added option for work-around for some FRC engines in regards to FRCFENs

[xboard.git] / xboard.texi

\input texinfo  @c -*-texinfo-*-\r
@c %**start of header\r
@setfilename xboard.info\r
@settitle XBoard\r
@c %**end of header\r
\r
@include version.texi\r
\r
@ifinfo\r
@format\r
INFO-DIR-SECTION Games\r
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY\r
* xboard: (xboard).         An X Window System graphical chessboard.\r
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY\r
@end format\r
@end ifinfo\r
\r
@titlepage\r
@title XBoard\r
\r
@page\r
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll\r
@include copyright.texi\r
\r
@end titlepage\r
@ifset man\r
.TH xboard 6 "$Date: " "GNU"\r
.SH NAME\r
.PP\r
xboard @- X graphical user interface for chess\r
.SH SYNOPSIS\r
.PP\r
.B xboard [options]\r
.br\r
.B xboard -ics -icshost hostname [options]\r
.br\r
.B xboard -ncp [options]\r
.br\r
.B |pxboard\r
.br\r
.B cmail [options]\r
@end ifset\r
\r
@node Top\r
@top Introduction\r
@cindex introduction\r
\r
@ifset man\r
.SH DESCRIPTION\r
@end ifset\r
\r
XBoard is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a\r
user interface to chess engines (such as GNU Chess), the\r
Internet Chess Servers,\r
electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games.\r
\r
This manual documents version @value{VERSION} of XBoard.\r
\r
@menu\r
* Major modes::     The main things XBoard can do.\r
* Menus::           Menus, buttons, and keys.\r
* Options::         Command options supported by XBoard.\r
* Chess Servers::   Using XBoard with an Internet Chess Server (ICS).\r
* Firewalls::       Connecting to a chess server through a firewall.\r
* Environment::     Environment variables.\r
* Limitations::     Known limitations and/or bugs.\r
* Problems::        How and where to report any problems you run into.\r
* Contributors::    People who have helped developing XBoard.\r
* CMail::           Using XBoard for electronic correspondence chess.\r
* Other programs::  Other programs you can use with XBoard.\r
@ifnottex\r
* Copyright::       Copyright notice for this manual.\r
@end ifnottex\r
* Copying::         The GNU General Public License.\r
\r
* Index::           Index of concepts and symbol names.\r
@end menu\r
\r
@node Major modes\r
@chapter Major modes\r
@cindex Major modes\r
\r
XBoard always runs in one of four major modes.  You select the\r
major mode from the command line when you start up XBoard.\r
\r
@table @asis\r
@item xboard [options]\r
As an interface to GNU Chess or another chess engine running on your\r
machine, XBoard lets you play a game against the machine,\r
set up arbitrary positions, force variations, watch a game between two\r
chess engines, interactively analyze your stored games or set up and\r
analyze arbitrary positions.  (Note: Not all chess engines support\r
analysis.)\r
@item xboard -ics -icshost hostname [options]\r
As Internet Chess Server (ICS) interface, XBoard\r
lets you play against other ICS users, observe games\r
they are playing, or review games that have recently finished.  Most\r
of the ICS "wild" chess variants are supported, including bughouse.\r
@item xboard -ncp [options]\r
XBoard can also be used simply\r
as an electronic chessboard to play through games. It will read and\r
write game files and allow you to play through variations\r
manually. You can use it to browse games off the net or review games\r
you have saved.  These features are also available in the other modes.\r
@item |pxboard\r
If you want to pipe games into XBoard, use the supplied shell\r
script @file{pxboard}.  For example, from the news reader @file{xrn},\r
find a message with one or more games in it, click the Save button,\r
and type @samp{|pxboard} as the file name.\r
@item cmail [options]\r
As an interface to electronic mail correspondence chess, XBoard\r
works with the cmail program. See @ref{CMail} below for\r
instructions.\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Menus\r
@chapter Menus, buttons, and keys\r
@cindex Menus\r
\r
To move a piece, you can drag it with the left mouse button, or you\r
can click the left mouse button once on the piece, then once more on\r
the destination square.  To drop a new piece on a square (when\r
applicable), press the middle or the right mouse button over the\r
square and select from the popup menu.  In cases where you can drop\r
either a white or black piece, use the middle button (or shift+right)\r
for white and the right button (or shift+middle) for black.  When you\r
are playing a bughouse game on an Internet Chess Server, a list of the\r
offboard pieces that each player has available is shown in the window\r
title after the player's name; in addition, the piece menus show the\r
number of pieces available of each type. From version 4.3.14 on, it is\r
also possible in crazyhouse, bughouse or shogi to dag and drop pieces\r
to the board from the holdings squares displayed next to the board.\r
\r
All other XBoard commands are available from the menu bar. The most\r
frequently used commands also have shortcut keys or on-screen buttons.\r
\r
When XBoard is iconized, its graphical icon is a white knight if\r
it is White's turn to move, a black knight if it is Black's turn.  See\r
Iconize in @ref{Keys} below if you have problems getting this\r
feature to work.\r
\r
@menu\r
* File Menu::       Accessing external games and positions.\r
* Mode Menu::       Selecting XBoard's mode.\r
* Action Menu::     Talking to the chess engine or ICS opponents.\r
* Step Menu::       Controlling the game.\r
* Options Menu::    User preferences.\r
* Help Menu::       Getting help.\r
* Keys::            Other shortcut keys.\r
@end menu\r
\r
@node File Menu\r
@section File Menu\r
@cindex File Menu\r
@cindex Menu, File\r
@table @asis\r
@item New Game\r
@cindex New Game, Menu Item\r
Resets XBoard and the chess engine to the beginning of a new chess\r
game. The @kbd{r} key is a keyboard equivalent. In Internet Chess\r
Server mode, clears the current state of XBoard, then\r
resynchronizes with the ICS by sending a refresh command. If you want to\r
stop playing, observing, or examining an ICS game, use an\r
appropriate command from the Action menu, not @samp{New Game}.\r
@xref{Action Menu}.\r
@item New Shuffle Game\r
@cindex New Shuffle Game, Menu Item\r
Similar to @samp{New Game}, but allows you to specify a particular initial position \r
(according to a standardized numbering system)\r
in chess variants which use randomized opening positions (e.g. Chess960).\r
The selected opening position will persistently be chosen on any following\r
New Game command until you use this menu to select another. Selecting\r
position number -1 will produce a newly randomized position on any new game.\r
Using this menu item in variants that normally do not shuffle their opening position\r
does cause these variants to become shuffle variants until you use the\r
@samp{New Shuffle Game} menu to explicitly switch the randomization off,\r
or select a new variant.\r
@item New Variant\r
@cindex New variant, Menu Item\r
Allows you to select a new chess variant in non-ICS mode. \r
(In ICS play, the ICS is responsible for deciding which variant will be played,\r
and XBoard adapts autmatically.) If you play with an engine, the engine must\r
be able to play the selected variant, or the command will be ignored.\r
XBoard supports all major variants, such as xiangqi, shogi, chess, chess960,\r
Capablanca Chess, shatranj, crazyhous, bughouse.\r
@item Load Game\r
@cindex Load Game, Menu Item\r
Plays a game from a record file. The @kbd{g} key is a keyboard equivalent.\r
A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. If the file contains more\r
than one game, a second popup dialog\r
displays a list of games (with information drawn from their PGN tags, if\r
any), and you can select the one you want. Alternatively, you can load the\r
Nth game in the file directly, by typing the number @kbd{N} after the\r
file name, separated by a space.\r
\r
The game file parser will accept PGN (portable game notation),\r
or in fact almost any file that contains moves in algebraic\r
notation. \r
Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7}\r
is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games;\r
this is a nonstandard extension to PGN.\r
If the file includes a PGN position (FEN tag), or an old-style\r
XBoard position diagram bracketed by @samp{[--} and @samp{--]}\r
before the first move, the game starts from that position. Text\r
enclosed in parentheses, square brackets, or curly braces is assumed to\r
be commentary and is displayed in a pop-up window. Any other\r
text in the file is ignored. PGN variations (enclosed in\r
parentheses) are treated as comments; XBoard is not able to walk\r
variation trees.\r
The nonstandard PGN tag [Variant "varname"] functions similarly to\r
the -variant command-line option (see below), allowing games in certain chess\r
variants to be loaded.  There is also a heuristic to \r
recognize chess variants from the Event tag, by looking for the strings\r
that the Internet Chess Servers put there when saving variant ("wild") games.\r
@item Load Next Game\r
@cindex Load Next Game, Menu Item\r
Loads the next game from the last game record file you loaded.\r
The shifted @kbd{N} key is a keyboard equivalent.\r
@item Load Previous Game\r
@cindex Load Previous Game, Menu Item\r
Loads the previous game from the last game record file you\r
loaded.  The shifted @kbd{P} key is a keyboard equivalent.\r
Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.\r
@item Reload Same Game\r
@cindex Reload Same Game, Menu Item\r
Reloads the last game you loaded.\r
Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe.\r
@item Save Game\r
@cindex Save Game, Menu Item\r
Appends a record of the current game to a file.\r
A popup dialog\r
prompts you for the file name. If the game did not begin with\r
the standard starting position, the game file includes the\r
starting position used. Games are saved in the PGN (portable\r
game notation) format, unless the oldSaveStyle option is true,\r
in which case they are saved in an older format that is specific\r
to XBoard. Both formats are human-readable, and both can be\r
read back by the @samp{Load Game} command.\r
Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7}\r
is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games;\r
this is a nonstandard extension to PGN.\r
@item Copy Game\r
@cindex Copy Game, Menu Item\r
Copies a record of the current game to an internal clipboard in PGN\r
format and sets the X selection to the game text.  The game can be\r
pasted to another application (such as a text editor or another copy\r
of XBoard) using that application's paste command.  In many X\r
applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be\r
used for pasting; in XBoard, you must use the Paste Game command.\r
@item Paste Game\r
@cindex Paste Game, Menu Item\r
Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as\r
with Load Game.\r
@item Load Position\r
@cindex Load Position, Menu Item\r
Sets up a position from a position file.  A popup dialog prompts\r
you for the file name. If the file contains more than one saved\r
position, and you want to load the Nth one, type the number N\r
after the file name, separated by a space. Position files must\r
be in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation), or in the format that the\r
Save Position command writes when oldSaveStyle is turned on.\r
@item Load Next Position\r
@cindex Load Next Position, Menu Item\r
Loads the next position from the last position file you loaded.\r
@item Load Previous Position\r
@cindex Load Previous Position, Menu Item\r
Loads the previous position from the last position file you\r
loaded.  Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.\r
@item Reload Same Position\r
@cindex Reload Same Position, Menu Item\r
Reloads the last position you loaded.\r
Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe.\r
@item Save Position\r
@cindex Save Game, Menu Item\r
Appends a diagram of the current position to a file.\r
A popup dialog\r
prompts you for the file name. Positions are saved in\r
FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless the @code{oldSaveStyle}\r
option is true, in which case they are saved in an older,\r
human-readable format that is specific to XBoard. Both formats\r
can be read back by the @samp{Load Position} command.\r
@item Copy Position\r
@cindex Copy Position, Menu Item\r
Copies the current position to an internal clipboard in FEN format and\r
sets the X selection to the position text.  The position can be pasted\r
to another application (such as a text editor or another copy of\r
XBoard) using that application's paste command.  In many X\r
applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be\r
used for pasting; in XBoard, you must use the Paste Position command.\r
@item Paste Position\r
@cindex Paste Position, Menu Item\r
Interprets the current X selection as a FEN position and loads it, as\r
with Load Position.\r
@item Mail Move\r
@itemx Reload CMail Message\r
@cindex Mail Move, Menu Item\r
@cindex Reload CMail Message, Menu Item\r
See @ref{CMail}.\r
@item Exit\r
@cindex Exit, Menu Item\r
Exits from XBoard. The shifted @kbd{Q} key is a keyboard equivalent.\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Mode Menu\r
@section Mode Menu\r
@cindex Menu, Mode\r
@cindex Mode Menu\r
@table @asis\r
@item Machine White\r
@cindex Machine White, Menu Item\r
Tells the chess engine to play White.\r
@item Machine Black\r
@cindex Machine Black, Menu Item\r
Tells the chess engine to play Black.\r
@item Two Machines\r
@cindex Two Machines, Menu Item\r
Plays a game between two chess engines.\r
@item Analysis Mode\r
@cindex Analysis Mode, Menu Item\r
XBoard tells the chess engine to start analyzing the current game/position\r
and shows you the analysis as you move pieces around.\r
Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode.\r
\r
To set up a position to analyze, you do the following:\r
\r
1. Select Edit Position from the Mode Menu\r
\r
2. Set up the position.  Use the middle and right buttons to\r
bring up the white and black piece menus.\r
\r
3. When you are finished, click on either the Black or White\r
clock to tell XBoard which side moves first.\r
\r
4. Select Analysis Mode from the Mode Menu to start the analysis.\r
\r
The analysis function can also be used when observing games on an ICS\r
with an engine loaded (zippy mode); the engine then will analyse\r
the positions as they occur in the observed game.\r
@item Analyze File\r
@cindex Analyze File, Menu Item\r
This option lets you load a game from a file (PGN, XBoard format, etc.)\r
and analyze it. When you select this menu item, a popup window appears\r
and asks for a filename to load.\r
If the file contains multiple games, another popup appears that lets\r
you select which game you wish to analyze.\r
After a game is loaded, use the XBoard arrow buttons to step\r
forwards/backwards through the game and watch the analysis.\r
Note: Some chess engines do not support Analysis mode.\r
@item ICS Client\r
@cindex ICS Client, Menu Item\r
This is the normal mode when XBoard\r
is connected to a chess server.  If you have moved into\r
Edit Game or Edit Position mode, you can select this option to get out.\r
\r
To use xboard in ICS mode, run it in the foreground with the -ics\r
option, and use the terminal you started it from to type commands and\r
receive text responses from the chess server.  See\r
@ref{Chess Servers} below for more information.\r
\r
XBoard activates some special position/game editing features when you\r
use the @kbd{examine} or @kbd{bsetup} commands on ICS and you have\r
@samp{ICS Client} selected on the Mode menu.  First, you can issue the\r
ICS position-editing commands with the mouse.  Move pieces by dragging\r
with mouse button 1.  To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse\r
button 2 or 3 over the square.  This brings up a menu of white pieces\r
(button 2) or black pieces (button 3).  Additional menu choices let\r
you empty the square or clear the board.  Click on the White or Black\r
clock to set the side to play.  You cannot set the side to play or\r
drag pieces to arbitrary squares while examining on ICC, but you can\r
do so in @kbd{bsetup} mode on FICS.  In addition, the menu commands\r
@samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, and @samp{Stop Examining}\r
have special functions in this mode; see below.\r
@item Edit Game\r
@cindex Edit Game, Menu Item\r
Allows you to make moves for both Black and White, and to change\r
moves after backing up with the @samp{Backward} command. The clocks do\r
not run.\r
\r
In chess engine mode, the chess engine continues to check moves for legality\r
but does not participate in the game. You can bring the chess engine\r
into the game by selecting @samp{Machine White}, @samp{Machine Black},\r
or @samp{Two Machines}.\r
\r
In ICS mode, the moves are not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Game} takes\r
XBoard out of ICS Client mode and lets you edit games locally.\r
If you want to edit games on ICS in a way that other ICS users\r
can see, use the ICS @kbd{examine} command or start an ICS match\r
against yourself.\r
@item Edit Position\r
@cindex Edit Position, Menu Item\r
Lets you set up an arbitrary board position.\r
Use mouse button 1 to drag pieces to new squares, or to delete a piece\r
by dragging it off the board or dragging an empty square on top of it.\r
To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 over the\r
square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or\r
black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let you empty the\r
square or clear the board. You can set the side to play next by\r
clicking on the word White or Black at the top of the screen.\r
Selecting @samp{Edit Position} causes XBoard to discard\r
all remembered moves in the current game.\r
\r
In ICS mode, changes made to the position by @samp{Edit Position} are\r
not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Position} takes XBoard out of\r
@samp{ICS Client} mode and lets you edit positions locally. If you want to\r
edit positions on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, use\r
the ICS @kbd{examine} command, or start an ICS match against yourself.\r
(See also the ICS Client topic above.)\r
@item Training\r
@cindex Training, Menu Item\r
Training mode lets you interactively guess the moves of a game for one\r
of the players. You guess the next move of the game by playing the\r
move on the board. If the move played matches the next move of the\r
game, the move is accepted and the opponent's response is autoplayed.\r
If the move played is incorrect, an error message is displayed.  You\r
can select this mode only while loading a game (that is, after\r
selecting @samp{Load Game} from the File menu).  While XBoard is in \r
@samp{Training} mode, the navigation buttons are disabled.\r
@item Show Game List\r
@cindex Show Game List, Menu Item\r
Shows or hides the list of games generated by the last @samp{Load Game}\r
command.\r
@item Show Move History\r
@cindex Show Move History, Menu Item\r
Shows or hides a list of moves of the current game.\r
This list allows you to move the display to any earlier position in the game\r
by clicking on the corresponding move.\r
@item Show Engine Output\r
@cindex Show Engine Output, Menu Item\r
Shows or hides a window in which the thinking output of any loaded engines\r
is displayed.\r
@item Edit Tags\r
@cindex Edit Tags, Menu Item\r
Lets you edit the PGN (portable game notation)\r
tags for the current game. After editing, the tags must still conform to\r
the PGN tag syntax:\r
\r
@example\r
<tag-section> ::= <tag-pair> <tag-section>\r
                        <empty>\r
<tag-pair> ::= [ <tag-name> <tag-value> ]\r
<tag-name> ::= <identifier>\r
<tag-value> ::= <string>\r
@end example\r
@noindent\r
See the PGN Standard for full details. Here is an example:\r
\r
@example\r
[Event "Portoroz Interzonal"]\r
[Site "Portoroz, Yugoslavia"]\r
[Date "1958.08.16"]\r
[Round "8"]\r
[White "Robert J. Fischer"]\r
[Black "Bent Larsen"]\r
[Result "1-0"]\r
@end example\r
@noindent\r
Any characters that do not match this syntax are silently ignored. Note that\r
the PGN standard requires all games to have at least the seven tags shown\r
above. Any that you omit will be filled in by XBoard\r
with @samp{?} (unknown value), or @samp{-} (inapplicable value).\r
@item Edit Comment\r
@cindex Edit Comment, Menu Item\r
Adds or modifies a comment on the current position. Comments are\r
saved by @samp{Save Game} and are displayed by @samp{Load Game},\r
@samp{Forward}, and @samp{Backward}.\r
@item ICS Input Box\r
@cindex ICS Input Box, Menu Item\r
If this option is set in ICS mode,\r
XBoard\r
creates an extra window that you can use for typing in ICS commands.\r
The input box is especially useful if you want to type in something long or do\r
some editing on your input, because output from ICS doesn't get mixed\r
in with your typing as it would in the main terminal window.\r
@item Pause\r
@cindex Pause, Menu Item\r
Pauses updates to the board, and if you are playing against a chess engine,\r
also pauses your clock. To continue, select @samp{Pause} again, and the\r
display will automatically update to the latest position.\r
The @samp{P} button and keyboard @kbd{p} key are equivalents.\r
\r
If you select Pause when you are playing against a chess engine and\r
it is not your move, the chess engine's clock\r
will continue to run and it will eventually make a move, at which point\r
both clocks will stop. Since board updates are paused, however,\r
you will not see the move until you exit from Pause mode (or select Forward).\r
This behavior is meant to simulate adjournment with a sealed move.\r
\r
If you select Pause while you are observing or examining a game on a\r
chess server, you can step backward and forward in the current history\r
of the examined game without affecting the other observers and\r
examiners, and without having your display jump forward to the latest\r
position each time a move is made. Select Pause again to reconnect\r
yourself to the current state of the game on ICS.\r
\r
If you select @samp{Pause} while you are loading a game, the game stops\r
loading. You can load more moves manually by selecting @samp{Forward}, or\r
resume automatic loading by selecting @samp{Pause} again.\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Action Menu\r
@section Action Menu\r
@cindex Menu, Action\r
@cindex Action, Menu\r
@table @asis\r
@item Accept\r
@cindex Accept, Menu Item\r
Accepts a pending match offer. If there is more than one offer\r
pending, you will have to type in a more specific command\r
instead of using this menu choice.\r
@item Decline\r
@cindex Decline, Menu Item\r
Declines a pending offer (match, draw, adjourn, etc.). If there\r
is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more\r
specific command instead of using this menu choice.\r
@item Call Flag\r
@cindex Call Flag, Menu Item\r
Calls your opponent's flag, claiming a win on time, or claiming\r
a draw if you are both out of time. You can also call your\r
opponent's flag by clicking on his clock or by pressing the\r
keyboard @kbd{t} key.\r
@item Draw\r
@cindex Draw, Menu Item\r
Offers a draw to your opponent, accepts a pending draw offer\r
from your opponent, or claims a draw by repetition or the 50-move\r
rule, as appropriate. The @kbd{d} key is a keyboard equivalent.\r
@item Adjourn\r
@cindex Adjourn, Menu Item\r
Asks your opponent to agree to adjourning the current game, or\r
agrees to a pending adjournment offer from your opponent.\r
@item Abort\r
@cindex Abort, Menu Item\r
Asks your opponent to agree to aborting the current game, or\r
agrees to a pending abort offer from your opponent. An aborted\r
game ends immediately without affecting either player's rating.\r
@item Resign\r
@cindex Resign, Menu Item\r
Resigns the game to your opponent. The shifted @kbd{R} key is a\r
keyboard equivalent.\r
@item Stop Observing\r
@cindex Stop Observing, Menu Item\r
Ends your participation in observing a game, by issuing the ICS\r
observe command with no arguments. ICS mode only.\r
@item Stop Examining\r
@cindex Stop Examining, Menu Item\r
Ends your participation in examining a game, by issuing the ICS\r
unexamine command. ICS mode only.\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Step Menu\r
@section Step Menu\r
@cindex Step Menu\r
@cindex Menu, Step\r
@table @asis\r
@item Backward\r
@cindex Backward, Menu Item\r
@cindex <, Button\r
Steps backward through a series of remembered moves.\r
The @samp{[<]} button and the @kbd{b} key are equivalents,\r
as is turning the mouse wheel towards you.\r
In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing\r
it steps forward again.\r
\r
In most modes, @samp{Backward} only lets you look back at old positions;\r
it does not retract moves. This is the case if you are playing against\r
a chess engine, playing or observing a game on an ICS, or loading a game.\r
If you select @samp{Backward} in any of these situations, you will not\r
be allowed to make a different move. Use @samp{Retract Move} or\r
@samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past moves.\r
\r
If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Backward}\r
depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is\r
off, @samp{Backward} issues the ICS backward command, which backs up\r
everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different\r
move. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Backward} only backs up your local\r
view.\r
@item Forward\r
@cindex Forward, Menu Item\r
@cindex >, Button\r
Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the\r
effect of @samp{Backward}) or forward through a game file. The\r
@samp{[>]} button and the @kbd{f} key are equivalents,\r
as is turning the mouse wheel away from you.\r
\r
If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of Forward\r
depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is\r
off, @samp{Forward} issues the ICS forward command, which moves\r
everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. If\r
Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward} only moves your local view forward,\r
and it will not go past the position that the game was in when\r
you paused.\r
@item Back to Start\r
@cindex Back to Start, Menu Item\r
@cindex <<, Button\r
Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game.\r
The @samp{[<<]} button and the shifted @kbd{B} key are equivalents.\r
\r
In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at old\r
positions; it does not retract moves. This is the case if you\r
are playing against a local chess engine, playing or observing a game on\r
a chess server, or loading a game. If you select @samp{Back to Start} in any\r
of these situations, you will not be allowed to make different\r
moves. Use @samp{Retract Move} or @samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past\r
moves; or use Reset to start a new game.\r
\r
If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Back to\r
Start} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode\r
is off, @samp{Back to Start} issues the ICS @samp{backward 999999}\r
command, which backs up everyone's view of the game to the start and\r
allows you to make different moves. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Back\r
to Start} only backs up your local view.\r
@item Forward to End\r
@cindex Forward to End, Menu Item\r
@cindex >>, Button\r
Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The\r
@samp{[>>]} button and the shifted @kbd{F} key are equivalents.\r
\r
If you are examining an ICS game, the behavior of @samp{Forward to\r
End} depends on whether XBoard is in Pause mode. If Pause mode\r
is off, @samp{Forward to End} issues the ICS @samp{forward 999999}\r
command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end of\r
the current line. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward to End} only moves\r
your local view forward, and it will not go past the position\r
that the game was in when you paused.\r
@item Revert\r
@cindex Revert, Menu Item\r
If you are examining an ICS game and Pause mode is off, issues\r
the ICS command @samp{revert}.\r
@item Truncate Game\r
@cindex Truncate Game, Menu Item\r
Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current\r
position. Puts XBoard into @samp{Edit Game} mode if it was not there\r
already.\r
@item Move Now\r
@cindex Move Now, Menu Item\r
Forces the chess engine to move immediately. Chess engine mode only.\r
@item Retract Move\r
@cindex Retract Move, Menu Item\r
Retracts your last move. In chess engine mode, you can do this only\r
after the chess engine has replied to your move; if the chess engine is still\r
thinking, use @samp{Move Now} first. In ICS mode, @samp{Retract Move}\r
issues the command @samp{takeback 1} or @samp{takeback 2}\r
depending on whether it is your opponent's move or yours.\r
@item Adjudicate to White\r
@itemx Adjudicate to Black\r
@itemx Adjudicate Draw\r
@cindex Adjudicate to White, Menu Item\r
@cindex Adjudicate to Black, Menu Item\r
@cindex Adjudicate Draw, Menu Item\r
Terminate an ongoing game in Two-Machines mode (including match mode),\r
with as result a win for white, for black, or a draw, repsectively.\r
The PGN file of the game will accompany the result string\r
by the comment "user adjudication".\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Options Menu\r
@section Options Menu\r
@cindex Menu, Options\r
@cindex Options Menu\r
@table @asis\r
@item Flip View\r
@cindex Flip View, Menu Item\r
Inverts your view of the chess board for the duration of the\r
current game. Starting a new game returns the board to normal.\r
The @kbd{v} key is a keyboard equivalent.\r
@item Adjudications\r
@cindex Adjudications, Menu Item\r
Pops up a sub-menu where you can enable or disable various adjudications\r
that XBoard can perform in engine-engine games.\r
You can instruct XBoard to detect and terminate the game on checkmate\r
or stalemate, even if the engines would not do so, to verify engine\r
result claims (forfeiting engines that make false claims), rather than\r
naively following the engine, to declare draw on posititions\r
which can never be won for lack of mating material, (e.g. KBK),\r
or which are impossble to win unless the opponent seeks its own demise \r
(e.g. KBKN).\r
For these adjudications to work, @samp{Test Legality} should be switched on.\r
It is also possible to insruct XBoard to enforce a 50-move or 3-fold-repeat\r
rule and automtically declare draw (after a user-adjustable number of moves\r
or repeats) even if the engines are prepared to go on.\r
It is also possible to have XBoard declare draw on games that seem to drag on \r
forever, or adjudicate a loss if both engines agree (for 3 cosecutive moves) that one\r
of them is behind more than a user-adjustable score threshold.\r
For the latter adjudication to work, XBoard should be able to properly understand\r
the engine's scores. To faclitate the latter, you can inform xboard here if\r
the engines report scores from the viewpoint of white, or from that of their own color.\r
@item Engine Settings\r
Pops up a sub-menu where you can set some engine parameters common to most engines,\r
such as hash-table size, tablebase cache size, maximum number of processors\r
that SMP engines can use, and where to find the Polyglot adapter needed\r
to run UCI engines under XBoard. The feature tht allows setting of these parameters on\r
engines is new since XBoard 4.3.15, so not many WinBoard engines respond\r
to it yet, but UCI engines should.\r
It is also possible to specify a GUI opening book here, i.e. an opening\r
book that XBoard consults for any position a playing engine gets in.\r
It then forces the engine to play the book move, rather than to think up its own,\r
if that position is found in the book.\r
The book can switched on and off independently for either engine.\r
@item Time Control\r
@cindex Time Control, Menu Item\r
Pops up a sub-menu where you can set the time-control parameters interactively.\r
Allows you to select classical or incremental time controls,\r
set the moves per session, session duration, and time increment.\r
Also allows specification of time-odds factors for one or both engines.\r
If an engine is given a time-odds factor N, all time quota it gets, \r
be it at the beginning of a session or through the time increment or\r
fixed time per move, will be divided by N.\r
@item Always Queen\r
@cindex Always Queen, Menu Item\r
If this option is off, XBoard brings up a dialog\r
box whenever you move a pawn to the last rank, asking what piece\r
you want to promote it to. If the option is true, your pawns are\r
always promoted to queens. Your opponent can still underpromote.\r
@item Animate Dragging\r
@cindex Animate Dragging, Menu Item\r
If Animate Dragging is on, while you are dragging a piece with the\r
mouse, an image of the piece follows the mouse cursor.\r
If Animate Dragging is off, there is no visual feedback while you are\r
dragging a piece, but if Animate Moving is on, the move will be\r
animated when it is complete. \r
@item Animate Moving\r
@cindex Animate Moving, Menu Item\r
If Animate Moving is on, all piece moves are animated.  An image of the\r
piece is shown moving from the old square to the new square when the\r
move is completed (unless the move was already animated by Animate Dragging).\r
If Animate Moving is off, a moved piece instantly disappears from its\r
old square and reappears on its new square when the move is complete.\r
@item Auto Comment\r
@cindex Auto Comment, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, any remarks made on ICS while you are observing or\r
playing a game are recorded as a comment on the current move.  This includes\r
remarks made with the ICS commands @kbd{say}, @kbd{tell}, @kbd{whisper},\r
and @kbd{kibitz}.\r
Limitation: remarks that you type yourself are not recognized;\r
XBoard scans only the output from ICS, not the input you type to it.\r
@item Auto Flag\r
@cindex Auto Flag, Menu Item\r
If this option is on and one player runs out of time\r
before the other,\r
XBoard\r
will automatically call his flag, claiming a win on time.\r
In ICS mode, Auto Flag will only call your opponent's flag, not yours,\r
and the ICS may award you a draw instead of a win if you have\r
insufficient mating material.  In local chess engine mode,\r
XBoard\r
may call either player's flag and will not take material into account.\r
@item Auto Flip View\r
@cindex Auto Flip View, Menu Item\r
If the Auto Flip View option is on when you start a game, the board\r
will be automatically oriented so that your pawns move from the bottom\r
of the window towards the top.\r
@item Auto Observe\r
@cindex Auto Observe, Menu Item\r
If this option is on and you add a player to your @code{gnotify}\r
list on ICS, XBoard will automatically observe all of that\r
player's games, unless you are doing something else (such as\r
observing or playing a game of your own) when one starts.\r
The games are displayed \r
from the point of view of the player on your gnotify list; that is, his\r
pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top.\r
Exceptions:  If both players in a game are on your gnotify list, if\r
your ICS \r
@code{highlight}\r
variable is set to 0, or if the ICS you are using does not \r
properly support observing from Black's point of view,\r
you will see the game from White's point of view.\r
@item Auto Raise Board\r
@cindex Auto Raise Board, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, whenever a new game begins, the chessboard window\r
is deiconized (if necessary) and raised to the top of the stack of windows.\r
@item Auto Save\r
@cindex Auto Save, Menu Item\r
If this option is true, at the end of every game XBoard prompts\r
you for a file name and appends a record of the game to the file\r
you specify. \r
Disabled if the @code{saveGameFile} command-line\r
option is set, as in that case all games are saved to the specified file.\r
@xref{Load and Save options}.\r
@item Blindfold\r
@cindex Blindfold, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, XBoard displays the board as usual but does\r
not display pieces or move highlights.  You can still move in the\r
usual way (with the mouse or by typing moves in ICS mode), even though\r
the pieces are invisible.\r
@item Flash Moves\r
@cindex Flash Moves, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, whenever a move is completed, the moved piece flashes.\r
The number of times to flash is set by the flashCount command-line\r
option; it defaults to 3 if Flash Moves is first turned on from the menu.\r
\r
If you are playing a game on an ICS, the board is always\r
oriented at the start of the game so that your pawns move from\r
the bottom of the window towards the top. Otherwise, the starting\r
orientation is determined by the @code{flipView} command line option;\r
if it is false (the default), White's pawns move from bottom to top\r
at the start of each game; if it is true, Black's pawns move from\r
bottom to top. @xref{User interface options}.\r
@item Get Move List\r
@cindex Get Move List, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, whenever XBoard\r
receives the first board of a new ICS game (or a different game from\r
the one it is currently displaying), it\r
retrieves the list of past moves from the ICS.\r
You can then review the moves with the @samp{Forward} and @samp{Backward}\r
commands\r
or save them with @samp{Save Game}.  You might want to\r
turn off this option if you are observing several blitz games at once,\r
to keep from wasting time and network bandwidth fetching the move lists over\r
and over.\r
When you turn this option on from the menu, XBoard\r
immediately fetches the move list of the current game (if any).\r
@item Highlight Last Move\r
@cindex Highlight Last Move, Menu Item\r
If Highlight Last Move is on, after a move is made, the starting and\r
ending squares remain highlighted. In addition, after you use Backward\r
or Back to Start, the starting and ending squares of the last move to\r
be unmade are highlighted.\r
@item Move Sound\r
@cindex Move Sound, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, XBoard alerts you by playing a sound\r
after each of your opponent's moves (or after every\r
move if you are observing a game on the Internet Chess Server).\r
The sound is not played after moves you make or moves read from a\r
saved game file. By default, the\r
sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems you can change it\r
to a sound file using the soundMove option; see below.\r
\r
If you turn on this option when using XBoard with the Internet\r
Chess Server, you will probably want to give the\r
@kbd{set bell 0}\r
command to the ICS, since otherwise the ICS will ring the terminal bell\r
after every move (not just yours). (The @file{.icsrc} file\r
is a good place for this; see @ref{ICS options}.)\r
@item ICS Alarm\r
@cindex ICS Alarm, Menu Item\r
When this option is on, an alarm sound is played when your clock\r
counts down to the icsAlarmTime (by default, 5 seconds) in an ICS\r
game.  For games with time controls that include an increment, the\r
alarm will sound each time the clock counts down to the icsAlarmTime.\r
By default, the alarm sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems\r
you can change it to a sound file using the soundIcsAlarm option; see\r
below.\r
@item Old Save Style\r
@cindex Old Save Style, Menu Item\r
If this option is off, XBoard saves games in PGN\r
(portable game notation) and positions in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards\r
notation).  If the option is on, a save style that is compatible\r
with older versions of XBoard is used instead.\r
The old position style is more human-readable\r
than FEN; the old game style has no particular advantages.\r
@item Periodic Updates\r
@cindex Periodic Updates, Menu Item\r
If this option is off (or if\r
you are using a chess engine that does not support periodic updates),\r
the analysis window\r
will only be updated when the analysis changes. If this option is\r
on, the Analysis Window will be updated every two seconds.\r
@item Ponder Next Move\r
@cindex Ponder Next Move, Menu Item\r
If this option is off, the chess engine will think only when it is on\r
move.  If the option is on, the engine will also think while waiting\r
for you to make your move.\r
@item Popup Exit Message\r
@cindex Popup Exit Message, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, when XBoard wants to display a message just\r
before exiting, it brings up a modal dialog box and waits for you to\r
click OK before exiting.  If the option is off, XBoard prints the\r
message to standard error (the terminal) and exits immediately.\r
@item Popup Move Errors\r
@cindex Popup Move Errors, Menu Item\r
If this option is off, when you make an error in moving (such as\r
attempting an illegal move or moving the wrong color piece), the\r
error message is displayed in the message area.  If the option is\r
on, move errors are displayed in small popup windows like other errors.\r
You can dismiss an error popup either by clicking its OK button or by\r
clicking anywhere on the board, including downclicking to start a move.\r
@item Premove\r
@cindex Premove, Menu Item\r
If this option is on while playing a game on an ICS, you can register\r
your next planned move before it is your turn.  Move the piece with\r
the mouse in the ordinary way, and the starting and ending squares\r
will be highlighted with a special color (red by default).  When it is\r
your turn, if your registered move is legal, XBoard will send it to\r
ICS immediately; if not, it will be ignored and you can make a\r
different move.  If you change your mind about your premove, either\r
make a different move, or double-click on any piece to cancel the move\r
entirely.\r
@item Quiet Play\r
@cindex Quiet Play, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, XBoard will automatically issue an ICS\r
@kbd{set shout 0}\r
command whenever you start a game and a\r
@kbd{set shout 1}\r
command whenever you finish one.  Thus, you will not be distracted\r
by shouts from other ICS users while playing.\r
@item Show Coords\r
@cindex Show Coords, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, XBoard displays algebraic coordinates\r
along the board's left and bottom edges.\r
@item Hide Thinking\r
@cindex Hide Thinking, Menu Item\r
If this option is off, the chess engine's notion of the score and best\r
line of play from the current position is displayed as it is\r
thinking. The score indicates how many pawns ahead (or if negative,\r
behind) the chess engine thinks it is. In matches between two\r
machines, the score is prefixed by @samp{W} or @samp{B} to indicate\r
whether it is showing White's thinking or Black's, and only the thinking\r
of the engine that is on move is shown.\r
@item Test Legality\r
@cindex Test Legality, Menu Item\r
If this option is on, XBoard tests whether the moves you try to make\r
with the mouse are legal and refuses to let you make an illegal move.\r
Moves loaded from a file with @samp{Load Game} are also checked.  If\r
the option is off, all moves are accepted, but if a local chess engine\r
or the ICS is active, they will still reject illegal moves.  Turning\r
off this option is useful if you are playing a chess variant with\r
rules that XBoard does not understand.  (Bughouse, suicide, and wild\r
variants where the king may castle after starting on the d file are\r
generally supported with Test Legality on.)\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Help Menu\r
@section Help Menu\r
@cindex Menu, Help\r
@cindex Help Menu\r
@table @asis\r
@item Info XBoard\r
@cindex Info XBoard, Menu Item\r
Displays the XBoard documentation in info format.  For this feature to\r
work, you must have the GNU info program installed on your system, and\r
the file @file{xboard.info} must either be present in the current\r
working directory, or have been installed by the @samp{make install}\r
command when you built XBoard.\r
@item Man XBoard\r
@cindex Man XBoard, Menu Item\r
Displays the XBoard documentation in man page format.  For this\r
feature to work, the file @file{xboard.6} must have been installed by\r
the @samp{make install} command when you built XBoard, and the\r
directory it was placed in must be on the search path for your\r
system's @samp{man} command.\r
@item Hint\r
@cindex Hint, Menu Item\r
Displays a move hint from the chess engine.\r
@item Book\r
@cindex Book, Menu Item\r
Displays a list of possible moves from the chess engine's opening\r
book.  The exact format depends on what chess engine you are using.\r
With GNU Chess 4, the first column gives moves, the second column\r
gives one possible response for each move, and the third column shows\r
the number of lines in the book that include the move from the first\r
column. If you select this option and nothing happens, the chess\r
engine is out of its book or does not support this feature.\r
@item About XBoard\r
@cindex About XBoard, Menu Item\r
Shows the current XBoard version number.\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Keys\r
@section Other Shortcut Keys\r
@cindex Keys\r
@cindex Shortcut keys\r
@table @asis\r
@item Iconize\r
Pressing the @kbd{i} or @kbd{c} key iconizes XBoard. The graphical\r
icon displays a white knight if it is White's move, or a black knight\r
if it is Black's move. If your X window manager displays only text\r
icons, not graphical ones, check its documentation; there is probably\r
a way to enable graphical icons.  If you get black and white reversed,\r
we would like to hear about it; see @ref{Problems} below for\r
instructions on how to report this problem.\r
@end table\r
\r
You can add or remove shortcut keys using the X resources\r
@code{form.translations}. Here is an example of what would go in your\r
@file{.Xresources} file:\r
\r
@example\r
XBoard*form.translations: \\r
  Shift<Key>?: AboutGameProc() \n\\r
  <Key>y: AcceptProc() \n\\r
  <Key>n: DeclineProc() \n\\r
  <Key>i: NothingProc()\r
@end example\r
@noindent\r
Binding a key to @code{NothingProc} makes it do nothing, thus removing\r
it as a shortcut key. The XBoard commands that can be bound to keys\r
are:\r
\r
@example\r
AbortProc, AboutGameProc, AboutProc, AcceptProc, AdjournProc,\r
AlwaysQueenProc, AnalysisModeProc, AnalyzeFileProc,\r
AnimateDraggingProc, AnimateMovingProc, AutobsProc, AutoflagProc,\r
AutoflipProc, AutoraiseProc, AutosaveProc, BackwardProc,\r
BlindfoldProc, BookProc, CallFlagProc, CopyGameProc, CopyPositionProc,\r
DebugProc, DeclineProc, DrawProc, EditCommentProc, EditGameProc,\r
EditPositionProc, EditTagsProc, EnterKeyProc, FlashMovesProc,\r
FlipViewProc, ForwardProc, GetMoveListProc, HighlightLastMoveProc,\r
HintProc, Iconify, IcsAlarmProc, IcsClientProc, IcsInputBoxProc,\r
InfoProc, LoadGameProc, LoadNextGameProc, LoadNextPositionProc,\r
LoadPositionProc, LoadPrevGameProc, LoadPrevPositionProc,\r
LoadSelectedProc, MachineBlackProc, MachineWhiteProc, MailMoveProc,\r
ManProc, MoveNowProc, MoveSoundProc, NothingProc, OldSaveStyleProc,\r
PasteGameProc, PastePositionProc, PauseProc, PeriodicUpdatesProc,\r
PonderNextMoveProc, PopupExitMessageProc, PopupMoveErrorsProc,\r
PremoveProc, QuietPlayProc, QuitProc, ReloadCmailMsgProc,\r
ReloadGameProc, ReloadPositionProc, RematchProc, ResetProc,\r
ResignProc, RetractMoveProc, RevertProc, SaveGameProc,\r
SavePositionProc, ShowCoordsProc, ShowGameListProc, ShowThinkingProc,\r
StopExaminingProc, StopObservingProc, TestLegalityProc, ToEndProc,\r
ToStartProc, TrainingProc, TruncateGameProc, and TwoMachinesProc.\r
@end example\r
\r
@node Options\r
@chapter Options\r
@cindex Options\r
@cindex Options\r
\r
This section documents the command-line options to XBoard.  You can\r
set these options in two ways: by typing them on the shell command\r
line you use to start XBoard, or by setting them as X resources\r
(typically in your @file{.Xresources} file).  Many of the options\r
cannot be changed while XBoard is running; others set the initial\r
state of items that can be changed with the @ref{Options} menu.\r
\r
Most of the options have both a long name and a short name. To turn a\r
boolean option on or off from the command line, either give its long\r
name followed by the value true or false\r
(@samp{-longOptionName true}), or give just the short name to turn the\r
option on (@samp{-opt}), or the short name preceded by @samp{x} to\r
turn the option off (@samp{-xopt}). For options that take strings or\r
numbers as values, you can use the long or short option names\r
interchangeably.\r
\r
Each option corresponds to an X resource with the same name, so\r
if you like, you can set options in your @file{.Xresources} file\r
or in a file named @file{XBoard} in your home directory.\r
For options that have two names, the longer one is the name of\r
the corresponding X resource; the short name is not recognized.\r
To turn a boolean option on or off as an\r
X resource, give its long name followed by the value\r
true or false (@samp{XBoard*longOptionName: true}).\r
\r
@menu\r
* Chess engine options::        Controlling the chess engine.\r
* UCI + WB Engine Settings::    Setting some very common engine parameters\r
* ICS options::                 Connecting to and using ICS.\r
* Load and Save options::       Input/output options.\r
* User interface options::      Look and feel options.\r
* Adjudication Options::        Control adjudcation of engine-engine games.\r
* Other options::               Miscellaneous.\r
@end menu\r
\r
@node Chess engine options\r
@section Chess Engine Options\r
@cindex options, Chess engine\r
@cindex Chess engine options\r
@table @asis\r
@item -tc or -timeControl minutes[:seconds]\r
@cindex tc, option\r
@cindex timeControl, option\r
Each player begins with his clock set to the @code{timeControl} period.\r
Default: 5 minutes.\r
The additional options @code{movesPerSession} and @code{timeIncrement}\r
are mutually exclusive.  \r
@item -mps or -movesPerSession moves\r
@cindex mps, option\r
@cindex movesPerSession, option\r
When both players have made @code{movesPerSession} moves, a\r
new @code{timeControl} period is added to both clocks.  Default: 40 moves.\r
@item -inc or -timeIncrement seconds\r
@cindex inc, option\r
@cindex timeIncrement, option\r
If this option is specified, @code{movesPerSession} is ignored.\r
Instead, after each player's move, @code{timeIncrement} seconds are\r
added to his clock.  \r
Use @samp{-inc 0} if you want to require the entire\r
game to be played in one @code{timeControl} period, with no increment.\r
Default: -1, which specifies @code{movesPerSession} mode.\r
@item -clock/-xclock or -clockMode true/false\r
@cindex clock, option\r
@cindex clockMode, option\r
Determines whether or not to display the chess clocks. If clockMode is\r
false, the clocks are not shown, but the side that is to play next\r
is still highlighted. Also, unless @code{searchTime}\r
is set, the chess engine still keeps track of the clock time and uses it to\r
determine how fast to make its moves.\r
@item -st or -searchTime minutes[:seconds]\r
@cindex st, option\r
@cindex searchTime, option\r
Tells the chess engine to spend at most the given amount of time\r
searching for each of its moves. Without this option, the chess engine\r
chooses its search time based on the number of moves and amount\r
of time remaining until the next time control.\r
Setting this option also sets clockMode to false.\r
@item -depth or -searchDepth number\r
@cindex sd, option\r
@cindex searchDepth, option\r
Tells the chess engine to look ahead at most the given number of moves\r
when searching for a move to make. Without this option, the chess\r
engine chooses its search depth based on the number of moves and\r
amount of time remaining until the next time control.  With the option,\r
the engine will cut off its search early if it reaches the specified depth.\r
@item -firstNPS number\r
@itemx -secondNPS number\r
@cindex firstNPS, option\r
@cindex secondNPS, option\r
Tells the chess engine to use an internal time standard based on its node count, \r
rather then wall-clock time, to make its timing decisions. \r
The time in virtual seconds should be obtained by dividing the node count \r
through the given number, like the number was a rate in nodes per second. \r
Xboard will manage the clocks in accordance with this, relying on the number \r
of nodes reported by the engine in its thinking output. If the given number equals zero, \r
it can obviously not be used to convert nodes to seconds, and the time reported \r
by the engine is used to decrement the XBoard clock in stead. The engine is supposed to \r
report in CPU time it uses, rather than wall-clock time, in this mode. This option \r
can provide fairer conditions for engine-engine matches on heavily loaded machines, \r
or with very fast games (where the wall clock is too inaccurate). \r
@code{showThinking} must be on for this option to work. Default: -1 (off).\r
Not many engines might support this yet!\r
@item -firstTimeOdds factor\r
@itemx -secondTimeOdds factor\r
@cindex firstTimeOdds, option\r
@cindex secondTimeOdds, option\r
Reduces the time given to the mentioned engine by the given factor. \r
If pondering is off, the effect is indistinguishable from what would happen \r
if the engine was running on an n-times slower machine. Default: 1.\r
@item -timeOddsMode mode\r
@cindex timeOddsMode, option\r
This option determines how the case is handled where both engines have a time-odds handicap. \r
If mode=1, the engine that gets the most time will always get the nominal time, \r
as specified by the time-control options, and its opponent's time is renormalized accordingly. \r
If mode=0, both play with reduced time. Default: 0.\r
@item -hideThinkingFromHuman true/false\r
Controls the Hide Thinking option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true.\r
(Relaces the Show-Thinking option of older xboard versions.)\r
@item -thinking/-xthinking or -showThinking true/false\r
@cindex thinking, option\r
@cindex showThinking, option\r
Forces the engine to send thinking output to xboard. \r
Used to be the only way to control if thinking output was displayed \r
in older xboard versions,\r
but as the thinking output in xboard 4.3 is also used for several other\r
purposes (adjudication, storing in PGN file) the display of it is now controlled\r
by the new option Hide Thinking. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.\r
(But if xboard needs the thinking output for some purpose,\r
it makes the engine send it despite the setting of this option.)\r
@item -ponder/-xponder or -ponderNextMove true/false\r
@cindex ponder, option\r
@cindex ponderNextMove, option\r
Sets the Ponder Next Move menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true.\r
@item -smpCores number\r
Specifies the maxmum nmber of CPUs an SMP engine is allowed to use.\r
Only works for engines that support the WinBoard-protocol cores feature.\r
@item -mg or -matchGames n\r
@cindex mg, option\r
@cindex matchGames, option\r
Automatically runs an n-game match between two chess engines,\r
with alternating colors.\r
If the @code{loadGameFile} or @code{loadPositionFile} option is set,\r
XBoard\r
starts each game with the given opening moves or the given position;\r
otherwise, the games start with the standard initial chess position.\r
If the @code{saveGameFile} option is set, a move record for the\r
match is appended to the specified file. If the @code{savePositionFile}\r
option is set, the final position reached in each game of the match is appended\r
to the specified file. When the match is over, XBoard\r
displays the match score and exits. Default: 0 (do not run a match).\r
@item -mm/-xmm or -matchMode true/false\r
@cindex mm, option\r
@cindex matchMode, option\r
Setting @code{matchMode} to true is equivalent to setting\r
@code{matchGames} to 1.\r
@item -sameColorGames n\r
@cindex sameColorGames, option\r
Automatically runs an n-game match between two chess engines,\r
without alternating colors.\r
Otherwise the same applies as for the @samp{-matchGames} option,\r
over which it takes precedence if both are specified. (See there.)\r
Default: 0 (do not run a match).\r
@item -fcp or -firstChessProgram program\r
@cindex fcp, option\r
@cindex firstChessProgram, option\r
Name of first chess engine.\r
Default: @file{Fairy-Max}.\r
@item -scp or -secondChessProgram program\r
@cindex scp, option\r
@cindex secondChessProgram, option\r
Name of second chess engine, if needed.\r
A second chess engine is started only in Two Machines (match) mode.\r
Default: @file{Fairy-Max}.\r
@item -fb/-xfb or -firstPlaysBlack true/false\r
@cindex fb, option\r
@cindex firstPlaysBlack, option\r
In games between two chess engines, firstChessProgram normally plays\r
white.  If this option is true, firstChessProgram plays black.  In a\r
multi-game match, this option affects the colors only for the first\r
game; they still alternate in subsequent games.\r
@item -fh or -firstHost host\r
@itemx -sh or -secondHost host\r
@cindex fh, option\r
@cindex firstHost, option\r
@cindex sh, option\r
@cindex secondHost, option\r
Hosts on which the chess engines are to run. The default for\r
each is @file{localhost}. If you specify another host, XBoard\r
uses @file{rsh} to run the chess engine there. (You can substitute a\r
different remote shell program for rsh using the @code{remoteShell}\r
option described below.)\r
@item -fd or -firstDirectory dir\r
@itemx -sd or -secondDirectory dir\r
@cindex fd, option\r
@cindex firstDirectory, option\r
@cindex sd, option\r
@cindex secondDirectory, option\r
Working directories in which the chess engines are to be run.\r
The default is "", which means to run the chess engine\r
in the same working directory as XBoard\r
itself.  (See the CHESSDIR environment variable.)\r
This option is effective only when the chess engine is being run\r
on the local host; it does not work if the engine is run remotely\r
using the -fh or -sh option.\r
@item -initString string\r
@itemx -secondInitString string\r
@cindex initString, option\r
@cindex secondInitString, option\r
The string that is sent to initialize each chess engine for a new game.\r
Default:\r
\r
@example\r
new\r
random\r
@end example\r
@noindent\r
Setting this option from the command line is tricky, because you must\r
type in real newline characters, including one at the very end.\r
In most shells you can do this by\r
entering a @samp{\} character followed by a newline. It is easier to set\r
the option from your @file{.Xresources} file; in that case you can\r
include the character sequence @samp{\n} in the string, and it will\r
be converted to a newline.\r
\r
If you change this option, don't remove the @samp{new} \r
command; it is required by all chess engines to\r
start a new game.\r
\r
You can remove the @samp{random} command if you like; including it\r
causes GNU Chess 4 to randomize its move selection slightly so that it\r
doesn't play the same moves in every game.  Even without\r
@samp{random}, GNU Chess 4 randomizes its choice of moves from its\r
opening book.  Many other chess engines ignore this command entirely\r
and always (or never) randomize.\r
\r
You can also try adding other commands to the initString; see the\r
documentation of the chess engine you are using for details.\r
@item -firstComputerString string\r
@itemx -secondComputerString string\r
@cindex firstComputerString, option\r
@cindex secondComputerString, option\r
The string that is sent to the chess engine if its opponent is another\r
computer chess engine.  The default is @samp{computer\n}.  Probably the\r
only useful alternative is the empty string (@samp{}), which keeps the\r
engine from knowing that it is playing another computer.\r
@item -reuse/-xreuse or -reuseFirst true/false\r
@itemx -reuse2/-xreuse2 or -reuseSecond true/false\r
@cindex reuse, option\r
@cindex reuseFirst, option\r
@cindex reuse2, option\r
@cindex reuseSecond, option\r
If the option is false,\r
XBoard kills off the chess engine after every game and starts\r
it again for the next game.  \r
If the option is true (the default), \r
XBoard starts the chess engine only once\r
and uses it repeatedly to play multiple games.\r
Some old chess engines may not work properly when\r
reuse is turned on, but otherwise games will start faster if it is left on.\r
@item -firstProtocolVersion version-number\r
@itemx -secondProtocolVersion version-number\r
@cindex firstProtocolVersion, option\r
@cindex secondProtocolVersion, option\r
This option specifies which version of the chess engine communication\r
protocol to use.  By default, version-number is 2.  In version 1, the\r
"protover" command is not sent to the engine; since version 1 is a\r
subset of version 2, nothing else changes.  Other values for\r
version-number are not supported.\r
@item -firstScoreAbs true/false\r
@itemx -secondScoreAbs true/false\r
@cindex firstScoreAbs, option\r
@cindex secondScoreAbs, option\r
If this option is set, the score reported by the engine is taken to be \r
that in favor of white, even when the engine plays black. \r
Important when XBoard uses the score for adjudications, or in PGN reporting. \r
@item -niceEngines priority\r
@cindex niceEngines, option\r
This option allows you to lower the priority of the engine processes, \r
so that the generally insatiable hunger for CPU time of chess engines does not interfere so much \r
with smooth operation of WinBoard (or the rest of your system). \r
Negative values could increase the engine priority, which is not recommended.\r
@item -firstOptions string\r
@itemx -secondOptions string\r
@cindex firstOptions, option\r
@cindex secondOptions, option\r
The given string is a comma-separated list of (option name, option value) pairs, \r
like the following example: “style=Karpov,blunder rate=0”. \r
If the options announced by the engine at startup through the feature commands of WinBoard protocol \r
matches one of the option names (i.e. “style” or “blunder rate”), \r
it would be set to the given value (i.e. “Karpov” or 0) \r
through a corresponding option command to the engine. \r
This provided that the type of the value (text or numeric) matches as well.\r
@item -firstNeedsNoncompliantFEN string\r
@itemx -secondNeedsNoncompliantFEN string\r
@cindex firstNeedsNoncompliantFEN, option\r
@cindex secondNeedsNoncompliantFEN, option\r
The castling rights and e.p. fields of the FEN sent to the mentioned engine \r
with the setboard command will be replaced by the given string. This can for \r
instance be used to run engines that do not understand Chess960 FENs in \r
variant fischerandom, to make them at least understand the opening position, \r
through setting the string to “KQkq -”. (Note you also have to give the e.p. field!) \r
Other possible applications are to provide work-arounds for engines that want to see \r
castling and e.p. fields in variants that do not have castling or e.p. \r
(shatranj, courier, xiangqi, shogi) so that WinBoard would normally omit them \r
(string = “- -“), or to add variant-specific fields that are not yet supported by WinBoard \r
(e.g. to indicate the number of checks in 3check).\r
@end table\r
\r
@node UCI + WB Engine Settings\r
@section UCI + WB Engine Settings\r
@cindex Engine Settings\r
@cindex Settings, Engine\r
@table @asis\r
@item -fUCI or -firstIsUCI true/false\r
@itemx -sUCI or -secondIsUCI true/false\r
@cindex fUCI, option\r
@cindex sUCI, option\r
@cindex firstIsUCI, option\r
@cindex secondIsUCI, option\r
Indicates if the mentioned engine executable file is an UCI engine, \r
and should be run with the aid of the Polyglot adapter rather than directly. \r
Xboard will then pass the other UCI options and engine name to Polyglot \r
through a .ini temporary file ceated for the purpose.\r
@item -PolyglotDir filename\r
@cindex PolyglotDir, option\r
Gives the name of the directory in which the Polyglot adapter for UCI engines expects its files.\r
Default: "/usr/local/share/polyglot".\r
@item -usePolyglotBook true/false\r
@cindex usePolyglotBook, option\r
Specifies if the Polygot book should be used.\r
@item -PolyglotBook filename\r
@cindex PolyglotBook, option\r
Gives the filename of the opening book that Polyglot should use. \r
From XBoard 4.3.15 on, native WinBoard engines will also use the opening book specified here, \r
provided the @code{usePolyglotBook} option is set to true,\r
and the option @code{firstHasOwnBookUCI} or @code{secondHasOwnBookUCI} applying to the engine\r
is set to false.\r
The engine will be kept in force mode as long as the current position is in book, \r
and XBoard will select the book moves for it. Default "".\r
@item -fNoOwnBookUCI or -firstXBook or -firstHasOwnBookUCI true/false\r
@itemx -sNoOwnBookUCI or -secondXBook or -secondHasOwnBookUCI true/false\r
@cindex fNoOwnBookUCI, option\r
@cindex sNoOwnBookUCI, option\r
@cindex firstHasOwnBookUCI, option\r
@cindex secondHasOwnBookUCI, option\r
@cindex firstXBook, option\r
@cindex secondXBook, option\r
Indicates if the mentioned engine has its own opening book it should play from,\r
rather than using the external book through XBoard. Default: false.\r
@item -defaultHashSize n\r
@cindex defaultHashSize, option\r
Sets the size of the hash table to n MegaBytes. Together with the EGTB cache size \r
this number is also used to calculate the memory setting of WinBoard engines, \r
for those that support the memory feature of WinBoard protocol. Default: 64.\r
@item -defaultCacheSizeEGTB n\r
@cindex defaultCacheSizeEGTB, option\r
Sets the size of the EGTB cache to n MegaBytes. Together with the hash-table size \r
this number is also used to calculate the memory setting of WinBoard engines, \r
for those that support the memory feature of WinBoard protocol. Default: 4.\r
@item -defaultPathEGTB filename\r
@cindex defaultPathEGTB, option\r
Gives the name of the directory where the end-game tablebases are installed, for UCI engines.\r
Default: "/usr/local/share/egtb".\r
@item -egtFormats string\r
@cindex egtFormats, option\r
Specifies which end-game tables are installed on the computer, and where. \r
The argument is a comma-separated list of format specifications, \r
each specification consisting of a format name, a colon, and a directory path name, \r
e.g. "nalimov:/usr/local/share/egtb". \r
If the name part matches that of a format that the engine requests through a feature command, \r
xboard will relay the path name for this format to the engine through an egtpath command. \r
One egtpath command for each matching format will be sent. \r
Popular formats are "nalimov" DTM tablebases and "scorpio" bitbases.\r
Default: "".\r
@end table\r
\r
@node ICS options\r
@section ICS options\r
@cindex ICS options\r
@cindex Options, ICS\r
@table @asis\r
@item -ics/-xics or -internetChessServerMode true/false\r
@cindex ics, option\r
@cindex internetChessServerMode, option\r
Connect with an Internet Chess Server to play chess against its\r
other users, observe games they are playing, or review games\r
that have recently finished. Default: false.\r
@item -icshost or -internetChessServerHost host\r
@cindex icshost, option\r
@cindex internetChessServerHost, option\r
The Internet host name or address of the chess server to connect\r
to when in ICS mode. Default: @code{chessclub.com}.\r
Another popular chess server to try is @code{freechess.org}.\r
If your site doesn't have a working Internet name server, try\r
specifying the host address in numeric form. \r
You may also need\r
to specify the numeric address when using the icshelper option\r
with timestamp or timeseal (see below).\r
@item -icsport or -internetChessServerPort port-number\r
@cindex icsport, option\r
@cindex internetChessServerPort, option\r
The port number to use when connecting to a chess server in ICS\r
mode. Default: 5000.\r
@item -icshelper or -internetChessServerHelper prog-name\r
@cindex icshelper, option\r
@cindex internetChessServerHelper, option\r
An external helper program used to communicate with the chess server.\r
You would set it to "timestamp" for ICC (chessclub.com) or\r
"timeseal" for FICS (freechess.org), after\r
obtaining the correct version of timestamp or timeseal for your\r
computer.  See "help timestamp" on ICC and "help timeseal" on FICS.\r
This option is shorthand for @code{-useTelnet -telnetProgram program}.\r
@item -telnet/-xtelnet or -useTelnet true/false\r
@cindex telnet, option\r
@cindex useTelnet, option\r
This option is poorly named; it should be called useHelper.\r
If set to true, it instructs XBoard to run an external\r
program to communicate with the Internet Chess Server. \r
The program to use is given by the telnetProgram option.\r
If the option is\r
false (the default), XBoard opens a TCP socket and uses its own\r
internal implementation of the telnet protocol to communicate with the\r
ICS. @xref{Firewalls}.\r
@item -telnetProgram prog-name\r
@cindex telnetProgram, option\r
This option is poorly named; it should be called helperProgram.\r
It gives the name of the telnet program to be used with\r
the @code{gateway} and @code{useTelnet} options.  The default is\r
@file{telnet}. The telnet program is invoked with the value of\r
@code{internetChessServerHost} as its first argument and the value\r
of @code{internetChessServerPort} as its second argument.\r
@xref{Firewalls}.\r
@item -gateway host-name\r
@cindex gateway, option\r
If this option is set to a host name, XBoard communicates with the\r
Internet Chess Server by using @file{rsh} to run\r
the @code{telnetProgram} on the given host,\r
instead of using its own internal implementation\r
of the telnet protocol. You can substitute a different remote shell\r
program for @file{rsh} using the @code{remoteShell} option described below.\r
@xref{Firewalls}.\r
@item -internetChessServerCommPort or -icscomm dev-name\r
@cindex internetChessServerCommPort, option\r
@cindex icscomm, option\r
If this option is set, XBoard communicates with the ICS through\r
the given character I/O device instead of opening a TCP connection.\r
Use this option if your system does not have any kind of\r
Internet connection itself (not even a SLIP or PPP connection),\r
but you do have dialup access (or a hardwired terminal line) to\r
an Internet service provider from which you can telnet to the ICS.\r
\r
The support for this option in XBoard is minimal. You need to\r
set all communication parameters and tty modes before you enter\r
XBoard.\r
\r
Use a script something like this:\r
\r
@example\r
stty raw -echo 9600 > /dev/tty00\r
xboard -ics -icscomm /dev/tty00\r
@end example\r
\r
Here replace @samp{/dev/tty00} with the name of the device that your\r
modem is connected to. You might have to add several more\r
options to these stty commands. See the man pages for @file{stty}\r
and @code{tty} if you run into problems. Also, on many systems stty\r
works on its standard input instead of standard output, so you\r
have to use @samp{<} instead of @samp{>}.\r
\r
If you are using linux, try starting with the script below.\r
Change it as necessary for your installation.\r
\r
@example\r
#!/bin/sh -f\r
# configure modem and fire up XBoard\r
\r
# configure modem\r
(\r
  stty 2400 ; stty raw ; stty hupcl ; stty -clocal\r
  stty ignbrk ; stty ignpar ; stty ixon ; stty ixoff\r
  stty -iexten ; stty -echo\r
) < /dev/modem\r
xboard -ics -icscomm /dev/modem\r
@end example\r
@noindent\r
After you start XBoard in this way, type whatever commands are\r
necessary to dial out to your Internet provider and log in.\r
Then telnet to ICS, using a command like\r
@kbd{telnet chessclub.com 5000}.\r
Important: See the paragraph below about extra echoes, \r
in @ref{Limitations}.\r
@item -icslogon or -internetChessServerLogonScript file-name\r
@cindex icslogon, option\r
@cindex internetChessServerLogonScript, option\r
@cindex .icsrc\r
Whenever XBoard connects to the Internet Chess Server,\r
if it finds a file with the name given in this option, it feeds the\r
file's contents to the ICS as commands. The default file name\r
is @file{.icsrc}.\r
Usually the first two lines of the file should be\r
your ICS user name and password.\r
The file can be either in $CHESSDIR, in XBoard's working\r
directory if CHESSDIR is not set, or in your home directory.\r
@item -msLoginDelay delay\r
@cindex msLoginDelay, option\r
If you experience trouble logging on to an ICS when using the\r
@code{-icslogon} option, inserting some delay between characters\r
of the logon script may help. This option adds @code{delay}\r
milliseconds of delay between characters. Good values to try\r
are 100 and 250.\r
@item -icsinput/-xicsinput or -internetChessServerInputBox true/false\r
@cindex icsinput, option\r
@cindex internetChessServerInputBox, option\r
Sets the ICS Input Box menu option. @xref{Mode Menu}. Default: false.\r
@item -autocomm/-xautocomm or -autoComment true/false\r
@cindex autocomm, option\r
@cindex autoComment, option\r
Sets the Auto Comment menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.\r
@item -autoflag/-xautoflag or -autoCallFlag true/false\r
@cindex autoflag, option\r
@cindex autoCallFlag, option\r
Sets the Auto Flag menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.\r
@item -autobs/-xautobs or -autoObserve true/false\r
@cindex autobs, option\r
@cindex autoObserve, option\r
Sets the Auto Observe menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.\r
@item -autoKibitz\r
@cindex autoKibitz, option\r
Enables kibitzing of the engines last thinking output (depth, score, time, speed, PV) \r
before it moved\r
to the ICS, in zippy mode. The option @code{showThinking} must be switched on for \r
this option to work.\r
Also diverts similar kibitz information of an opponent engine that is playing you \r
through the ICS to the engine-output window, as if the engine was playing locally.\r
@item -moves/-xmoves or -getMoveList true/false\r
@cindex moves, option\r
@cindex getMoveList, option\r
Sets the Get Move List menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: true.\r
@item -alarm/-xalarm or -icsAlarm true/false\r
@cindex alarm, option\r
@cindex icsAlarm, option\r
Sets the ICS Alarm menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true.\r
@item -icsAlarmTime ms\r
@cindex icsAlarmTime, option\r
Sets the time in milliseconds for the ICS Alarm menu option. \r
@xref{Options Menu}. Default: 5000.\r
@item -pre/-xpre \fRor\fB -premove true/false\r
@cindex pre, option\r
@cindex premove, option\r
Sets the Premove menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true.\r
@item -quiet/-xquiet or -quietPlay true/false\r
@cindex quiet, option\r
@cindex quietPlay, option\r
Sets the Quiet Play menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: false.\r
@item -colorizeMessages or -colorize\r
@cindex Colors\r
@cindex colorize, option\r
Setting colorizeMessages\r
to true tells XBoard to colorize the messages received from\r
the ICS.  Colorization works only if your xterm \r
supports ISO 6429 escape sequences for changing text colors.\r
@item -colorShout foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorSShout foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorChannel1 foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorChannel foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorKibitz foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorTell foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorChallege foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorRequest foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorSeek foreground,background,bold\r
@itemx -colorNormal foreground,background,bold\r
@cindex Colors\r
@cindex colorShout, option\r
@cindex colorSShout, option\r
@cindex colorChannel1, option\r
@cindex colorChannel, option\r
@cindex colorKibitz, option\r
@cindex colorTell, option\r
@cindex colorChallenge, option\r
@cindex colorRequest, option\r
@cindex colorSeek, option\r
@cindex colorNormal, option\r
These options set the colors used when colorizing ICS messages.\r
All ICS messages are grouped into one of these categories:\r
shout, sshout, channel 1, other channel, kibitz, tell, challenge, \r
request (including abort, adjourn, draw, pause, and takeback), or\r
normal (all other messages).  \r
\r
Each foreground or background argument can be one of the following:\r
black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, white, or default.\r
Here ``default'' means the default foreground or background color of\r
your xterm.  Bold can be 1 or 0.  If background is omitted, ``default''\r
is assumed; if bold is omitted, 0 is assumed.\r
\r
Here is an example of how to set the colors in your @file{.Xresources} file.\r
The colors shown here are the default values; you will get\r
them if you turn @code{-colorize} on without specifying your own colors.\r
\r
@example\r
xboard*colorizeMessages: true   \r
xboard*colorShout: green\r
xboard*colorSShout: green, black, 1\r
xboard*colorChannel1: cyan\r
xboard*colorChannel: cyan, black, 1\r
xboard*colorKibitz: magenta, black, 1\r
xboard*colorTell: yellow, black, 1\r
xboard*colorChallenge: red, black, 1\r
xboard*colorRequest: red\r
xboard*colorSeek: blue\r
xboard*colorNormal: default\r
@end example\r
@item -soundProgram progname\r
@cindex soundProgram, option\r
@cindex Sounds\r
If this option is set to a sound-playing program that is installed and\r
working on your system, XBoard can play sound files when certain\r
events occur, listed below.  The default program name is "play".  If\r
any of the sound options is set to "$", the event rings the terminal\r
bell by sending a ^G character to standard output, instead of playing\r
a sound file.  If an option is set to the empty string "", no sound is\r
played for that event.\r
@item -soundShout filename\r
@itemx -soundSShout filename\r
@itemx -soundChannel filename\r
@itemx -soundKibitz filename\r
@itemx -soundTell filename\r
@itemx -soundChallenge filename\r
@itemx -soundRequest filename\r
@itemx -soundSeek filename\r
@cindex soundShout, option\r
@cindex soundSShout, option\r
@cindex soundChannel, option\r
@cindex soundKibitz, option\r
@cindex soundTell, option\r
@cindex soundChallenge, option\r
@cindex soundRequest, option\r
@cindex soundSeek, option\r
These sounds are triggered in the same way as the colorization events\r
described above.  They all default to "", no sound.  They are played\r
only if the colorizeMessages is on.\r
@item -soundMove filename\r
@cindex soundMove, option\r
This sound is used by the Move Sound menu option.  Default: "$".\r
@item -soundIcsAlarm filename\r
@cindex soundIcsAlarm, option\r
This sound is used by the ICS Alarm menu option.  Default: "$".\r
@item -soundIcsWin filename\r
@cindex soundIcsWin, option\r
This sound is played when you win an ICS game.  Default: "" (no sound).\r
@item -soundIcsLoss filename\r
@cindex soundIcsLoss, option\r
This sound is played when you lose an ICS game.  Default: "" (no sound).\r
@item -soundIcsDraw filename\r
@cindex soundIcsDraw, option\r
This sound is played when you draw an ICS game.  Default: "" (no sound).\r
@item -soundIcsUnfinished filename\r
@cindex soundIcsUnfinished, option\r
This sound is played when an ICS game that you are participating in is\r
aborted, adjourned, or otherwise ends inconclusively.  Default: "" (no\r
sound).\r
\r
Here is an example of how to set the sounds in your @file{.Xresources} file:\r
\r
@example\r
xboard*soundShout: shout.wav\r
xboard*soundSShout: sshout.wav\r
xboard*soundChannel1: channel1.wav\r
xboard*soundChannel: channel.wav\r
xboard*soundKibitz: kibitz.wav\r
xboard*soundTell: tell.wav\r
xboard*soundChallenge: challenge.wav\r
xboard*soundRequest: request.wav\r
xboard*soundSeek: seek.wav\r
xboard*soundMove: move.wav\r
xboard*soundIcsWin: win.wav\r
xboard*soundIcsLoss: lose.wav\r
xboard*soundIcsDraw: draw.wav\r
xboard*soundIcsUnfinished: unfinished.wav\r
xboard*soundIcsAlarm: alarm.wav\r
@end example\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Load and Save options\r
@section Load and Save options\r
@cindex Options, Load and Save\r
@cindex Load and Save options\r
@table @asis\r
@item -lgf or -loadGameFile file\r
@itemx -lgi or -loadGameIndex index\r
@cindex lgf, option\r
@cindex loadGameFile, option\r
@cindex lgi, option\r
@cindex loadGameIndex, option\r
If the @code{loadGameFile} option is set, XBoard loads the specified\r
game file at startup. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard\r
input. If there is more than one game in the file, XBoard\r
pops up a menu of the available games, with entries based on their PGN \r
(Portable Game Notation) tags.\r
If the @code{loadGameIndex} option is set to @samp{N}, the menu is suppressed\r
and the N th game found in the file is loaded immediately.\r
The menu is also suppressed if @code{matchMode} is enabled or if the game file\r
is a pipe; in these cases the first game in the file is loaded immediately.\r
Use the @file{pxboard} shell script provided with XBoard if you\r
want to pipe in files containing multiple games and still see the menu.\r
If the loadGameIndex specifies an index -1, this triggers auto-increment\r
of the index in @code{matchMode}, which means that after every game the\r
index is incremented by one, causing each game of the match to be played\r
from the next game in the file. Similarly, specifying an index value of -2\r
causes the index to be incremented every two games, so that each game\r
in the file is used twice (with reversed colors).\r
The @code{rewindIndex} option causes the index to be reset to the\r
first game of the file when it has reached a specified value.\r
@item -rewindIndex n\r
Causes a position file or game file to be rewound to its beginning after n\r
positions or games in auto-increment @code{matchMode}. \r
See @code{loadPositionIndex} and @code{loadGameIndex}.\r
default: 0 (no rewind).\r
@item -td or -timeDelay seconds\r
@cindex td, option\r
@cindex timeDelay, option\r
Time delay between moves during @samp{Load Game}. Fractional seconds\r
are allowed; try @samp{-td 0.4}. A time delay value of -1 tells\r
XBoard not to step through game files automatically. Default: 1\r
second.\r
@item -sgf or -saveGameFile file\r
@cindex sgf, option\r
@cindex saveGameFile, option\r
If this option is set, XBoard appends a record of every game\r
played to the specified file. The file name @file{-} specifies the\r
standard output.\r
@item -autosave/-xautosave or -autoSaveGames true/false\r
@cindex autosave, option\r
@cindex autoSaveGames, option\r
Sets the Auto Save menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: false.\r
Ignored if @code{saveGameFile} is set.\r
@item -lpf or -loadPositionFile file\r
@itemx -lpi or -loadPositionIndex index\r
@cindex lpf, option\r
@cindex loadPositionFile, option\r
@cindex lpi, option\r
@cindex loadPositionIndex, option\r
If the @code{loadPositionFile} option is set, XBoard loads the\r
specified position file at startup. The file name @file{-} specifies the\r
standard input. If the @code{loadPositionIndex} option is set to N,\r
the Nth position found in the file is loaded; otherwise the\r
first position is loaded.\r
If the loadPositionIndex specifies an index -1, this triggers auto-increment\r
of the index in @code{matchMode}, which means that after every game the\r
index is incremented by one, causing each game of the match to be played\r
from the next position in the file. Similarly, specifying an index value of -2\r
causes the index to be incremented every two games, so that each position\r
in the file is used twice (with the engines playing opposite colors).\r
The @code{rewindIndex} option causes the index to be reset to the\r
first position of the file when it has reached a specified value.\r
@item -spf or -savePositionFile file\r
@cindex spf, option\r
@cindex savePositionFile, option\r
If this option is set, XBoard appends the final position reached\r
in every game played to the specified file. The file name @file{-}\r
specifies the standard output.\r
@item -pgnExtendedInfo true/false\r
@cindex pgnExtendedInfo, option`\r
If this option is set, WinBoard saves depth, score and time used for each \r
move that the engine found as a comment in the PGN file.\r
Default: false.\r
@item -pgnEventHeader string\r
@cindex pgnEventHeader, option`\r
Sets the name used in the PGN event tag to string. \r
Default: "Computer Chess Game".\r
@item -saveOutOfBookInfo true/false\r
@cindex saveOutOfBookInfo, option`\r
Include the information on how the engine(s) game out of its opening book in a special 'annotator' tag with the PGN file.\r
@item -oldsave/-xoldsave or -oldSaveStyle true/false\r
@cindex oldsave, option\r
@cindex oldSaveStyle, option\r
Sets the Old Save Style menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: false.\r
@item -gameListTags string\r
@cindex gameListTags, option\r
The character string lists the PGN tags that should be printed in the\r
Game List, and their order. The meaning of the codes is e=event,\r
s=site, d=date, o=round, p=players, r=result, w=white Elo, b=black Elo,\r
t=time control, v=variant, a=out-of-book info.\r
Default: "eprd"\r
@end table\r
\r
@node User interface options\r
@section User interface options\r
@cindex User interface options\r
@cindex Options, User interface\r
@table @asis\r
@item -display\r
@itemx -geometry\r
@itemx -iconic\r
@cindex display, option\r
@cindex geometry, option\r
@cindex iconic, option\r
These and most other standard Xt options are accepted.\r
@item -noGUI\r
@cindex noGUI, option\r
Suppresses all GUI functions of XBoard \r
(to speed up automated ultra-fast engine-engine games, which you don’t want to watch). \r
There will be no board or clock updates, no printing of moves, \r
and no update of the icon on the task bar in this mode.\r
@item -movesound/-xmovesound or -ringBellAfterMoves true/false\r
@cindex movesound, option\r
@cindex bell, option\r
@cindex ringBellAfterMoves, option\r
Sets the Move Sound menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: false.\r
For compatibility with old XBoard versions, -bell/-xbell are also \r
accepted as abbreviations for this option.\r
@item -exit/-xexit or -popupExitMessage true/false\r
@cindex exit, option\r
@cindex popupExitMessage, option\r
Sets the Popup Exit Message menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true.\r
@item -popup/-xpopup or -popupMoveErrors true/false\r
@cindex popup, option\r
@cindex popupMoveErrors, option\r
Sets the Popup Move Errors menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.\r
@item -queen/-xqueen or -alwaysPromoteToQueen true/false\r
@cindex queen, option\r
@cindex alwaysPromoteToQueen, option\r
Sets the Always Queen menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: false.\r
@item -legal/-xlegal or -testLegality true/false\r
@cindex legal, option\r
@cindex testLegality, option\r
Sets the Test Legality menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: true.\r
@item -size or -boardSize (sizeName | n1,n2,n3,n4,n5,n6,n7)\r
@cindex size, option\r
@cindex boardSize, option\r
@cindex board size\r
Determines how large the board will be, by selecting the pixel size\r
of the pieces and setting a few related parameters.\r
The sizeName can be one of: Titanic, giving 129x129 pixel pieces,\r
Colossal 116x116, Giant 108x108, Huge 95x95, Big 87x87, Large 80x80, Bulky 72x72,\r
Medium 64x64, Moderate 58x58, Average 54x54, Middling 49x49, Mediocre\r
45x45, Small 40x40, Slim 37x37, Petite 33x33, Dinky 29x29, Teeny 25x25,\r
or Tiny 21x21.\r
Pieces of all these sizes are built into XBoard.\r
Other sizes can\r
be used if you have them; see the pixmapDirectory and bitmapDirectory\r
options.\r
The default depends on the size of your screen; it is approximately the\r
largest size that will fit without clipping.\r
\r
You can select other sizes or vary other layout parameters by providing\r
a list of comma-separated values (with no spaces) as the argument.\r
You do not need to provide all the values; for any you omit from the\r
end of the list, defaults are taken from the nearest built-in size.\r
The value @code{n1} gives the piece size, @code{n2} the width of the\r
black border\r
between squares, @code{n3} the desired size for the \r
clockFont, @code{n4} the desired size for the coordFont,\r
@code{n5} the desired size for the default font,\r
@code{n6} the smallLayout flag (0 or 1), \r
and @code{n7} the tinyLayout flag (0 or 1).  \r
All dimensions are in pixels.\r
If the border between squares is eliminated (0 width), the various\r
highlight options will not work, as there is nowhere to draw the highlight.\r
If smallLayout is 1 and @code{titleInWindow} is true, \r
the window layout is rearranged to make more room for the title.\r
If tinyLayout is 1, the labels on the menu bar are abbreviated\r
to one character each and the buttons in the button bar are made narrower.\r
@item -coords/-xcoords or -showCoords true/false\r
@cindex coords, option\r
@cindex showCoords, option\r
Sets the Show Coords menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: false.\r
The @code{coordFont} option specifies what font to use.\r
@item -autoraise/-xautoraise or -autoRaiseBoard true/false\r
@cindex autoraise, option\r
@cindex autoRaiseBoard, option\r
Sets the Auto Raise Board menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: true.\r
@item -autoflip/-xautoflip or -autoFlipView true/false\r
@cindex autoflip, option\r
@cindex autoFlipView, option\r
Sets the Auto Flip View menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: true.\r
@item -flip/-xflip or -flipView true/false\r
@cindex flip, option\r
@cindex flipView, option\r
If Auto Flip View is not set, or if you are observing but not participating\r
in a game, then the positioning of the board at the start of each game\r
depends on the flipView option.  If flipView is false (the default),\r
the board is positioned so that the white pawns move from the bottom to the\r
top; if true, the black pawns move from the bottom to the top.\r
In any case, the Flip menu option (see @ref{Options Menu})\r
can be used to flip the board after\r
the game starts.\r
@item -title/-xtitle or -titleInWindow true/false\r
@cindex title, option\r
@cindex titleInWindow, option\r
If this option is true, XBoard displays player names (for ICS\r
games) and game file names (for @samp{Load Game}) inside its main\r
window. If the option is false (the default), this information is\r
displayed only in the window banner. You probably won't want to\r
set this option unless the information is not showing up in the\r
banner, as happens with a few X window managers.\r
@item -buttons/-xbuttons or -showButtonBar True/False\r
@cindex buttons, option\r
@cindex showButtonBar, option\r
If this option is False, xboard omits the [<<] [<] [P] [>] [>>] button\r
bar from the window, allowing the message line to be wider.  You can\r
still get the functions of these buttons using the menus or their keyboard\r
shortcuts.  Default: true.\r
@item -mono/-xmono or -monoMode true/false\r
@cindex mono, option\r
@cindex monoMode, option\r
Determines whether XBoard displays its pieces and squares with\r
two colors (true) or four (false). You shouldn't have to\r
specify @code{monoMode}; XBoard will determine if it is necessary.\r
@item -flashCount count\r
@itemx -flashRate rate\r
@itemx -flash/-xflash\r
@cindex flashCount, option\r
@cindex flashRate, option\r
@cindex flash, option\r
@cindex xflash, option\r
These options enable flashing of pieces when they\r
land on their destination square.\r
@code{flashCount}\r
tells XBoard how many times to flash a piece after it\r
lands on its destination square.\r
@code{flashRate}\r
controls the rate of flashing (flashes/sec).\r
Abbreviations:\r
@code{flash}\r
sets flashCount to 3.\r
@code{xflash}\r
sets flashCount to 0.\r
Defaults:  flashCount=0 (no flashing), flashRate=5.\r
@item -highlight/-xhighlight or -highlightLastMove true/false\r
@cindex highlight, option\r
@cindex highlightLastMove, option\r
Sets the Highlight Last Move menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false.\r
@item -blind/-xblind or -blindfold true/false\r
@cindex blind, option\r
@cindex blindfold, option\r
Sets the Blindfold menu option.  @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: false.\r
@item -clockFont font\r
@cindex clockFont, option\r
@cindex Font, clock\r
The font used for the clocks. If the option value is a pattern\r
that does not specify the font size, XBoard tries to choose an\r
appropriate font for the board size being used.\r
Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*.\r
@item -coordFont font\r
@cindex coordFont, option\r
@cindex Font, coordinates\r
The font used for rank and file coordinate labels if @code{showCoords}\r
is true. If the option value is a pattern that does not specify\r
the font size, XBoard tries to choose an appropriate font for\r
the board size being used.\r
Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*.\r
@item -font font\r
@cindex font, option\r
@cindex Font\r
The font used for popup dialogs, menus, comments, etc.\r
If the option value is a pattern that does not specify\r
the font size, XBoard tries to choose an appropriate font for\r
the board size being used.\r
Default: -*-helvetica-medium-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*.\r
@item -fontSizeTolerance tol\r
@cindex fontSizeTolerance, option\r
In the font selection algorithm, a nonscalable font will be preferred\r
over a scalable font if the nonscalable font's size differs\r
by @code{tol} pixels\r
or less from the desired size.  A value of -1 will force\r
a scalable font to always be used if available; a value of 0 will\r
use a nonscalable font only if it is exactly the right size; \r
a large value (say 1000) will force a nonscalable font to always be\r
used if available.  Default: 4.\r
@item -bm or -bitmapDirectory dir\r
@itemx -pixmap or -pixmapDirectory dir\r
@cindex bm, option\r
@cindex bitmapDirectory, option\r
@cindex pixmap, option\r
@cindex pixmapDirectory, option\r
These options control what piece images xboard uses.  The XBoard\r
distribution includes one set of pixmap pieces in xpm format, in the\r
directory @file{pixmaps}, and one set of bitmap pieces in xbm format,\r
in the directory @file{bitmaps}.  Pixmap\r
pieces give a better appearance on the screen: the white pieces have\r
dark borders, and the black pieces have opaque internal details.  With\r
bitmaps, neither piece color has a border, and the internal details\r
are transparent; you see the square color or other background color\r
through them.\r
\r
If XBoard is configured and compiled on a system that includes libXpm,\r
the X pixmap library, the xpm pixmap pieces are compiled in as the\r
default.  A different xpm piece set can be selected at runtime with\r
the @code{pixmapDirectory} option, or a bitmap piece set can be selected\r
with the @code{bitmapDirectory} option.\r
\r
If XBoard is configured and compiled on a system that does not include\r
libXpm (or the @code{--disable-xpm} option is given to the configure\r
program), the bitmap pieces are compiled in as the default.  It is not\r
possible to use xpm pieces in this case, but pixmap pieces in another\r
format called "xim" can be used by giving the @code{pixmapDirectory} option.\r
Or again, a different bitmap piece set can be selected with the\r
@code{bitmapDirectory} option.\r
\r
Files in the @code{bitmapDirectory} must be named as follows:\r
The first character of a piece bitmap name gives the piece it \r
represents (@samp{p}, @samp{n}, @samp{b}, @samp{r}, @samp{q}, or @samp{k}),\r
the next characters give the size in pixels, the\r
following character indicates whether the piece is\r
solid or outline (@samp{s} or @samp{o}),\r
and the extension is @samp{.bm}.\r
For example, a solid 80x80 knight would be named @file{n80s.bm}.\r
The outline bitmaps are used only in monochrome mode.\r
If bitmap pieces are compiled in and the bitmapDirectory is missing\r
some files, the compiled in pieces are used instead.\r
\r
If the bitmapDirectory option is given,\r
it is also possible to replace xboard's icons and menu checkmark,\r
by supplying files named @file{icon_white.bm}, @file{icon_black.bm}, and\r
@file{checkmark.bm}.\r
\r
For more information about pixmap pieces and how to get additional\r
sets, see @ref{zic2xpm} below.\r
@item -whitePieceColor color\r
@itemx -blackPieceColor color\r
@itemx -lightSquareColor color\r
@itemx -darkSquareColor color\r
@itemx -highlightSquareColor color\r
@cindex Colors\r
@cindex whitePieceColor, option\r
@cindex blackPieceColor, option\r
@cindex lightSquareColor, option\r
@cindex darkSquareColor, option\r
@cindex highlightSquareColor, option\r
Colors to use for the pieces, squares, and square highlights.\r
Defaults:\r
\r
@example\r
-whitePieceColor       #FFFFCC\r
-blackPieceColor       #202020\r
-lightSquareColor      #C8C365\r
-darkSquareColor       #77A26D\r
-highlightSquareColor  #FFFF00\r
-premoveHighlightColor #FF0000\r
@end example\r
\r
On a grayscale monitor you might prefer:\r
\r
@example\r
-whitePieceColor       gray100\r
-blackPieceColor       gray0\r
-lightSquareColor      gray80\r
-darkSquareColor       gray60\r
-highlightSquareColor  gray100\r
-premoveHighlightColor gray70\r
@end example\r
@item -drag/-xdrag or -animateDragging true/false\r
@cindex drag, option\r
@cindex animateDragging, option\r
Sets the Animate Dragging menu option. @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: true.\r
@item -animate/-xanimate or -animateMoving true/false\r
@cindex animate, option\r
@cindex animateMoving, option\r
Sets the Animate Moving menu option. @xref{Options Menu}.  Default: true.\r
@item -animateSpeed n\r
@cindex -animateSpeed, option\r
Number of milliseconds delay between each animation frame when Animate\r
Moves is on.\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Adjudication Options\r
@section Adjudication Options\r
@cindex Options, adjudication\r
@table @asis\r
@item -adjudicateLossThreshold n\r
@cindex adjudicateLossThreshold, option\r
If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a loss \r
if both engines agree for a duration of 6 consecutive ply that the score \r
is below the given score threshold for that engine. Make sure the score \r
is interpreted properly by XBoard, \r
using @code{-firstScoreAbs} and @code{-secondScoreAbs} if needed. \r
Default: 0 (no adjudiction)\r
@item -adjudicateDrawMoves n\r
@cindex adjudicateDrawMoves, option\r
If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a draw \r
if after the given number of moves it was not yet decided. Defaut: 0 (no adjudication)\r
@item -checkMates true/false\r
@cindex checkMates, option\r
If this option is set, XBoard detects all checkmates and stalemates, \r
and ends the game as soon as they occur. \r
Legality-testing must be switched on for this option to work.\r
Default: true\r
@item -testClaims true/false\r
@cindex testClaims, option\r
If this option is set, XBoard verifies all result claims made by engines, \r
and those who send false claims will forfeit the game because of it. \r
Legality-testing must be switched on for this option to work. Default: true\r
@item -materialDraws true/false\r
@cindex materialDraws, option\r
If this option is set, XBoard adjudicates games as draws when there is \r
no sufficient material left to inflict a checkmate. \r
This applies to KBKB with like bishops (any number, actually), and to KBK, KNK and KK. \r
Legality-testing must be switched on for this option to work. Default: true\r
@item -trivialDraws true/false\r
@cindex trivialDraws, option\r
If this option is set, XBoard adjudicates games as draws that cannot be \r
usually won without opponent cooperation. This applies to KBKB with unlike bishops, \r
and to KBKN, KNKN, KNNK, KRKR and KQKQ. The draw is called after 6 ply into these end-games, \r
to allow quick mates that can occur in some exceptional positions to be found by the engines. \r
KQKQ does not really belong in this category, and might be taken out in the future. \r
(When bitbase-based adjudications are implemented.) \r
Legality-testing must be on for this option to work. Default: false\r
@item -ruleMoves n\r
@cindex ruleMoves, option\r
If the given value is non-zero, XBoard adjudicates the game as a draw after the given \r
number of consecutive reversible moves. Engine draw claims are always accepted after 50 moves, \r
irrespective of the given value of n.\r
@item -repeatsToDraw n\r
If the given value is non-zero, xboard adjudicates the game as a draw if a position \r
is repeated the given number of times. Engines draw claims are always accepted after 3 repeats, \r
(on the 3rd occurrence, actually), irrespective of the value of n. \r
Beware that positions that have different castling or en-passant rights do not count \r
as repeats, XBoard is fully e.p. and castling aware!\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Other options\r
@section Other options\r
@cindex Options, miscellaneous\r
@table @asis\r
@item -ncp/-xncp or -noChessProgram true/false\r
@cindex ncp, option\r
@cindex noChessProgram, option\r
If this option is true, XBoard acts as a passive chessboard; it\r
does not start a chess engine at all. Turning on this option\r
also turns off clockMode. Default: false.\r
@item -mode or -initialMode modename\r
@cindex mode, option\r
@cindex initalMode, option\r
If this option is given, XBoard selects the given modename\r
from the Mode menu after starting and (if applicable) processing the\r
loadGameFile or loadPositionFile option. Default: "" (no selection). \r
Other supported values are \r
MachineWhite, MachineBlack, TwoMachines, Analysis, \r
AnalyzeFile, EditGame, EditPosition, and Training.\r
@item -variant varname\r
@cindex variant, option\r
Activates preliminary, partial support for playing chess variants\r
against a local engine or editing variant games.  This flag is not\r
needed in ICS mode.  Recognized variant names are:\r
\r
@example\r
normal        Normal chess\r
wildcastle    Shuffle chess, king can castle from d file\r
nocastle      Shuffle chess, no castling allowed\r
fischerandom  Fischer Random shuffle chess\r
bughouse      Bughouse, ICC/FICS rules\r
crazyhouse    Crazyhouse, ICC/FICS rules\r
losers        Lose all pieces or get mated (ICC wild 17)\r
suicide       Lose all pieces including king (FICS)\r
giveaway      Try to have no legal moves (ICC wild 26)\r
twokings      Weird ICC wild 9\r
kriegspiel    Opponent's pieces are invisible\r
atomic        Capturing piece explodes (ICC wild 27)\r
3check        Win by giving check 3 times (ICC wild 25)\r
shatranj      An ancient precursor of chess (ICC wild 28)\r
xiangqi       Chinese Chess (on a 9x10 board)\r
shogi         Japanese Chess (on a 9x9 board & piece drops) \r
capablanca    Capablanca Chess (10x8 board, with Archbishop \r
              and Chancellor pieces)\r
gothic        similar, with a better initial position\r
caparandom    An FRC-like version of Capablanca Chess (10x8) \r
janus         A game with two Archbishops (10x8 board)\r
courier       Medieval intermedite between shatranj and \r
              modern Chess (on 12x8 board) \r
falcon        Patented 10x8 variant with two Falcon pieces\r
berolina      Pawns capture straight ahead, and move diagonal \r
cylinder      Pieces wrap around the board edge\r
knightmate    King moves as Knight, and vice versa \r
super         Superchess (shuffle variant with 4 exo-pieces)\r
fairy         A catchall variant in which all piece types \r
              known to XBoard can participate (8x8)\r
unknown       Catchall for other unknown variants\r
@end example\r
\r
In the shuffle variants, XBoard now does shuffle the pieces, although\r
you can still do it by hand using Edit Position.  Some variants are\r
supported only in ICS mode, including bughouse, and\r
kriegspiel.  The winning/drawing conditions in crazyhouse (offboard\r
interposition on mate), losers, suicide, giveaway, atomic, and 3check\r
are not fully understood.  \r
Berolina and cylinder chess can only be played with legality testing off.\r
In crazyhouse, XBoard now does keep\r
track of offboard pieces.  In shatranj it does implement the baring\r
rule when mate detection is switched on.\r
@item -boardHeight N\r
@cindex boardHeight, option\r
Allows you to set a non-standard number of board ranks in any variant. \r
If the height is given as -1, the default height for the variant is used.\r
Default: -1\r
@item -boardWidth N\r
@cindex boardWidth, option\r
Allows you to set a non-standard number of board files in any variant. \r
If the width is given as -1, the default width for the variant is used. \r
With a non-standard width, the initial position will always be an empty board, \r
as the usual opening array will not fit.\r
Default: -1\r
@item -holdingsSize N\r
@cindex holdingsSize, option\r
Allows you to set a non-standard size for the holdings in any variant. \r
If the size is given as -1, the default holdings size for the variant is used. \r
The first N piece types will go into the holdings on capture, and you will be \r
able to drop them on the board in stead of making a normal move. If size equals 0, \r
there will be no holdings.\r
Default: -1\r
@item -defaultFrcPosition N\r
@cindex defaultFrcPosition, option\r
Specifies the number of the opening position in shuffle games like Chess960. \r
A value of -1 means the position is randomly generated by XBoard\r
at the beginning of every game.\r
Default: -1\r
@item -pieceToSquareTable string\r
@cindex pieceToSquareTable, option\r
The characters that are used to represent the piece types XBoard knows in FEN \r
diagrams and SAN moves. The string argument has to have an even length \r
(or it will be ignored), as white and black pieces have to be given separately \r
(in that order). The last letter for each color will be the King. \r
The letters before that will be PNBRQ and then a whole host of fairy pieces \r
in an order that has not fully crystallized yet (currently FEACWMOHIJGDVSLU, \r
F=Ferz, Elephant, A=Archbishop, C=Chancellor, W=Wazir, M=Commoner, O=Cannon, \r
H=Nightrider). You should list at least all pieces that occur in the variant \r
you are playing. If you have less than 44 characters in the string, the pieces \r
not mentioned will get assigned a period, and you will not be able to distinguish \r
them in FENs. You can also explicitly assign pieces a period, in which case they \r
will not be counted in deciding which captured pieces can go into the holdings.\r
A tilde '~' as a piece name does mean this piece is used to represent a promoted \r
Pawn in crazyhouse-like games, i.e. on capture it turns back onto a Pawn. \r
A '+' similarly indicates the piece is a shogi-style promoted piece, that should \r
revert to its non-promoted version on capture (rather than to a Pawn).\r
Note that promoted pieces are represented by pieces 11 further in the list.\r
You should not have to use this option often: each variant has its own default \r
setting for the piece representation in FEN, which should be sufficient in normal use.\r
Default: ""\r
@item -debug/-xdebug or -debugMode true/false\r
@cindex debug, option\r
@cindex debugMode, option\r
Turns on debugging printout.\r
@item -debugFile filename or -nameOfDebugFile filename\r
@cindex debugFile, option\r
@cindex nameOfDebugFile, option\r
Sets the name of the file to which WinBoard saves debug information \r
(including all communication to and from the engines).\r
@item -engineDebugOutput number\r
@cindex engineDebugOutput, option\r
Specifies how WinBoard should handle unsolicited output from the engine, \r
with respect to saving it in the debug file. \r
The output is further (hopefully) ignored. \r
If number=0, WinBoard refrains from writing such spurious output to the debug file. \r
If number=1, all engine output is written faithfully to the debug file. \r
If number=2, any protocol-violating line is prefixed with a ‘#’ character, \r
as the engine itself should have done if it wanted to submit info for inclusion in the debug file.\r
This option is provided for the benefit of applications that use the debug file \r
as a source of information, such as the broadcaster of live games TLCV / TLCS. \r
Such applications can be protected from spurious engine output that might otherwise confuse them.\r
@item -rsh or -remoteShell shell-name\r
@cindex rsh, option\r
@cindex remoteShell, option\r
Name of the command used to run programs remotely. The default\r
is @file{rsh} or @file{remsh}, determined when XBoard is\r
configured and compiled.\r
@item -ruser or -remoteUser user-name\r
@cindex ruser, option\r
@cindex remoteUser, option\r
User name on the remote system when running programs with the\r
@code{remoteShell}. The default is your local user name.\r
@item -userName username\r
@cindex userName, option\r
Name under which the Human player will be listed in the PGN file. \r
Default is the login name on your local computer.\r
@item -delayBeforeQuit number\r
@itemx -delayAfterQuit number\r
@cindex delayBeforeQuit, option\r
@cindex delayAfterQuit, option\r
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.\r
\r
@end table\r
\r
@node Chess Servers\r
@chapter Chess Servers\r
@cindex ICS\r
@cindex ICS, addresses\r
@cindex Internet Chess Server\r
An @dfn{Internet Chess Server}, or @dfn{ICS}, is a place on the\r
Internet where people can get together to play chess, watch other\r
people's games, or just chat.  You can use either @code{telnet} or a\r
client program like XBoard to connect to the server.  There are\r
thousands of registered users on the different ICS hosts, and it is\r
not unusual to meet 200 on both chessclub.com and freechess.org.\r
\r
Most people can just type @kbd{xboard -ics} to start XBoard as an ICS\r
client.  Invoking XBoard in this way connects you to the Internet\r
Chess Club (ICC), a commercial ICS.  You can log in there as a guest\r
even if you do not have a paid account.  To connect to the largest\r
Free ICS (FICS), use the command @kbd{xboard -ics -icshost freechess.org}\r
instead, or substitute a different host name to connect to your\r
favorite ICS.\r
For a full description of command-line options that control \r
the connection to ICS and change the default values of ICS options, see\r
@ref{ICS options}.  \r
\r
While you are running XBoard as an ICS client,\r
you use the terminal window that you started XBoard from\r
as a place to type in commands and read information that is\r
not available on the chessboard.\r
\r
The first time you need to use the terminal is to enter your login name\r
and password, if you are a registered player. (You don't need to do\r
this manually; the @code{icsLogon} option can do it for you.\r
@pxref{ICS options}.)  If you are not registered, \r
enter @kbd{g} as your name, and the server will pick a\r
unique guest name for you.\r
\r
Some useful ICS commands\r
include\r
@table @kbd\r
@item help <topic>\r
@cindex help, ICS command\r
to get help on the given <topic>. To get a list of possible topics type\r
@dfn{help} without topic.  Try the help command before you ask other\r
people on the server for help.\r
\r
For example @kbd{help register} tells you how to become a registered\r
ICS player.\r
@item who <flags>\r
@cindex who, ICS command\r
to see a list of people who are logged on.  Administrators\r
(people you should talk to if you have a problem) are marked\r
with the character @samp{*}, an asterisk. The <flags> allow you to\r
display only selected players: For example, @kbd{who of} shows a\r
list of players who are interested in playing but do not have\r
an opponent.\r
@item games\r
@cindex games, ICS command\r
to see what games are being played\r
@item match <player> [<mins>] [<inc>]\r
to challenge another player to a game. Both opponents get <mins> minutes\r
for the game, and <inc> seconds will be added after each move.\r
If another player challenges you, the server asks if you want to\r
accept the challenge; use the @kbd{accept} or @kbd{decline} commands\r
to answer.\r
@item accept\r
@itemx decline\r
@cindex accept, ICS command\r
@cindex decline, ICS command\r
to accept or decline another player's offer. \r
The offer may be to start a new game, or to agree to a \r
@kbd{draw}, @kbd{adjourn} or @kbd{abort} the current game. @xref{Action Menu}.\r
\r
If you have more than one pending offer (for example, if more than one player\r
is challenging you, or if your opponent offers both a draw and to adjourn the\r
game), you have to supply additional information, by typing something\r
like @kbd{accept <player>}, @kbd{accept draw}, or @kbd{draw}.\r
@item draw\r
@itemx adjourn\r
@itemx abort\r
@cindex draw, ICS command\r
@cindex adjourn, ICS command\r
@cindex abort, ICS command\r
asks your opponent to terminate a game by mutual agreement. Adjourned\r
games can be continued later. \r
Your opponent can either @kbd{decline} your offer or accept it (by typing the\r
same command or typing @kbd{accept}).  In some cases these commands work\r
immediately, without asking your opponent to agree.  For example, you can\r
abort the game unilaterally if your opponent is out of time, and you can claim\r
a draw by repetition or the 50-move rule if available simply by typing \r
@kbd{draw}.\r
@item finger <player>\r
@cindex finger, ICS command\r
to get information about the given <player>. (Default: yourself.)\r
@item vars\r
@cindex vars, ICS command\r
to get a list of personal settings\r
@item set <var> <value>\r
@cindex set, ICS command\r
to modify these settings\r
@item observe <player>\r
@cindex observe, ICS command\r
to observe an ongoing game of the given <player>.\r
@item examine\r
@itemx oldmoves\r
@cindex examine, ICS command\r
@cindex oldmoves, ICS command\r
to review a recently completed game\r
@end table\r
\r
Some special XBoard features are activated when you are\r
in examine mode on ICS.  See the descriptions of the menu commands\r
@samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, @samp{ICS Client}, \r
and @samp{Stop Examining} on the @ref{Step Menu}, @ref{Mode Menu}, and\r
@ref{Options Menu}.\r
\r
@node Firewalls\r
@chapter Firewalls\r
By default, XBoard communicates with an Internet Chess Server\r
by opening a TCP socket directly from the machine it is running on\r
to the ICS. If there is a firewall between your machine and the ICS,\r
this won't work. Here are some recipes for getting around common\r
kinds of firewalls using special options to XBoard.\r
Important: See the paragraph in the below about extra echoes, in\r
@ref{Limitations}.\r
\r
Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can telnet\r
to a firewall host, log in, and then telnet from there to ICS.\r
Let's say the firewall is called @samp{firewall.example.com}. Set\r
command-line options as follows:\r
\r
@example\r
xboard -ics -icshost firewall.example.com -icsport 23\r
@end example\r
@noindent\r
Or in your @file{.Xresources} file:\r
\r
@example\r
XBoard*internetChessServerHost: firewall.example.com\r
XBoard*internetChessServerPort: 23\r
@end example\r
@noindent\r
Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, you will be prompted\r
to log in to the firewall host. This works because port 23 is the\r
standard telnet login service. Do so, then telnet to ICS, using a\r
command like @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}, or whatever command\r
the firewall provides for telnetting to port 5000.\r
\r
If your firewall lets you telnet (or rlogin) to remote hosts but\r
doesn't let you telnet to port 5000, you may be able to connect to the\r
chess server on port 23 instead, which is the port the telnet program\r
uses by default.  Some chess servers support this (including\r
chessclub.com and freechess.org), while some do not.\r
\r
If your chess server does not allow connections on port 23 and your\r
firewall does not allow you to connect to other ports, you may be able\r
to connect by hopping through another host outside the firewall that\r
you have an account on.  For instance, suppose you have a shell\r
account at @samp{foo.edu}. Follow the recipe above, but instead of\r
typing @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000} to the firewall, type\r
@samp{telnet foo.edu} (or @samp{rlogin foo.edu}), log in there, and\r
then type @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}.\r
\r
Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can use rsh\r
to run programs on a firewall host, and that host can telnet to ICS.\r
Let's say the firewall is called @samp{rsh.example.com}. Set\r
command-line options as follows:\r
\r
@example\r
xboard -ics -gateway rsh.example.com -icshost chessclub.com\r
@end example\r
\r
@noindent\r
Or in your @file{.Xresources} file:\r
\r
@example\r
XBoard*gateway: rsh.example.com\r
XBoard*internetChessServerHost: chessclub.com\r
@end example\r
\r
Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, it will connect to\r
the ICS by using @file{rsh} to run the command\r
@samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000} on host @samp{rsh.example.com}.\r
\r
Suppose that you can telnet anywhere you want, but you have to\r
run a special program called @file{ptelnet} to do so.\r
\r
First, we'll consider the easy case, in which\r
@samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} gets you to the chess server.\r
In this case set command line options as follows:\r
\r
@example\r
xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet\r
@end example\r
\r
@noindent\r
Or in your @file{.Xresources} file:\r
\r
@example\r
XBoard*useTelnet: true\r
XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet\r
@end example\r
\r
@noindent\r
Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, it will issue the\r
command @samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} to connect to the ICS.\r
\r
Next, suppose that @samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} doesn't work;\r
that is, your @file{ptelnet} program doesn't let you connect to\r
alternative ports. As noted above, your chess server may allow you to\r
connect on port 23 instead.  In that case, just add the option\r
@samp{-icsport ""} to the above command, or add\r
@samp{XBoard*internetChessServerPort:} to your @file{.Xresources} file.\r
But if your chess server doesn't let you connect on port 23, you will have\r
to find some other host outside the firewall and hop through it. For\r
instance, suppose you have a shell account at @samp{foo.edu}. Set\r
command line options as follows:\r
\r
@example\r
xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet -icshost foo.edu -icsport ""\r
@end example\r
\r
@noindent\r
Or in your @file{.Xresources} file:\r
\r
@example\r
XBoard*useTelnet: true\r
XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet\r
XBoard*internetChessServerHost: foo.edu\r
XBoard*internetChessServerPort:\r
@end example\r
\r
@noindent\r
Then when you run XBoard in ICS mode, it will issue the\r
command @samp{ptelnet foo.edu} to connect to your account at\r
@samp{foo.edu}. Log in there, then type @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}.\r
\r
ICC timestamp and FICS timeseal do not work through some\r
firewalls.  You can use them only if your firewall gives a clean TCP\r
connection with a full 8-bit wide path.  If your firewall allows you\r
to get out only by running a special telnet program, you can't use\r
timestamp or timeseal across it.  But if you have access to a\r
computer just outside your firewall, and you have much lower netlag\r
when talking to that computer than to the ICS, it might be worthwhile\r
running timestamp there.  Follow the instructions above for hopping\r
through a host outside the firewall (foo.edu in the example),\r
but run timestamp or timeseal on that host instead of telnet.\r
\r
Suppose that you have a SOCKS firewall that will give you a clean\r
8-bit wide TCP connection to the chess server, but only after you\r
authenticate yourself via the SOCKS protocol.  In that case, you could\r
make a socksified version of XBoard and run that.  If you are using\r
timestamp or timeseal, you will to socksify it, not XBoard; this may\r
be difficult seeing that ICC and FICS do not provide source code for\r
these programs.  Socksification is beyond the scope of this document,\r
but see the SOCKS Web site at http://www.socks.permeo.com/.\r
If you are missing SOCKS, try http://www.funbureau.com/.\r
\r
@node Environment\r
@chapter Environment variables\r
@cindex Environment variables\r
@cindex CHESSDIR\r
Game and position files are found in a directory named by the\r
@code{CHESSDIR} environment variable. If this variable is not set, the\r
current working directory is used. If @code{CHESSDIR} is set,\r
XBoard actually changes its working directory to\r
@code{$CHESSDIR}, so any files written by the chess engine\r
will be placed there too.\r
\r
@node Limitations\r
@chapter Limitations and known bugs\r
@cindex Limitations\r
@cindex Bugs\r
There is no way for two people running copies of XBoard to play\r
each other without going through an Internet Chess Server.\r
\r
Under some circumstances, your ICS password may be echoed when you log on.\r
\r
If you are connecting to the ICS by running telnet on an Internet\r
provider or firewall host, you may find that each line you type is\r
echoed back an extra time after you hit @key{Enter}. If your Internet\r
provider is a Unix system, you can probably turn its echo off by\r
typing @kbd{stty -echo} after you log in, and/or typing\r
@key{^E}@key{Enter} (Ctrl+E followed by the Enter key) to the telnet\r
program after you have logged into ICS.  It is a good idea to do this\r
if you can, because the extra echo can occasionally confuse XBoard's\r
parsing routines.\r
\r
The game parser recognizes only algebraic notation.\r
\r
Many of the following points used to be limitations in XBoard 4.2.7 and earlier, \r
but are now fixed:\r
The internal move legality tester in XBoard 4.3.xx does look at the game history, \r
and is fully aware of castling or en-passant-capture rights. It permits castling with \r
the king on the d file because this is possible in some "wild 1" games on ICS. \r
The piece-drop menu does not check piece drops in bughouse to see if you actually hold \r
the piece you are trying to drop. But this way of dropping pieces should be considered \r
an obsolete feature, now that pieces can be dropped by dragging them from the holdings \r
to the board. Anyway, if you would attempt an illegal move when using a chess engine or the ICS, \r
WinBoard will accept the error message that comes back, undo the move, and let you try another.\r
FEN positions saved by XBoard do include correct information about whether castling or \r
en passant are legal, and also handle the 50-move counter.\r
The mate detector does not understand that non-contact mate is not really mate in bughouse. \r
The only problem this causes while playing is minor: a "#" (mate indicator) character will \r
show up after a non-contact mating move in the move list. XBoard will not assume the game \r
is over at that point, not even when the option Detect Mates is on.\r
Edit Game mode always uses the rules of the selected variant, \r
which can be a variant that uses piece drops.  \r
You can load and edit games that contain piece drops. \r
The (obsolete) piece menus are not active, \r
but you can perform piece drops by dragging pieces from the holdings.\r
Edit Position mode does not allow you to edit the crazyhouse holdings properly. \r
You cannot drag pieces to the holding, and using the popup menu to put pieces \r
there does not adapt the holding counts and leads to an inconsistent state. \r
Set up crazyhouse positions by loading / pasting a bFEN, from there you can set the holdings.\r
Fischer Random castling is fully understood. \r
You can enter castlings by dragging the King on top of your Rook. \r
You can probably also play Fischer Random successfully on ICS by typing \r
castling moves into the ICS Interaction window.\r
\r
The menus may not work if your keyboard is in Caps Lock or Num Lock mode.\r
This seems to be a problem with the Athena menu widget,\r
not an XBoard bug.\r
\r
Also see the ToDo file included with the distribution for many other\r
possible bugs, limitations, and ideas for improvement that have been\r
suggested.\r
@node Problems\r
@chapter Reporting problems\r
@cindex Bugs\r
@cindex Bug reports\r
@cindex Reporting bugs\r
@cindex Problems\r
@cindex Reporting problems\r
\r
Report bugs and problems with XBoard to @code{<bug-xboard@@gnu.org>}.\r
\r
Please use the @file{script} program to start a typescript, run \r
XBoard with the @samp{-debug} option, and include the typescript\r
output in your message.\r
Also tell us what kind of machine and what operating system version\r
you are using.  The command @samp{uname -a} will often tell you this.\r
Here is a sample of approximately what you should type:\r
\r
@example\r
script\r
uname -a\r
./configure\r
make\r
./xboard -debug\r
exit\r
mail bug-xboard@@gnu.org\r
Subject: Your short description of the problem\r
Your detailed description of the problem\r
~r typescript\r
.\r
@end example\r
\r
The WinBoard / XBoard 4.3 line is being developed by H.G. Muller \r
independently of the GNU Savannah xboard project. \r
Bug reports on this version, and suggestions for improvements and additions, \r
are best posted in the WinBoard forum, \r
WinBoard-development section (http://www.open-aurec.com/wbforum). \r
\r
If you improve XBoard, please send a message about your changes,\r
and we will get in touch with you about merging them in\r
to the main line of development.\r
Also see our Web site at http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/xboard/.\r
\r
@node Contributors\r
@chapter Authors and contributors\r
@cindex Authors\r
@cindex Contributors\r
\r
Tim Mann has been responsible for XBoard versions 1.3 and beyond, and\r
for WinBoard, a port of XBoard to Microsoft Win32 (Windows NT and\r
Windows 95). H.G.Muller is responsible for version 4.3.\r
\r
Mark Williams contributed the initial (WinBoard-only) implementation\r
of many new features added to both XBoard and WinBoard in version\r
4.1.0, including copy/paste, premove, icsAlarm, autoFlipView, training\r
mode, auto raise, and blindfold.  Ben Nye contributed X copy/paste\r
code for XBoard.\r
\r
Hugh Fisher added animated piece movement to XBoard, and Henrik Gram\r
(henrikg@@funcom.com) added it to WinBoard.  Frank McIngvale added\r
click/click moving, the Analysis modes, piece flashing, ZIICS import,\r
and ICS text colorization to XBoard.  Jochen Wiedmann ported XBoard to\r
the Amiga, creating AmyBoard, and converted the documentation to\r
texinfo.  Elmar Bartel contributed the new piece bitmaps introduced in\r
version 3.2.  John Chanak contributed the initial implementation of\r
ICS mode.  The color scheme and the old 80x80 piece bitmaps were taken\r
from Wayne Christopher's @code{XChess} program.\r
\r
Chris Sears and Dan Sears wrote the original XBoard.  They were\r
responsible for versions 1.0 through 1.2.\r
\r
Evan Welsh wrote @code{CMail}.  Patrick Surry helped in designing,\r
testing, and documenting CMail.\r
\r
Allessandro Scotti added many elements to the user interface of WinBoard, \r
including the board textures and font-based rendering, the evaluation-graph, \r
move-history and engine-output window. \r
He was also responsible for adding the UCI support. \r
\r
H.G. Muller made WinBoard castling- and e.p.-aware, \r
added variant support with adjustable board sizes, \r
the crazyhouse holdings, and the fairy pieces. \r
In addition he added most of the adjudication options, \r
made WinBoard more robust in dealing with buggy and crashing engines, \r
and extended time control with a time-odds and node-count-based modes.\r
Most of the options that initially wre WinBoard only have now been back-ported to XBoard.\r
\r
Michel van den Bergh provided the code for reading Polyglot opening books.\r
\r
Arun Persaud worked with H.G. Muller to combine all the features of the never-released WinBoard 4.2.8 \r
of the Savannah project (mainly by Daniel Mehrmann), \r
and the never-released 4.3.16 into a unified WinBoard 4.4, \r
which is now available both from the Savannah web site and the WinBoard forum.\r
@node CMail\r
@chapter CMail\r
@cindex cmail\r
The @file{cmail} program can help you play chess by email with opponents of\r
your choice using XBoard as an interface.\r
\r
You will usually run @file{cmail} without giving any options.\r
\r
@menu\r
* CMail options::    Invoking CMail.\r
* CMail game::       Starting a CMail game.\r
* CMail answer::     Answering a move.\r
* CMail multi::      Multiple games in one message.\r
* CMail completion:: Completing a game.\r
* CMail trouble::    Known CMail problems.\r
@end menu\r
\r
@node CMail options\r
@section CMail options\r
@table @asis\r
@item -h\r
Displays @file{cmail} usage information.\r
@item -c\r
Shows the conditions of the GNU General Public License.\r
@xref{Copying}.\r
@item -w\r
Shows the warranty notice of the GNU General Public License.\r
@xref{Copying}.\r
@item -v\r
@itemx -xv\r
Provides or inhibits verbose output from @file{cmail} and XBoard,\r
useful for debugging. The\r
@code{-xv}\r
form also inhibits the cmail introduction message.\r
@item -mail\r
@itemx -xmail\r
Invokes or inhibits the sending of a mail message containing the move.\r
@item -xboard\r
@itemx -xxboard\r
Invokes or inhibits the running of XBoard on the game file.\r
@item -reuse\r
@itemx -xreuse\r
Invokes or inhibits the reuse of an existing XBoard to display the\r
current game.\r
@item -remail\r
Resends the last mail message for that game. This inhibits running\r
XBoard.\r
@item -game <name>\r
The name of the game to be processed.\r
@item -wgames <number>\r
@itemx -bgames <number>\r
@itemx -games <number>\r
Number of games to start as White, as Black or in total. Default is 1 as\r
white and none as black. If only one color is specified then none of the\r
other color is assumed. If no color is specified then equal numbers of\r
White and Black games are started, with the extra game being as White if an\r
odd number of total games is specified.\r
@item -me <short name>\r
@itemx -opp <short name>\r
A one-word alias for yourself or your opponent.\r
@item -wname <full name>\r
@itemx -bname <full name>\r
@itemx -name <full name>\r
@itemx -oppname <full name>\r
The full name of White, Black, yourself or your opponent.\r
@item -wna <net address>\r
@itemx -bna <net address>\r
@itemx -na <net address>\r
@itemx -oppna <net address>\r
The email address of White, Black, yourself or your opponent.\r
@item -dir <directory>\r
The directory in which @file{cmail} keeps its files. This defaults to the\r
environment variable @code{$CMAIL_DIR} or failing that, @code{$CHESSDIR},\r
@file{$HOME/Chess} or @file{~/Chess}. It will be created if it does not exist.\r
@item -arcdir <directory>\r
The directory in which @file{cmail} archives completed games. Defaults to\r
the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_ARCDIR} or, in its absence, the same\r
directory as cmail keeps its working files (above).\r
@item -mailprog <mail program>\r
The program used by cmail to send email messages. This defaults to the\r
environment variable @code{$CMAIL_MAILPROG} or failing that\r
@file{/usr/ucb/Mail}, @file{/usr/ucb/mail} or @file{Mail}. You will need\r
to set this variable if none of the above paths fit your system.\r
@item -gamesFile <file>\r
@cindex .cmailgames\r
A file containing a list of games with email addresses. This defaults to\r
the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_GAMES} or failing that\r
@file{.cmailgames}.\r
@item -aliasesFile <file>\r
@cindex .cmailaliases\r
A file containing one or more aliases for a set of email addresses. This\r
defaults to the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_ALIASES} or failing\r
that @file{.cmailaliases}.\r
@item -logFile <file>\r
A file in which to dump verbose debugging messages that are invoked with\r
the @samp{-v}\r
option.\r
@item -event <event>\r
The PGN Event tag (default @samp{Email correspondence game}).\r
@item -site <site>\r
The PGN Site tag (default @samp{NET}).\r
@item -round <round>\r
The PGN Round tag (default @samp{-}, not applicable).\r
@item -mode <mode>\r
The PGN Mode tag (default @samp{EM}, Electronic Mail).\r
@item Other options\r
Any option flags not listed above are passed through to XBoard.\r
Invoking XBoard through CMail changes the default values of two XBoard\r
options: The default value for @samp{-noChessProgram} is changed to\r
true; that is, by default no chess engine is started.  The default\r
value for @samp{-timeDelay} is changed to 0; that is, by default\r
XBoard immediately goes to the end of the game as played so far,\r
rather than stepping through the moves one by one.  You can still set\r
these options to whatever values you prefer by supplying them on\r
CMail's command line.  @xref{Options}.\r
@end table\r
\r
@node CMail game\r
@section Starting a CMail Game\r
Type @file{cmail} from a shell to start a game as white. After an opening\r
message, you will be prompted for a game name, which is optional---if you\r
simply press @key{Enter}, the game name will take the form\r
@samp{you-VS-opponent}. You will next be prompted for the short name\r
of your opponent. If you haven't played this person before, you will also\r
be prompted for his/her email address. @file{cmail} will then invoke\r
XBoard in the background. Make your first move and select\r
@samp{Mail Move} from the @samp{File} menu. @xref{File Menu}. If all is well,\r
@file{cmail} will mail a copy of the move to your opponent. If you select\r
@samp{Exit} without having selected @samp{Mail Move} then no move will be\r
made.\r
\r
@node CMail answer\r
@section Answering a Move\r
When you receive a message from an opponent containing a move in one of\r
your games, simply pipe the message through @file{cmail}. In some mailers\r
this is as simple as typing @kbd{| cmail} when viewing the message, while in\r
others you may have to save the message to a file and do @kbd{cmail < file}\r
at the command line. In either case @file{cmail} will display the game using\r
XBoard. If you didn't exit XBoard when you made your first move\r
then @file{cmail} will do its best to use the existing XBoard instead\r
of starting a new one. As before, simply make a move and select\r
@samp{Mail Move} from the @samp{File} menu. @xref{File Menu}. @file{cmail}\r
will try to use the\r
XBoard that was most recently used to display the current game. This\r
means that many games can be in progress simultaneously, each with its own\r
active XBoard.\r
\r
If you want to look at the history or explore a variation, go ahead, but\r
you must return to the current position before XBoard will allow you\r
to mail a move. If you edit the game's history you must select\r
@samp{Reload Same Game} from the @samp{File} menu to get back to the original\r
position, then make the move you want and select @samp{Mail Move}.\r
As before, if you decide you aren't ready to make a move just yet you can\r
either select @samp{Exit} without sending a move or just leave\r
XBoard running until you are ready.\r
\r
@node CMail multi\r
@section Multi-Game Messages\r
\r
It is possible to have a @file{cmail} message carry more than one game.\r
This feature was implemented to handle IECG (International Email Chess\r
Group) matches, where a match consists of one game as white and one as black,\r
with moves transmitted simultaneously. In case there are more general uses,\r
@file{cmail} itself places no limit on the number of black/white games\r
contained in a message; however, XBoard does.\r
\r
@node CMail completion\r
@section Completing a Game\r
Because XBoard can detect checkmate and stalemate, @file{cmail}\r
handles game termination sensibly. As well as resignation, the\r
@samp{Action} menu allows draws to be offered and accepted for\r
@file{cmail} games.\r
\r
For multi-game messages, only unfinished and just-finished games will be\r
included in email messages. When all the games are finished, they are\r
archived in the user's archive directory, and similarly in the opponent's\r
when he or she pipes the final message through @file{cmail}. The archive\r
file name includes the date the game was started.\r
\r
@node CMail trouble\r
@section Known CMail Problems\r
It's possible that a strange conjunction of conditions may occasionally\r
mean that @file{cmail} has trouble reactivating an existing\r
XBoard. If this should happen, simply trying it again should work.\r
If not, remove the file that stores the XBoard's PID\r
(@file{game.pid}) or use the @samp{-xreuse} option to force\r
@file{cmail} to start a new XBoard.\r
\r
Versions of @file{cmail} after 2.16 no longer understand the old file format\r
that XBoard used to use and so cannot be used to correspond with\r
anyone using an older version.\r
\r
Versions of @file{cmail} older than 2.11 do not handle multi-game messages,\r
so multi-game correspondence is not possible with opponents using an older\r
version.\r
\r
@node Other programs\r
@chapter Other programs you can use with XBoard\r
@cindex Other programs\r
\r
Here are some other programs you can use with XBoard\r
\r
@menu\r
* GNU Chess::        The GNU Chess engine.\r
* Fairy-Max::        The Fairy-Max chess engine.\r
* HoiChess::         The HoiChess chess engine.\r
* Crafty::           The Crafty chess engine.\r
* zic2xpm::          The program used to import chess sets from ZIICS.\r
@end menu\r
\r
@node GNU Chess\r
@section GNU Chess\r
\r
The GNU Chess engine is available from:\r
\r
ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuchess/\r
\r
You can use XBoard to play a game against GNU Chess, or to\r
interface GNU Chess to an ICS.\r
\r
@node Fairy-Max\r
@section Fairy-Max\r
\r
Fairy-Max is a derivative from the World's smallest Chess program micro-Max,\r
which measures only about 100 lines of source code.\r
The main difference with micro-Max is that Fairy-Max loads its move-generator\r
tables from a file, so that the rules for piece movement can be easily configured\r
to implement unorthodox pieces.\r
Fairy-Max can therefore play a lage number of variants, normal Chess being one of those.\r
In addition it plas Knightmate, Capablanca and Gothic Chess, Shatranj, Courier Chess,\r
Cylinder chess, Berolina Chess, while the user can easily define new variants.\r
It can be obtained from:\r
\r
http://home.hccnet.nl/h.g.muller/dwnldpage.html\r
\r
@node HoiChess\r
@section HoiChess\r
\r
HoiChess is a not-so-very-strong Chess engine, which comes with a derivative HoiXiangqi,\r
able to play Chinese Chess. It can be obtained from the standard Linux repositories\r
through:\r
\r
sudo apt-get install hoichess\r
\r
@node Crafty\r
@section Crafty\r
\r
Crafty is a chess engine written by Bob Hyatt.\r
You can use XBoard to play a game against Crafty, hook Crafty up\r
to an ICS, or use Crafty to interactively analyze games and positions\r
for you.\r
\r
Crafty is a strong, rapidly evolving chess program. This rapid\r
pace of development is good, because it means Crafty is always\r
getting better.  This can sometimes cause problems with\r
backwards compatibility, but usually the latest version of Crafty\r
will work well with the latest version of XBoard.\r
Crafty can be obtained from its author's FTP site:\r
ftp://ftp.cis.uab.edu/hyatt/.\r
\r
To use Crafty with XBoard, give the -fcp and -fd options as follows, where\r
<crafty's directory> is the directory in which you installed Crafty\r
and placed its book and other support files.\r
\r
@node zic2xpm\r
@section zic2xpm\r
\r
The ``zic2xpm'' program is used to import chess sets from the ZIICS(*)\r
program into XBoard. ``zic2xpm'' is part of the XBoard distribution.\r
ZIICS is available from:\r
\r
ftp://ftp.freechess.org/pub/chess/DOS/ziics131.exe\r
\r
To import ZIICS pieces, do this:\r
@table @asis\r
@item 1. Unzip ziics131.exe into a directory:\r
\r
@example\r
unzip -L ziics131.exe -d ~/ziics\r
@end example\r
@item 2. Use zic2xpm to convert a set of pieces to XBoard format.\r
\r
For example, let's say you want to use the\r
FRITZ4 set. These files are named ``fritz4.*'' in the ZIICS distribution.\r
\r
@example\r
mkdir ~/fritz4\r
cd ~/fritz4\r
zic2xpm ~/ziics/fritz4.*\r
@end example\r
@item 3. Give XBoard the ``-pixmap'' option when starting up, e.g.:\r
\r
@example\r
xboard -pixmap ~/fritz4\r
@end example\r
\r
Alternatively, you can add this line to your @file{.Xresources} file:\r
\r
@example\r
xboard*pixmapDirectory: ~/fritz4\r
@end example\r
@end table\r
\r
(*) ZIICS is a separate copyrighted work of Andy McFarland.\r
The ``ZIICS pieces'' are copyrighted works of their respective\r
creators. Files produced by ``zic2xpm'' are for PERSONAL USE ONLY\r
and may NOT be redistributed without explicit permission from\r
the original creator(s) of the pieces.\r
\r
@ifnottex\r
@node Copyright\r
@unnumbered Copyright\r
@include copyright.texi\r
@end ifnottex\r
\r
@node Copying\r
@unnumbered GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE\r
@include gpl.texinfo\r
\r
@c noman\r
@node Index\r
@unnumbered Index\r
\r
@printindex cp\r
@contents\r
@c end noman\r
\r
@bye\r