While playing on OKBridge you will find yourself typing a lot of things repeatedly. To save yourself a lot of typing, you may use abbreviations such as "typ" or "tup" for "Thank you, partner" or "glp" for "Good luck, pard". But what about longer text? Announcements, alerts and pre-alerts, calls to the lobby for new players or the return of your partner can be a lot of keystrokes. When we save and store these messages for quick retrieval later, we call them "macros". With one, two or three mouse-clicks we can send any such message to the table, the spectator loft or the lobby.
If you have Windows '95 or '98 on your computer, you can set up your system to save and display these messages ("macros") quickly and easily, freeing up more of your time for bridge and chatting. You may wish to log onto OKBridge and configure your OKWIN. Once on "OKBridge" you will hit "File", "Preferences" and click "on" the second ("Chat Bar") and third ("Use Photos") options only. While there, hit "FIXED PITCH" and select "COURIER NEW", "Regular", "Size 9", so that text-based "convention cards" will be easier to read.
OKS3240z.EXEa is a brilliant and very useful program written by Mike "mikezzz" Mardesich. Should you wish to thank him for this excellent program, CLICK HERE to send him an email. Downloading and Installing OKScript.EXE
CLICK HERE to go to Mike Mardesich's site and download the OKS3240z.EXE seminar file. This is a different version from the regular OKS3240.EXE file in that it includes the text-based instructions for our seminars on OKScript and some very useful ".OKS" supporting text files.
After downloading OKS3240z.EXE that you must install it by running the OKS3240z.EXE file. You can accomplish this simply by hitting START at the bottom left of your screen, then FIND, then Files and Folders. When prompted, enter OKS3240z.EXE carefully, and hit FIND NOW. When Windows finds this file, double-click on the line that shows its location. An installation procedure will begin. Take all of the defaults simply by hitting "okay" throughout.
When this is done, the next step is to download the supporting ".OKS" text file. To do this after you have read this entire paragraph, you will CLICK HERE to go to the BRIDGE.OKS file. Once there, though, you must use the "FILE" and "SAVE AS..." functions of your web browser to save this file to the same directory/folder as your OKScript.EXE file (i.e. your folder). To return to this file, you will need to use the BACK command within your web browser. You may then want to repeat this process to save BRIDGER.OKS to your folder, a version of BRIDGE.OKS that includes some prepared excuses and disparaging remarks for disappointing dummies.
Congratulations! You have now installed OKScript.EXE onto your system. To run it, just minimalize OKWin as necessary, and click on the OKScript icon. Hit "okay" and/or "Basic" to get past the first few screens. Once you see the OKScript button, you must register your version of it. To do so, hit HELP and then REGISTER. Enter your name and registration number, and you are ready to roll!
Your next task will be to open one of the ".OKS" files. These are supporting text files which put different sets of macro buttons onto your screen. Under FILE on your OKScript box, hit OPEN AND GO, and then select the BRIDGE.OKS file. Hit OPEN and the buttons will appear on your screen. Try hitting some of the little buttons on your OKScript box and see what happens!
You will note that when you attempt to say "Good luck, partner", it presumes that partner's name is "Jim". To change this, hit OPEN on the OKScript box, then hit EDIT PANEL. Change "Jim" to your partner's real name. Then hit FILE, then SAVE. Then hit FILE and RUN PANEL. You can then see your changes in effect. Later, you can switch names to each new partner as the need arises.
Some other .OKS Files
Remember to save these to your OKS40\Scripts folder.
HI.OKS A file for saying "hi" to your fellow OKBridgers. BRIDGE.OKS A good "starter" file for everyone BRIDGER.OKS Same as the above, but with some funny excuses. PLAYING.OKS This is for the serious player. POINTS.OKS Some discourses for novices. ATTENDEE.OKS For Rainbow Series attendees. TM.OKS For FireSide Table Managers. STUDENTS.OKS For mentoring game and Fireside students. PLAYSWAN.OKS An OKScript file for Swangames users.
Every second Sunday at 5:00 P.M. PST we have a seminar on OKScript at Kaltica's table. From 5:00 P.M. PST to 6:30 P.M. PST we discuss the basics of players preparing their own OKScript files. At 6:30 P.M. PST we discuss some more advanced techniques for teachers and assistants. All are welcome. OKScript Seminars
Before attending, we suggest that you get the latest seminar version of OKScript from http://www.mjmx.com/. If you already have OKScript, this new version will simply overwrite the existing one. We also suggest that you print out the PRESENT1.OK instruction file. After saving each of these .OKS files to your OKS40 folder, hit BACK in your web browser to return here.
Files for the Seminar
Remember to save these to your OKS40\Scripts folder.
HI.OKS A file for saying "hi" to your fellow OKBridgers. POINTS.OKS Some discourses for novices. OKS-NS.OK Basic OKScript instructions. LearnOKS.OKS Companion file for our OKScript instructions. PRESENT1.OKS An advanced file for teachers and assistants.
You will want to test your new script files before trying them out in an actual game environment. For this purpose, log onto OKBridge and open a hidden table for yourself. You will see the HIDDEN option at the bottom left of the Table Preferences box. Click it ON. Testing your .OKS Supporting Text Files
With your OKSCRIPT.EXE program running, click on the buttons you wish to test. If your .OKS file doesn't work the way you want it to work yet, change it by hitting OPEN on the OKScript box, then hit EDIT PANEL. Change the text as you see fit. Then hit FILE, then SAVE. Then hit FILE and RUN PANEL. For more information on how to edit these files, read the notes within the BRIDGE.OKS file.
The Fifth Chair Mentoring Program This fine organization, run by Marcia "tarsh" West arranges mentors for those who can't afford professional tutoring.Colin's Bridge Tutoring Page This bridge web page has mentoring options and technical articles that will appeal to Novice and Intermediate players.Colin Ward's Bridge Page This bridge web page's technical and humour articles will appeal to the intermediate and experienced player.Space Cadets' Home Page Here you can spend weeks reading the hand records and instructive comments intended for the bridge neophyte.SAYC Simplified by Waynef and Ana This is a very good starting place for those learning the Standard American Yellow Card bidding system.
Colin's Personal (Non-Bridge) Web Page If tired of bridge (heresy, yes, but it happens) you may wish to switch to Acquire, poetry, gardening, music or literature.
If your computer has MIDI capacity, you have been listening to "Heart of Gold" by Winnipeg's own Neil Young.
