I completed BridgeKeeper 0.9b. It contained Aqua controls, a non-glass "Done" button, no code comments, and inconsistent code formatting. The 0.9 beta release was the first made for distribution, but only at DashboardWidgets.com, as the site accepts pre-release, alpha, and beta distros, along with final and maintenance builds.

I got BridgeKeeper 1.0 finished and distributed, this time also to Apple's widget page. The Aqua controls remain, but the glass "Done" button is in place, and the .js file is filled with comments, both for Javascript coder and bridge players. The code follows clear and consistent formatting standards. The most significant interface enhancement was the move away from the text field to the use of getElementById to display the score more elegantly.

I quickly finish up BridgeKeeper 1.1. With a smaller size, both with the graphics and the storage footprint, this version is a great improvement. Also, I finally setup the custom menus, so the old Aqua look is gone from all controls. The deletion of the background file, which was identical to Default.png, reduces the zipped download to 56k, despite the inclusion of the glass menu image. Label and menu display changes allow every menu to be more efficient. This allows for the use of a smaller Default.png, saving space and making the whole widget look more professional.

I wrap up BridgeKeeper 1.2 in mere days, thinking I had ended the 1.x line. Version 1.2 fixes a bug that crept in when I made the move to custom menus. The result menu text (what the user sees) was not updating, even though the menu itself (what the code uses to calculate) was. I chose not to create an adaptive result menu. The denomination menu gained context-sensitive colors and larger suit symbols. Finally, I removed the comments in order to save space. If you compare the image above to the one below, you will see why I had to make version 1.3.

I had to release BridgeKeeper 1.3 as a maintenance build because of a critical calculation error. Vulnerable small slams were coming in light by 250 points. The error has been fixed, and all other bonuses have been double checked. Still, it was a horrifying experience. Thank you, Tim Finlay, for catching this. Only 30 of 2,940 possible menu settings would have helped him spot the error, and I just happened to have sent him a screenshot of one of those 30. I expanded the number sites carrying links and downloads, adding it to many that are listed on the links page.

I am working, when I make time, on the rubber scoring for 2.0. In the meanwhile, I went back to the 1.3 code and made some enhancements. The end user won't see anything new or different, but the changes under the hood are extensive. I eliminated what amounts to around 40 lines of code (an estimate off of the top of my head) by combining four functions into one and converting 14 lines of code into a two-line for() statement in the Javascript file and by making more extensive use of group selector definitions in the CSS file. While the hard drive footprint is down from 34 sectors to 32 and the download size has been reduced by less than 1K, the enhancements should help as I move toward version 2.0. The commented 1.4 code is now up for review at the notes page.

If you have any comments, e-mail them to me.