common questions & answers

 

Messages during installation

If during installation, towards the finish, you get a Windows message along the lines of 'not a valid image', simply ignore it. Nothing untoward happened, the installation was completed successfully.

Users with Windows Vista

For customers with Windows Vista: If the installation did not seem to proceed properly, or if it did install but Buff is operating strangely, then you might have to reinstall in compatibility mode. Vista is not 100% backward compatible for all programs.

If you have a CDROM disk, insert in your CDROM drive, then interrupt the autoinstall ... click 'Cancel' when it tries to install. Then use My Computer to open your CDROM drive, and copy the Setup.exe file to your Desktop.

If you are using a downloaded zipped file, extract Setup.exe to your Desktop.

Now right-click on the “setup” icon that is on your desktop.  Then left-click on the “properties” option.  Then left-click on the “Compatibility” tab.  Then check the box that reads: “Run this program in compatibility mode for:” and select from the scroll-down options for your current operating system.  (usually Windows XP but there are other options if needed).  Then click “OK”.  This should work.

Playing Cards with VIsta or Windows 7 Have White "Shadows"

Windows 7: There appears to be a white 'shadow' to the bottom and to the right, of the playing cards. This can happen if you are not using the Windows 7 default 'smaller text' option. With your mouse on the desktop, RIGHT-click, then click Screen Resolution. On the left there is an option 'make text ... larger or smaller". Click that and choose the default 'smaller', then click APPLY, then log off and back on.

Vista: There appears to be a white 'shadow' to the bottom and to the right, of the playing cards. This might happen if you have selected DPI scale 120 (large type) instead of the standard 96 (the default type). Right-click the desktop .. choose Personalization .. top left click Fonts ... then select 96.

BB16 NSEW Buttons 'Disappear'

This can happen in 'Match' mode. The NSEW buttons (bottom right) which make the NSEW hands visible/disappear, normally disappear during the Play of the hand. In Match mode, the buttons might not reappear when you proceed to the next hand. The quick FIX is to simply click the BID button, and the buttons will reappear. If this is really annoying, Email us, tell us where and when you purchased the product, and we'll send you a download link for a new installation file.

BB16 Installation 'Hangs', 'Stalls', on a Font Installation

This has happened on a couple of platforms. Although the installation seems to hang, all the critical files have been installed and the setup is probably complete except for the creation of a desktop icon. Go to My Computer >> Local Disk C: >> Bridge Buff 16 >> Bridge Buff >> and look for BB16.exe. Doubleclick that file, and see what happens. If everything seems to work, you are off to the races. If not, Email us, tell us where and when you purchased the product, and we'll send you a download link for a new installation file.

BB16 utility Sequencer missing a file

The utility Sequencer might have a missing file. Take a look here to see if the utility looks interesting (95% of you won't). If it doesn't execute properly from the Launch Bar, that file did not install properly. Download that zipped file, then unzip it and copy the file to "c:\Bridge Buff 16\Bridge Buff\" folder (that is the default folder, you might have installed Bridge Buff somewhere else). If you would rather have a complete new installation file, Email us, tell us where and when you purchased the product, and we'll send you a download link for a new installation file.

Cannot get past BB15 First Time Walk Through window

This is happening on a very small number of platforms. Download this small patch, turn off Buff, run the patch, and the next time you run Buff that window will be bypassed.

OR we can email you a download link to a complete new installation file. Size is about 12 megs. Email your request here.

OR you can edit a small file, and do the fix yourself.  In the defaulted folder C:\Bridge Buff 15\Bridge Buff. there is a small file "options.opt". Open that file with Wordpad or Notepad. Change the last entry, the bottom line, from "y" to "n", then save the file. You're done.

The bidding area doesn't show suit symbols properly (BB14 only)

A font with suit symbols did not install properly. First, try uninstalling, then reinstalling. If that doesn't work and you don't really care if the suit symbols display, and don't mind if the bids display as '1H', then got to SETUP (top menu) and click the 'show bids as 1H' checkbox.

If you want to install the font manually, go here to download the font. Your browser will probably give you a couple of options ... choose Save to File. After the download is completed, a simple copy of the font to your Windows\Fonts folder usually works. If not, use the Font Install routine ...

Start - Settings - Control Panel - <doubleclick> FONTS - File (top left) - Install New Font - then go to where you had downloaded the font.

 

 Getting Message “Subscript out of range” (Buff closes) or sometimes wrong contract appears to be played and/or score

This might happen (rarely) if your option settings and playing choices are a particular combination. Try one or both of these workarounds 

  • Go to the top menu Playing … Artificial Intelligence Options .. Buff Will Claim. Turn that Claim option off. We’re told the claiming is annoying anyway, and is based on an AI projection so is not infallible. That might solve the problem.
  • Go to Playing .. Pause At End of Trick and make sure that option is checked ON = YES.

 

Buff Status-Bar doesn't display, or cannot see bottom of Buff windows because the Windows Taskbar covers it

The Buff Status bar at the bottom of the playing screen is not visible. This is probably caused by one of the following:

  • The Windows Taskbar covers it. Go to Start .. Settings ..Taskbar .. and make sure Lock and Keep on Top are not checked.
  • OR, if your Buff version is sizeable (Ver 17 or later), size the Buff window so the Windows Taskbar is not sitting on top of the Buff Status bar.
  • Change the THEME to Windows Classic. Go to Start .. Settings .. Control Panel .. Display. When there, at Themes .. select Windows Classic.
  • Change the Font to Normal. Go to Start .. Settings .. Control Panel .. Display. When there, at Appearance, select Font Size Normal. Large might also work.