Accessing the Game Editor

I've been trying to learn how to use the Game editor on this chess site. Based on my fumbling efforts, I thought it might be helpful to make some comments and suggestions.

1. I found it really hard to find the game editor. I now know that choosing More > Game Editor from the main menu gets me what I want, but it was a matter of trial and error made harder by the fact that I didn't know what this miracle chess diagram creator thingy was called.

2. When I did finally sort that out, I was able to work out some aspects of the editor, but am still unable to create the kind of complex line + variations layouts that others can produce.

I searched the site for "Game editor" and found these two links. Both were helpful but neither were complete.

http://www.chess.com/blog/Cultus/how-to-use-quotgame-editorquot-on-chesscom

http://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-use-the-chesscom-diagr?page=6

3. Here are two suggestions. First, someone who is clued up could write an article which has a sample diagram with all the chess elements (moves, comments, variations, etc). The article would give step by step instructions of the typing and buttons you would click to re-create the diagram.

Second, this article could be set up in a prominent place for easy access. For instance, I expected it to be a sticky thread under Forums > Game analysis (that's where I started reading. There is a sticky thread entitled "Read this before you post" which has some good general tips but no reference that I could see to the Game editor.

Cheers to all :)

Did you try this?

https://support.chess.com/customer/portal/articles/1444902

Thanks for taking the time to reply. The short answer is no, I haven't seen that link before.

Having read it, my previous comments still apply. First, despite the notes in your link, I'm struggling to do everything I want to. The main problem I had was entering variant lines of moves, and none of the links I've found so far have a clear, specific and detailed explanation of how I go about that.

Second, I'm curious how you found that link. I've gone back and searched for the game editor, and this link didn't come up. I also noted the pathway shown at the top of the post, which reads:

Home > Using Chess.com > How do I use the Analysis Board and Editor?

So I went to the Home page, and I can't see anywhere a link labelled "Using Chess.com". So I still feel that it's not so easy to find the help I need on this topic.

But again, I'm only trying to help with some feedback from a new member, and I appreciate your response.

If you click on Help & Support at the bottom of the page (near the green pawn), it takes you to what once was the FAQS.  There are page after page of very short articles explaining how the site works.  And of course you're right, this site is challenging at best to navigate.  I've developed a whole new hobby just sharing my hard won information about the site.  A bit ironic considering how very little I actually know about computers and software!

Another little "secret" is that all of our posts are archived and can be accessed by the "search forums" box in the upper right, just under the green "Post new Topic".  As an example of how useful this can be I took the liberty of doing a search for you:

http://www.chess.com/forum/search?keyword=game+editor

Will you find your answers there?  Who knows, but probably worth wading through the threads that seem pertinent.  Good luck!

Thanks again. Your tip to use the search box within the forums page was an excellent one (I now see that there are distinct search boxes for the various areas of the site - not sure why that is, but very useful to know…)

So I searched and found a thread that answered my specific question about adding variant lines. I also found this conversation:

Where does one find the game editor?

Just under the More tab, 2 down

Thanks very much, can't believe I never noticed it before!

Although Game Editor is probably the most useful resource on this site, I'm not surprised some people have never heard of it because it's not very well advertised.  Here's a guide to how it works (it took me quite a lot of searching to find it) ... [ref follows to one of your links]

Glad I'm not the only one!