Euchre History

Welcome to the Euchre History Page.
This isn't so much about the origins of the game of Euchre (you can find many references elsewhere), but more about the history of my game of Euchre.

View History by Version Number.

This version of Euchre is based on the variety of euchre played in Indiana with rule options from all over. This is not bid euchre, which is a different animal all together. The logic used in playing is based on years of experience playing at college.

My original version of euchre started in college written in Extended Basic on the TI-99 4/A computer around 1985-86. The program was stored on a 360k floppy and would fit in 16k of memory. I thought it was quite impressive.

I became exposed to and started using the IBM PC in 1987. Somewhere around 1991-1992 I decided to learn QuickBasic and I figured a Euchre project would be good because I already had the thought processes down. I finished the program in 1992 and it was entirely in QuickBasic. This version worked, but I didn't feel the graphics or the overall program was worthy of distributing. In August of 1995, I found the graphics I was looking for from LogDog Software. This, combined with 3 more years of programming experience led me to re-write the original. This version is written in 95% QuickBasic with a few assembly routines for mouse and DOS calls. The graphics are 99% QuickBasic with assembly thrown in for the help screen when scrolling the text. The program was developed on a 486-100Mhz and tested on machines ranging from a 386-33Mhz to a Pentium 100Mhz. I released this version to the public in November of 1995.

Many revisions were made since the public release. A number of these revisions came at the request of people who sent in comments...mostly be e-mail. Registrations were good in 1996 - 1998. 1999 was slow and 2000 was even slower. I had originally wanted to do one more major upgrade for the DOS version which would include SVGA graphics, an entire menu revamp, and utilizing extended memory. I never made the time and with the program getting large, it was difficult to test in the IDE without unloading different modules. With DOS being trounced by Windows, I finally made the decision to learn Visual Basic.

In late August, 2000, I started my first Windows program. I found a 32bit .dll (dynamic link library) that drew the cards and started hacking away. In late January 2001, I felt I had the program to a point I could start handing it out to friends to test it on different computers and operating systems and offer suggestions for improvement. I learned how to write a help file and I planned a simple web site that I could submit to search engines.

On March 24, 2001, I put the shareware version on the internet and submitted my site to as many search engines as I could. I'll have to update the public response in a later revision.
Response as of 05.12.2002: Response has been good, but of course not as good as I'd like. I've had no real complaints; I've had some good comments; but the number of registrations aren't as much as I'd like. My guess is because I don't have internet or network play...I'll have to remedy that.

In September of 2004 I started messing around with the graphics because screens with large resolutions were making the cards appear smaller and smaller on the screen. I found some graphics online which I modified and changed and tweaked. In February of 2006 I made the jump to using API calls for graphics instead of using the built-in VB controls. Much faster and I also use the API call for text so even fewer controls to worry about. In 2007, I stumbled through attempting to integrate internet/network play. I have the basics working, but the details are dragging me down.

In 2007 after Windows Vista was starting to become "popular" (more used I guess is a better way to put it), I was getting queries on if my game worked with Vista. I found a machine and tested it and other than the install routine it worked. However, later I found out that if you weren't running as an Administrator, it would fail miserably. In Late 2007, I re-wrote the entire setup routine and changed portions of how the Euchre program worked to follow the guidelines for the tighter security in Vista. After I thought I had it working properly, two of the first five downloads were getting 429 errors. That shouldn't happen...not with Vista. From my experience with the bad install earlier, I'm guessing some other program didn't install properly and messed up their scripting abilities. I changed the program once again to not use those routines so I could avoid those errors altogether. After learning about folder ACLs, ACEs, SDs, and user SIDs, I was able to change the install to properly set user rights so the game would function properly. The setup is just as important as the program any more. I also found out that Windows Vista doesn't support the hlp help format any more. So I transferred to chm or compiled html help format. It won't work with Windows 95, but I haven't seen anyone using Windows 95 for a few years now. It had been way too long since I did an update to the program and I feel this release in late 2007 will get me going back on the programming path.

It's 2014 now and the next major release will include the much-improved graphics, but still not the internet/network play. I have a book on network games that I need to read to avoid pitfalls that I'm sure I haven't thought about. Hopefully before the end of the year, I can release a new version.


Here is a history by version number:

Versions from 1.0 thru 1.4 10.28.95 - 11.13.95: Added the Auto Play toggle button and the Learn Mode in the Modes menu. Had the program go into Demo Mode if left idle at the main screen or at the end of a game for more than 25 seconds. Made slight change of back of card color. Added a border around the playing "table". Made minor bug fixes and enhancements in the playing logic. Work was also done in trying to reduce the data load time. A check was added to see if Control-C or Escape is pressed during loading of data.

Version 1.5 11.18.95: Added Canada mode and revised the order of the Modes menu. The Pause mode was changed to a toggle button and could be combined with normal and demo modes.

Version 1.6 11.30.95: Added the End It mode and the capability to choose different colors for the backs of the cards.

Version 1.7 12.13.95: Made more minor logic bug fixes and the started online help. The logic for leading was changed to provide more interaction between partners. A few more conditions were tested for Endit mode.

Version 1.8 01.07.96: Included a few more minor logic bug fixes and the finish of online help. The "boss" key (Left-Ctrl) was added to go to a blank DOS screen with a C:prompt.

Version 1.9 02.11.96: Improved Start New Game option. Fixed bug in saving options file to proper directory. Made Demo mode start immediately if selected. Fixed sound "stick" that occurred when running under Windows.

Version 2.0: 03.04.96: Improved and updated online help...made the descriptions more readable. Added the Trump > sub-menu and Must Call option under the Modes menu. Added the Play Trump option under the Partner menu. Made some more playing logic adjustments.

Version 2.1: 06.24.96: A MAJOR upgrade! Added Sound Blaster capabilities through the use of WAV files and the ability to search drives for user WAV files to assign to game events. Added statistics and the ability to have up to five different players plus a guest player in the Change Player option in the Options menu. Added the Review Hand option. Fixed bug when updating scores that would leave garbage where the mouse cursor was. Tweaked logic of playing and discarding a little more (an ongoing affair). Added sound when play the left bower in PC Speaker mode. Fixed “bug” where game would seem to freeze if quickly pressed the Alt key or moved the mouse quickly to the top and then away. Added the General section to the Help menu. Updated the documentation and the online Help. Started shipping with the Playwave utility and WAV sound files. Cards flushed to center of screen if hand ends early while in Endit mode. Added function key shortcuts. Added smiley faces. Sometime before this version changed the delay to 45 seconds before reverting to Demo mode.

Version 2.11: 07.20.99: Fixed problem on choosing sounds on computers with drive letters after L: and being able to "back up" a directory on a network drive (Show Dots).

Version 3.1.1: 03.24.01: Added Midi Files for background music. Added options for redeal. Added the option to use 5s for scorecards. Broke the statistics down for current session and all-time. Added opponent and partner player names. Improved and fixed some bugs in the logic some more (after playing a few hundred more games). Added volume setting for music and sound events. Boss Key was omitted. Help was completely redone. Fixed bugs found during the beta testing phase mostly dealing with different resolutions and screen displays and some operating system differences.

Versions 3.1.2 thru 3.1.6: 03.30.01 thru 04.23.01: Fixed very minor bugs. Added some more Endit checks. Added the scorekeeping by numbers. Updated help file.

Version 3.1.7: 05.18.01: Reduced text size in various locations to keep text from wrapping. Changed setup routine to include scrrun.dll and msvcrt.dll.

Version 3.1.8: 06.03.01: Made 'Cancel' flash instead of 'No' if ask for help on going alone if using Canada Rules and partner of dealer. Changed Total to reduce help from dealer if in Canada mode.

Version 3.1.9: 07.06.01: Added the Kitty to Review Hands. Added underscores to some Buttons so would indicate keyboard input would be accepted.

Version 3.1.10: 07.22.01: Improved programming to reduce exe size.

Version 3.1.11: 07.29.01: Added Disable Attract Mode in the Modes menu. This will prevent the program from entering Demo mode after finishing a game.

Version 3.1.12 & 3.1.13: 11.18.2001: Increased size of playing "field" if screen area available due to WindowsXP cutting off bottom buttons. Added note in setup about rebooting if font not displaying.

Version 3.1.14: 01.01.2002: Fixed bug if euchre.ini had no data. Added a logic improvement.

Version 3.1.15: 05.12.2002: Fixed logic bug. Added option to skip Opening Splash screen for Registered Version. Shortened the time to Auto Exit on Closing Screen for Registered Version.

Version 3.1.16: 04.29.2003: Added option to not ‘mess’ with sound card volumes on start and exit. This was added to prevent sound loss if Media Player was already playing when starting Euchre.

Version 3.2.0: 12.30.2007: Added the Options Screen to view most game and rule options all in one place. Added the "Kicked" Message option and Menu Item. Added the "Never order the Bower into YOUR Hand" option and Menu Item. Updated file locations and the setup routine to be compatible with Windows XP and Vista due to user rights. This should allow a standard user with restricted rights the ability to play the game. Changed the playing logic if the "Play More Trump" option is selected in conjunction with the Partner being set to Aggressive or Go For It! Added "You Have No Trump" to the "You Cannot Call Trump" message that flashes if the "Must Have Trump" option is selected and there are no trump in the hand when going around seeing if trump will be made or ordered.

Version 3.2.1: 01.12.2008: Removed the need for scripting files (scrrun.dll) to hopefully avoid the dreaded 429 'Can't create object' Errors. Updated the setup routine to change permissions of Application Data Folder so a 'Standard' User has access to the Euchre.ini file. Fixed a bug in the Options Screen versus the Menus for Trump Calling. Changed the help system from hlp to chm.

Version 3.2.2: 05.04.2008: Added the option to not flash the bowers if sounds were turned off or no sound card was detected.

Version 3.2.3: 11.03.2012: Modified installation and program to run on Windows 8.

Version 3.2.4: 01.19.2014: At the request of a user, the option to not allow your partner to ever go alone was added.

Version 3.2.5: 01.31.2014: Modified installation and program to correctly identify version of Windows and to run on Windows 8.1

Version 3.2.6: 01.26.2022: Modified installation and program to remove any reference to the PO Box for registration mail-ins. Also confirmed that version 3.2.6 works on Windows 11.

Version 4.0.0: ??.??.2014: New bigger & better Graphics and many more playing options. This version unfortunately will not have network/internet play.

Version 4.0.1: ??.??.2022: Hah! Okay, the last timeline of 2014 was a dream. I still have plans, but life keeps getting in the way.


Euchre Home Page

www.euchreusa.com/history.html
last updated 01.31.2022