off-board pieces that each player has available is shown in the window
title after the player's name; in addition, the piece menus show the
number of pieces available of each type. From version 4.3.14 on, it is
-also possible in crazyhouse, bughouse or shogi to dag and drop pieces
+also possible in crazyhouse, bughouse or shogi to drag and drop pieces
to the board from the holdings squares displayed next to the board.
-
-All other XBoard commands are available from the menu bar. The most
+This latter method for dropping pieces during a game is preferred,
+and the piece-drop menu is now deprecated (except for editing a position).
+Although the old behavior can still be selected through a command-line
+option, the default function of the right mouse button is to display
+the position the chess program thinks it will end up in,
+while moving the mouse vertically with this button pressed will step
+through the principal variation to show how this position will be
+reached.
+Lines of play displayed in the engine-output window an similarly
+be played out on the board, by right-clicking on them.
+
+When connected to an ICS, it is possible to call up a graphical
+representation of players seeking a game in stead of the chess board,
+when the latter is not in use
+(i.e. when you are not playing or observing).
+Left-clicking the display area will switch between this 'seek graph'
+and the chess board.
+Hovering the mouse pointer over a dot will show the details of the
+seek ad in the message field above the board.
+Left-clicking the dot will challenge that player.
+Right-clicking a dot will 'push it to the back',
+to reveal any dots that were hidden behind it.
+Right-clicking off dots will refresh the graph.
+
+Most other XBoard commands are available from the menu bar. The most
frequently used commands also have shortcut keys or on-screen buttons.
+Some rarely used parameters can only be set through options on the
+command line used to invoke XBoard.
+
+XBoard uses a settings file, in which it can remember any changes to
+the settings that are made through menus or command-line options,
+so they will still apply when you restart XBoard for another session.
+The settings can be saved into this file automatically when XBoard exits,
+or on explicit request of the user.
+The default name for the settings file is /etc/xboard/xboard.conf,
+but in a standard install this file is only used as a master settings
+file that determines the system-wide default settings,
+and defers reading and writing of user settings to a user-specific
+file like ~/.xboardrc in the user's home directory.
When XBoard is iconized, its graphical icon is a white knight if
it is White's turn to move, a black knight if it is Black's turn. See
@menu
* File Menu:: Accessing external games and positions.
+* Edit Menu:: Altering games, positions, PGN tags or comments.
+* View Menu:: Controlling XBoard's shape and looks.
* Mode Menu:: Selecting XBoard's mode.
* Action Menu:: Talking to the chess engine or ICS opponents.
-* Step Menu:: Controlling the game.
+* Engine Menu:: Controlling settings and actions of the engine(s).
* Options Menu:: User preferences.
* Help Menu:: Getting help.
* Keys:: Other shortcut keys.
@item New Game
@cindex New Game, Menu Item
Resets XBoard and the chess engine to the beginning of a new chess
-game. The @kbd{r} key is a keyboard equivalent. In Internet Chess
+game. The @kbd{Ctrl-N} key is a keyboard equivalent. In Internet Chess
Server mode, clears the current state of XBoard, then
resynchronizes with the ICS by sending a refresh command. If you want to
stop playing, observing, or examining an ICS game, use an
@cindex New variant, Menu Item
Allows you to select a new chess variant in non-ICS mode.
(In ICS play, the ICS is responsible for deciding which variant will be played,
-and XBoard adapts automatically.) If you play with an engine, the engine must
+and XBoard adapts automatically.) The shifted @kbd{Alt+V} key is a
+keyboard equivalent. If you play with an engine, the engine must
be able to play the selected variant, or the command will be ignored.
XBoard supports all major variants, such as xiangqi, shogi, chess, chess960,
Capablanca Chess, shatranj, crazyhouse, bughouse.
(But not every board size has built-in bitmaps for un-orthodox pieces!)
@item Load Game
@cindex Load Game, Menu Item
-Plays a game from a record file. The @kbd{g} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+Plays a game from a record file. The @kbd{Ctrl-O} key is a keyboard equivalent.
A pop-up dialog prompts you for the file name. If the file contains more
than one game, a second pop-up dialog
displays a list of games (with information drawn from their PGN tags, if
enclosed in parentheses, square brackets, or curly braces is assumed to
be commentary and is displayed in a pop-up window. Any other
text in the file is ignored. PGN variations (enclosed in
-parentheses) are treated as comments; XBoard is not able to walk
-variation trees.
+parentheses) also are treated as comments;
+however, if you rights-click them in the comment window,
+XBoard will shelve the current line, and load the the selected variation,
+so you can step through it.
+You can later revert to the previous line with the @samp{Revert} command.
+This way you can walk quite complex varation trees with XBoard.
The nonstandard PGN tag [Variant "varname"] functions similarly to
the -variant command-line option (see below), allowing games in certain chess
-variants to be loaded. There is also a heuristic to
+variants to be loaded.
+Note that it must appear before any FEN tag for XBoard to recognize
+variant FENs appropriately.
+There is also a heuristic to
recognize chess variants from the Event tag, by looking for the strings
that the Internet Chess Servers put there when saving variant ("wild") games.
-@item Load Next Game
-@cindex Load Next Game, Menu Item
-Loads the next game from the last game record file you loaded.
-The shifted @kbd{N} key is a keyboard equivalent.
-@item Load Previous Game
-@cindex Load Previous Game, Menu Item
-Loads the previous game from the last game record file you
-loaded. The shifted @kbd{P} key is a keyboard equivalent.
-Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.
-@item Reload Same Game
-@cindex Reload Same Game, Menu Item
-Reloads the last game you loaded.
-Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.
+@item Load Position
+@cindex Load Position, Menu Item
+Sets up a position from a position file. A pop-up dialog prompts
+you for the file name. The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-O} key is a keyboard
+equivalent. If the file contains more than one saved
+position, and you want to load the Nth one, type the number N
+after the file name, separated by a space. Position files must
+be in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation), or in the format that the
+Save Position command writes when oldSaveStyle is turned on.
+@item Load Next Position
+@cindex Load Next Position, Menu Item
+Loads the next position from the last position file you loaded.
+The shifted @kbd{PgDn} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Load Previous Position
+@cindex Load Previous Position, Menu Item
+Loads the previous position from the last position file you
+loaded. The shifted @kbd{PgUp} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.
@item Save Game
@cindex Save Game, Menu Item
Appends a record of the current game to a file.
+The @kbd{Ctrl-S} key is a keyboard equivalent.
A pop-up dialog
prompts you for the file name. If the game did not begin with
the standard starting position, the game file includes the
Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7}
is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games;
this is a nonstandard extension to PGN.
+@item Save Position
+@cindex Save Position, Menu Item
+Appends a diagram of the current position to a file.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl+S} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+A pop-up dialog prompts you for the file name. Positions are saved in
+FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless the @code{oldSaveStyle}
+option is true, in which case they are saved in an older,
+human-readable format that is specific to XBoard. Both formats
+can be read back by the @samp{Load Position} command.
+@item Mail Move
+@itemx Reload CMail Message
+@cindex Mail Move, Menu Item
+@cindex Reload CMail Message, Menu Item
+See @ref{CMail}.
+@item Exit
+@cindex Exit, Menu Item
+Exits from XBoard. The @kbd{Ctrl-Q} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@end table
+
+@node Edit Menu
+@section Edit Menu
+@cindex Menu, Edit
+@cindex Edit Menu
+@table @asis
@item Copy Game
@cindex Copy Game, Menu Item
Copies a record of the current game to an internal clipboard in PGN
-format and sets the X selection to the game text. The game can be
+format and sets the X selection to the game text. The @kbd{Ctrl-C}
+key is a keyboard equivalent. The game can be
pasted to another application (such as a text editor or another copy
of XBoard) using that application's paste command. In many X
applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be
used for pasting; in XBoard, you must use the Paste Game command.
-@item Paste Game
-@cindex Paste Game, Menu Item
-Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as
-with Load Game.
-@item Load Position
-@cindex Load Position, Menu Item
-Sets up a position from a position file. A pop-up dialog prompts
-you for the file name. If the file contains more than one saved
-position, and you want to load the Nth one, type the number N
-after the file name, separated by a space. Position files must
-be in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation), or in the format that the
-Save Position command writes when oldSaveStyle is turned on.
-@item Load Next Position
-@cindex Load Next Position, Menu Item
-Loads the next position from the last position file you loaded.
-@item Load Previous Position
-@cindex Load Previous Position, Menu Item
-Loads the previous position from the last position file you
-loaded. Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.
-@item Reload Same Position
-@cindex Reload Same Position, Menu Item
-Reloads the last position you loaded.
-Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.
-@item Save Position
-@cindex Save Game, Menu Item
-Appends a diagram of the current position to a file.
-A pop-up dialog
-prompts you for the file name. Positions are saved in
-FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless the @code{oldSaveStyle}
-option is true, in which case they are saved in an older,
-human-readable format that is specific to XBoard. Both formats
-can be read back by the @samp{Load Position} command.
@item Copy Position
@cindex Copy Position, Menu Item
Copies the current position to an internal clipboard in FEN format and
-sets the X selection to the position text. The position can be pasted
+sets the X selection to the position text. The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-C} key
+is a keyboard equivalent. The position can be pasted
to another application (such as a text editor or another copy of
XBoard) using that application's paste command. In many X
applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be
used for pasting; in XBoard, you must use the Paste Position command.
+@item Paste Game
+@cindex Paste Game, Menu Item
+Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as
+with Load Game. The @kbd{Ctrl-V} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Paste Position
@cindex Paste Position, Menu Item
Interprets the current X selection as a FEN position and loads it, as
-with Load Position.
-@item Mail Move
-@itemx Reload CMail Message
-@cindex Mail Move, Menu Item
-@cindex Reload CMail Message, Menu Item
-See @ref{CMail}.
-@item Exit
-@cindex Exit, Menu Item
-Exits from XBoard. The shifted @kbd{Q} key is a keyboard equivalent.
-@end table
-
-@node Mode Menu
-@section Mode Menu
-@cindex Menu, Mode
-@cindex Mode Menu
-@table @asis
-@item Machine White
-@cindex Machine White, Menu Item
-Tells the chess engine to play White.
-@item Machine Black
-@cindex Machine Black, Menu Item
-Tells the chess engine to play Black.
-@item Two Machines
-@cindex Two Machines, Menu Item
-Plays a game between two chess engines.
-@item Analysis Mode
-@cindex Analysis Mode, Menu Item
-XBoard tells the chess engine to start analyzing the current game/position
-and shows you the analysis as you move pieces around.
-Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode.
-
-To set up a position to analyze, you do the following:
-
-1. Select Edit Position from the Mode Menu
-
-2. Set up the position. Use the middle and right buttons to
-bring up the white and black piece menus.
-
-3. When you are finished, click on either the Black or White
-clock to tell XBoard which side moves first.
-
-4. Select Analysis Mode from the Mode Menu to start the analysis.
-
-The analysis function can also be used when observing games on an ICS
-with an engine loaded (zippy mode); the engine then will analyse
-the positions as they occur in the observed game.
-@item Analyze File
-@cindex Analyze File, Menu Item
-This option lets you load a game from a file (PGN, XBoard format, etc.)
-and analyze it. When you select this menu item, a pop-up window appears
-and asks for a file name to load.
-If the file contains multiple games, another pop up appears that lets
-you select which game you wish to analyze.
-After a game is loaded, use the XBoard arrow buttons to step
-forwards/backwards through the game and watch the analysis.
-Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode.
-@item ICS Client
-@cindex ICS Client, Menu Item
-This is the normal mode when XBoard
-is connected to a chess server. If you have moved into
-Edit Game or Edit Position mode, you can select this option to get out.
-
-To use xboard in ICS mode, run it in the foreground with the -ics
-option, and use the terminal you started it from to type commands and
-receive text responses from the chess server. See
-@ref{Chess Servers} below for more information.
-
-XBoard activates some special position/game editing features when you
-use the @kbd{examine} or @kbd{bsetup} commands on ICS and you have
-@samp{ICS Client} selected on the Mode menu. First, you can issue the
-ICS position-editing commands with the mouse. Move pieces by dragging
-with mouse button 1. To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse
-button 2 or 3 over the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces
-(button 2) or black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let
-you empty the square or clear the board. Click on the White or Black
-clock to set the side to play. You cannot set the side to play or
-drag pieces to arbitrary squares while examining on ICC, but you can
-do so in @kbd{bsetup} mode on FICS. In addition, the menu commands
-@samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, and @samp{Stop Examining}
-have special functions in this mode; see below.
+with Load Position. The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-V} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Edit Game
@cindex Edit Game, Menu Item
Allows you to make moves for both Black and White, and to change
moves after backing up with the @samp{Backward} command. The clocks do
-not run.
+not run. The @kbd{Ctrl-E} key is a keyboard equivalent.
In chess engine mode, the chess engine continues to check moves for legality
but does not participate in the game. You can bring the chess engine
@item Edit Position
@cindex Edit Position, Menu Item
Lets you set up an arbitrary board position.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-E} key is a keyboard equivalent.
Use mouse button 1 to drag pieces to new squares, or to delete a piece
by dragging it off the board or dragging an empty square on top of it.
To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 over the
edit positions on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, use
the ICS @kbd{examine} command, or start an ICS match against yourself.
(See also the ICS Client topic above.)
-@item Training
-@cindex Training, Menu Item
-Training mode lets you interactively guess the moves of a game for one
-of the players. You guess the next move of the game by playing the
-move on the board. If the move played matches the next move of the
-game, the move is accepted and the opponent's response is auto-played.
-If the move played is incorrect, an error message is displayed. You
-can select this mode only while loading a game (that is, after
-selecting @samp{Load Game} from the File menu). While XBoard is in
-@samp{Training} mode, the navigation buttons are disabled.
-@item Show Game List
-@cindex Show Game List, Menu Item
-Shows or hides the list of games generated by the last @samp{Load Game}
-command.
-@item Show Move History
-@cindex Show Move History, Menu Item
-Shows or hides a list of moves of the current game.
-This list allows you to move the display to any earlier position in the game
-by clicking on the corresponding move.
-@item Show Engine Output
-@cindex Show Engine Output, Menu Item
-Shows or hides a window in which the thinking output of any loaded engines
-is displayed.
@item Edit Tags
@cindex Edit Tags, Menu Item
Lets you edit the PGN (portable game notation)
Adds or modifies a comment on the current position. Comments are
saved by @samp{Save Game} and are displayed by @samp{Load Game},
@samp{Forward}, and @samp{Backward}.
+@item Revert
+@itemx Annotate
+@cindex Revert, Menu Item
+@cindex Annotate, Menu Item
+If you are examining an ICS game and Pause mode is off,
+Revert issues the ICS command @samp{revert}.
+In local mode, when you were editing or analyzing a game,
+and the @code{-variations} command-line option is switched on,
+you can start a new variation by holding the Shift key down while
+entering a move not at the end of the game.
+Variations can also become the currently displayed line by
+clicking a PGN variation displayed in the Comment window.
+This can be applied recursively,
+so that you can analyze variations on variations;
+each time you create a new variation by entering an alternative move
+with Shift pressed, or select a new one from the Comment window,
+the current variation will be shelved.
+@samp{Revert} allows you to return to the most recently shelved variation.
+The difference between @samp{Revert} and @samp{Annotate}
+is that with the latter,
+the variation you are now abandoning will be added as a comment
+(in PGN variation syntax, i.e. between parentheses)
+to the original move where you deviated, for later recalling.
+The @kbd{Home} key is a keyboard equivalent to @samp{Revert}.
+@item Truncate Game
+@cindex Truncate Game, Menu Item
+Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current
+position. Puts XBoard into @samp{Edit Game} mode if it was not there
+already.
+The @kbd{End} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Backward
+@cindex Backward, Menu Item
+@cindex <, Button
+Steps backward through a series of remembered moves.
+The @samp{[<]} button and the @kbd{Alt+LeftArrow} key are equivalents,
+as is turning the mouse wheel towards you.
+In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing
+it steps forward again.
+
+In most modes, @samp{Backward} only lets you look back at old positions;
+it does not retract moves. This is the case if you are playing against
+a chess engine, playing or observing a game on an ICS, or loading a game.
+If you select @samp{Backward} in any of these situations, you will not
+be allowed to make a different move. Use @samp{Retract Move} or
+@samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past moves.
+
+If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Backward}
+depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is
+off, @samp{Backward} issues the ICS backward command, which backs up
+everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different
+move. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Backward} only backs up your local
+view.
+@item Forward
+@cindex Forward, Menu Item
+@cindex >, Button
+Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the
+effect of @samp{Backward}) or forward through a game file. The
+@samp{[>]} button and the @kbd{Alt+RightArrow} key are equivalents,
+as is turning the mouse wheel away from you.
+
+If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of Forward
+depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is
+off, @samp{Forward} issues the ICS forward command, which moves
+everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. If
+Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward} only moves your local view forward,
+and it will not go past the position that the game was in when
+you paused.
+@item Back to Start
+@cindex Back to Start, Menu Item
+@cindex <<, Button
+Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game.
+The @samp{[<<]} button and the @kbd{Alt+Home} key are equivalents.
+
+In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at old
+positions; it does not retract moves. This is the case if you
+are playing against a local chess engine, playing or observing a game on
+a chess server, or loading a game. If you select @samp{Back to Start} in any
+of these situations, you will not be allowed to make different
+moves. Use @samp{Retract Move} or @samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past
+moves; or use Reset to start a new game.
+
+If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Back to
+Start} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode
+is off, @samp{Back to Start} issues the ICS @samp{backward 999999}
+command, which backs up everyone's view of the game to the start and
+allows you to make different moves. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Back
+to Start} only backs up your local view.
+@item Forward to End
+@cindex Forward to End, Menu Item
+@cindex >>, Button
+Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The
+@samp{[>>]} button and the @kbd{Alt+End} key are equivalents.
+
+If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Forward to
+End} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode
+is off, @samp{Forward to End} issues the ICS @samp{forward 999999}
+command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end of
+the current line. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward to End} only moves
+your local view forward, and it will not go past the position
+that the game was in when you paused.
+@end table
+
+@node View Menu
+@section View Menu
+@cindex Menu, View
+@cindex View Menu
+@table @asis
+@item Flip View
+@cindex Flip View, Menu Item
+Inverts your view of the chess board for the duration of the
+current game. Starting a new game returns the board to normal.
+The @kbd{F2} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Show Engine Output
+@cindex Show Engine Output, Menu Item
+Shows or hides a window in which the thinking output of any loaded engines
+is displayed. The shifted @kbd{Alt+O} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+XBoard will display lines of thinking output of the same depth ordered by score,
+(highest score on top), rather than in the order the engine produced them.
+Usually this amounts to the same, as a normal engine search will only find new PV
+(and emit it as thinking output)
+when it searches a move with a higher score than the previous variation.
+But when the engine is in multi-variation mode this needs not always be true,
+and it is more convenient for someone analyzing games to see the moves sorted by score.
+The order in which the engine found them is only of interest to the engine author,
+and can still be deduced from the time or node count printed with the line.
+@item Show Move History
+@cindex Show Move History, Menu Item
+Shows or hides a list of moves of the current game.
+The shifted @kbd{Alt+H} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+This list allows you to move the display to any earlier position in the game
+by clicking on the corresponding move.
+@item Show Evaluation Graph
+@cindex Show Evaluation Graph, Menu Item
+Shows or hides a window which displays a graph of how the engine score(s)
+evolved as a function of the move number.
+The shifted @kbd{Alt+E} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+Clicking on the graph will bring
+the corresponding position in the board display.
+@item Show Game List
+@cindex Show Game List, Menu Item
+Shows or hides the list of games generated by the last @samp{Load Game}
+command. The shifted @kbd{Alt+G} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Tags
+@cindex Tags, Menu Item
+Pops up a window which shows the PGN (portable game notation)
+tags for the current game.
+For now this is a duplicate of the @samp{Edit Tags} item in the @samp{Edit} menu.
+@item Comments
+@cindex Comments, Menu Item
+Pops up a window which shows any comments to or variations on the current move.
+For now this is a duplicate of the @samp{Edit Comment} item in the @samp{Edit} menu.
@item ICS Input Box
@cindex ICS Input Box, Menu Item
If this option is set in ICS mode,
The input box is especially useful if you want to type in something long or do
some editing on your input, because output from ICS doesn't get mixed
in with your typing as it would in the main terminal window.
+@end table
+
+@node Mode Menu
+@section Mode Menu
+@cindex Menu, Mode
+@cindex Mode Menu
+@table @asis
+@item Machine White
+@cindex Machine White, Menu Item
+Tells the chess engine to play White.
+The @kbd{Ctrl-W} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Machine Black
+@cindex Machine Black, Menu Item
+Tells the chess engine to play Black.
+The @kbd{Ctrl-B} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Two Machines
+@cindex Two Machines, Menu Item
+Plays a game between two chess engines.
+The @kbd{Ctrl-T} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Analysis Mode
+@cindex Analysis Mode, Menu Item
+XBoard tells the chess engine to start analyzing the current game/position
+and shows you the analysis as you move pieces around.
+The @kbd{Ctrl-A} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode.
+
+To set up a position to analyze, you do the following:
+
+1. Select Edit Position from the Mode Menu
+
+2. Set up the position. Use the middle and right buttons to
+bring up the white and black piece menus.
+
+3. When you are finished, click on either the Black or White
+clock to tell XBoard which side moves first.
+
+4. Select Analysis Mode from the Mode Menu to start the analysis.
+
+The analysis function can also be used when observing games on an ICS
+with an engine loaded (zippy mode); the engine then will analyse
+the positions as they occur in the observed game.
+@item Analyze File
+@cindex Analyze File, Menu Item
+This option lets you load a game from a file (PGN, XBoard format, etc.)
+and analyze it. The @kbd{Ctrl-F} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+When you select this menu item, a pop-up window appears
+and asks for a file name to load.
+If the file contains multiple games, another pop up appears that lets
+you select which game you wish to analyze.
+After a game is loaded, XBoard will start auto-playing the game,
+while the engine is analyzing the current position.
+The game will be annotated with the results of these analyses.
+In particlar, the score and depth will be added as a comment,
+and the PV will be added as a variation.
+The time the engine spends on analyzing each move can be controlled
+through the command-line option @samp{-timeDelay}.
+Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode.
+@item Edit Game
+Duplicate of the item in the Edit menu.
+Note that @samp{Edit Game} is the idle mode of XBoard, and can be used
+to get you out of other modes. E.g. to stop analyzing, stop a game
+between two engines or stop editing a position.
+@item Edit Position
+Duplicate of the item in the Edit menu.
+@item Training
+@cindex Training, Menu Item
+Training mode lets you interactively guess the moves of a game for one
+of the players. You guess the next move of the game by playing the
+move on the board. If the move played matches the next move of the
+game, the move is accepted and the opponent's response is auto-played.
+If the move played is incorrect, an error message is displayed. You
+can select this mode only while loading a game (that is, after
+selecting @samp{Load Game} from the File menu). While XBoard is in
+@samp{Training} mode, the navigation buttons are disabled.
+@item ICS Client
+@cindex ICS Client, Menu Item
+This is the normal mode when XBoard
+is connected to a chess server. If you have moved into
+Edit Game or Edit Position mode, you can select this option to get out.
+
+To use xboard in ICS mode, run it in the foreground with the -ics
+option, and use the terminal you started it from to type commands and
+receive text responses from the chess server. See
+@ref{Chess Servers} below for more information.
+
+XBoard activates some special position/game editing features when you
+use the @kbd{examine} or @kbd{bsetup} commands on ICS and you have
+@samp{ICS Client} selected on the Mode menu. First, you can issue the
+ICS position-editing commands with the mouse. Move pieces by dragging
+with mouse button 1. To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse
+button 2 or 3 over the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces
+(button 2) or black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let
+you empty the square or clear the board. Click on the White or Black
+clock to set the side to play. You cannot set the side to play or
+drag pieces to arbitrary squares while examining on ICC, but you can
+do so in @kbd{bsetup} mode on FICS. In addition, the menu commands
+@samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, and @samp{Stop Examining}
+have special functions in this mode; see below.
@item Pause
@cindex Pause, Menu Item
Pauses updates to the board, and if you are playing against a chess engine,
also pauses your clock. To continue, select @samp{Pause} again, and the
display will automatically update to the latest position.
-The @samp{P} button and keyboard @kbd{p} key are equivalents.
+The @samp{P} button and keyboard @kbd{Pause} key are equivalents.
If you select Pause when you are playing against a chess engine and
it is not your move, the chess engine's clock
@table @asis
@item Accept
@cindex Accept, Menu Item
-Accepts a pending match offer. If there is more than one offer
+Accepts a pending match offer.
+The @kbd{F3} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+If there is more than one offer
pending, you will have to type in a more specific command
instead of using this menu choice.
@item Decline
@cindex Decline, Menu Item
-Declines a pending offer (match, draw, adjourn, etc.). If there
+Declines a pending offer (match, draw, adjourn, etc.).
+The @kbd{F4} key is a keyboard equivalent. If there
is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more
specific command instead of using this menu choice.
@item Call Flag
@cindex Call Flag, Menu Item
Calls your opponent's flag, claiming a win on time, or claiming
-a draw if you are both out of time. You can also call your
-opponent's flag by clicking on his clock or by pressing the
-keyboard @kbd{t} key.
+a draw if you are both out of time.
+The @kbd{F5} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+You can also call your
+opponent's flag by clicking on his clock.
@item Draw
@cindex Draw, Menu Item
Offers a draw to your opponent, accepts a pending draw offer
from your opponent, or claims a draw by repetition or the 50-move
-rule, as appropriate. The @kbd{d} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+rule, as appropriate. The @kbd{F6} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Adjourn
@cindex Adjourn, Menu Item
Asks your opponent to agree to adjourning the current game, or
agrees to a pending adjournment offer from your opponent.
+The @kbd{F7} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Abort
@cindex Abort, Menu Item
Asks your opponent to agree to aborting the current game, or
-agrees to a pending abort offer from your opponent. An aborted
+agrees to a pending abort offer from your opponent.
+The @kbd{F8} key is a keyboard equivalent. An aborted
game ends immediately without affecting either player's rating.
@item Resign
@cindex Resign, Menu Item
-Resigns the game to your opponent. The shifted @kbd{R} key is a
+Resigns the game to your opponent. The @kbd{F9} key is a
keyboard equivalent.
@item Stop Observing
@cindex Stop Observing, Menu Item
Ends your participation in observing a game, by issuing the ICS
observe command with no arguments. ICS mode only.
+The @kbd{F10} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Stop Examining
@cindex Stop Examining, Menu Item
Ends your participation in examining a game, by issuing the ICS
unexamine command. ICS mode only.
+The @kbd{F11} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Upload to Examine
+@cindex Upload to Examine, Menu Item
+Create an examined game of the proper variant on the ICS,
+and send the game there that is currenty loaded in XBoard
+(e.g. through pasting or loading from file).
+You must be connected to an ICS for this to work.
@item Adjudicate to White
@itemx Adjudicate to Black
@itemx Adjudicate Draw
by the comment "user adjudication".
@end table
-@node Step Menu
-@section Step Menu
-@cindex Step Menu
-@cindex Menu, Step
+@node Engine Menu
+@section Engine Menu
+@cindex Engine Menu
+@cindex Menu, Engine
@table @asis
-@item Backward
-@cindex Backward, Menu Item
-@cindex <, Button
-Steps backward through a series of remembered moves.
-The @samp{[<]} button and the @kbd{b} key are equivalents,
-as is turning the mouse wheel towards you.
-In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing
-it steps forward again.
-
-In most modes, @samp{Backward} only lets you look back at old positions;
-it does not retract moves. This is the case if you are playing against
-a chess engine, playing or observing a game on an ICS, or loading a game.
-If you select @samp{Backward} in any of these situations, you will not
-be allowed to make a different move. Use @samp{Retract Move} or
-@samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past moves.
-
-If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Backward}
-depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is
-off, @samp{Backward} issues the ICS backward command, which backs up
-everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different
-move. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Backward} only backs up your local
-view.
-@item Forward
-@cindex Forward, Menu Item
-@cindex >, Button
-Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the
-effect of @samp{Backward}) or forward through a game file. The
-@samp{[>]} button and the @kbd{f} key are equivalents,
-as is turning the mouse wheel away from you.
-
-If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of Forward
-depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is
-off, @samp{Forward} issues the ICS forward command, which moves
-everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. If
-Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward} only moves your local view forward,
-and it will not go past the position that the game was in when
-you paused.
-@item Back to Start
-@cindex Back to Start, Menu Item
-@cindex <<, Button
-Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game.
-The @samp{[<<]} button and the shifted @kbd{B} key are equivalents.
-
-In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at old
-positions; it does not retract moves. This is the case if you
-are playing against a local chess engine, playing or observing a game on
-a chess server, or loading a game. If you select @samp{Back to Start} in any
-of these situations, you will not be allowed to make different
-moves. Use @samp{Retract Move} or @samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past
-moves; or use Reset to start a new game.
-
-If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Back to
-Start} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode
-is off, @samp{Back to Start} issues the ICS @samp{backward 999999}
-command, which backs up everyone's view of the game to the start and
-allows you to make different moves. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Back
-to Start} only backs up your local view.
-@item Forward to End
-@cindex Forward to End, Menu Item
-@cindex >>, Button
-Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The
-@samp{[>>]} button and the shifted @kbd{F} key are equivalents.
-
-If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Forward to
-End} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode
-is off, @samp{Forward to End} issues the ICS @samp{forward 999999}
-command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end of
-the current line. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward to End} only moves
-your local view forward, and it will not go past the position
-that the game was in when you paused.
-@item Revert
-@cindex Revert, Menu Item
-If you are examining an ICS game and Pause mode is off, issues
-the ICS command @samp{revert}.
-@item Truncate Game
-@cindex Truncate Game, Menu Item
-Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current
-position. Puts XBoard into @samp{Edit Game} mode if it was not there
-already.
+@item Engine #N Settings
+@cindex Engine Settings, Menu Item
+@cindex Engine #1 Settings, Menu Item
+@cindex Engine #2 Settings, Menu Item
+Pop up a menu dialog to alter the settings specific to the applicable engine.
+(The second engine is only accessible once it has been used in Two-Machines mode.)
+For each parameter the engine allows to be set,
+a control element will appear in this dialog that can be used to alter the value.
+Depending on the type of parameter (text string, number, multiple choice,
+on/off switch, instantaneous signal) the appropriate control will appear,
+with a description next to it.
+XBoard has no idea what these values mean; it just passes them on to the engine.
+How this dialog looks is completely determined by the engine,
+and XBoard just passes it on to the user.
+Many engines do not have any parameters that can be set by the user,
+and in that case the dialog will be empty (except for the OK and cancel buttons).
+UCI engines usually have many parameters. (But these are only visible with
+a sufficiently modern version of the Polyglot adapter needed to run UCI engines,
+e.g. Polyglot 1.4.55b.) For native XBoard engines this is less common.
+@item Hint
+@cindex Hint, Menu Item
+Displays a move hint from the chess engine.
+@item Book
+@cindex Book, Menu Item
+Displays a list of possible moves from the chess engine's opening
+book. The exact format depends on what chess engine you are using.
+With GNU Chess 4, the first column gives moves, the second column
+gives one possible response for each move, and the third column shows
+the number of lines in the book that include the move from the first
+column. If you select this option and nothing happens, the chess
+engine is out of its book or does not support this feature.
@item Move Now
@cindex Move Now, Menu Item
Forces the chess engine to move immediately. Chess engine mode only.
+The @kbd{Ctrl-M} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Retract Move
@cindex Retract Move, Menu Item
Retracts your last move. In chess engine mode, you can do this only
thinking, use @samp{Move Now} first. In ICS mode, @samp{Retract Move}
issues the command @samp{takeback 1} or @samp{takeback 2}
depending on whether it is your opponent's move or yours.
+The @kbd{Ctrl-X} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@end table
@node Options Menu
@cindex Menu, Options
@cindex Options Menu
@table @asis
-@item Flip View
-@cindex Flip View, Menu Item
-Inverts your view of the chess board for the duration of the
-current game. Starting a new game returns the board to normal.
-The @kbd{v} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Time Control
+@cindex Time Control, Menu Item
+Pops up a sub-menu where you can set the time-control parameters interactively.
+Allows you to select classical or incremental time controls,
+set the moves per session, session duration, and time increment.
+Also allows specification of time-odds factors for one or both engines.
+If an engine is given a time-odds factor N, all time quota it gets,
+be it at the beginning of a session or through the time increment or
+fixed time per move, will be divided by N.
+The shifted @kbd{Alt+T} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Common Engine
+@cindex Common Engine, Menu Item
+Pops up a sub-menu where you can set some engine parameters common to most engines,
+such as hash-table size, tablebase cache size, maximum number of processors
+that SMP engines can use, and where to find the Polyglot adapter needed
+to run UCI engines under XBoard. The feature that allows setting of these parameters on
+engines is new since XBoard 4.3.15, so not many XBoard/WinBoard engines respond
+to it yet, but UCI engines should.
+It is also possible to specify a GUI opening book here, i.e. an opening
+book that XBoard consults for any position a playing engine gets in.
+It then forces the engine to play the book move, rather than to think up its own,
+if that position is found in the book.
+The book can switched on and off independently for either engine.
+The shifted @kbd{Alt+U} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Adjudications
@cindex Adjudications, Menu Item
Pops up a sub-menu where you can enable or disable various adjudications
that XBoard can perform in engine-engine games.
+The shifted @kbd{Alt+J} key is a keyboard equivalent.
You can instruct XBoard to detect and terminate the game on checkmate
or stalemate, even if the engines would not do so, to verify engine
result claims (forfeiting engines that make false claims), rather than
For the latter adjudication to work, XBoard should be able to properly understand
the engine's scores. To facilitate the latter, you can inform xboard here if
the engines report scores from the viewpoint of white, or from that of their own color.
-@item Engine Settings
-Pops up a sub-menu where you can set some engine parameters common to most engines,
-such as hash-table size, tablebase cache size, maximum number of processors
-that SMP engines can use, and where to find the Polyglot adapter needed
-to run UCI engines under XBoard. The feature that allows setting of these parameters on
-engines is new since XBoard 4.3.15, so not many XBoard/WinBoard engines respond
-to it yet, but UCI engines should.
-It is also possible to specify a GUI opening book here, i.e. an opening
-book that XBoard consults for any position a playing engine gets in.
-It then forces the engine to play the book move, rather than to think up its own,
-if that position is found in the book.
-The book can switched on and off independently for either engine.
-@item Time Control
-@cindex Time Control, Menu Item
-Pops up a sub-menu where you can set the time-control parameters interactively.
-Allows you to select classical or incremental time controls,
-set the moves per session, session duration, and time increment.
-Also allows specification of time-odds factors for one or both engines.
-If an engine is given a time-odds factor N, all time quota it gets,
-be it at the beginning of a session or through the time increment or
-fixed time per move, will be divided by N.
+@item Game List
+@cindex Game List Tags, Menu Item
+Pops up a dialog where you can select the PGN tags that should appear
+on the lines in the game list, and their order.
@item Always Queen
@cindex Always Queen, Menu Item
If this option is off, XBoard brings up a dialog
box whenever you move a pawn to the last rank, asking what piece
you want to promote it to. If the option is true, your pawns are
always promoted to queens. Your opponent can still under-promote.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-Q} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Animate Dragging
@cindex Animate Dragging, Menu Item
If Animate Dragging is on, while you are dragging a piece with the
move is completed (unless the move was already animated by Animate Dragging).
If Animate Moving is off, a moved piece instantly disappears from its
old square and reappears on its new square when the move is complete.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-A} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Auto Comment
@cindex Auto Comment, Menu Item
If this option is on, any remarks made on ICS while you are observing or
before the other,
XBoard
will automatically call his flag, claiming a win on time.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-F} key is a keyboard equivalent.
In ICS mode, Auto Flag will only call your opponent's flag, not yours,
and the ICS may award you a draw instead of a win if you have
insufficient mating material. In local chess engine mode,
XBoard
-may call either player's flag and will not take material into account.
+may call either player's flag and will not take material into account (?).
@item Auto Flip View
@cindex Auto Flip View, Menu Item
If the Auto Flip View option is on when you start a game, the board
and over.
When you turn this option on from the menu, XBoard
immediately fetches the move list of the current game (if any).
+@item Highlight Dragging
+@cindex Highlight Dragging, Menu Item
+If Highlight Dragging is on, and the option -showTargetSquares is also on
+in the settings file, all squares a piece that is 'picked up' with the mouse
+can legally move to are highighted with a fat colored dot in the
+highlightColor (non-captures) or premoveHighlightColor (captures).
+Legality testing must be on for XBoard to know how the piece moves.
@item Highlight Last Move
@cindex Highlight Last Move, Menu Item
If Highlight Last Move is on, after a move is made, the starting and
ending squares remain highlighted. In addition, after you use Backward
or Back to Start, the starting and ending squares of the last move to
be unmade are highlighted.
+@item Highlight with Arrow
+@cindex Highlight with Arrow, Menu Item
+Causes the highlighting described in Highlight Last Move to be done
+by drawing an arrow between the highlighted squares,
+so that it is visible even when the width of the grid lines is set to zero.
@item Move Sound
@cindex Move Sound, Menu Item
If this option is on, XBoard alerts you by playing a sound
By default, the alarm sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems
you can change it to a sound file using the soundIcsAlarm option; see
below.
-@item Old Save Style
-@cindex Old Save Style, Menu Item
-If this option is off, XBoard saves games in PGN
-(portable game notation) and positions in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards
-notation). If the option is on, a save style that is compatible
-with older versions of XBoard is used instead.
-The old position style is more human-readable
-than FEN; the old game style has no particular advantages.
+@item One-Click Moving
+@cindex One-Click Moving, Menu Item
+If this option is on, XBoard does not wait for you to click both the
+from- and the to-square, or drag the piece, but performs a move as soon
+as it is uniqely specified.
+This applies to clicking an own piece that only has a single legal move,
+clicking an empty square or opponent piece where only one of your pieces
+can move (or capture) to.
+Furthermore, a double-click on a piece that can only make a single capture
+will cause that capture to be made.
+Promoting a Pawn by clicking its to-square will suppress the promotion
+popup, and make it promote to Queen.
@item Periodic Updates
@cindex Periodic Updates, Menu Item
If this option is off (or if
If this option is off, the chess engine will think only when it is on
move. If the option is on, the engine will also think while waiting
for you to make your move.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-P} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Popup Exit Message
@cindex Popup Exit Message, Menu Item
If this option is on, when XBoard wants to display a message just
machines, the score is prefixed by @samp{W} or @samp{B} to indicate
whether it is showing White's thinking or Black's, and only the thinking
of the engine that is on move is shown.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-H} key is a keyboard equivalent.
@item Test Legality
@cindex Test Legality, Menu Item
If this option is on, XBoard tests whether the moves you try to make
with the mouse are legal and refuses to let you make an illegal move.
+The shifted @kbd{Ctrl-L} key is a keyboard equivalent.
Moves loaded from a file with @samp{Load Game} are also checked. If
the option is off, all moves are accepted, but if a local chess engine
or the ICS is active, they will still reject illegal moves. Turning
rules that XBoard does not understand. (Bughouse, suicide, and wild
variants where the king may castle after starting on the d file are
generally supported with Test Legality on.)
+@item Save Settings Now
+@cindex Save Settings Now, Menu Item
+Selecting this menu item causes the current XBoard settings to be
+written to the settings file, so they will also apply in future sessions.
+Note that some settings are 'volatile', and are not saved,
+because XBoard considers it too unlikely that you want those to apply
+next time.
+In particular this applies to the Chess program names, and all options
+giving information on those Chess programs (such as their directory,
+if they have their own opening book, if they are UCI or native XBoard),
+or the variant you are playing.
+Such options would still be understood when they appear in the settings
+file in case they were put there with the aid of a text editor, but they
+would disappear from the file as soon as you save the settings.
+@item Save Settings on Exit
+@cindex Save Settings on Exit, Menu Item
+Setting this option has no immediate effect, but causes the settings
+to be saved when you quit XBoard. What happens then is otherwise
+identical to what happens when you use select "Save Settings Now",
+see there.
@end table
@node Help Menu
command when you built XBoard.
@item Man XBoard
@cindex Man XBoard, Menu Item
-Displays the XBoard documentation in man page format. For this
+Displays the XBoard documentation in man page format.
+The @kbd{F1} key is a keyboard equivalent. For this
feature to work, the file @file{xboard.6} must have been installed by
the @samp{make install} command when you built XBoard, and the
directory it was placed in must be on the search path for your
system's @samp{man} command.
-@item Hint
-@cindex Hint, Menu Item
-Displays a move hint from the chess engine.
-@item Book
-@cindex Book, Menu Item
-Displays a list of possible moves from the chess engine's opening
-book. The exact format depends on what chess engine you are using.
-With GNU Chess 4, the first column gives moves, the second column
-gives one possible response for each move, and the third column shows
-the number of lines in the book that include the move from the first
-column. If you select this option and nothing happens, the chess
-engine is out of its book or does not support this feature.
@item About XBoard
@cindex About XBoard, Menu Item
Shows the current XBoard version number.
@cindex Shortcut keys
@table @asis
@item Iconize
-Pressing the @kbd{i} or @kbd{c} key iconizes XBoard. The graphical
+Pressing the @kbd{-} key iconizes XBoard. The graphical
icon displays a white knight if it is White's move, or a black knight
if it is Black's move. If your X window manager displays only text
icons, not graphical ones, check its documentation; there is probably
a way to enable graphical icons. If you get black and white reversed,
we would like to hear about it; see @ref{Problems} below for
instructions on how to report this problem.
+@item Load Next Game
+@cindex Load Next Game, Menu Item
+Loads the next game from the last game record file you loaded.
+The @kbd{Alt+PgDn} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+@item Load Previous Game
+@cindex Load Previous Game, Menu Item
+Loads the previous game from the last game record file you
+loaded. The @kbd{Alt+PgUp} key is a keyboard equivalent.
+Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.
+@item Reload Same Game
+@cindex Reload Same Game, Menu Item
+Reloads the last game you loaded.
+Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.
+@item Reload Same Position
+@cindex Reload Same Position, Menu Item
+Reloads the last position you loaded.
+Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.
@end table
You can add or remove shortcut keys using the X resources
(shatranj, courier, xiangqi, shogi) so that XBoard would normally omit them
(string = "- -"), or to add variant-specific fields that are not yet supported by XBoard
(e.g. to indicate the number of checks in 3check).
+@item -shuffleOpenings
+@cindex shuffleOpenings, option
+Forces shuffling of the opening setup in variants that normally have a fixed initial position.
+Shufflings are symmetric for black and white, and exempt King and Rooks in variants
+with normal castling.
+Remains in force until a new variant is selected.
@end table
@node UCI + WB Engine Settings
and should be run with the aid of the Polyglot adapter rather than directly.
Xboard will then pass the other UCI options and engine name to Polyglot
through a .ini temporary file created for the purpose.
-@item -PolyglotDir filename
-@cindex PolyglotDir, option
-Gives the name of the directory in which the Polyglot adapter for UCI engines expects its files.
-Default: "/usr/local/share/polyglot".
+@item -polyglotDir filename
+@cindex polyglotDir, option
+Gives the name of the directory in which the Polyglot adapter for UCI engines resides.
+Default: "".
@item -usePolyglotBook true/false
@cindex usePolyglotBook, option
Specifies if the Polyglot book should be used.
-@item -PolyglotBook filename
-@cindex PolyglotBook, option
+@item -polyglotBook filename
+@cindex polyglotBook, option
Gives the filename of the opening book that Polyglot should use.
From XBoard 4.3.15 on, native XBoard/WinBoard engines will also use the opening book specified here,
provided the @code{usePolyglotBook} option is set to true,
and the option @code{firstHasOwnBookUCI} or @code{secondHasOwnBookUCI} applying to the engine
is set to false.
The engine will be kept in force mode as long as the current position is in book,
-and XBoard will select the book moves for it. Default "".
+and XBoard will select the book moves for it. Default: "".
@item -fNoOwnBookUCI or -firstXBook or -firstHasOwnBookUCI true/false
@itemx -sNoOwnBookUCI or -secondXBook or -secondHasOwnBookUCI true/false
@cindex fNoOwnBookUCI, option
this option to work.
Also diverts similar kibitz information of an opponent engine that is playing you
through the ICS to the engine-output window, as if the engine was playing locally.
+@item -seekGraph true/false or -sg
+@cindex seekGraph, option
+@cindex sg, option
+Enables displaying of the seek graph by left-clicking the board when
+you are logged on to an ICS and currently idle.
+The seek graph show all players currently seeking games on the ICS,
+plotted according to their rating and the time control of the game they seek,
+in three different colors (for rated, unrated and wild games).
+Computer ads are displayed as squares, human ads are dots.
+Default: false.
+@item -autoRefresh true/false
+@cindex autoRefresh, option
+Enables automatic updating of the seek graph,
+by having the ICS send a running update of all newly placed
+and removed seek ads.
+This consumes a substantial amount of communication bandwidth,
+and is only supported for FICS and ICC.
+Default: false.
+@item -backgroundObserve true/false
+@cindex backgroundObserve, option
+When true, boards sent to you by the ICS from other games while you are playing
+(e.g. because you are observing them)
+will not be automatically displayed.
+Only a summary of time left and material of both players will appear
+in the message field above the board.
+XBoard will remember the last board it has received this way,
+and will display it in stead of the position in your own game
+when you press the right mouse button.
+No other information is stored on such games observed in the background;
+you cannot save such a game later, or step through its moves.
+This feature is provided solely for the benefit of bughouse players,
+to enable them to peek at their partner's game without the need
+to logon twice.
+Default: false.
+@item -dualBoard true/false
+@cindex dualBoard, option
+In combination with -backgroundObserve true, this option will display
+the board of the background game side by side with that of your own game,
+so you can have it in view permanently.
+Any board or holdings info coming in will be displayed on the secondary
+board immediately.
+This feature is still experimental and largely unfinished.
+There is no animation or highlighting of moves on the secondary board.
+Default: false.
+@item -oneClickMove true/false
+@cindex oneClickMove, option
+When set, this option allows you to enter moves by only clicking the to-
+or from-square, when only a single legal move to or from that square
+is possible.
+Double-clicking a piece (or clicking an already selected piece)
+will instruct that piece to make the only capture it can legally do.
+Default: false.
@item -moves/-xmoves or -getMoveList true/false
@cindex moves, option
@cindex getMoveList, option
xboard*soundIcsUnfinished: unfinished.wav
xboard*soundIcsAlarm: alarm.wav
@end example
+@item -dropMenu true|false
+@cindex dropMenu, option
+This option allows you to emulate old behavior,
+where the right mouse button brings up the (now deprecated) drop menu
+rather than displaying the position at the end of the principal variation.
+Default: False.
+@item -variations true|false
+@cindex variations, option
+When this option is on, you can start new variations in Edit Game or
+Analyze mode by holding the Shift key down while entering a move.
+When it is off, the Shift key will be ignored.
+Default: False.
@end table
@node Load and Save options
@item -td or -timeDelay seconds
@cindex td, option
@cindex timeDelay, option
-Time delay between moves during @samp{Load Game}. Fractional seconds
-are allowed; try @samp{-td 0.4}. A time delay value of -1 tells
-XBoard not to step through game files automatically. Default: 1
-second.
+Time delay between moves during @samp{Load Game} or @samp{Analyze File}.
+Fractional seconds are allowed; try @samp{-td 0.4}.
+A time delay value of -1 tells
+XBoard not to step through game files automatically. Default: 1 second.
@item -sgf or -saveGameFile file
@cindex sgf, option
@cindex saveGameFile, option
Default: "Computer Chess Game".
@item -saveOutOfBookInfo true/false
@cindex saveOutOfBookInfo, option`
-Include the information on how the engine(s) game out of its opening book in a special 'annotator' tag with the PGN file.
+Include the information on how the engine(s) game out of its opening book
+in a special 'annotator' tag with the PGN file.
@item -oldsave/-xoldsave or -oldSaveStyle true/false
@cindex oldsave, option
@cindex oldSaveStyle, option
The character string lists the PGN tags that should be printed in the
Game List, and their order. The meaning of the codes is e=event,
s=site, d=date, o=round, p=players, r=result, w=white Elo, b=black Elo,
-t=time control, v=variant, a=out-of-book info.
+t=time control, v=variant, a=out-of-book info, c=result comment.
Default: "eprd"
+@item -ini or -settingsFile filename
+@itemx -saveSettingsFile filename
+@itemx @@filename
+@cindex saveSettingsFile, option
+@cindex SettingsFile, option
+@cindex init, option
+@cindex at sign, option
+When XBoard encounters an option -settingsFile (or -ini for short),
+or @@filename, it tries to read the mentioned file,
+and substitutes the contents of it (presumaby more command-line options)
+in place of the option.
+In the case of -ini or -settingsFile, the name of a successfully read
+settings file is also remembered as the file to use for saving settings
+(automatically on exit, or on user command).
+An option of the form @@filename does not affect saving.
+The option -saveSettingsFile does specify a name of the file to use
+for saving, without reading any options from it, and is thus also effective
+when the file did not exist yet.
+So the settings will be saved to the file specified in the last
+-saveSettingsFile or succesfull -settingsFile / -ini command,
+if any, and in /etc/xboard/xboard.conf otherwise.
+Usualy the latter is only accessible for the system administrator, though,
+and will be used to contain system-wide default setings, amongst which
+a -saveSettingsFile and -settingsFile options to specify a settings file
+accessible to the individual user, such as ~/.xboardrc in the user's
+home directory.
@end table
@node User interface options
Medium 64x64, Moderate 58x58, Average 54x54, Middling 49x49, Mediocre
45x45, Small 40x40, Slim 37x37, Petite 33x33, Dinky 29x29, Teeny 25x25,
or Tiny 21x21.
-Pieces of all these sizes are built into XBoard.
+Orthodox pieces of all these sizes are built into XBoard.
Other sizes can
be used if you have them; see the pixmapDirectory and bitmapDirectory
options.
+Complete sets of un-orthodox pieces are only provided in sizes
+Bulky, Middling and (to a lesser extent) Petite;
+Archbishop, Marshall and Amazon are also available in all sizes between
+Bulky and Petite.
+When no bitmap is available, the piece will be displayed as Amazon or King.
The default depends on the size of your screen; it is approximately the
largest size that will fit without clipping.
Determines whether XBoard displays its pieces and squares with
two colors (true) or four (false). You shouldn't have to
specify @code{monoMode}; XBoard will determine if it is necessary.
+@item -showTargetSquares true/false
+@cindex showTargetSquares, option
+Determines whether XBoard can highlight the squares a piece has
+legal moves to, when you grab that piece with the mouse.
+If this option is set, this feature can be controlled through
+the Highlight Dragging menu item.
@item -flashCount count
@itemx -flashRate rate
@itemx -flash/-xflash
@cindex highlight, option
@cindex highlightLastMove, option
Sets the Highlight Last Move menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.
+@item -highlightMoveWithArrow true/false
+@cindex highlight Arrow, option
+@cindex highlightMoveWithArrow, option
+Sets the Highlight with Arrow menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.
@item -blind/-xblind or -blindfold true/false
@cindex blind, option
@cindex blindfold, option
cylinder Pieces wrap around the board edge
knightmate King moves as Knight, and vice versa
super Superchess (shuffle variant with 4 exo-pieces)
+makruk Thai Chess (shatranj-like, P promotes on 6th rank)
+spartan Spartan Chess (black has unorthodox pieces)
fairy A catchall variant in which all piece types
known to XBoard can participate (8x8)
unknown Catchall for other unknown variants
Some special XBoard features are activated when you are
in examine mode on ICS. See the descriptions of the menu commands
@samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, @samp{ICS Client},
-and @samp{Stop Examining} on the @ref{Step Menu}, @ref{Mode Menu}, and
-@ref{Options Menu}.
+and @samp{Stop Examining} on the @ref{Edit Menu}, @ref{Mode Menu}, and
+@ref{Action Menu}.
@node Firewalls
@chapter Firewalls
You can load and edit games that contain piece drops.
The (obsolete) piece menus are not active,
but you can perform piece drops by dragging pieces from the holdings.
-Edit Position mode does not allow you to edit the crazyhouse holdings properly.
-You cannot drag pieces to the holding, and using the popup menu to put pieces
-there does not adapt the holding counts and leads to an inconsistent state.
-Set up crazyhouse positions by loading / pasting a bFEN, from there you can set the holdings.
Fischer Random castling is fully understood.
You can enter castlings by dragging the King on top of your Rook.
You can probably also play Fischer Random successfully on ICS by typing
projects / xboard.git / blobdiff