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SoccerStats
The datafile
The datafile is a normal text file where all the data about the team are stored. The datafile is divided into two sections, one for player information and one for match information. The player section is started by writing the word Players on it's own on a single row. In the same way the match section begins with the word Matches. The content of each section is described below. It could also be a good idea to take a look here and here for two examples of datafiles.
Players
The player section is quite simple. You just list all the players following this syntax:
PlayerID;Last Name;First Name;Position
- PlayerID
- A number that uniquely identifies the player. No two players can have the same number. The PlayerID is used later in the Match-section of the datafile. A suggestion is to use the players shirt-number as PlayerID. The PlayerID is only used here in the datafile and is not displayed anywhere in the applet.
- Last Name
- The players last name.
- First Name
- The players first name.
- Position
- The players position. The following letters can be used:
- g - Goalkeeper
- d - Defender
- m - Midfielder
- f - Forward
It is possible for a player to have more than one position. If a player can play as both defender and midfielder just enter 'dm'. Any combination of the above letters is allowed.
A snippet from the Player-section of a datafile could look like this:
Players
1;Banks;Gordon;g
2;Beckenbauer;Franz;d
3;Maldini;Paolo;d
5;Desailly;Marcel;dm
7;Rehn;Stefan;m
10;Maradona;Diego;m
13;Stanic;Mario;mf
9;van Basten;Marco;f
11;Galloway;Steve;f
Matches
The match-section is a bit more complicated than the player-section. It contains information about all the played matches. Each match is described by six rows where every row is one piece of information about the match. The headlines for the rows are:
- Match - general information about the match
- Players - the players who started the game
- Subs - substitutions
- Goals - goals scored (both for and against)
- Yellow - yellow cards
- Red - red cards
Match
- Description
- The Match-part gives general information about the match. The match is specified by entering the date of the match, the opponents, the place (home or away) and the attendance. For the date, any format can be used but it's recommended to use a short format like date/month (for example: 15/5). The place is specified by entering 'h' for home and 'a' for away.
- Example
- Match=12/9;Arsenal;h;32500
Explanation: The match was played at home against Arsenal on September the 12:th. The attendance was 32500.
Players
- Description
- Here you enter the players that started the game. To identify players you use the PlayerID's specified in the player-section. Just enter the PlayerID's of all starting players separated by semicolons. Tip: In the Matchfacts-section of SoccerStats the players are listed in the same order as they are entered here. So it could be a good idea to start with the goalkeeper and than the defenders and so on.
- Example
- Players=1;2;4;14;3;7;10;12;9;11;16
Subs
- Description
- This is where you enter the substitutions made in the match. For each substitution you enter the player who went out, the player who came in and the minute the substitution was made.
- Example
- Subs=9-12(65);4-15(85)
Explanation:
- Player number 9 was replaced by player number 12 in the 65:th minute.
- Player number 4 was replaced by player number 15 in the 85:th minute.
Goals
- Description
- Both goals for and against are to be entered here. Goals for are entered by giving the PlayerID and minute of the goal. In case of own goal (by opponent) just enter 'og' instead of a PlayerID. Goals by opponent are specified by entering 'opp' and the minute of the goals. Penalties are specified by appending 'pen' after the minute.
- Example
- Goals=9(5);7(10);opp(15);og(65);10(70,pen);opp(89,pen)
Explanation:
- Player number 9 scored a goal in the 5:th minute
- Player number 7 scored a goal in the 10:th minute
- The opponents scored a goal in the 15:th minute
- An own goal was scored (by opponents) in the 65:th minute
- Player number 10 scored a goal, on a penalty kick, in the 70:th minute
- The opponents scored a goal, on a penalty kick, in the 89:th minute
Yellow
- Description
- Here you enter any yellow cards. Write the PlayerID of all players receiving yellow cards. Yellow cards for opponents are given by entering 'opp' and a '*' followed by the number of yellow cards.
- Example
- Yellow=4;6;opp*3
Explanation:
- Players number 4 and 6 got yellow cards.
- The opponents got 3 yellow cards.
Red
- Description
- This is where you enter red cards (if any). The PlayerID and time of the red card are required. Red cards for opponents are given by entering 'opp' and the time.
- Example
- Red=opp(15);5(78)
Explanation:
- The opponents had a player sent off in the 15:th minute.
- Player number 5 was sent off in the 78:th minute.
A snippet from the Match-section of a datafile could look like this:
Matches
Match=9/8;Wimbledon;a;26106
Players=1;2;5;6;7;13;14;16;17;18;20
Goals=opp(55);18(71,pen)
Subs=14-12(23);20-24(67);2-4(82)
Yellow=6;12;opp*2
Match=13/8;Leicester;h;35007
Players=1;2;5;6;7;12;13;16;17;18;20
Goals=opp(1);opp(83);17(85)
Subs=20-24(46);6-21(73);16-23(77)
Yellow=opp*2
Important notes
There are a few things that are important to remember when entering the data.
Always enter events (goals, substitutions and red cards) in chronological order. Even though the time is specified it's safest to enter events in the order they happened. Also, all events where the time is above 45 (or MatchLength/2 if that parameter is specified) will be regarded as having occurred in the second half. That means that all things happening in stoppage time in the first half shall be given the time 45. If you enter 46 or above it will count as the second half.
SoccerStats does not perform any logical control of the data entered. That means that it's possible to credit goals to players who weren't specified in Players or Subs (i.e. didn't play in the match) without getting an error message. So you need to be very careful when entering the data.
It's safe to omit rows if that event didn't occur. If there were no goals in the game you don't have to enter an empty Goals-row.
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Copyright © 1998 Mats Bovin.
Comments can be sent to mats-bov@dsv.su.se