This is the alpha trials page for the new version of Wizard's Familiar presently under development. New versions of the alpha and eventually Beta and Release candidates will be available here along with other resources for our trial customers.
Logging Defects
Install instructions
Windows Shell integration
Updating your database
The Alpha 6 release is now ready for download. The Alpha 6 release includes a new rulings view and comprehensive rules documentation. The new rulings view shows the Oracle (Gatherer) and Stephen D'Angelo (Crystal Keep) rulings for the selected card. The comprehensive rules HTML documentation (available from the Crystal Keep) is included in the help documentation.
After you install Alpha 6 follow the additional instructions for Windows Shell integration below. Whenever Wizards of the Coast releases a new MtG edition follow the database update instructions to update Wizard's Familiar.
Once you install Wizard's Familiar you should read some of the Welcome information. Please ensure you read the Basics topic of the Welcome screen's Overview area. This topic covers the basics of how to use Wizard's Familiar.
Please log all defects you find. Visit the Leslie Software Defects section of the site. On your first visit you will need to sign up for an account. After that you can use this short cut link to log defects you find during the trial.
Unzip the install package you downloaded to a directory of your choice. For example C:/Program Files. The install package will create a sub direcrory named WizardsFamiliar.
Run the .exe file WizardsFamiliar.exe which you will find located at <install_dir>/WizardsFamiliar
Read the information found on the Welcome pages, especially paying attention to the Basics topic under the Overview section.
For Windows users only: follow these additional instructions to allow Windows to recognize .deck files as belonging to Wizard's Familiar.
Once you have followed the install instructions above navigate to the integration directory (using the example direcgtories from above this will be C:/Program Files/WizardsFamiliar/integration) and open the file WFFileOpen.reg for editing (right click and choose edit command).
Replace the two <install_dir> entries in the .reg file with the path to the integration directory except that the back slashes '\\' need to be doubled (for example using the install directory as above replace <install_dir> with the string 'C:\\Program Files\\WizardsFamiliar\\integration' - not including the quotes).
Save your changes and close the WFFileOpen.reg file.
Tell Windows that .deck files are associted with Wizard's Familiar by merging the WFFileOpen.reg file into the registry by double clicking it or right click and choose the Merge command.
The product install includes a complette database of cards but new editions are published by Wziard's of the Coast frequently. To update your database to get the newest version of the database. Follow these instructions:
Start Wizard's Familiar
Execute the menu command Help | Search for Update...
Follow the update wizard's steps selecting the updated database feature
Accept any default update mirrors that may be presented
Accept the install of the unsigned jar file
Let Wizard's Familiar restart
You will now have an updated database.