Latest Version

From NSB User Guide

What's new in Version 6.5?[edit]

Version 6.5 features a complete overhaul of all the communication between the client and host. From its inception our software utilized the FTP method of communicating data which requires that whole files be moved back and forth from the server. Version 6.5 move away from FTP and deploys a series of threaded connections to the MySQL database at our server. This makes it possible to transmit bits of data as needed instead of whole files, resulting in smoother and faster communication. V6.5 still uses some files, but it stores them in database rather than disk files. This is the big change in V6.5 and took the vast majority of development time.

But there are a number of other changes listed below:

1. The main screen (and several others) were redesigned for a 1200 x 768 minimum resolution, allowing us to adapt to the wider screens on current PCs. The main windows are now stretchable (or can be maximized) to 1920 x 1080 resolution.

2. The banner rotator was overhauled to make for large and higher quality banners.

3. Saving and sending changes was automated.

4. A logo canvas was added to the main screen.

5. Trade scans are now limited to the league you have loaded, but they happen every 5 minutes. You can still scan manually from the Trade Planner tab in the Manger Control window.

6. The main toolbar was redesigned. The chat window can be open and closed at your discretion from the main toolbar.

7. The alpha-blend technique was improved and sped up for more beautiful screen transitions. If you turned this off in the past, you should turn it on and give it another try! You might like the results. You can do this from the Settings window. Set Alpha-blend transitions to Yes and select a blend seed of 1.

8. The pool layers and group layers have changed on some calls to the database windows in order to provide a little faster load of the controls.

9. The image shown in the Awards window was removed.

10. A new custom league control panel was integrated into the main screen. This panel will be the automatic default when you load a custom league.

11. More enhancements to the custom league play feature.

12. Some design changes on the launcher window.

13. New toolbars for the database and drafting tab.

14. A button so that you can manually check for new results (see the main page).

15. The elimination of the rarely-used quiz feature.

16. A fix on the My Available Parks Tab under the Parks window, which previously had the data in the RFA and RFL columns reversed.

17. Widened columns where needed on all major reports so that a Calibri 12 pt font would show correctly without having to manually widen columns. For those of you with poor eyesight, you should select Calibri 12 pt. regular in the settings window for your reports. It will make report viewing easier!

18. The sim records window was enlarged and a button added so that you can update league records at your discretion.

19. A new image of Shoeless Joe Jackson on the main screen (you won't see this if you are using a theme for your league).

20. Version 6.5 only remembers one packet, the latest, and in season rollover situations, two packets. That means that if you skip a packet those results are gone forever. This may not be ideal but I've not yet discovered an easy way to retain packets in MySQL tables.

21. Addition of game-at-a-time playoff schedules and provision for classic leagues of 2 division of 8 teams each.

22. Option to re-randomize player seasons.

23. SMS reminders of drafts, contract signings, and more.

24. Numerous other changes, fixes, and enhancements.