scidCommunity Help: scidCommunity Hints

# scidCommunity Hints

This page contains useful hints in question and answer format to help you use scidCommunity better. If you are new to scidCommunity, please read the quick guide first. Most of the information on this page is available in more detail on the other help pages listed in the index. If you think of a useful hint to add to this page, please send it to the author of scidCommunity.

#### Can I get scidCommunity to load a database when it starts?

Yes, you can add databases, PGN files or EPD files to the command line. For example:

- scid mybase games.pgn.gz

will load the scidCommunity database mybase and also load the Gzip-compressed PGN file games.pgn.gz.

#### Is there an easier way to change the board size than using the options menu?

Yes, you can use the shortcut keys Control+Shift+LeftArrow and Control+Shift+RightArrow to decrease or increase the board size.

#### I am training by playing through a game, so I do not want scidCommunity to print the next move in the game information area below the chessboard. Can I hide it?

You can hide the next move by pressing the right mouse button in the game information area, and selecting Hide next move from the menu that appears.

#### How can I see the ECO opening code for the current position?

The ECO code is displayed on the bottom line of the game information box, below the chessboard in the main window, if you have the ECO classification file (scid.eco) loaded.
The ECO codes help page explains how to load the ECO classification file and save options so it will be loaded every time you start scidCommunity.

#### I am entering a game, and I am up to move 30, but just saw that move 10 was wrong. How can I correct it and keep all the moves after it?

You can use the Import window; see the entering moves help page for more information.

#### How do I copy games from one database to another?

Use the database switcher window: drag from the source database to the target database to copy all games in the source database filter.

#### Every time I enter a move where one already exists, I get a "Replace move?" dialog box. How do I avoid that?

Turn it off with the Ask before replacing moves option in the [Options: Moves] menu. Or, get into the habit of taking back moves using the right-mouse button, which actually removes the move from the game if you are at the last move of the game.

#### How do I change column widths in the Game List window?

Click the left or right mouse button on each column title.

#### How can I use the tree window on a selection of games, not my whole database?

Use the clipbase. Set your database filter to contain the games you want to use the tree on, then copy them to the clipbase using the database switcher. Then, just open the tree window in the clipbase.

#### The Tree is slow for large databases. How do I speed it up?

Save the Tree cache often, to save tree results for future use. See the caching section of the Tree help page for details.

#### How can I edit the PGN representation of the game directly?

You cannot use the PGN window to edit the current game, but you can still edit its PGN representation using the Import game window. Just open it (shortcut key: Control+Shift+I) and then press the Paste current game button, then edit the game, then press Import.

#### My database has several spellings for some player names. How do I correct them all?

You can edit individual names or spellcheck all the names in a database with the commands in the [File: Maintenance] menu. See the maintenance page.

#### I have two databases open: one with my own games, and a large database of grandmaster games. How do I compare one of my games to those in the large database?

In the large database, open the tree window and press the Lock button to lock the tree to that database. Then switch to the other database, and the tree will continue to show data for the large database.

(Updated: scidCommunity, February 2026)