TDE File Format
The Tournament Data Exchange (TDE) file format was created to record tournament data and ratings information in plain text files. AccelRat software reads and writes TDE files line by line, interpreting each line as a particular kind of record. Blank lines are always ignored.
A complete tournament data file is provided as an example of the TDE file format.
A comment can be placed on any line. All the text following a single # (pound sign), through the end of the line, is interpreted as a comment.
A "directive" for a specific AccelRat software function should be placed by itself on a line beginning with ##. The following directives are recognized.
| Directive | Arguments | Purpose |
| TOURNEY name, location, dates | tournament name, location (city/town and state), and start and finish dates | Label to identify tournament. |
| RULES rules | either AGA or Ing | Needed to interpret handicaps correctly. If omitted, default is AGA rules. |
| ROUNDS n | number of rounds | Expected number of rounds, for pairing purposes. If omitted, every round is paired as if it were the last. |
| HANDICAP | none | Requests uniform handicapping at all levels. If omitted, games between stronger players get even game komi and weaker players get handicaps. |
| GAMES n | round number | Marks start of game records for round n. This is not required unless you need to distinguish game records from different rounds. |
| PLAYERS | none | Marks start of player records. This is not required, but makes some data files more readable. |
| ATTRIBUTES tag1 tag2 ... tagn | player attribute tags | Marks start of player records in table form, one per line, with attribute values separated by tabs. |
| END | none | Lines beyond the END are ignored, and not read as data. |
There are three basic forms of player record.
| General Tag=Value |
The most general form of player record comprises an ID number
followed by tag=value attributes. For example, USA54321 NAME="Schmoe, Joe" RATING=2.3 BYE= An attribute value that contains spaces must be quoted. A tag with a zero length value can be used as an indicator, i.e., present or absent. |
| Tournament Register |
A simpler form for use in tournament data files comprises an ID number, the player's
full name, and a rating, in that order, followed by any tag=value attributes. For
example, USA54321 Schmoe, Joe 2.3 BYE |
| Data Table | Player records can also be written as a table, using an ATTRIBUTES
directive to specify the fields (columns). All the following lines up to the next
directive are interpreted as table rows with tab separated fields. For example, ## ATTRIBUTES RATING NAME ID 2.3 Schmoe, Joe USA54321 ## This form is useful when reading tables exported from a relational data base or a spreadsheet. |
The following player attributes are recognized.
| Tag | Value | Meaning |
| ID | Counting number with an alpha prefix | International player ID |
| NAME | Family name, given names | Full name |
| RATING | Decimal number | Playing strength |
| SIGMA | Positive decimal number | Standard deviation of rating |
| DATE | Year.Month.Day | When rating was updated |
| UNCERTAIN | None | Indicates uncertainty about rating |
| BYE | None | Indicates odd-number-of-players bye volunteer |
| DROP | None | Indicates player dropped from pairings |
| AVOID | Name of a group | Avoid pairing with player in same group |
| TIMEZONE | Offset from GMT, between 12 and -12 | Player's timezone, for play over the Internet. |
Games are recorded as the White player's ID, Black's ID, the winner, and the handicap stones and komi. For example,
USA54321 USA789 B 0 5
Assuming AGA rules, this record means that player ID USA54321 held White and USA789 held Black in an even game, and Black won.
The following codes for winner are recognized.
| W | White won |
| B | Black won |
| N | No winner could be determined |
| ? | No result reported |
Note that contemporary rules do not allow for "tie" or "jigo" as a game result.
A handicap should be recorded as two integer numbers, stones and komi. The common AGA and Ing handicaps are provided as examples.