1. Harold the Herald: An Automated Heraldic Conflict Checking System by David P. Salley

2. Problem Statement
The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a non-profit educational organization whose members study and re-create aspects of the Middle Ages.
The Society maintains a registry of its members heraldic devices (popularly referred to as “coats of arms”)

3. Problem Statement (cont’d)
The Society adds over 500 devices to its registry each year, more than England’s College of Arms registered in the last century
Prior to the late 1990’s this registration was done strictly manually. Online text checking has improved the situation, but not by much

4. Conflict Checking

5. Conflict Checking - Fields
Division – Barry
Partition – Wavy
FieldT1 – Vert
FieldT2 – Argent
1st Point of Difference
Division – Quarterly
Partition – none
FieldT1 – Vert
FieldT2 – Argent

6. Conflict Checking – Chargelist
Type1 – Uni. Head
Not Enough Difference
Type1 – Horse Head

7. Conflict Checking - Charge
Location1 – Center
Number1 – One
Type1 – Uni. Head
Position1 – Couped
Tincture1 – Sable
Not Enough Difference
Location1 – Center
Number1 – One
Type1 – Horse Head
Position1 – Couped
Tincture1 - Sable

8. Conflict Checking

9. Conflict Checking - Fields
Division – Barry
Partition – Wavy
FieldT1 – Vert
FieldT2 – Argent
1st Point of Difference
Division – Quarterly
Partition – none
FieldT1 – Vert
FieldT2 – Argent

10. Conflict Checking - Chargelist
Type1 – Uni. Head
Type2 – Chief
2nd Point of Difference
Type1 – Horse Head

11. Actual Run Typescript
Please enter a blazon: Per bend sable and argent, a decresent and a hound dormant counterchanged.
ERROR #092
"I'm sorry, could you please reblazon the charges? First incorrect word -- decresent
Please enter a blazon: Per bend sable and argent, a decrescent and a hound dormant counterchanged.

12. Actual Run Typescript Possible conflicts: Name: Morgan Kildarby
Date: 9109C
Blazon: Per fess argent and sable, a crescent and a wolf rampant counterchanged.
Name: Bran of Silver Keep
Date: 9707A
Blazon: Per chevron azure and argent, two demiwolves rampant addorsed and a dog statant reguardant sable.