. More annoyingly, resizing the pane does not help - the board stays exactly the same size.

 

Compare the old Flash version where you could super-impose the hand review window over the rest of the site and actually have it in the center of the screen. I now just log into the flash version to review hands but obviously not a sustainable solution.

 

End gripe.

[pilowsky]

Using chrome, click on the the three bars where the hand is then click 'export' 'handviewer link' and click on the link that appears in the middle of the screen.

It will open in a new tab. Sometimes it threatens to close the program. But not often.

Then you have to right click, copy and paste the link into a new tab.

Now you can see the hand in a big window!

If you add the Bridgesolover add-on you can get all the makeable contracts as well.

If you want you can then collect both links (right click copy) and put them into a spreadsheet or document (use cmnd 'v'- mac or cntrl - windows 'k' then v to paste them onto a word) and shout at, or celebrate with your partner, later.

Not sure about other browsers or windows.

This works so well that I can do it in seconds during a tournament while waiting for a round change.

I hope this results in less sucking, and more sustenance.

[GG_Bridge]

I highly recommend a free app - aaBridge. One function of aaBridge allows you to get your played hands from BBO and save them to the app. Once you do that you can review your play, look at the travelers, or even replay the hand against aaBridge's robot. I often keep aaBridge open while I'm playing a robot tourney, and export the hand link to aaBridge to check what contracts were makeable and look at the double dummy play to see where I went wrong.

 

The link to download the program.

 

https://rogerpf.com/aaBridge

 

The link below is just one of the many YouTube videos for aaBridge - this one shows how to import hands from BBO to aaBridge.

 

[abrooke]

Thx Pillow and GG... however Broze has a point. Why do I need all this technical and other programs stuff when the previous version of BBO had a great 'hand viewer' interface - and the new version doesn't. How do we end up going backwards? Just as a matter of interest, does anyone prefer the new BBO over the old?? End of second 'rant'!!

[iandayre]

I could not figure out what this post had to do with the description until I realized that you were using UI to mean user interface rather than unauthorized information.

[pescetom]

Why do I need all this technical and other programs stuff when the previous version of BBO had a great 'hand viewer' interface - and the new version doesn't. How do we end up going backwards?

I agree. Although I do find the interface of Bridgesolver much easier to understand than the "great" hand viewer interface, even if the graphics are not enticing. But of course these functions should be built in and things should not go backwards.

 

Just as a matter of interest, does anyone prefer the new BBO over the old?? End of second 'rant'!!

Yes, if it weren't for the missing and broken functions. I prefer the look and feel of the new interface, the old one seems clunky and outdated. In any case it's academic as the old one will disappear in six months or so.

[Left2Right]

Wouldn't it be nice if the BBO designers would publish a detailed list of the changes they plan to make and over what time frame? This would act as feedback to those who have informed them of design flaws and dis-improvements like the ones mentioned in this thread.

 

But of course, as a software designer myself (retired), I know it takes great courage to reveal that sort of thing.

 

Then too, when you have corporate customers like I did, there is no hiding from it: the customer commands the changes (as long as they are willing to pay the freight). In the public domain there is no such relationship, at least not for unpaid features.

[y66]

Thx Pillow and GG... however Broze has a point. Why do I need all this technical and other programs stuff when the previous version of BBO had a great 'hand viewer' interface - and the new version doesn't. How do we end up going backwards? Just as a matter of interest, does anyone prefer the new BBO over the old?? End of second 'rant'!!

How do we end up going backwards? This frequently happens when users and designers do not agree on priorities. Personally, I like the new user interface and I'm impressed by the thinking and programming that has gone into it. To work around the problem mentioned by the OP, I use the export feature pilowsky mentioned. Agree completely with the sentiment of this thread that reviewing hands is hugely important and that making this task easier deserves a spot near the top of the priority list. Ditto for making this task more productive by adding more analytical capabilities.

[Khrystyna]

More questions and mysteries re new set-up

 

First of all don't understand: "Using chrome, click on the the three bars where the hand is then click 'export' 'handviewer link' and click on the link that appears in the middle of the screen."

 

 

I have several weird things occurring- for example often difficulty when tourney's over to return to main menu either blank screen or

a strange screen only with sidebar working or often during tourneys screen popping up telling me I'm about to be logged off. and today alert appearing after pass made. Support replies frequently with go to reason- browser issue.New computer these oddities? {using chrome, tried firefox}

Oh well as one support person said , just log out and sign in again! Huh?

 

Also very interesting thread discussions on Bridge Winners site.

 

Further, did you like the sudden disappearance of "recent hands" without any warning. Are bridge savvy techs running the show?

 

 

That's it, c'est tout.

[pescetom]

More questions and mysteries re new set-up

 

First of all don't understand: "Using chrome, click on the the three bars where the hand is then click 'export' 'handviewer link' and click on the link that appears in the middle of the screen."

Using the latest client in the Chrome browser, click on the blue three bars (looks like a hamburger) and select 'export' 'handviewer link', you will see a long and rather odd link in the middle of the screen: right click (if in Windows) on that and open it in a new tab.

 

 

 

Sorry, don't understand the rest of your post.

[Khrystyna]

Using the latest client in the Chrome browser, click on the blue three bars (looks like a hamburger) and select 'export' 'handviewer link', you will see a long and rather odd link in the middle of the screen: right click (if in Windows) on that and open it in a new tab.

 

 

 

Sorry, don't understand the rest of your post.

 

The only hamburger I see is when I'm in a tourney which is for cc's and calling Director

[pilowsky]

You are right it does not look like a hamburger. It looks like three straight lines. Unless you are incredibly hungry. Click them anyway

[Milferd]

If I am correct Flash is officially dead. It still out there but not supported the Adobe site when I tried would only give you a remove application.

 

So I consider the current BBO version a temporary fix and hope better comes along on the site.

[johnu]

If I am correct Flash is officially dead. It still out there but not supported the Adobe site when I tried would only give you a remove application.

 

So I consider the current BBO version a temporary fix and hope better comes along on the site.

Adobe is continuing support of Flash until December 31, 2020 so Flash is not dead yet.

 

The latest version of BBO is written in HTML5 so that is the "permanent" version.

[pigpenz]

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