News from 2010

17 December 2010

The completely free WordPlay program has been updated to version 2.5. This version has the following changes:

• The Word Search function now allows the "match-one" wild card. This could be useful if you're looking for a word for Scrabble and you have a blank tile.
• The results can now be sorted alphabetically or on the word length.

8 November 2010

There is a new demo for the TssResourceAllocationChart Delphi component. This new demo shows how to use Microsoft's GDI+ API to draw resource names and allocations with colour gradients giving a more attractive and modern appearance than "flat" colours. For a preview of the demo, take a look at the screen shots page.

5 November 2010

SadMan Software now has support forums. These are the preferred method for requesting support, reporting bugs etc, so please do not send email unless your query is private. The following forums are currently available, but more may be added as necessary.

• ConvertEasy
• Fives and Threes
• Search
• Sudoku
• XChange
• XChangeCL
• Resource Allocation Chart
• Everything Else

1 November 2010

Version 3.3 of TssResourceAllocationChart Delphi component has now been released. The only change for this version is:

• Added support for Embarcadero RAD Studio XE.

Please let us know if you did not receive the notification email with the updated source.

1 November 2010

Sudoku has been updated to Version 3.6. The changes in this version are:

• Added another variation of the colouring technique - multi-colouring type 1. This allows all cells of one colour to be eliminated because of a with another separate chain. (See the description of the colouring technique for details.)
• Modified the puzzle library so that it holds the same number of each grade. It is initially created this way, but over time, the most used and/or the hardest grades to generate, could be under represented. This meant that if you always played puzzles of one specific grade, the library could actually contain fewer of that grade.
• Added another grade for puzzles that Sudoku cannot solve without resorting to trial-and-error. Puzzles of this grade are shown as "not solved". This is in response to the increasing number of users asking for even harder puzzles.
• Increased the number of puzzles held in the library from 1000 to 2700, so it now holds 300 of each grade.
• Added the ability to undo hints. Previously, clicking UnDo after a hint would undo the move before the hint.
• The puzzle symmetry option has been removed, since I discovered that reflective symmetry puzzles only form around 1% of those generated.
• Corrected a fault when printing puzzles from the library when the library contained no puzzles of the specific grade(s) requested, it now displays a warning message instead of printing an empty grid.

12 April 2010

PayPal integration went very smoothly, and so I'm now accepting PayPal payments in British pounds (GBP, £) for all products. You can still pay in US Dollars at SWREG if you wish, but you now also have the option of British pounds with PayPal. The price works out about the same in either case, although SWREG will add value-added-tax (VAT) for residents of the European Union, or sales tax for residents of Minnesota.

25 March 2010

I'm now accepting payments PayPal in GBP (£) for Sudoku. Previously, if you wanted to pay with PayPal, SWREG would charge a $3.50 "manual handling fee" for the privilege. You can now pay in US Dollars at SWREG, or British pounds with PayPal, as the fancy takes you.

Once I've sorted out any teething troubles, I'll be adding a PayPal payment option to other applications too.

18 February 2010

Fives and Threes has been updated to Version 2.4. The changes in this version are:

• When game is to an exact figure, totalise all points for the play - including any extra for knocks, or for chipping out - before seeing whether the score counts or whether the player busts.
• When game is to an exact figure and playing in pairs, correct the determination of whether the score counts or whether the team busts.
• If the textured domino appearance was turned off, the program didn't display the plain background until it was restarted.

1 February 2010

Some cookery-oriented conversions have been added for ConvertEasy. The new conversions are:

• Fahrenheit ↔ Celsius (122—482 / 50—250)
• Gas Mark ↔ Celsius (1—9 / 135—246)
• Gas Mark ↔ Fahrenheit (1—9 / 275—475)
• Teaspoon (US) ↔ Tablespoon (US) (0—15 / 0—5)
• Tablespoon (US) ↔ Cup (0—48 / 0—3)
• Cup ↔ Pint (0—10 / 0—5)
• Pound ↔ Kilogram (0—10 / 0—4.5)

25 January 2010

The description of the Nishio Sudoku solving technique has been removed. This is a deprecated technique that is rarely used these days.

25 January 2010

Fives and Threes has been updated to Version 2.3. The changes in this version are:

• Increased the maximum delay between computer players. This allows you to delay their move by up to thirty seconds. See the "Player Names" tab of the preferences dialog.
• Added the option to have textures for the face and back of the dominos. See the "Colours" tab of the preferences dialog.
• Changed the display of dominos slightly to improve their appearance on larger monitors.
• Improved the visibility of the scores and player names.
• Added a variation that ends the round only after both partners have chipped out when playing in pairs.
• Improved the computers players a little so that they (mostly) avoid giving away high scores whenever possible. My thanks to Alan Pedder for his assistance with this.
• Corrected a display problem that occured when the clockwise arm reached the left-hand edge and turned up.