X-Git-Url: http://winboard.nl/cgi-bin?a=blobdiff_plain;f=manual%2Fxboard.html;h=9e7c574e0b38298c684ee9f0ab0ded8233530f8f;hb=34f538f46ddad3e88adfbe825ca0aeaa61ce3c5d;hp=c293d2f7102459882eb8739577b247d10fef57f6;hpb=5acdc0c401a6b8d61ff3926783ae252b0d318a35;p=xboard.git diff --git a/manual/xboard.html b/manual/xboard.html index c293d2f..9e7c574 100644 --- a/manual/xboard.html +++ b/manual/xboard.html @@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ To move a piece, you can drag it with the left mouse button, or you can click the left mouse button once on the piece, then once more on the destination square. To drop a new piece on a square (when applicable), press the middle or the right mouse button over the -square and select from the popup menu. In cases where you can drop +square and select from the pop-up menu. In cases where you can drop either a white or black piece, use the middle button (or shift+right) for white and the right button (or shift+middle) for black. When you are playing a bughouse game on an Internet Chess Server, a list of the -offboard pieces that each player has available is shown in the window +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 @@ -174,13 +174,14 @@ does cause these variants to become shuffle variants until you use the or select a new variant.
New Variant
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 autmatically.) If you play with an engine, the engine must +and XBoard adapts automatically.) 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, crazyhous, bughouse. +Capablanca Chess, shatranj, crazyhouse, bughouse. +(But not every board size has built-in bitmaps for un-orthodox pieces!)
Load Game
Plays a game from a record file. The g key is a keyboard equivalent. -A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. If the file contains more -than one game, a second popup dialog +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 any), and you can select the one you want. Alternatively, you can load the Nth game in the file directly, by typing the number N after the @@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.
Reload Same Game
Reloads the last game you loaded. Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.
Save Game
Appends a record of the current game to a file. -A popup dialog +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 starting position used. Games are saved in the PGN (portable @@ -232,7 +233,7 @@ applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be used for pasting; in XBoard, you must use the Paste Game command.
Paste Game
Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as with Load Game. -
Load Position
Sets up a position from a position file. A popup dialog prompts +
Load Position
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 @@ -244,7 +245,7 @@ loaded. Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.
Reload Same Position
Reloads the last position you loaded. Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.
Save Position
Appends a diagram of the current position to a file. -A popup dialog +A pop-up dialog prompts you for the file name. Positions are saved in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless the oldSaveStyle option is true, in which case they are saved in an older, @@ -298,9 +299,9 @@ clock to tell XBoard which side moves first. with an engine loaded (zippy mode); the engine then will analyse the positions as they occur in the observed game.
Analyze File
This option lets you load a game from a file (PGN, XBoard format, etc.) -and analyze it. When you select this menu item, a popup window appears -and asks for a filename to load. -If the file contains multiple games, another popup appears that lets +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. @@ -361,7 +362,7 @@ the ICS examine command, or start an ICS match against yourself.
Training
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 autoplayed. +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 ‘Load Game’ from the File menu). While XBoard is in @@ -467,6 +468,10 @@ keyboard equivalent. observe command with no arguments. ICS mode only.
Stop Examining
Ends your participation in examining a game, by issuing the ICS unexamine command. ICS mode only. +
Adjudicate to White
Adjudicate to Black
Adjudicate Draw
Terminate an ongoing game in Two-Machines mode (including match mode), +with as result a win for white, for black, or a draw, respectively. +The PGN file of the game will accompany the result string +by the comment "user adjudication".
@@ -480,9 +485,9 @@ Up: Menus

2.4 Step Menu

-

+

-
Backward
Steps backward through a series of remembered moves. +
Backward
Steps backward through a series of remembered moves. The ‘[<]’ button and the b key are equivalents, as is turning the mouse wheel towards you. In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing @@ -501,7 +506,7 @@ off, ‘Backward’ issues the IC everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different move. If Pause mode is on, ‘Backward’ only backs up your local view. -
Forward
Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the +
Forward
Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the effect of ‘Backward’) or forward through a game file. The ‘[>]’ button and the f key are equivalents, as is turning the mouse wheel away from you. @@ -513,7 +518,7 @@ everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. If Pause mode is on, ‘Forward’ only moves your local view forward, and it will not go past the position that the game was in when you paused. -
Back to Start
Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game. +
Back to Start
Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game. The ‘[<<]’ button and the shifted B key are equivalents.

In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at old @@ -530,7 +535,7 @@ is off, ‘Back to Start’ issue 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, ‘Back to Start’ only backs up your local view. -

Forward to End
Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The +
Forward to End
Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The ‘[>>]’ button and the shifted F key are equivalents.

If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of ‘Forward to @@ -540,21 +545,17 @@ command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end of the current line. If Pause mode is on, ‘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. -

Revert
If you are examining an ICS game and Pause mode is off, issues +
Revert
If you are examining an ICS game and Pause mode is off, issues the ICS command ‘revert’. -
Truncate Game
Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current +
Truncate Game
Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current position. Puts XBoard into ‘Edit Game’ mode if it was not there already. -
Move Now
Forces the chess engine to move immediately. Chess engine mode only. -
Retract Move
Retracts your last move. In chess engine mode, you can do this only +
Move Now
Forces the chess engine to move immediately. Chess engine mode only. +
Retract Move
Retracts your last move. In chess engine mode, you can do this only after the chess engine has replied to your move; if the chess engine is still thinking, use ‘Move Now’ first. In ICS mode, ‘Retract Move’ issues the command ‘takeback 1’ or ‘takeback 2’ depending on whether it is your opponent's move or yours. -
Adjudicate to White
Adjudicate to Black
Adjudicate Draw
Terminate an ongoing game in Two-Machines mode (including match mode), -with as result a win for white, for black, or a draw, repsectively. -The PGN file of the game will accompany the result string -by the comment "user adjudication".
@@ -578,25 +579,25 @@ that XBoard can perform in engine-engine games. 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 -naively following the engine, to declare draw on posititions +naively following the engine, to declare draw on positions which can never be won for lack of mating material, (e.g. KBK), -or which are impossble to win unless the opponent seeks its own demise +or which are impossible to win unless the opponent seeks its own demise (e.g. KBKN). For these adjudications to work, ‘Test Legality’ should be switched on. -It is also possible to insruct XBoard to enforce a 50-move or 3-fold-repeat -rule and automtically declare draw (after a user-adjustable number of moves +It is also possible to instruct XBoard to enforce a 50-move or 3-fold-repeat +rule and automatically declare draw (after a user-adjustable number of moves or repeats) even if the engines are prepared to go on. It is also possible to have XBoard declare draw on games that seem to drag on -forever, or adjudicate a loss if both engines agree (for 3 cosecutive moves) that one +forever, or adjudicate a loss if both engines agree (for 3 consecutive moves) that one of them is behind more than a user-adjustable score threshold. For the latter adjudication to work, XBoard should be able to properly understand -the engine's scores. To faclitate the latter, you can inform xboard here if +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.
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 tht allows setting of these parameters on -engines is new since XBoard 4.3.15, so not many WinBoard engines respond +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. @@ -613,7 +614,7 @@ fixed time per move, will be divided by N.
Always Queen
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 underpromote. +always promoted to queens. Your opponent can still under-promote.
Animate Dragging
If Animate Dragging is on, while you are dragging a piece with the mouse, an image of the piece follows the mouse cursor. If Animate Dragging is off, there is no visual feedback while you are @@ -736,9 +737,9 @@ message to standard error (the terminal) and exits immediately.
Popup Move Errors
If this option is off, when you make an error in moving (such as attempting an illegal move or moving the wrong color piece), the error message is displayed in the message area. If the option is -on, move errors are displayed in small popup windows like other errors. -You can dismiss an error popup either by clicking its OK button or by -clicking anywhere on the board, including downclicking to start a move. +on, move errors are displayed in small pop-up windows like other errors. +You can dismiss an error pop-up either by clicking its OK button or by +clicking anywhere on the board, including down-clicking to start a move.
Premove
If this option is on while playing a game on an ICS, you can register your next planned move before it is your turn. Move the piece with the mouse in the ordinary way, and the starting and ending squares @@ -908,7 +909,7 @@ true or false (‘XBoard*longOptionName: trueICS options: Connecting to and using ICS.
  • Load and Save options: Input/output options.
  • User interface options: Look and feel options. -
  • Adjudication Options: Control adjudcation of engine-engine games. +
  • Adjudication Options: Control adjudication of engine-engine games.
  • Other options: Miscellaneous. @@ -972,7 +973,7 @@ If mode=1, the engine that gets the most time will always get the nominal time, as specified by the time-control options, and its opponent's time is renormalized accordingly. If mode=0, both play with reduced time. Default: 0.
    -hideThinkingFromHuman true/false
    Controls the Hide Thinking option. See Options Menu. Default: true. -(Relaces the Show-Thinking option of older xboard versions.) +(Replaces the Show-Thinking option of older xboard versions.)
    -thinking/-xthinking or -showThinking true/false
    Forces the engine to send thinking output to xboard. Used to be the only way to control if thinking output was displayed in older xboard versions, @@ -982,8 +983,8 @@ by the new option Hide Thinking. See Options Menu. D (But if xboard needs the thinking output for some purpose, it makes the engine send it despite the setting of this option.)
    -ponder/-xponder or -ponderNextMove true/false
    Sets the Ponder Next Move menu option. See Options Menu. Default: true. -
    -smpCores number
    Specifies the maxmum nmber of CPUs an SMP engine is allowed to use. -Only works for engines that support the WinBoard-protocol cores feature. +
    -smpCores number
    Specifies the maximum number of CPUs an SMP engine is allowed to use. +Only works for engines that support the XBoard/WinBoard-protocol cores feature.
    -mg or -matchGames n
    Automatically runs an n-game match between two chess engines, with alternating colors. If the loadGameFile or loadPositionFile option is set, @@ -1072,11 +1073,11 @@ that in favor of white, even when the engine plays black. Important when XBoard uses the score for adjudications, or in PGN reporting.
    -niceEngines priority
    This option allows you to lower the priority of the engine processes, so that the generally insatiable hunger for CPU time of chess engines does not interfere so much -with smooth operation of WinBoard (or the rest of your system). +with smooth operation of XBoard (or the rest of your system). Negative values could increase the engine priority, which is not recommended.
    -firstOptions string
    -secondOptions string
    The given string is a comma-separated list of (option name=option value) pairs, like the following example: "style=Karpov,blunder rate=0". -If the options announced by the engine at startup through the feature commands of WinBoard protocol +If an option announced by the engine at startup through the feature commands of the XBoard/WinBoard protocol matches one of the option names (i.e. "style" or "blunder rate"), it would be set to the given value (i.e. "Karpov" or 0) through a corresponding option command to the engine. @@ -1088,8 +1089,8 @@ variant fischerandom, to make them at least understand the opening position, through setting the string to "KQkq -". (Note you also have to give the e.p. field!) Other possible applications are to provide work-arounds for engines that want to see castling and e.p. fields in variants that do not have castling or e.p. -(shatranj, courier, xiangqi, shogi) so that WinBoard would normally omit them -(string = "- -"), or to add variant-specific fields that are not yet supported by WinBoard +(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). @@ -1110,12 +1111,12 @@ Up: Options
    -fUCI or -firstIsUCI true/false
    -sUCI or -secondIsUCI true/false
    Indicates if the mentioned engine executable file is an UCI engine, 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 ceated for the purpose. +through a .ini temporary file created for the purpose.
    -PolyglotDir filename
    Gives the name of the directory in which the Polyglot adapter for UCI engines expects its files. Default: "/usr/local/share/polyglot". -
    -usePolyglotBook true/false
    Specifies if the Polygot book should be used. +
    -usePolyglotBook true/false
    Specifies if the Polyglot book should be used.
    -PolyglotBook filename
    Gives the filename of the opening book that Polyglot should use. -From XBoard 4.3.15 on, native WinBoard engines will also use the opening book specified here, +From XBoard 4.3.15 on, native XBoard/WinBoard engines will also use the opening book specified here, provided the usePolyglotBook option is set to true, and the option firstHasOwnBookUCI or secondHasOwnBookUCI applying to the engine is set to false. @@ -1124,11 +1125,11 @@ and XBoard will select the book moves for it. Default "".
    -fNoOwnBookUCI or -firstXBook or -firstHasOwnBookUCI true/false
    -sNoOwnBookUCI or -secondXBook or -secondHasOwnBookUCI true/false
    Indicates if the mentioned engine has its own opening book it should play from, rather than using the external book through XBoard. Default: false.
    -defaultHashSize n
    Sets the size of the hash table to n MegaBytes. Together with the EGTB cache size -this number is also used to calculate the memory setting of WinBoard engines, -for those that support the memory feature of WinBoard protocol. Default: 64. +this number is also used to calculate the memory setting of XBoard/WinBoard engines, +for those that support the memory feature of the XBoard/WinBoard protocol. Default: 64.
    -defaultCacheSizeEGTB n
    Sets the size of the EGTB cache to n MegaBytes. Together with the hash-table size -this number is also used to calculate the memory setting of WinBoard engines, -for those that support the memory feature of WinBoard protocol. Default: 4. +this number is also used to calculate the memory setting of XBoard/WinBoard engines, +for those that support the memory feature of the XBoard/WinBoard protocol. Default: 4.
    -defaultPathEGTB filename
    Gives the name of the directory where the end-game tablebases are installed, for UCI engines. Default: "/usr/local/share/egtb".
    -egtFormats string
    Specifies which end-game tables are installed on the computer, and where. @@ -1200,7 +1201,7 @@ See Firewalls. the given character I/O device instead of opening a TCP connection. Use this option if your system does not have any kind of Internet connection itself (not even a SLIP or PPP connection), -but you do have dialup access (or a hardwired terminal line) to +but you do have dial-up access (or a hardwired terminal line) to an Internet service provider from which you can telnet to the ICS.

    The support for this option in XBoard is minimal. You need to @@ -1402,7 +1403,7 @@ first position of the file when it has reached a specified value.

    -spf or -savePositionFile file
    If this option is set, XBoard appends the final position reached in every game played to the specified file. The file name - specifies the standard output. -
    -pgnExtendedInfo true/false
    If this option is set, WinBoard saves depth, score and time used for each +
    -pgnExtendedInfo true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard saves depth, score and time used for each move that the engine found as a comment in the PGN file. Default: false.
    -pgnEventHeader string
    Sets the name used in the PGN event tag to string. @@ -1603,6 +1604,13 @@ Defaults:
    -animate/-xanimate or -animateMoving true/false
    Sets the Animate Moving menu option. See Options Menu. Default: true.
    -animateSpeed n
    Number of milliseconds delay between each animation frame when Animate Moves is on. +
    -autoDisplayComment true/false
    -autoDisplayTags true/false
    If set to true, these options cause the window with the move comments, +and the window with PGN tags, respectively, to pop up automatically when +such tags or comments are encountered during the replaying a stored or +loaded game. Default: true. +
    -pasteSelection true/false
    If this option is set to true, the Paste Position and Paste Game +options paste from the currently selected text. If false, they paste +from the clipboard. Default: false.
    @@ -1616,35 +1624,35 @@ Up: Options

    3.6 Adjudication Options

    -

    +

    -
    -adjudicateLossThreshold n
    If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a loss +
    -adjudicateLossThreshold n
    If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a loss if both engines agree for a duration of 6 consecutive ply that the score is below the given score threshold for that engine. Make sure the score is interpreted properly by XBoard, using -firstScoreAbs and -secondScoreAbs if needed. -Default: 0 (no adjudiction) -
    -adjudicateDrawMoves n
    If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a draw -if after the given number of moves it was not yet decided. Defaut: 0 (no adjudication) -
    -checkMates true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard detects all checkmates and stalemates, +Default: 0 (no adjudication) +
    -adjudicateDrawMoves n
    If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a draw +if after the given number of moves it was not yet decided. Default: 0 (no adjudication) +
    -checkMates true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard detects all checkmates and stalemates, and ends the game as soon as they occur. Legality-testing must be switched on for this option to work. Default: true -
    -testClaims true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard verifies all result claims made by engines, +
    -testClaims true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard verifies all result claims made by engines, and those who send false claims will forfeit the game because of it. Legality-testing must be switched on for this option to work. Default: true -
    -materialDraws true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard adjudicates games as draws when there is +
    -materialDraws true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard adjudicates games as draws when there is no sufficient material left to inflict a checkmate. This applies to KBKB with like bishops (any number, actually), and to KBK, KNK and KK. Legality-testing must be switched on for this option to work. Default: true -
    -trivialDraws true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard adjudicates games as draws that cannot be +
    -trivialDraws true/false
    If this option is set, XBoard adjudicates games as draws that cannot be usually won without opponent cooperation. This applies to KBKB with unlike bishops, and to KBKN, KNKN, KNNK, KRKR and KQKQ. The draw is called after 6 ply into these end-games, to allow quick mates that can occur in some exceptional positions to be found by the engines. KQKQ does not really belong in this category, and might be taken out in the future. (When bitbase-based adjudications are implemented.) Legality-testing must be on for this option to work. Default: false -
    -ruleMoves n
    If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a draw after the given +
    -ruleMoves n
    If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a draw after the given number of consecutive reversible moves. Engine draw claims are always accepted after 50 moves, irrespective of the given value of n.
    -repeatsToDraw n
    If the given value is non-zero, xboard adjudicates the game as a draw if a position @@ -1664,18 +1672,18 @@ Up: Options

    3.7 Other options

    -

    +

    -
    -ncp/-xncp or -noChessProgram true/false
    If this option is true, XBoard acts as a passive chessboard; it +
    -ncp/-xncp or -noChessProgram true/false
    If this option is true, XBoard acts as a passive chessboard; it does not start a chess engine at all. Turning on this option also turns off clockMode. Default: false. -
    -mode or -initialMode modename
    If this option is given, XBoard selects the given modename +
    -mode or -initialMode modename
    If this option is given, XBoard selects the given modename from the Mode menu after starting and (if applicable) processing the loadGameFile or loadPositionFile option. Default: "" (no selection). Other supported values are MachineWhite, MachineBlack, TwoMachines, Analysis, AnalyzeFile, EditGame, EditPosition, and Training. -
    -variant varname
    Activates preliminary, partial support for playing chess variants +
    -variant varname
    Activates preliminary, partial support for playing chess variants against a local engine or editing variant games. This flag is not needed in ICS mode. Recognized variant names are: @@ -1700,7 +1708,7 @@ needed in ICS mode. Recognized variant names are: gothic similar, with a better initial position caparandom An FRC-like version of Capablanca Chess (10x8) janus A game with two Archbishops (10x8 board) - courier Medieval intermedite between shatranj and + courier Medieval intermediate between shatranj and modern Chess (on 12x8 board) falcon Patented 10x8 variant with two Falcon pieces berolina Pawns capture straight ahead, and move diagonal @@ -1711,35 +1719,44 @@ needed in ICS mode. Recognized variant names are: known to XBoard can participate (8x8) unknown Catchall for other unknown variants +

    NOT ALL BOARDSIZES PROVIDE A COMPLETE SET OF BUILT-IN BITMAPS FOR ALL +UN-ORTHODOX PIECES, though. Only in boardSize middling and bulky +all 22 piece types are provided, while -boardSize petite has most +of them. Archbishop, Chancellor and Amazon are supported in every +size from petite to bulky. Kings or Amazons are substituted for +missing bitmaps. You can still play variants needing un-orthodox +pieces in other board sizes providing your own bitmaps through the +bitmapDirectory or pixmapDirectory options. +

    In the shuffle variants, XBoard now does shuffle the pieces, although you can still do it by hand using Edit Position. Some variants are supported only in ICS mode, including bughouse, and -kriegspiel. The winning/drawing conditions in crazyhouse (offboard -interposition on mate), losers, suicide, giveaway, atomic, and 3check -are not fully understood. +kriegspiel. The winning/drawing conditions in crazyhouse (off-board +interposition on mate) are not fully understood, but losers, suicide, +giveaway, atomic, and 3check should be OK. Berolina and cylinder chess can only be played with legality testing off. In crazyhouse, XBoard now does keep -track of offboard pieces. In shatranj it does implement the baring +track of off-board pieces. In shatranj it does implement the baring rule when mate detection is switched on. -

    -boardHeight N
    Allows you to set a non-standard number of board ranks in any variant. +
    -boardHeight N
    Allows you to set a non-standard number of board ranks in any variant. If the height is given as -1, the default height for the variant is used. Default: -1 -
    -boardWidth N
    Allows you to set a non-standard number of board files in any variant. +
    -boardWidth N
    Allows you to set a non-standard number of board files in any variant. If the width is given as -1, the default width for the variant is used. With a non-standard width, the initial position will always be an empty board, as the usual opening array will not fit. Default: -1 -
    -holdingsSize N
    Allows you to set a non-standard size for the holdings in any variant. +
    -holdingsSize N
    Allows you to set a non-standard size for the holdings in any variant. If the size is given as -1, the default holdings size for the variant is used. The first N piece types will go into the holdings on capture, and you will be able to drop them on the board in stead of making a normal move. If size equals 0, there will be no holdings. Default: -1 -
    -defaultFrcPosition N
    Specifies the number of the opening position in shuffle games like Chess960. +
    -defaultFrcPosition N
    Specifies the number of the opening position in shuffle games like Chess960. A value of -1 means the position is randomly generated by XBoard at the beginning of every game. Default: -1 -
    -pieceToSquareTable string
    The characters that are used to represent the piece types XBoard knows in FEN +
    -pieceToSquareTable string
    The characters that are used to represent the piece types XBoard knows in FEN diagrams and SAN moves. The string argument has to have an even length (or it will be ignored), as white and black pieces have to be given separately (in that order). The last letter for each color will be the King. @@ -1759,27 +1776,27 @@ Note that promoted pieces are represented by pieces 11 further in the list. You should not have to use this option often: each variant has its own default setting for the piece representation in FEN, which should be sufficient in normal use. Default: "" -
    -debug/-xdebug or -debugMode true/false
    Turns on debugging printout. -
    -debugFile filename or -nameOfDebugFile filename
    Sets the name of the file to which WinBoard saves debug information +
    -debug/-xdebug or -debugMode true/false
    Turns on debugging printout. +
    -debugFile filename or -nameOfDebugFile filename
    Sets the name of the file to which XBoard saves debug information (including all communication to and from the engines). -
    -engineDebugOutput number
    Specifies how WinBoard should handle unsolicited output from the engine, +
    -engineDebugOutput number
    Specifies how XBoard should handle unsolicited output from the engine, with respect to saving it in the debug file. The output is further (hopefully) ignored. -If number=0, WinBoard refrains from writing such spurious output to the debug file. +If number=0, XBoard refrains from writing such spurious output to the debug file. If number=1, all engine output is written faithfully to the debug file. -If number=2, any protocol-violating line is prefixed with a ‘#’ character, +If number=2, any protocol-violating line is prefixed with a '#' character, as the engine itself should have done if it wanted to submit info for inclusion in the debug file. This option is provided for the benefit of applications that use the debug file as a source of information, such as the broadcaster of live games TLCV / TLCS. Such applications can be protected from spurious engine output that might otherwise confuse them. -
    -rsh or -remoteShell shell-name
    Name of the command used to run programs remotely. The default +
    -rsh or -remoteShell shell-name
    Name of the command used to run programs remotely. The default is rsh or remsh, determined when XBoard is configured and compiled. -
    -ruser or -remoteUser user-name
    User name on the remote system when running programs with the +
    -ruser or -remoteUser user-name
    User name on the remote system when running programs with the remoteShell. The default is your local user name. -
    -userName username
    Name under which the Human player will be listed in the PGN file. +
    -userName username
    Name under which the Human player will be listed in the PGN file. Default is the login name on your local computer. -
    -delayBeforeQuit number
    -delayAfterQuit number
    These options specify how long WinBoard has to wait before sending a termination signal to rogue engine processes, that do not want to react to the ‘quit’ command. The second one determines the pause after killing the engine, to make sure it dies. +
    -delayBeforeQuit number
    -delayAfterQuit number
    These options specify how long XBoard has to wait before sending a termination signal to rogue engine processes, that do not want to react to the 'quit' command. The second one determines the pause after killing the engine, to make sure it dies.
    @@ -1794,7 +1811,7 @@ Up: Top

    4 Chess Servers

    -

    An Internet Chess Server, or ICS, is a place on the +

    An Internet Chess Server, or ICS, is a place on the Internet where people can get together to play chess, watch other people's games, or just chat. You can use either telnet or a client program like XBoard to connect to the server. There are @@ -1827,25 +1844,25 @@ unique guest name for you.

    Some useful ICS commands include

    -
    help <topic>
    to get help on the given <topic>. To get a list of possible topics type +
    help <topic>
    to get help on the given <topic>. To get a list of possible topics type help without topic. Try the help command before you ask other people on the server for help.

    For example help register tells you how to become a registered ICS player. -

    who <flags>
    to see a list of people who are logged on. Administrators +
    who <flags>
    to see a list of people who are logged on. Administrators (people you should talk to if you have a problem) are marked with the character ‘*’, an asterisk. The <flags> allow you to display only selected players: For example, who of shows a list of players who are interested in playing but do not have an opponent. -
    games
    to see what games are being played +
    games
    to see what games are being played
    match <player> [<mins>] [<inc>]
    to challenge another player to a game. Both opponents get <mins> minutes for the game, and <inc> seconds will be added after each move. If another player challenges you, the server asks if you want to accept the challenge; use the accept or decline commands to answer. -
    accept
    decline
    to accept or decline another player's offer. +
    accept
    decline
    to accept or decline another player's offer. The offer may be to start a new game, or to agree to a draw, adjourn or abort the current game. See Action Menu. @@ -1853,7 +1870,7 @@ The offer may be to start a new game, or to agree to a is challenging you, or if your opponent offers both a draw and to adjourn the game), you have to supply additional information, by typing something like accept <player>, accept draw, or draw. -
    draw
    adjourn
    abort
    asks your opponent to terminate a game by mutual agreement. Adjourned +
    draw
    adjourn
    abort
    asks your opponent to terminate a game by mutual agreement. Adjourned games can be continued later. Your opponent can either decline your offer or accept it (by typing the same command or typing accept). In some cases these commands work @@ -1861,11 +1878,11 @@ immediately, without asking your opponent to agree. For example, you can abort the game unilaterally if your opponent is out of time, and you can claim a draw by repetition or the 50-move rule if available simply by typing draw. -
    finger <player>
    to get information about the given <player>. (Default: yourself.) -
    vars
    to get a list of personal settings -
    set <var> <value>
    to modify these settings -
    observe <player>
    to observe an ongoing game of the given <player>. -
    examine
    oldmoves
    to review a recently completed game +
    finger <player>
    to get information about the given <player>. (Default: yourself.) +
    vars
    to get a list of personal settings +
    set <var> <value>
    to modify these settings +
    observe <player>
    to observe an ongoing game of the given <player>. +
    examine
    oldmoves
    to review a recently completed game

    Some special XBoard features are activated when you are @@ -2015,7 +2032,7 @@ Up: Top

    6 Environment variables

    -

    Game and position files are found in a directory named by the +

    Game and position files are found in a directory named by the CHESSDIR environment variable. If this variable is not set, the current working directory is used. If CHESSDIR is set, XBoard actually changes its working directory to @@ -2033,7 +2050,7 @@ Up: Top

    7 Limitations and known bugs

    -

    There is no way for two people running copies of XBoard to play +

    There is no way for two people running copies of XBoard to play each other without going through an Internet Chess Server.

    Under some circumstances, your ICS password may be echoed when you log on. @@ -2059,7 +2076,7 @@ The piece-drop menu does not check piece drops in bughouse to see if you actuall the piece you are trying to drop. But this way of dropping pieces should be considered an obsolete feature, now that pieces can be dropped by dragging them from the holdings to the board. Anyway, if you would attempt an illegal move when using a chess engine or the ICS, -WinBoard will accept the error message that comes back, undo the move, and let you try another. +XBoard will accept the error message that comes back, undo the move, and let you try another. FEN positions saved by XBoard do include correct information about whether castling or en passant are legal, and also handle the 50-move counter. The mate detector does not understand that non-contact mate is not really mate in bughouse. @@ -2098,38 +2115,23 @@ Up: Top

    8 Reporting problems

    -

    -Report bugs and problems with XBoard to <bug-xboard@gnu.org>. +

    +You can report bugs and problems with XBoard using +the bug tracker at https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/xboard/ +or by sending mail to <bug-xboard@gnu.org>. It can also +be useful to report or discuss bugs in the WinBoard Forum at +http://www.open-aurec.com/wbforum/, +WinBoard development section.

    Please use the script program to start a typescript, run XBoard with the ‘-debug’ option, and include the typescript output in your message. Also tell us what kind of machine and what operating system version -you are using. The command ‘uname -a’ will often tell you this. -Here is a sample of approximately what you should type: - -

         script
-     uname -a
-     ./configure
-     make
-     ./xboard -debug
-     exit
-     mail bug-xboard@gnu.org
-     Subject: Your short description of the problem
-     Your detailed description of the problem
-     ~r typescript
-     .
-
    -

    The WinBoard / XBoard 4.3 line is being developed by H.G. Muller -independently of the GNU Savannah xboard project. -Bug reports on this version, and suggestions for improvements and additions, -are best posted in the WinBoard forum, -WinBoard-development section (http://www.open-aurec.com/wbforum). +you are using. The command ‘uname -a’ will often tell you this.

    If you improve XBoard, please send a message about your changes, and we will get in touch with you about merging them in -to the main line of development. -Also see our Web site at http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/xboard/. +to the main line of development.

    @@ -2142,52 +2144,56 @@ Up: Top

    9 Authors and contributors

    -

    -Tim Mann has been responsible for XBoard versions 1.3 and beyond, and -for WinBoard, a port of XBoard to Microsoft Win32 (Windows NT and -Windows 95). H.G.Muller is responsible for version 4.3. - -

    Mark Williams contributed the initial (WinBoard-only) implementation -of many new features added to both XBoard and WinBoard in version -4.1.0, including copy/paste, premove, icsAlarm, autoFlipView, training -mode, auto raise, and blindfold. Ben Nye contributed X copy/paste -code for XBoard. - -

    Hugh Fisher added animated piece movement to XBoard, and Henrik Gram -(henrikg@funcom.com) added it to WinBoard. Frank McIngvale added -click/click moving, the Analysis modes, piece flashing, ZIICS import, -and ICS text colorization to XBoard. Jochen Wiedmann ported XBoard to -the Amiga, creating AmyBoard, and converted the documentation to -texinfo. Elmar Bartel contributed the new piece bitmaps introduced in -version 3.2. John Chanak contributed the initial implementation of -ICS mode. The color scheme and the old 80x80 piece bitmaps were taken +

    +Chris Sears and Dan Sears wrote the original XBoard. They were +responsible for versions 1.0 through 1.2. The color scheme was taken from Wayne Christopher's XChess program. -

    Chris Sears and Dan Sears wrote the original XBoard. They were -responsible for versions 1.0 through 1.2. +

    Tim Mann was primarily responsible for XBoard versions 1.3 through +4.2.7, and for WinBoard (a port of XBoard to Microsoft Win32) from its +inception through version 4.2.7. + +

    John Chanak contributed the initial implementation of ICS mode. Evan +Welsh wrote CMail, and Patrick Surry helped in designing, +testing, and documenting it. Elmar Bartel contributed the new piece +bitmaps introduced in version 3.2. Jochen Wiedmann converted the +documentation to texinfo. Frank McIngvale added click/click moving, +the Analysis modes, piece flashing, ZIICS import, and ICS text +colorization to XBoard. Hugh Fisher added animated piece movement to +XBoard, and Henrik Gram added it to WinBoard. Mark Williams +contributed the initial (WinBoard-only) implementation of many new +features added to both XBoard and WinBoard in version 4.1.0, including +copy/paste, premove, icsAlarm, autoFlipView, training mode, auto +raise, and blindfold. Ben Nye contributed X copy/paste code for +XBoard. -

    Evan Welsh wrote CMail. Patrick Surry helped in designing, -testing, and documenting CMail. +

    In a fork from version 4.2.7, Alessandro Scotti added many elements to +the user interface of WinBoard, including the board textures and +font-based rendering, the evaluation-graph, move-history and +engine-output window. He was also responsible for adding the UCI +support. + +

    H. G. Muller continued this fork of the project, producing version +4.3. He made WinBoard castling- and e.p.-aware, added variant support +with adjustable board sizes, the crazyhouse holdings, and the fairy +pieces. In addition he added most of the adjudication options, made +WinBoard more robust in dealing with buggy and crashing engines, and +extended time control with a time-odds and node-count-based modes. +Most of the options that initially were WinBoard only have now been +back-ported to XBoard. -

    Allessandro Scotti added many elements to the user interface of WinBoard, -including the board textures and font-based rendering, the evaluation-graph, -move-history and engine-output window. -He was also responsible for adding the UCI support. +

    Michel van den Bergh provided the code for reading Polyglot opening books. -

    H.G. Muller made WinBoard castling- and e.p.-aware, -added variant support with adjustable board sizes, -the crazyhouse holdings, and the fairy pieces. -In addition he added most of the adjudication options, -made WinBoard more robust in dealing with buggy and crashing engines, -and extended time control with a time-odds and node-count-based modes. -Most of the options that initially wre WinBoard only have now been back-ported to XBoard. +

    Meanwhile, some work continued on the GNU XBoard project maintained at +savannah.gnu.org, but version 4.2.8 was never released. Daniel +Mehrmann was responsible for much of this work. -

    Michel van den Bergh provided the code for reading Polyglot opening books. +

    Most recently, Arun Persaud worked with H. G. Muller to merge all +the features of the never-released XBoard/WinBoard 4.2.8 of the GNU +XBoard project and the never-released 4.3.16 from H. G.'s fork into a +unified XBoard/WinBoard 4.4, which is now available both from the +savannah.gnu.org web site and the WinBoard forum. -

    Arun Persaud worked with H.G. Muller to combine all the features of the never-released WinBoard 4.2.8 -of the Savannah project (mainly by Daniel Mehrmann), -and the never-released 4.3.16 into a unified WinBoard 4.4, -which is now available both from the Savannah web site and the WinBoard forum.

    @@ -2199,7 +2205,7 @@ Up: Top

    10 CMail

    -

    The cmail program can help you play chess by email with opponents of +

    The cmail program can help you play chess by email with opponents of your choice using XBoard as an interface.

    You will usually run cmail without giving any options. @@ -2258,12 +2264,6 @@ directory as cmail keeps its working files (above). environment variable $CMAIL_MAILPROG or failing that /usr/ucb/Mail, /usr/ucb/mail or Mail. You will need to set this variable if none of the above paths fit your system. -

    -gamesFile <file>
    A file containing a list of games with email addresses. This defaults to -the environment variable $CMAIL_GAMES or failing that -.cmailgames. -
    -aliasesFile <file>
    A file containing one or more aliases for a set of email addresses. This -defaults to the environment variable $CMAIL_ALIASES or failing -that .cmailaliases.
    -logFile <file>
    A file in which to dump verbose debugging messages that are invoked with the ‘-v’ option. @@ -2415,7 +2415,7 @@ Up: Top

    11 Other programs you can use with XBoard

    -

    +

    Here are some other programs you can use with XBoard