@ifinfo This file documents version @value{VERSION} of @value{NAME}. @value{NAME} is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a user interface to the GNU Chess and Crafty chess engines, the Internet Chess Servers, electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games. Copyright (C) 1991 Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved. Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the name of Digital not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission. Digital disclaims all warranties with regard to this software, including all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall Digital be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this software. Enhancements copyright (C) 1992-2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc. Published by the Free Software Foundation 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies. @ignore Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). @end ignore Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' is included exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one. Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' and this permission notice, may be included in translations approved by the Free Software Foundation instead of in the original English. @end ifinfo @titlepage @title @value{NAME} @author Tim Mann @page @vskip 0pt plus 1filll Copyright @copyright{} 1991 Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the name of Digital not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software without specific, written prior permission. Digital disclaims all warranties with regard to this software, including all implied warranties of merchantability and fitness. In no event shall Digital be liable for any special, indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this software. Enhancements copyright @copyright{} 1992-2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @format Published by the Free Software Foundation 59 Temple Place - Suite 330 Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA @end format Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies. @ignore Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). @end ignore Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' is included exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one. Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License,'' and this permission notice, may be included in translations approved by the Free Software Foundation instead of in the original English. @end titlepage @node Top @top Introduction @cindex introduction This manual documents version @value{VERSION} of @value{NAME}. @value{NAME} is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a user interface to the GNU Chess and Crafty chess engines, the Internet Chess Servers, electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games. @menu * Installation:: How to configure, compile and install @value{NAME}. * Invocation:: Command options supported by @value{NAME}. * Menus:: Menus, Buttons and Keys. * ICS:: Using @value{NAME} with an Internet Chess Server (ICS). * Firewalls:: Connecting to the ICS through a firewall. * Environment:: Environment variables. * Limitations:: Known limitations and/or bugs. * Problems:: How and where to report any problems you run into. * Contributors:: People who have helped developing @value{NAME}. * CMail:: Using @value{NAME} for electronic correspondence chess. * Programs:: Other programs you can use with @value{NAME}. * Copying:: The GNU General Public License. * Index:: Index of concepts and symbol names. @end menu @ifset html @node What is it? @chapter What is it? @cindex What is it? @value{NAME} is a graphical chessboard that can serve as a user interface to the GNU Chess and Crafty chess engines, the Internet Chess Servers, electronic mail correspondence chess, or your own collection of saved games. These Web pages document version @value{VERSION} of @value{NAME}. @end ifset @node Installation @chapter How to configure, compile and install @value{NAME} @cindex Installation @value{NAME} is normally distributed as source, in a file with a name like @file{xboard-*.tar.gz}. You need to unpack this file and compile the results with a C compiler. First, decide where you want to install the xboard executable program and documentation. The default is to put them under the @file{/usr/local} directory tree. If you want to put them somewhere else, such as under your home directory, change the value in the @samp{--prefix} option below. Use the following commands: @example gzip -cd xboard-*.tar.gz | tar -xvf - cd xboard-*/ configure --prefix=/usr/local make make install @end example If you have any problems with these steps, see the file @file{INSTALL} in the @value{NAME} distribution for detailed instructions on options you can give to @code{configure}, and see the file @file{FAQ} for answers to frequently asked questions. If everything works, you can delete the whole @file{xboard-*} directory after @samp{make install} is done. @node Invocation @chapter Command options supported by @value{NAME} @cindex Invocation @cindex Options @value{NAME} always runs in one of four major modes: @table @asis @item @value{LCNAME} [options] runs @value{NAME} as an interface to a chess engine running on your machine, such as GNU Chess or Crafty. In this mode, @value{NAME} lets you play a game against the chess engine, set up arbitrary positions, force variations, or watch a game between two chess engines. @item @value{LCNAME} -ics -icshost hostname [options] runs @value{NAME} as an interface to the Internet Chess Server (ICS). You can play against other ICS users, observe games they are playing, or review games that have recently finished. @xref{ICS}. All the ``wild'' chess variants on ICS are supported, including bughouse. @item @value{LCNAME} -ncp [options] lets you use @value{NAME} as a simple chessboard to play through games. It will read and write game files and allow you to play through variations manually. You can use it to browse games off the net or review games you have saved. These features are also available in the other modes. If you want to pipe games into @value{NAME}, use the supplied shell script @file{pxboard}. For example, from the news reader @file{xrn}, find a message with one or more games in it, click the Save button, and type @samp{|pxboard} as the file name. @item cmail uses @value{NAME} as an interface to electronic mail correspondence chess. @xref{CMail}. @end table Most of the @value{NAME} options have both a long name and a short name. To turn a boolean option on or off from the command line, either give its long name followed by the value @code{true} or @code{false} (@samp{-longOptionName true}), or give just the short name to turn the option on (@samp{-opt}), or the short name preceded by @samp{x} to turn the option off (@samp{-xopt}). For options that take strings or numbers as values, you can use the long or short option names interchangeably. Each option corresponds to an X resource with the same name, so if you like, you can set options in your @file{.Xdefaults} file or in a file named @file{XBoard} in your home directory. For options that have two names, the longer one is the name of the corresponding X resource; the short name is not recognized. To turn a boolean option on or off as an X resource, give its long name followed by the value @code{true} or @code{false}: @example XBoard*longOptionName: true @end example @menu * Chess engine options:: Controlling the chess engine. * ICS options:: Connecting to and using ICS. * I/O options:: Load and Save options. * User interface options:: Look and Feel options. * Other options:: Miscellaneous. @end menu @node Chess engine options @section Controlling the chess engine @cindex options, Chess engine @cindex Chess engine options @table @asis @item -tc or -timeControl minutes[:seconds] @cindex tc, option @cindex timeControl, option Each player begins with his clock set to the @code{timeControl} period. Default: 5 minutes. The additional options @code{movesPerSession} and @code{timeIncrement} are mutually exclusive. @item -mps or -movesPerSession moves @cindex mps, option @cindex movesPerSession, option When both players have made @code{movesPerSession} moves, a new @code{timeControl} period is added to both clocks. Default: 40 moves. @item -inc or -timeIncrement seconds @cindex inc, option @cindex timeIncrement, option If this option is specified, @code{movesPerSession} is ignored. Instead, after each player's move, @code{timeIncrement} seconds are added to his clock. Use @samp{-inc 0} if you want to require the entire game to be played in one @code{timeControl} period, with no increment. Default: -1, which specifies @code{movesPerSession} mode. @item -clock/-xclock or -clockMode True/False @cindex clock, option @cindex clockMode, option Determines whether or not to display the chess clocks. If clockMode is @samp{false}, the clocks are not shown, but the side that is to play next is still highlighted. Also, unless @code{searchTime} is set, the chess engine still keeps track of the clock time and uses it to determine how fast to make its moves. @item -st or -searchTime minutes[:seconds] @cindex st, option @cindex searchTime, option Tells the chess engine to spend at most the given amount of time searching for each of its moves. Without this option, the chess engine chooses its search time based on the number of moves and amount of time remaining until the next time control. Setting this option also sets clockMode to False. @item -depth or -searchDepth number @cindex sd, option @cindex searchDepth, option Tells the chess engine to look ahead at most the given number of moves when searching for a move to make. Without this option, the chess engine chooses its search depth based on the number of moves and amount of time remaining until the next time control. With the option, the engine will cut off its search early if it reaches the specified depth. @item -thinking/-xthinking or -showThinking True/False @cindex thinking, option @cindex showThinking, option Sets the Show Thinking option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @item -ponder/-xponder or -ponderNextMove True/False @cindex ponder, option @cindex ponderNextMove, option Sets the Ponder Next Move menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: True. @item -mg or -matchGames n @cindex mg, option @cindex matchGames, option Automatically runs an n-game match between two chess engines, with alternating colors. If the @code{loadGameFile} or @code{loadPositionFile} option is set, @value{NAME} starts each game with the given opening moves or the given position; otherwise, the games start with the standard initial chess position. If the @code{saveGameFile} option is set, a move record for the match is appended to the specified file. If the @code{savePositionFile} option is set, the final position reached in each game of the match is appended to the specified file. When the match is over, @value{NAME} displays the match score and exits. Default: 0 (do not run a match). @item -mm/-xmm or -matchMode True/False @cindex mm, option @cindex matchMode, option Abbreviation for -matchGames 1. @item -fcp or -firstChessProgram program @cindex fcp, option @cindex firstChessProgram, option Name of first chess engine. Default: @file{gnuchessx}. @item -scp or -secondChessProgram program @cindex scp, option @cindex secondChessProgram, option Name of second chess engine, if needed. A second chess engine is started only in Two Machines (match) mode. Default: @file{gnuchessx}. @item -fb/-xfb or -firstPlaysBlack True/False @cindex fb, option @cindex firstPlaysBlack, option In games between two chess engines, firstChessProgram normally plays white. (This is a change from earlier versions of @value{NAME}.) If this option is True, firstChessProgram plays black. In a multi-game match, this option affects the colors only for the first game; they still alternate in subsequent games. @item -fh or -firstHost host @itemx -sh or -secondHost host @cindex fh, option @cindex firstHost, option @cindex sh, option @cindex secondHost, option Hosts on which the chess engines are to run. The default for each is @file{localhost}. If you specify another host, @value{NAME} uses @file{rsh} (1) to run the chess engine there. (You can substitute a different remote shell program for rsh using the @code{remoteShell} option described below.) @item -fd or -firstDirectory dir @itemx -sd or -secondDirectory dir @cindex fd, option @cindex firstDirectory, option @cindex sd, option @cindex secondDirectory, option Working directories in which the chess engines are to be run. The default is "", which means to run the chess engine in the same working directory as @value{NAME} itself. (See the CHESSDIR environment variable.) This option is effective only when the chess engine is being run on the local host; it does not work if the engine is run remotely using the -fh or -sh option. @item -initString string @itemx -secondInitString string @cindex initString, option @cindex secondInitString, option The string that is sent to initialize each chess engine for a new game. Default: @example new random @end example @noindent Setting this option from the command line is tricky, because you must type in real newline characters, including one at the very end. In most shells you can do this by entering a @samp{\} character followed by a newline. It is easier to set the option from your @file{.Xdefaults} file; in that case you can include the character sequence @samp{\n} in the string, and it will be converted to a newline. If you change this option, don't remove the @samp{new} command; it is required by all chess engines to start a new game. You can remove the @samp{random} command if you like; including it causes GNU Chess to randomize its move selection slightly so that it doesn't play the same moves in every game. Even without @samp{random}, GNU Chess randomizes its choice of moves from its opening book. Crafty ignores this command; it randomizes by default. You can also try adding other commands to the initString; see the GNU Chess or Crafty documentation for details. @item -firstComputerString string @itemx -secondComputerString string @cindex firstComputerString, option @cindex secondComputerString, option The string that is sent to the chess engine if its opponent is another computer chess engine. The default is @samp{computer\n}. Probably the only useful alternative is the empty string (@samp{}), which keeps the engine from knowing that it is playing another computer. @item -reuse/-xreuse or -reuseFirst True/False @itemx -reuse2/-xreuse2 or -reuseSecond True/False @cindex reuse, option @cindex reuseFirst, option @cindex reuse2, option @cindex reuseSecond, option If the option is false, @value{NAME} kills off the chess engine after every game and starts it again for the next game. If the option is true (the default), @value{NAME} starts the chess engine only once and uses it repeatedly to play multiple games. Some chess engines may not work properly when reuse is turned on, such as versions of Crafty earlier than 12.0, but otherwise new games will start faster if it is left on. @item -firstProtocolVersion version-number @itemx -secondProtocolVersion version-number @cindex firstProtocolVersion, option @cindex secondProtocolVersion, option This option specifies which version of the chess engine communication protocol to use. By default, version-number is 2. In version 1, the "protover" command is not sent to the engine; since version 1 is a subset of version 2, nothing else changes. Other values for version-number are not supported. @end table @node ICS options @section Connecting to and using ICS @cindex ICS options @cindex Options, ICS @table @asis @item -ics/-xics or -internetChessServerMode True/False @cindex ics, option @cindex internetChessServerMode, option Connect with an Internet Chess Server to play chess against its other users, observe games they are playing, or review games that have recently finished. Default: false. To use @value{NAME} in ICS mode, run it in the foreground, and use the terminal you started it from to type commands and receive text responses from the chess server. @xref{ICS}. @xref{File Menu}. @xref{Step Menu}. @xref{Mode Menu}. @item -icshost or -internetChessServerHost host @cindex icshost, option @cindex internetChessServerHost, option The Internet host name or address of the chess server to connect to when in ICS mode. Default: @code{chessclub.com}. See the file @file{ics-addresses} in the @value{NAME} distribution for a list of other addresses to try. If your site doesn't have a working Internet name server, try specifying the host address in numeric form. You may also need to specify the numeric address when using the icshelper option with timestamp or timeseal (see below). At this writing @code{chessclub.com} is @samp{207.99.5.190} and @code{freechess.org} is @samp{164.58.253.13}. @item -icsport or -internetChessServerPort port-number @cindex icsport, option @cindex internetChessServerPort, option The port number to use when connecting to a chess server in ICS mode. Default: 5000. @item -icshelper or -internetChessServerHelper prog-name @cindex icshelper, option @cindex internetChessServerHelper, option An external helper program used to communicate with the chess server. You would set it to "timestamp" for ICC (chessclub.com) or "timeseal" for FICS (freechess.org, eics.daimi.aau.dk, etc.), after obtaining the correct version of timestamp or timeseal for your computer. See "help timestamp" on ICC and "help timeseal" on FICS. This option is shorthand for @code{-useTelnet -telnetProgram program}. @item -telnet/-xtelnet or -useTelnet True/False @cindex telnet, option @cindex useTelnet, option This option is poorly named; it should be called useHelper. If set to true, it instructs @value{NAME} to run an external program to communicate with the Internet Chess Server. The program to use is given by the telnetProgram option. If the option is false (the default), @value{NAME} opens a TCP socket and uses its own internal implementation of the telnet protocol to communicate with the ICS. @xref{Firewalls}. @item -telnetProgram prog-name @cindex telnetProgram, option This option is poorly named; it should be called helperProgram. It gives the name of the telnet program to be used with the @code{gateway} and @code{useTelnet} options. The default is @file{telnet}. The telnet program is invoked with the value of @code{internetChessServerHost} as its first argument and the value of @code{internetChessServerPort} as its second argument. @xref{Firewalls}. @item -gateway host-name @cindex gateway, option If this option is set to a host name, @value{NAME} uses @file{rsh} (1) to run the @file{telnet} (1) program on the given host to communicate with the Internet Chess Server instead of using its own internal implementation of the telnet protocol. You can substitute a different remote shell program for @file{rsh} using the @code{remoteShell} option described below. @xref{Firewalls}. @item -internetChessServerCommPort or -icscomm dev-name @cindex internetChessServerCommPort, option @cindex icscomm, option If this option is set, @value{NAME} communicates with the ICS through the given character I/O device instead of opening a TCP connection. Use this option if your system does not have any kind of Internet connection itself (not even a SLIP or PPP connection), but you do have dialup access (or a hardwired terminal line) to an Internet service provider from which you can telnet to the ICS. The support for this option in @value{NAME} is minimal. You need to set all communication parameters and tty modes before you enter @value{NAME}. Use a script something like this: @example stty raw -echo 9600 > /dev/tty00 @value{LCNAME} -ics -icscomm /dev/tty00 @end example Here replace @samp{/dev/tty00} with the name of the device that your modem is connected to. You might have to add several more options to these stty commands. See the man pages for @file{stty} (1) and @code{tty} (4) if you run into problems. Also, on many systems stty works on its standard input instead of standard output, so you have to use @samp{<} instead of @samp{>}. If you are using linux, try starting with the script below. Change it as necessary for your installation. @example #################################################### #!/bin/sh -f # configure modem and fire up @value{NAME} # configure modem ( stty 2400 ; stty raw ; stty hupcl ; stty -clocal stty ignbrk ; stty ignpar ; stty ixon ; stty ixoff stty -iexten ; stty -echo ) < /dev/modem @value{LCNAME} -ics -icscomm /dev/modem #################################################### @end example @noindent After you start @value{NAME} in this way, type whatever commands are necessary to dial out to your Internet provider and log in. Then telnet to ICS, using a command like @example telnet chessclub.com 5000 @end example @noindent Important: See the paragraph below about extra echoes, in @ref{Limitations}. @item -icslogon or -internetChessServerLogonScript file-name @cindex icslogon, option @cindex internetChessServerLogonScript, option @cindex .icsrc Whenever @value{NAME} connects to the Internet Chess Server, if it finds a file with the name given in this option, it feeds the file's contents to the ICS as commands. The default file name is @file{.icsrc}. Usually the first two lines of the file should be your ICS user name and password. The file can be either in $CHESSDIR, in @value{NAME}'s working directory if CHESSDIR is not set, or in your home directory. @item -msLoginDelay delay @cindex msLoginDelay, option If you experience trouble logging on to an ICS when using the @code{-icslogon} option, inserting some delay between characters of the logon script may help. This option adds @code{delay} milliseconds of delay between characters. Good values to try are 100 and 250. @item -icsinput/-xicsinput or -internetChessServerInputBox True/False @cindex icsinput, option @cindex internetChessServerInputBox, option Sets the ICS Input Box menu option. @xref{Mode Menu}. Default: false. @item -autocomm/-xautocomm or -autoComment True/False @cindex autocomm, option @cindex autoComment, option Sets the Auto Comment menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: False. @item -autoflag/-xautoflag or -autoCallFlag True/False @cindex autoflag, option @cindex autoCallFlag, option Sets the Auto Flag menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @item -autobs/-xautobs or -autoObserve True/False @cindex autobs, option @cindex autoObserve, option Sets the Auto Observe menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @item -moves/-xmoves or -getMoveList True/False @cindex moves, option @cindex getMoveList, option Sets the Get Move List menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. @item -alarm/-xalarm or -icsAlarm True/False @cindex alarm, option @cindex icsAlarm, option Sets the ICS Alarm menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. @item -icsAlarmTime ms @cindex icsAlarmTime, option Sets the time in milliseconds for the ICS Alarm menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: 5000. @item -pre/-xpre \fRor\fB -premove True/False @cindex pre, option @cindex premove, option Sets the Premove menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: true. @item -quiet/-xquiet or -quietPlay True/False @cindex quiet, option @cindex quietPlay, option Sets the Quiet Play menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @item -colorizeMessages or -colorize @cindex Colors @cindex colorize, option Setting colorizeMessages to True tells XBoard to colorize the messages received from the ICS. Colorization works only if your xterm supports ISO 6429 escape sequences for changing text colors. @item -colorShout foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorSShout foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorChannel1 foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorChannel foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorKibitz foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorTell foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorChallege foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorRequest foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorSeek foreground,background,bold @itemx -colorNormal foreground,background,bold @cindex Colors @cindex colorShout, option @cindex colorSShout, option @cindex colorChannel1, option @cindex colorChannel, option @cindex colorKibitz, option @cindex colorTell, option @cindex colorChallenge, option @cindex colorRequest, option @cindex colorSeek, option @cindex colorNormal, option These options set the colors used when colorizing ICS messages. All ICS messages are grouped into one of these categories: shout, sshout, channel 1, other channel, kibitz, tell, challenge, request (including abort, adjourn, draw, pause, and takeback), or normal (all other messages). Each foreground or background argument can be one of the following: black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, white, or default. Here ``default'' means the default foreground or background color of your xterm. Bold can be 1 or 0. If background is omitted, ``default'' is assumed; if bold is omitted, 0 is assumed. Here is an example of how to set the colors in your @file{.Xdefaults} file. The colors shown here are the default values; you will get them if you turn @code{-colorize} on without specifying your own colors. @example xboard*colorizeMessages: true xboard*colorShout: green xboard*colorSShout: green, black, 1 xboard*colorChannel1: cyan xboard*colorChannel: cyan, black, 1 xboard*colorKibitz: magenta, black, 1 xboard*colorTell: yellow, black, 1 xboard*colorChallenge: red, black, 1 xboard*colorRequest: red xboard*colorSeek: blue xboard*colorNormal: default @end example @item -soundProgram progname @cindex soundProgram, option @cindex Sounds If this option is set to a sound-playing program that is installed and working on your system, @value{NAME} can play sound files when certain events occur, listed below. The default program name is "play". If any of the sound options is set to "$", the event rings the terminal bell by sending a ^G character to standard output, instead of playing a sound file. If an option is set to the empty string "", no sound is played for that event. @item -soundShout filename @itemx -soundSShout filename @itemx -soundChannel filename @itemx -soundKibitz filename @itemx -soundTell filename @itemx -soundChallenge filename @itemx -soundRequest filename @itemx -soundSeek filename @cindex soundShout, option @cindex soundSShout, option @cindex soundChannel, option @cindex soundKibitz, option @cindex soundTell, option @cindex soundChallenge, option @cindex soundRequest, option @cindex soundSeek, option These sounds are triggered in the same way as the colorization events described above. They all default to "", no sound. They are played only if the colorizeMessages is on. @item -soundMove filename @cindex soundMove, option This sound is used by the Move Sound menu option. Default: "$". @item -soundIcsAlarm filename @cindex soundIcsAlarm, option This sound is used by the ICS Alarm menu option. Default: "$". @item -soundIcsWin filename @cindex soundIcsWin, option This sound is played when you win an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). @item -soundIcsLoss filename @cindex soundIcsLoss, option This sound is played when you lose an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). @item -soundIcsDraw filename @cindex soundIcsDraw, option This sound is played when you draw an ICS game. Default: "" (no sound). @item -soundIcsUnfinished filename @cindex soundIcsUnfinished, option This sound is played when an ICS game that you are participating in is aborted, adjourned, or otherwise ends inconclusively. Default: "" (no sound). Here is an example of how to set the sounds in your .Xdefaults file. @example xboard*soundShout: shout.wav xboard*soundSShout: sshout.wav xboard*soundChannel1: channel1.wav xboard*soundChannel: channel.wav xboard*soundKibitz: kibitz.wav xboard*soundTell: tell.wav xboard*soundChallenge: challenge.wav xboard*soundRequest: request.wav xboard*soundSeek: seek.wav xboard*soundMove: move.wav xboard*soundIcsWin: win.wav xboard*soundIcsLoss: lose.wav xboard*soundIcsDraw: draw.wav xboard*soundIcsUnfinished: unfinished.wav xboard*soundIcsAlarm: alarm.wav @end example @end table @node I/O options @section Load and Save options @cindex Options, I/O @cindex I/O options @table @asis @item -lgf or -loadGameFile file @itemx -lgi or -loadGameIndex index @cindex lgf, option @cindex loadGameFile, option @cindex lgi, option @cindex loadGameIndex, option If the @code{loadGameFile} option is set, @value{NAME} loads the specified game file at startup. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard input. If there is more than one game in the file, @value{NAME} pops up a menu of the available games, with entries based on their PGN tags. If the @code{loadGameIndex} option is set to @samp{N}, the menu is suppressed and the N th game found in the file is loaded immediately. The menu is also suppressed if @code{matchMode} is enabled or if the game file is a pipe; in these cases the first game in the file is loaded immediately. @ifset XBOARD Use the @file{pxboard} shell script provided with @value{NAME} if you want to pipe in files containing multiple games and still see the menu. @end ifset @item -td or -timeDelay seconds @cindex td, option @cindex timeDelay, option Time delay between moves during @samp{Load Game}. Fractional seconds are allowed; try @samp{-td 0.4}. A time delay value of -1 tells @value{NAME} not to step through game files automatically. Default: 1 second. @item -sgf or -saveGameFile file @cindex sgf, option @cindex saveGameFile, option If this option is set, @value{NAME} appends a record of every game played to the specified file. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard output. @item -autosave/-xautosave or -autoSaveGames True/False @cindex autosave, option @cindex autoSaveGames, option Sets the Auto Save menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. Ignored if @code{saveGameFile} is set. @item -lpf or -loadPositionFile file @itemx -lpi or -loadPositionIndex index @cindex lpf, option @cindex loadPositionFile, option @cindex lpi, option @cindex loadPositionIndex, option If the @code{loadPositionFile} option is set, @value{NAME} loads the specified position file at startup. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard input. If the @code{loadPositionIndex} option is set to N, the Nth position found in the file is loaded; otherwise the first position is loaded. @item -spf or -savePositionFile file @cindex spf, option @cindex savePositionFile, option If this option is set, @value{NAME} appends the final position reached in every game played to the specified file. The file name @file{-} specifies the standard output. @item -oldsave/-xoldsave or -oldSaveStyle True/False @cindex oldsave, option @cindex oldSaveStyle, option Sets the Old Save Style menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @end table @node User interface options @section Look and Feel options @cindex User interface options @cindex Options, User interface @table @asis @item -display @itemx -geometry @itemx -iconic @cindex display, option @cindex geometry, option @cindex iconic, option These are just the standard Xt options accepted by @value{NAME}. @item -movesound/-xmovesound or -bell/-xbell or -ringBellAfterMoves True/False @cindex movesound, option @cindex bell, option @cindex ringBellAfterMoves, option Sets the Move Sound menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @item -exit/-xexit or -popupExitMessage True/False @cindex exit, option @cindex popupExitMessage, option Sets the Popup Exit Message menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: True. @item -popup/-xpopup or -popupMoveErrors True/False @cindex popup, option @cindex popupMoveErrors, option Sets the Popup Move Errors menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: False. @item -queen/-xqueen or -alwaysPromoteToQueen True/False @cindex queen, option @cindex alwaysPromoteToQueen, option Sets the Always Queen menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. @item -legal/-xlegal or -testLegality True/False @cindex legal, option @cindex testLegality, option If this option is true (the default), @value{NAME} tests whether moves you try to make with the mouse are legal, and refuses to let you make an illegal move. Moves loaded from a file with @samp{Load Game} are also checked. If the option is false, all moves are accepted. If GNU Chess, Crafty, or the ICS is active, they will still reject illegal moves. Turning off this option is useful if you are playing a chess variant with rules that @value{NAME} does not understand. @item -size or -boardSize (sizeName | n1,n2,n3,n4,n5,n6,n7) @cindex size, option @cindex boardSize, option @cindex board size Determines how large the board will be, by selecting the pixel size of the pieces and setting a few related parameters. The sizeName can be one of: Titanic, giving 129x129 pixel pieces, Colossal 116x116, Giant 108x108, Huge 95x95, Big 87x87, Large 80x80, Bulky 72x72, Medium 64x64, Moderate 58x58, Average 54x54, Middling 49x49, Mediocre 45x45, Small 40x40, Slim 37x37, Petite 33x33, Dinky 29x29, Teeny 25x25, or Tiny 21x21. Pieces of all these sizes are built into @value{NAME}. Other sizes can be used if you have them; see the pixmapDirectory and bitmapDirectory options. The default depends on the size of your screen; it is approximately the largest size that will fit without clipping. You can select other sizes or vary other layout parameters by providing a list of comma-separated values (with no spaces) as the argument. You do not need to provide all the values; for any you omit from the end of the list, defaults are taken from the nearest built-in size. The value @code{n1} gives the piece size, @code{n2} the width of the black border between squares, @code{n3} the desired size for the clockFont, @code{n4} the desired size for the coordFont, @code{n5} the desired size for the default font, @code{n6} the smallLayout flag (0 or 1), and @code{n7} the tinyLayout flag (0 or 1). All dimensions are in pixels. If the border between squares is eliminated (0 width), the various highlight options will not work, as there is nowhere to draw the highlight. If smallLayout is 1 and @code{titleInWindow} is True, the window layout is rearranged to make more room for the title. If tinyLayout is 1, the labels on the menu bar are abbreviated to one character each and the buttons in the button bar are made narrower. @item -coords/-xcoords or -showCoords True/False @cindex coords, option @cindex showCoords, option Sets the Show Coords menu option. @xref{Options Menu}. Default: false. The @code{coordFont} option specifies what font to use. @item -autoraise/-xautoraise or -autoRaiseBoard True/False @cindex autoraise, option @cindex autoRaiseBoard, option Sets the Auto Raise Board menu option. Default: true. @item -autoflip/-xautoflip or -autoFlipView True/False @cindex autoflip, option @cindex autoFlipView, option Sets the Auto Flip View menu option. Default: true. @item -flip/-xflip or -flipView True/False @cindex flip, option @cindex flipView, option If Auto Flip View is not set, or if you are observing but not participating in a game, then the positioning of the board at the start of each game depends on the flipView option. If flipView is False (the default), the board is positioned so that the white pawns move from the bottom to the top; if True, the black pawns move from the bottom to the top. In any case, the Flip menu option can be used to flip the board after the game starts. @item -title/-xtitle or -titleInWindow True/False @cindex title, option @cindex titleInWindow, option If this option is true, @value{NAME} displays player names (for ICS games) and game file names (for @samp{Load Game}) inside its main window. If the option is false (the default), this information is displayed only in the window banner. You probably won't want to set this option unless the information is not showing up in the banner, as happens with a few X window managers. @item -mono/-xmono or -monoMode True/False @cindex mono, option @cindex monoMode, option Determines whether @value{NAME} displays its pieces and squares with two colors (true) or four (false). You shouldn't have to specify @code{monoMode}; @value{NAME} will determine if it is necessary. @item -flashCount count @itemx -flashRate rate @itemx -flash @itemx -xflash @cindex flashCount, option @cindex flashRate, option @cindex flash, option @cindex xflash, option These options enable flashing of pieces when they land on their destination square. @code{flashCount} tells XBoard how many times to flash a piece after it lands on its destination square. @code{flashRate} controls the rate of flashing (flashes/sec). Abbreviations: @code{flash} sets flashCount to 3. @code{xflash} sets flashCount to 0. Defaults: flashCount=0 (no flashing), flashRate=5. @item -highlight/-xhighlight or -highlightLastMove True/False @cindex highlight, option @cindex highlightLastMove, option Sets the Highlight Last Move menu option. Default: false. @item -blind/-xblind or -blindfold True/False @cindex blind, option @cindex blindfold, option Sets the Blindfold menu option. Default: false. @item -clockFont font @cindex clockFont, option @cindex Font, clock The font used for the clocks. If the option value is a pattern that does not specify the font size, @value{NAME} tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. @item -coordFont font @cindex coordFont, option @cindex Font, coordinates The font used for rank and file coordinate labels if @code{showCoords} is true. If the option value is a pattern that does not specify the font size, @value{NAME} tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. Default: -*-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. @item -font font @cindex font, option @cindex Font The font used for popup dialogs, menus, comments, etc. If the option value is a pattern that does not specify the font size, @value{NAME} tries to choose an appropriate font for the board size being used. Default: -*-helvetica-medium-r-normal--*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*. @item -fontSizeTolerance tol @cindex fontSizeTolerance, option In the font selection algorithm, a nonscalable font will be preferred over a scalable font if the nonscalable font's size differs by tol pixels or less from the desired size. A value of -1 will force a scalable font to always be used if available; a value of 0 will use a nonscalable font only if it is exactly the right size; a large value (say 1000) will force a nonscalable font to always be used if available. Default: 4. @item -bm or -bitmapDirectory dir @itemx -pixmap or -pixmapDirectory dir @cindex bm, option @cindex bitmapDirectory, option @cindex pixmap, option @cindex pixmapDirectory, option These options control what piece images xboard uses. The @value{NAME} distribution includes one set of pixmap pieces in xpm format, in the directory @file{pixmaps}, and two sets of bitmap pieces in xbm format, in the directories @file{bitmaps} and @file{bitmaps.xchess}. Pixmap pieces give a better appearance on the screen: the white pieces have dark borders, and the black pieces have opaque internal details. With bitmaps, neither piece color has a border, and the internal details are transparent; you see the square color or other background color through them. If @value{NAME} is configured and compiled on a system that includes libXpm, the X pixmap library, the xpm pixmap pieces are compiled in as the default. A different xpm piece set can be selected at runtime with the @code{pixmapDirectory} option, or a bitmap piece set can be selected with the @code{bitmapDirectory} option. If @value{NAME} is configured and compiled on a system that does not include libXpm (or the @code{--disable-xpm} option is given to the configure program), the bitmap pieces are compiled in as the default. It is not possible to use xpm pieces in this case, but pixmap pieces in another format called "xim" can be used by giving the @code{pixmapDirectory} option. Or again, a different bitmap piece set can be selected with the @code{bitmapDirectory} option. Files in the @code{bitmapDirectory} must be named as follows: The first character of a piece bitmap name gives the piece it represents (@samp{p}, @samp{n}, @samp{b}, @samp{r}, @samp{q}, or @samp{k}), the next characters give the size in pixels, the following character indicates whether the piece is solid or outline (@samp{s} or @samp{o}), and the extension is @samp{.bm}. For example, a solid 80x80 knight would be named @file{n80s.bm}. The outline bitmaps are used only in monochrome mode. If bitmap pieces are compiled in and the bitmapDirectory is missing some files, the compiled in pieces are used instead. If the bitmapDirectory option is given, it is also possible to replace xboard's icons and menu checkmark, by supplying files named @file{icon_white.bm}, @file{icon_black.bm}, and @file{checkmark.bm}. For more information about pixmap pieces and how to get additional sets, see @ref{zic2xpm}. @item -whitePieceColor color @itemx -blackPieceColor color @itemx -lightSquareColor color @itemx -darkSquareColor color @itemx -highlightSquareColor color @cindex Colors @cindex whitePieceColor, option @cindex blackPieceColor, option @cindex lightSquareColor, option @cindex darkSquareColor, option @cindex highlightSquareColor, option Colors to use for the pieces, squares, and square highlights. Defaults: @example -whitePieceColor #FFFFCC -blackPieceColor #202020 -lightSquareColor #C8C365 -darkSquareColor #77A26D -highlightSquareColor #FFFF00 -premoveHighlightColor #FF0000 @end example On a grayscale monitor you might prefer: @example -whitePieceColor gray100 -blackPieceColor gray0 -lightSquareColor gray80 -darkSquareColor gray60 -highlightSquareColor gray100 -premoveHighlightColor gray70 @end example @item -drag/-xdrag or -animateDragging True/False @cindex drag, option @cindex animateDragging, option Sets the Animate Dragging menu option. Default: True. @item -animate/-xanimate or -animateMoving True/False @cindex animate, option @cindex animateMoving, option Sets the Animate Moving menu option. Default: True. @item -animateSpeed n @cindex -animateSpeed, option Number of milliseconds delay between each animation frame when Animate Moves is on. @end table @node Other options @section Miscellaneous @cindex Options, miscellaneous @table @asis @item -ncp/-xncp or -noChessProgram True/False @cindex ncp, option @cindex noChessProgram, option If this option is true, @value{NAME} acts as a passive chessboard; it does not start a chess engine at all. Turning on this option also turns off clockMode. Default: false. @item -mode or -initialMode modename @cindex mode, option @cindex initalMode, option If this option is given, @value{NAME} selects the given modename from the Mode menu after starting and (if applicable) processing the loadGameFile or loadPositionFile option. Default: "" (no selection). Other supported values are MachineWhite, MachineBlack, TwoMachines, Analysis, AnalyzeFile, EditGame, EditPosition, and Training. @item -variant varname @cindex variant, option Activates preliminary, partial support for playing chess variants against a local engine or editing variant games. This flag is not needed in ICS mode. Recognized variant names are: @example normal Normal chess wildcastle Shuffle chess, king can castle from d file nocastle Shuffle chess, no castling allowed fischerandom Fischer Random shuffle chess bughouse Bughouse, ICC/FICS rules crazyhouse Crazyhouse, ICC/FICS rules losers Lose all pieces or get mated (ICC wild 17) suicide Lose all pieces including king (FICS) giveaway Try to have no legal moves (ICC wild 26) twokings Weird ICC wild 9 kriegspiel Opponent's pieces are invisible atomic Capturing piece explodes (ICC wild 27) 3check Win by giving check 3 times (ICC wild 25) shatranj An ancient precursor of chess (ICC wild 28) unknown Catchall for other unknown variants @end example In the shuffle variants, xboard does not shuffle the pieces, but you can do it by hand using Edit Position. Some variants are supported only in ICS mode, including fischerandom, bughouse, and kriegspiel. The winning/drawing conditions in crazyhouse (offboard interposition on mate), losers, suicide, giveaway, atomic, and 3check are not fully understood. In crazyhouse, xboard does not yet keep track of offboard pieces. Shatranj is unsupported, but it may be usable if you turn off Test Legality. @item -debug/-xdebug or -debugMode True/False @cindex debug, option @cindex debugMode, option Turns on debugging printout. @item -rsh or -remoteShell shell-name @cindex rsh, option @cindex remoteShell, option Name of the command used to run programs remotely. The default is @file{rsh} or @file{remsh}, determined when @value{NAME} is configured and compiled. @item -ruser or -remoteUser user-name @cindex ruser, option @cindex remoteUser, option User name on the remote system when running programs with the @code{remoteShell}. The default is your local user name. @end table @node Menus @chapter Menus, buttons and keys @cindex Menus To move a piece, either drag it with the left mouse button, or click the left mouse button once on the piece, then once more on the destination square. To drop a new piece on a square (when applicable), press the middle or right mouse button over the square and select from the popup menu. All other @value{NAME} commands are available from the menu bar. The most frequently used commands also have shortcut keys or on-screen buttons. @menu * File Menu:: Accessing external games and positions. * Mode Menu:: Selecting @value{NAME}'s mode. * Action Menu:: Talking to the chess engine or ICS opponents. * Step Menu:: Controlling the game. * Options Menu:: User preferences. * Help Menu:: Getting help. * Keys:: Other shortcut keys. @end menu @node File Menu @section Accessing external games and positions @cindex File Menu @cindex Menu, File @table @asis @item Reset @cindex Reset, Menuitem Resets @value{NAME} and the chess engine to the beginning of a new chess game. The @samp{r} key is a keyboard equivalent. In Internet Chess Server mode, clears the current state of @value{NAME}, then resynchronizes with ICS by sending a refresh command. If you want to stop playing, observing, or examining a game on ICS, use an appropriate command from the Action menu, not @samp{Reset}. @xref{Action Menu}. @item Load Game @cindex Load Game, Menuitem Plays a game from a record file. The @samp{g} key is a keyboard equivalent. A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. If the file contains more than one game, a second popup dialog displays a list of games (with information drawn from their PGN tags, if any), and you can select the one you want. Alternatively, you can load the Nth game in the file directly, by typing the number @samp{N} after the file name, separated by a space. The game file parser will accept PGN (portable game notation), or in fact almost any file that contains moves in algebraic notation. Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7} is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games; this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. If the file includes a PGN position (FEN tag), or an @value{NAME} position diagram bracketed by @samp{[--} and @samp{--]} before the first move, the game starts from that position. Text enclosed in parentheses, square brackets, or curly braces is assumed to be commentary and is displayed in a pop-up window. Any other text in the file is ignored. PGN variations (enclosed in parentheses) are treated as comments; @value{NAME} is not able to walk variation trees. The nonstandard PGN tag [Variant "varname"] functions similarly to the -variant command-line option (see below), allowing games in certain chess variants to be loaded. There is also a heuristic to recognize chess variants from the Event tag, by looking for the strings that the Internet Chess Servers put there when saving variant ("wild") games. @item Load Next Game @cindex Load Next Game, Menuitem Loads the next game from the last game record file you loaded. The shifted @samp{N} key is a keyboard equivalent. Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. @item Load Previous Game @cindex Load Previous Game, Menuitem Loads the previous game from the last game record file you loaded. The shifted @samp{P} key is a keyboard equivalent. Not available if the last game was loaded from a pipe. @item Reload Same Game @cindex Reload Same Game, Menuitem Reloads the last game you loaded. @item Save Game @cindex Save Game, Menuitem Appends a record of the current game to a file. A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. If the game did not begin with the standard starting position, the game file includes the starting position used. Games are saved in the PGN (portable game notation) format, unless the oldSaveStyle option is true, in which case they are saved in an older format that is specific to @value{NAME}. Both formats are human-readable, and both can be read back by the @samp{Load Game} command. Notation of the form @samp{P@@f7} is accepted for piece-drops in bughouse games; this is a nonstandard extension to PGN. @item Copy Game @cindex Copy Game, Menuitem Copies a record of the current game to an internal clipboard in PGN format and sets the X selection to the game text. The game can be pasted to another application (such as a text editor or another copy of @value{NAME}) using that application's paste command. In many X applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be used for pasting; in @value{NAME}, you must use the Paste Game command. @item Paste Game @cindex Paste Game, Menuitem Interprets the current X selection as a game record and loads it, as with Load Game. @item Load Position @cindex Load Position, Menuitem Sets up a position from a position file. A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. If the file contains more than one saved position, and you want to load the Nth one, type the number N after the file name, separated by a space. Position files must be in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation), or in the format that the Save Position command writes when oldSaveStyle is turned on. @item Load Next Position @cindex Load Next Position, Menuitem Loads the next position from the last position file you loaded. Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. @item Load Previous Position @cindex Load Previous Position, Menuitem Loads the previous position from the last position file you loaded. Not available if the last position was loaded from a pipe. @item Reload Same Position @cindex Reload Same Position, Menuitem Reloads the last position you loaded. @item Save Position @cindex Save Game, Menuitem Appends a diagram of the current position to a file. A popup dialog prompts you for the file name. Positions are saved in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation) format unless the @code{oldSaveStyle} option is true, in which case they are saved in an older, human-readable format that is specific to @value{NAME}. Both formats can be read back by the @samp{Load Position} command. @item Copy Position @cindex Copy Position, Menuitem Copies the current position to an internal clipboard in FEN format and sets the X selection to the position text. The position can be pasted to another application (such as a text editor or another copy of @value{NAME}) using that application's paste command. In many X applications, such as xterm and emacs, the middle mouse button can be used for pasting; in @value{NAME}, you must use the Paste Position command. @item Paste Position @cindex Paste Position, Menuitem Interprets the current X selection as a FEN position and loads it, as with Load Position. @item Mail Move @itemx Reload CMail Message @cindex Mail Move, Menuitem @cindex Reload CMail Message, Menuitem See @ref{CMail}. @item Exit @cindex Exit, Menuitem Exits from @value{NAME}. The shifted @samp{Q} key is a keyboard equivalent. @end table @node Mode Menu @section Selecting @value{NAME}'s mode @cindex Menu, Mode @cindex Mode Menu @table @asis @item Machine White @cindex Machine White, Menuitem Forces the chess engine to play White. @item Machine Black @cindex Machine Black, Menuitem Forces the chess engine to play Black. @item Two Machines @cindex Two Machines, Menuitem Plays a game between two chess engines. @item Analysis Mode @cindex Analysis Mode, Menuitem XBoard with Crafty only. For information on getting Crafty, see @ref{Crafty}. XBoard tells Crafty to start analyzing the current game/position and shows you the analysis as you move pieces around. To setup a position to analyze, you do the following: 1. Select Edit Position from the Mode Menu 2. Setup the position (use the right and middle buttons to bring up the Black/White piece menus). 3. When you are finished, click on either the Black or White clock to tell XBoard which side moves first. 4. Select Analysis Mode from the Mode Menu to start the analysis. @item Analyze File @cindex Analyze File, Menuitem XBoard with Crafty only. For information on getting Crafty, see @ref{Crafty}. This option lets you load a game from a file (PGN, XBoard format, etc.) and analyze it. When you select this menu item, a popup window appears and asks for a filename to load. If the file contains multiple games, another popup appears that lets you select which game you wish to analyze. After a game is loaded, use the XBoard arrow buttons to step forwards/backwards through the game and watch Crafty's analysis. @item ICS Client @cindex ICS Client, Menuitem ICS mode only. Takes @value{NAME} out of the Edit Game or Edit Position state. While you are examining a game on the ICS, you can issue the ICS position-editing commands with the mouse. Do this with @samp{ICS Client} selected on the Mode menu, not @samp{Edit Position}; the latter edits only your local copy of the position. To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 over the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let you empty the square or clear the board. You cannot set the side to play or drag pieces to arbitrary squares while examining on ICS, however; the ICS permits only legal moves in this mode. If you are playing a bughouse game on the ICS, you can drop an offboard piece by pressing mouse button 2 or 3 over an empty square to bring up a piece menu. It makes no difference which button you use. A list of the offboard pieces each player has available is shown in the window title after the player's name. @item Edit Game @cindex Edit Game, Menuitem Allows you to make moves for both Black and White, and to change moves after backing up with the @samp{Backward} command. The clocks do not run. In GNU Chess mode, the chess engine continues to check moves for legality but does not participate in the game. You can bring the chess engine into the game by selecting @samp{Machine White}, @samp{Machine Black}, or @samp{Two Machines}. In ICS mode, the moves are not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Game} takes @value{NAME} out of ICS Client mode and lets you edit games locally. If you want to edit games on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, use the ICS examine command or start an ICS match against yourself. @item Edit Position @cindex Edit Position, Menuitem Lets you set up an arbitrary board position. Use mouse button 1 to drag pieces to new squares, or to delete a piece by dragging it off the board or dragging an empty square on top of it. To drop a new piece on a square, press mouse button 2 or 3 over the square. This brings up a menu of white pieces (button 2) or black pieces (button 3). Additional menu choices let you empty the square or clear the board. You can set the side to play next by clicking on the White or Black indicator at the top of the screen. Selecting @samp{Edit Position} causes @value{NAME} to discard all remembered moves in the current game. In ICS mode, changes made to the position by @samp{Edit Position} are not sent to the ICS: @samp{Edit Position} takes @value{NAME} out of @samp{ICS Client} mode and lets you edit positions locally. If you want to edit positions on ICS in a way that other ICS users can see, use the @samp{ICS examine} command, or start an ICS match against yourself. (See also the ICS Client topic above.) @item Training @cindex Training, Menuitem Training mode lets you interactively guess the moves of a game for one of the players. You guess the next move of the game by playing the move on the board. If the move played matches the next move of the game, the move is accepted and the opponent's response is autoplayed. If the move played is incorrect, an error message is displayed. You can select this mode only while loading a game (that is, after selecting Load Game from the File menu). While @value{NAME} is in Training mode, the navigation buttons are disabled. @item Show Game List @cindex Show Game List, Menuitem Shows or hides the list of games generated by the last @samp{Load Game} command. @item Edit Tags @cindex Edit Tags, Menuitem Lets you edit the PGN (portable game notation) tags for the current game. After editing, the tags must still conform to the PGN tag syntax: @example ::= ::= [ ] ::= ::= @end example @noindent See the PGN Standard for full details. Here is an example: @example [Event "Portoroz Interzonal"] [Site "Portoroz, Yugoslavia"] [Date "1958.08.16"] [Round "8"] [White "Robert J. Fischer"] [Black "Bent Larsen"] [Result "1-0"] @end example @noindent Any characters that do not match this syntax are silently ignored. Note that the PGN standard requires all games to have at least the seven tags shown above. Any that you omit will be filled in by @value{NAME} with @samp{?} (unknown value), or @samp{-} (inapplicable value). @item Edit Comment @cindex Edit Comment, Menuitem Adds or modifies a comment on the current position. Comments are saved by @samp{Save Game} and are displayed by @samp{Load Game}, @samp{Forward}, and @samp{Backward}. @item ICS Input Box @cindex ICS Input Box, Menuitem If this option is set in ICS mode, @value{NAME} creates an extra window that you can use for typing in ICS commands. The input box is especially useful if you want to type in something long or do some editing on your input, because output from ICS doesn't get mixed in with your typing as it would in the main terminal window. @item Pause @cindex Pause, Menuitem Pauses updates to the board, and if you are playing against a chess engine, also pauses your clock. To continue, select @samp{Pause} again, and the display will automatically update to the latest position. The @samp{P} button and keyboard @samp{p} key are equivalents. If you select Pause when you are playing against a chess engine and it is not your move, the chess engine's clock will continue to run and it will eventually make a move, at which point both clocks will stop. Since board updates are paused, however, you will not see the move until you exit from Pause mode (or select Forward). This behavior is meant to simulate adjournment with a sealed move. If you select Pause while you are in @code{examine} mode on ICS, you can step backward and forward in the current history of the examined game without affecting the other observers and examiners. Select Pause again to reconnect yourself to the current state of the game on ICS. If you select @samp{Pause} while you are loading a game, the game stops loading. You can load more moves manually by selecting @samp{Forward}, or resume automatic loading by selecting @samp{Pause} again. @end table @node Action Menu @section Talking to GNU chess or ICS opponents @cindex Menu, Action @cindex Action, Menu @table @asis @item Accept @cindex Accept, Menuitem Accepts a pending match offer. If there is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more specific command instead of using this menu choice. ICS mode only. @item Decline @cindex Decline, Menuitem Declines a pending offer (match, draw, adjourn, etc.). If there is more than one offer pending, you will have to type in a more specific command instead of using this menu choice. ICS mode only. @item Call Flag @cindex Call Flag, Menuitem Calls your opponent's flag, claiming a win on time, or claiming a draw if you are both out of time. You can also call your opponent's flag by clicking on his clock or by pressing the keyboard @samp{t} key. @item Draw @cindex Draw, Menuitem Offers a draw to your opponent, accepts a pending draw offer from your opponent, or claims a draw by repetition or the 50-move rule, as appropriate. The @samp{d} key is a keyboard equivalent. Not available in GNU Chess mode. @item Adjourn @cindex Adjourn, Menuitem Asks your opponent to agree to adjourning the current game, or agrees to a pending adjournment offer from your opponent. ICS mode only. @item Abort @cindex Abort, Menuitem Asks your opponent to agree to aborting the current game, or agrees to a pending abort offer from your opponent. An aborted game ends immediately without affecting either player's rating. @item Resign @cindex Resign, Menuitem Resigns the game to your opponent. The shifted @samp{R} key is a keyboard equivalent. @item Stop Observing @cindex Stop Observing, Menuitem Ends your participation in observing a game, by issuing the ICS observe command with no arguments. ICS mode only. @item Stop Examining @cindex Stop Examining, Menuitem Ends your participation in examining a game, by issuing the ICS unexamine command. ICS mode only. @end table @node Step Menu @section Controlling the game @cindex Step Menu @cindex Menu, Step @table @asis @item Backward @cindex Backward, Menuitem @cindex <, Button Steps backward through a series of remembered moves. The @samp{[<]} button and the @samp{b} key are equivalents. In addition, pressing the Control key steps back one move, and releasing it steps forward again. In most modes, @samp{Backward} only lets you look back at old positions; it does not retract moves. This is the case if you are playing against a chess engine, playing or observing a game on the ICS, or loading a game. If you select @samp{Backward} in any of these situations, you will not be allowed to make a different move. Use @samp{Retract Move} or @samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past moves. If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of @samp{Backward} depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is off, @samp{Backward} issues the ICS backward command, which backs up everyone's view of the game and allows you to make a different move. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Backward} only backs up your local view. @item Forward @cindex Forward, Menuitem @cindex >, Button Steps forward through a series of remembered moves (undoing the effect of @samp{Backward}) or forward through a game file. The @samp{[>]} button and the @samp{f} key are equivalents. If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of Forward depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is off, @samp{Forward} issues the ICS forward command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward along the current line. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward} only moves your local view forward, and it will not go past the position that the game was in when you paused. @item Back to Start @cindex Back to Start, Menuitem @cindex <<, Button Jumps backward to the first remembered position in the game. The @samp{[<<]} button and the shifted @samp{B} key are equivalents. In most modes, Back to Start only lets you look back at old positions; it does not retract moves. This is the case if you are playing against GNU chess, playing or observing a game on the ICS, or loading a game. If you select @samp{Back to Start} in any of these situations, you will not be allowed to make different moves. Use @samp{Retract Move} or @samp{Edit Game} if you want to change past moves; or use Reset to start a new game. If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of @samp{Back to Start} depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is off, @samp{Back to Start} issues the ICS @samp{backward 999999} command, which backs up everyone's view of the game to the start and allows you to make different moves. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Back to Start} only backs up your local view. @item Forward to End @cindex Forward to End, Menuitem @cindex >>, Button Jumps forward to the last remembered position in the game. The @samp{[>>]} button and the shifted @samp{F} key are equivalents. If you are examining a game on ICS, the behavior of @samp{Forward to End} depends on whether @value{NAME} is in Pause mode. If Pause mode is off, @samp{Forward to End} issues the ICS @samp{forward 999999} command, which moves everyone's view of the game forward to the end of the current line. If Pause mode is on, @samp{Forward to End} only moves your local view forward, and it will not go past the position that the game was in when you paused. @item Revert @cindex Revert, Menuitem If you are examining a game on ICS and Pause mode is off, issues the ICS command @samp{revert}. @item Truncate Game @cindex Truncate Game, Menuitem Discards all remembered moves of the game beyond the current position. Puts @value{NAME} into @samp{Edit Game} mode if it was not there already. @item Move Now @cindex Move Now, Menuitem Forces the chess engine to move immediately. GNU Chess mode only. @item Retract Move @cindex Retract Move, Menuitem Retracts your last move. In GNU Chess mode, you can do this only after the chess engine has replied to your move; if the chess engine is still thinking, use @samp{Move Now} first. In ICS mode, @samp{Retract Move} issues the command @samp{takeback 1} or @samp{takeback 2} depending on whether it is your opponent's move or yours. @end table @node Options Menu @section User Preferences @cindex Menu, Options @cindex Options Menu @table @asis @item Always Queen @cindex Always Queen, Menuitem If this option is off, @value{NAME} brings up a dialog box whenever you move a pawn to the last rank, asking what piece you want to promote it to. If the option is true, your pawns are always promoted to queens. Your opponent can still underpromote, however. @item Animate Dragging @cindex Animate Dragging, Menuitem If Animate Dragging is on, while you are dragging a piece with the mouse, an image of the piece follows the mouse cursor. If Animate Dragging is off, there is no visual feedback while you are dragging a piece, but if Animate Moving is on, the move will be animated when it is complete. @item Animate Moving @cindex Animate Moving, Menuitem If Animate Moving is on, all piece moves are animated. An image of the piece is shown moving from the old square to the new square when the move is completed (unless the move was already animated by Animate Dragging). If Animate Moving is off, a moved piece instantly disappears from its old square and reappears on its new square when the move is complete. @item Auto Comment @cindex Auto Comment, Menuitem If this option is on, any remarks made on ICS while you are observing or playing a game are recorded as a comment on the current move. This includes remarks made with the ICS commands @kbd{say}, @kbd{tell}, @kbd{whisper}, and @kbd{kibitz}. Limitation: remarks that you type yourself are not recognized; @value{NAME} scans only the output from ICS, not the input you type to it. @item Auto Flag @cindex Auto Flag, Menuitem If this option is on and one player runs out of time before the other, @value{NAME} will automatically call his flag, claiming a win on time. In ICS mode, Auto Flag will only call your opponent's flag, not yours, and the ICS may award you a draw instead of a win if you have insufficient mating material. In local chess engine mode, @value{NAME} may call either player's flag and will not take material into account. @item Auto Flip View @cindex Auto Flip View, Menuitem If the Auto Flip View option is on when you start a game, the board will be automatically oriented so that your pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top. @item Auto Observe @cindex Auto Observe, Menuitem If this option is on and you add a player to your @code{gnotify} list on ICS, @value{NAME} will automatically observe all of that player's games, unless you are doing something else (such as observing or playing a game of your own) when one starts. The games are displayed from the point of view of the player on your gnotify list; that is, his pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top. Exceptions: If both players in a game are on your gnotify list, if your ICS @code{highlight} variable is set to 0, or if the ICS you are using does not properly support observing from Black's point of view, you will see the game from White's point of view. @item Auto Raise Board @cindex Auto Raise Board, Menuitem If this option is on, whenever a new game begins, the chessboard window is deiconized (if necessary) and raised to the top of the stack of windows. @item Auto Save @cindex Auto Save, Menuitem If this option is true, at the end of every game @value{NAME} prompts you for a file name and appends a record of the game to the file you specify. Disabled if the @code{saveGameFile} command-line option is set, as in that case all games are saved to the specified file. @xref{I/O options}. @item Blindfold @cindex Blindfold, Menuitem If this option is on, @value{NAME} displays the board as usual but does not display pieces or move highlights. You can still move in the usual way (with the mouse or by typing moves in ICS mode), even though the pieces are invisible. @item Flash Moves @cindex Flash Moves, Menuitem If this option is on, whenever a move is completed, the moved piece flashes. The number of times to flash is set by the flashCount command-line option; it defaults to 3 if Flash Moves is first turned on from the menu. @item Flip View @cindex Flip View, Menuitem Inverts your view of the chess board for the duration of the current game. Starting a new game returns the board to normal. The @samp{v} key is a keyboard equivalent. If you are playing a game on the ICS, the board is always oriented at the start of the game so that your pawns move from the bottom of the window towards the top. Otherwise, the starting orientation is determined by the @code{flipView} command line option; if it is false (the default), White's pawns move from bottom to top at the start of each game; if it is true, Black's pawns move from bottom to top. @xref{User interface options}. @item Highlight Last Move @cindex Highlight Last Move, Menuitem If Highlight Last Move is on, after a move is made, the starting and ending squares remain highlighted. In addition, after you use Backward or Back to Start, the starting and ending squares of the last move to be unmade are highlighted. @item Move Sound @cindex Move Sound, Menuitem If this option is on, @value{NAME} alerts you by playing a sound after each of your opponent's moves (or after every move if you are observing a game on the Internet Chess Server). The sound is not played after moves you make or moves read from a saved game file. By default, the sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems you can change it to a sound file using the soundMove option; see below. If you turn on this option when using @value{NAME} with the Internet Chess Server, you will probably want to give the @example set bell 0 @end example @noindent command to the ICS, since otherwise the ICS will ring the terminal bell after every move (not just yours). (The @file{.icsrc} file is a good place for this, @pxref{ICS options}) @item ICS Alarm @cindex ICS Alarm, Menuitem When this option is on, an alarm sound is played when your clock counts down to the icsAlarmTime (by default, 5 seconds) in an ICS game. For games with time controls that include an increment, the alarm will sound each time the clock counts down to the icsAlarmTime. By default, the alarm sound is the terminal bell, but on some systems you can change it to a sound file using the soundIcsAlarm option; see below. @item Get Move List @cindex Get Move List, Menuitem If this option is on, whenever @value{NAME} receives the first board of a new game (or a different game from the one it is currently displaying), it retrieves the list of past moves from the ICS. You can then review the moves with the @samp{Forward} and @samp{Backward} commands or save them with @samp{Save Game}. You might want to turn off this option if you are observing several blitz games at once, to keep from wasting time and network bandwidth fetching the move lists over and over. When you turn this option on from the menu, @value{NAME} immediately fetches the move list of the current game (if any). @item Old Save Style @cindex Old Save Style, Menuitem If this option is off, @value{NAME} saves games in PGN (portable game notation) and positions in FEN (Forsythe-Edwards notation). If the option is on, a save style that is compatible with older versions of @value{NAME} is used instead. The old position style is more human-readable than FEN; the old game style has no particular advantages. @item Periodic Updates @cindex Periodic Updates, Menuitem If this option is off (or if you are using a chess engine that does not support periodic updates), the analysis window will only be updated when the analysis changes. If this option is on, the Analysis Window will be updated every two seconds. @item Ponder Next Move @cindex Ponder Next Move, Menuitem If this option is off, the chess engine will think only when it is on move. If the option is on, the engine will also think while waiting for you to make your move. @item Popup Exit Message @cindex Popup Exit Message, Menuitem If this option is on, when @value{NAME} wants to display a message just before exiting, it brings up a modal dialog box and waits for you to click OK before exiting. If the option is off, @value{NAME} prints the message to standard error (the terminal) and exits immediately. @item Popup Move Errors @cindex Popup Move Errors, Menuitem If this option is off, when you make an error in moving (such as attempting an illegal move or moving the wrong color piece), the error message is displayed in the message area. If the option is on, move errors are displayed in small popup windows like other errors. You can dismiss an error popup either by clicking its OK button or by clicking anywhere on the board, including downclicking to start a move. @item Premove @cindex Premove, Menuitem If this option is on while playing a game on ICS, you can register your next planned move before it is your turn. Move the piece with the mouse in the ordinary way, and the starting and ending squares will be highlighted with a special color (red by default). When it is your turn, if your registered move is legal, xboard will send it to ICS immediately; if not, it will be ignored and you can make a different move. If you change your mind about your premove, either make a different move, or double-click on any piece to cancel the move entirely. @item Quiet Play @cindex Quiet Play, Menuitem If this option is on, @value{NAME} will automatically issue an ICS @example set shout 0 @end example @noindent command whenever you start a game and a @example set shout 1 @end example @noindent command whenever you finish one. Thus, you will not be distracted by shouts from other ICS users while playing. @item Show Coords @cindex Show Coords, Menuitem If this option is on, @value{NAME} displays algebraic coordinates along the board's left and bottom edges. @item Show Thinking @cindex Show Thinking, Menuitem If this option is set, the chess engine's notion of the score and best line of play from the current position is displayed as it is thinking. The score indicates how many pawns ahead (or if negative, behind) the chess engine thinks it is. In matches between two machines, the score is prefixed by @samp{W} or @samp{B} to indicate whether it is showing White's thinking or Black's. @end table @node Help Menu @section Getting help @cindex Menu, Help @cindex Help Menu @table @asis @item Info @value{NAME} @cindex Info @value{NAME}, Menuitem Displays this info file in a new window. For this feature to work, you must have the GNU info program installed on your system, and the file @file{xboard.info} must either be present in the current working directory, or have been installed by the @samp{make install} command when you built @value{NAME}. @item Man @value{NAME} @cindex Man @value{NAME}, Menuitem Displays the @value{NAME} man page in a new window. For this feature to work, the file @file{xboard.6} must have been installed by the @samp{make install} command when you built @value{NAME}, and the directory it was placed in must be on the search path for your system's @samp{man} command. @item Hint @cindex Hint, Menuitem Displays a move hint from GNU Chess. GNU Chess mode only. @item Book @cindex Book, Menuitem Displays a list of possible moves from GNU Chess's opening book. The first column gives moves, the second column gives one possible response for each move, and the third column shows the number of lines in the book that include the move from the first column. If you select this option and nothing happens, GNU Chess is out of its book. GNU Chess mode only. @item About @value{NAME} @cindex About @value{NAME}, Menuitem Shows the current @value{NAME} version number. @end table @node Keys @section Other shortcut keys @cindex Keys @cindex Shortcut keys @table @asis @item Iconize Pressing the @samp{i} or @samp{c} key iconizes @value{NAME}. The graphical icon displays a white knight if it is white's move, or a black knight, if it is Black's move. If your X window manager displays only text icons, not graphical ones, check its documentation; there is probably a way to enable graphical icons. If you are running the Motif window manager @file{mwm} (1), add these lines to your @file{.Xdefaults} file and restart mwm: @example Mwm*iconDecoration: activelabel label image Mwm*@value{NAME}*iconImageBackground: White Mwm*@value{NAME}*iconImageForeground: Black @end example @noindent The first line above enables graphical icons in mwm; you don't need it if you already have them. The next two lines force the white knights to come out white and the black knights black. Unfortunately these resources can't be set from inside @value{NAME}; you have to set them in your @file{.Xdefaults} file. @end table You can add or remove shortcut keys using the X resources @code{form.translations}. Here is an example of what would go in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @example @value{NAME}*form.translations: Shift?: AboutGameProc() \n\ y: AcceptProc() \n\ n: DeclineProc() \n\ i: NothingProc() @end example @noindent Binding a key to @code{NothingProc} makes it do nothing, thus removing it as a shortcut key. The @value{NAME} commands that can be bound to keys are: @example AbortProc, AboutGameProc, AboutProc, AcceptProc, AdjournProc, AlwaysQueenProc, AnalysisModeProc, AnalyzeFileProc, AnimateDraggingProc, AnimateMovingProc, AutobsProc, AutoflagProc, AutoflipProc, AutoraiseProc, AutosaveProc, BackwardProc, BlindfoldProc, BookProc, CallFlagProc, CopyGameProc, CopyPositionProc, DebugProc, DeclineProc, DrawProc, EditCommentProc, EditGameProc, EditPositionProc, EditTagsProc, EnterKeyProc, FlashMovesProc, FlipViewProc, ForwardProc, GetMoveListProc, HighlightLastMoveProc, HintProc, Iconify, IcsAlarmProc, IcsAlarmProc, IcsClientProc, IcsInputBoxProc, InfoProc, LoadGameProc, LoadNextGameProc, LoadNextPositionProc, LoadPositionProc, LoadPrevGameProc, LoadPrevPositionProc, LoadSelectedProc, MachineBlackProc, MachineWhiteProc, MailMoveProc, ManProc, MoveNowProc, MoveSoundProc, NothingProc, OldSaveStyleProc, PasteGameProc, PastePositionProc, PauseProc, PeriodicUpdatesProc, PonderNextMoveProc, PopupExitMessageProc, PopupMoveErrorsProc, PremoveProc, QuietPlayProc, QuitProc, ReloadCmailMsgProc, ReloadGameProc, ReloadPositionProc, RematchProc, ResetProc, ResignProc, RetractMoveProc, RevertProc, SaveGameProc, SavePositionProc, ShowCoordsProc, ShowGameListProc, ShowThinkingProc, StopExaminingProc, StopObservingProc, TestLegalityProc, ToEndProc, ToStartProc, TrainingProc, TruncateGameProc, and TwoMachinesProc. @end example @node ICS @chapter Using @value{NAME} with an Internet Chess Server (ICS) @cindex ICS @cindex ICS, addresses @cindex Internet Chess Server An @dfn{Internet Chess Server}, or @dfn{ICS}, is a place on the Internet where people can get together to play chess, watch other people's games, or just chat. You can use either @code{telnet} or a client program like @value{NAME} to connect to the server. ICS is getting more and more important for chess players: There are thousands of registered users on the different ICS hosts, and it is not unusual to meet 200 on both ICC and FICS. The number is increasing rapidly. Most people can just type @example @value{LCNAME} -ics @end example @noindent to start @value{NAME} as an ICS client. Invoking @value{NAME} in this way connects you to the Internet Chess Club (ICC), a commercial ICS. You can log in there as a guest even if you do not have a paid account. To connect to the largest Free ICS (FICS), use the command @example @value{LCNAME} -ics -icshost freechess.org @end example @noindent instead, or substitute a different host name to connect to your favorite ICS. The @file{ics-addresses} in the @value{NAME} distribution includes a list of ICS hosts. For a full description of command-line options that control the connection to ICS and change the default values of ICS options, see @ref{ICS options}. While you are running @value{NAME} as an ICS client, you use the terminal window that you started @value{NAME} from as a place to type in commands and read information that is not available on the chessboard. The first time you need to use the terminal is to enter your login name and password, if you are a registered player. (You don't need to do this manually; the @code{icsLogon} option can do it for you. @pxref{ICS options}) If you are not registered, enter any name. If someone has already registered under that name, you'll be asked for a password; just hit return and try again. Or on ICC, you can enter @samp{g} as your name, and ICC will pick a unique (but boring) name for you. Some useful ICS commands include @table @kbd @item help @cindex help, ICS command to get help on the given . To get a list of possible topics type @dfn{help} without topic. Try the help command before you ask other people on the server for help. For example @kbd{help register} tells you how to become a registered ICS player. @item who @cindex who, ICS command to see a list of people who are logged on. Administrators (people you should talk to if you have a problem) are marked with the character @samp{*}, an asterisk. The allow you to display only selected players: For example, @kbd{who of} shows a list of players who are interested in playing but do not have an opponent. @item games @cindex games, ICS command to see what games are being played @item match [] [] to challenge another player to a game. Both opponents get minutes for the game, and seconds will be added after each move. If another player challenges you, the server asks if you want to accept the challenge; use the @kbd{accept} or @kbd{decline} commands to answer. @item accept @itemx decline @cindex accept, ICS command @cindex decline, ICS command to accept or decline another player's offer. The offer may be to start a new game, or to agree to a @kbd{draw}, @kbd{adjourn} or @kbd{abort} the current game. @xref{Action Menu}. If you have more than one pending offer (for example, if more than one player is challenging you, or if your opponent offers both a draw and to adjourn the game), you have to supply additional information, by typing something like @kbd{accept }, @kbd{accept draw}, or @kbd{draw}. @item draw @itemx adjourn @itemx abort @cindex draw, ICS command @cindex adjourn, ICS command @cindex abort, ICS command asks your opponent to terminate a game by mutual agreement. Adjourned games can be continued later. Your opponent can either @kbd{decline} your offer or accept it (by typing the same command or typing @kbd{accept}). In some cases these commands work immediately, without asking your opponent to agree. For example, you can abort the game unilaterally if your opponent is out of time, and you can claim a draw by repetition or the 50-move rule if available simply by typing @kbd{draw}. @item finger @cindex finger, ICS command to get informations about the given . (Default: yourself.) @item vars @cindex vars, ICS command to get a list of personal settings @item set @cindex set, ICS command to modify these settings @item observe @cindex observe, ICS command to observe an ongoing game of the given . @item examine @itemx oldmoves @cindex examine, ICS command @cindex oldmoves, ICS command to review a recently completed game @end table Some special @value{NAME} features are activated when you are in examine mode on ICS. See the descriptions of the menu commands @samp{Forward}, @samp{Backward}, @samp{Pause}, @samp{ICS Client}, and @samp{Stop Examining} on the @ref{Step Menu}, @ref{Mode Menu}, and @ref{Options Menu}. @node Firewalls @chapter Connecting to the ICS through a firewall By default, @value{NAME} communicates with an Internet Chess Server by opening a TCP socket directly from the machine it is running on to the ICS. If there is a firewall between your machine and the ICS, this won't work. Here are some recipes for getting around common kinds of firewalls using special options to @value{NAME}. Important: See the paragraph in the below about extra echoes, in @ref{Limitations}. Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can telnet to a firewall host, log in, and then telnet from there to ICS. Let's say the firewall is called @samp{fire.wall.com}. Set command-line options as follows: @example xboard -ics -icshost fire.wall.com -icsport 23 @end example @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @example XBoard*internetChessServerHost: fire.wall.com XBoard*internetChessServerPort: 23 @end example @noindent Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, you will be prompted to log in to the firewall host. (This works because port 23 is the standard telnet login service.) Do so, then telnet to ICS, using a command like @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}, or whatever command the firewall provides for telnetting to port 5000. If your firewall lets you telnet (or rlogin) to remote hosts, but doesn't let you telnet to port 5000, you will have to find some other host outside the firewall that does let you do this, and hop through it. For instance, suppose you have an account at @samp{foo.edu}. Follow the recipe above, but instead of typing @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000} to the firewall, type @samp{telnet foo.edu} (or @samp{rlogin foo.edu}), log in there, and then type @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}. Exception: chessclub.com itself lets you connect to the chess server on the default telnet port (23), which is what you get if you don't specify a port to the telnet program. But the other chess servers don't allow this. Suppose that you can't telnet directly to ICS, but you can use rsh to run programs on a firewall host, and that host can telnet to ICS. Let's say the firewall is called @samp{rsh.wall.com}. Set command-line options as follows: @example xboard -ics -gateway rsh.wall.com -icshost chessclub.com @end example @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @example XBoard*gateway: rsh.wall.com XBoard*internetChessServerHost: chessclub.com @end example Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, it will connect to the ICS by using @file{rsh} to run the command @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000} on host @samp{rsh.wall.com}. Suppose that you can telnet anywhere you want, but you have to run a special program called @file{ptelnet} to do so. First, we'll consider the easy case, in which @samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} gets you to the chess server. In this case set command line options as follows: @example xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet @end example @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @example XBoard*useTelnet: true XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet @end example @noindent Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, it will issue the command @samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} to connect to the ICS. Next, suppose that @samp{ptelnet chessclub.com 5000} doesn't work; that is, your @file{ptelnet} program doesn't let you connect to alternative ports. In this case, you will have to find some other host outside the firewall that does let you do this, and hop through it. For instance, suppose you have an account at @samp{foo.edu}. Set command line options as follows: @example xboard -ics -telnet -telnetProgram ptelnet -icshost foo.edu -icsport "" @end example @noindent Or in your @file{.Xdefaults} file: @example XBoard*useTelnet: true XBoard*telnetProgram: ptelnet XBoard*internetChessServerHost: foo.edu XBoard*internetChessServerPort: @end example @noindent Then when you run @value{NAME} in ICS mode, it will issue the command @samp{ptelnet foo.edu} to connect to your account at @samp{foo.edu}. Log in there, then type @samp{telnet chessclub.com 5000}. ICC timestamp and FICS timeseal do not work through many firewalls. You can use them only if your firewall gives a clean TCP connection with a full 8-bit wide path. If your firewall allows you to get out only by running a special telnet program, you can't use timestamp or timeseal across it. But if you have access to a computer just outside your firewall, and you have much lower netlag when talking to that computer than to the ICS, it might be worthwhile running timestamp there. Follow the instructions above for hopping through a host outside the firewall (foo.edu in the example), but run timestamp or timeseal on that host instead of telnet. Suppose that you have a SOCKS firewall that requires you to go through some extra level of authentication, but after that will give you a clean 8-bit wide TCP connection to the chess server. In that case, you could make a socksified version of @value{NAME} and run that. If you are using timestamp or timeseal, you will to socksify it, not @value{NAME}; this may be difficult seeing that ICC and FICS do not provide source code for these programs. Socksification is beyond the scope of this document, but see the SOCKS Web site at http://www.socks.nec.com/how2socksify.html. @node Environment @chapter Environment variables @cindex Environment variables @cindex CHESSDIR Game and position files are found in a directory named by the @code{CHESSDIR} environment variable. If this variable is not set, the current working directory is used. If @code{CHESSDIR} is set, @value{NAME} actually changes its working directory to @code{$CHESSDIR}, so GNU Chess listing files will also be stored there as well. @node Limitations @chapter Known limitations and bugs @cindex Limitations @cindex Bugs There is no way for two people running copies of @value{NAME} to play each other without going through the @code{Internet Chess Server}. Under some circumstances, your ICS password may be echoed when you log on. If you are connecting to the ICS by running telnet on an Internet provider or firewall host, you may find that each line you type is echoed back an extra time after you hit Return. If your Internet provider is a Unix system, you can probably turn its echo off by typing @example stty -echo @end example @noindent after you log in, and/or typing @key{^E-Return} (@key{control-E} followed by the @key{Return} key) to the telnet program after you have logged into ICS. It is a good idea to do this if you can, because the extra echo can occasionally confuse @value{NAME}'s parsing routines. The game parser recognizes only algebraic notation. The internal move legality tester does not look at the game history, so in some cases it misses illegal castling or en passant captures. It permits castling with the king on the d file because this is possible in some "wild 1" games on ICS. It does not check piece drops in bughouse and crazyhouse to see if you actually hold the piece you are trying to drop. However, if you attempt an illegal move when using GNU Chess (or the ICS), @value{NAME} will accept the error message that comes back, undo the move, and let you try another. Fischer Random castling is not understood. You can probably play Fischer Random successfully on ICS by typing castling moves into the ICS Interaction window, but they will not be animated correctly, and saved games will not be loaded correctly if castling occurs. FEN positions saved by @value{NAME} never include correct information about whether castling is legal or how many half-moves have been made since the last irreversible move, and sometimes may not correctly indicate when en passant capture is available. The mate detector does not understand that non-contact mate is not really mate in bughouse and crazyhouse. The only problem this causes while playing is minor: a @samp{#} (mate indicator) character will show up after a non-contact mating move in the move list; @value{NAME} will not assume the game is over at that point. However, if you are editing a game, Edit Game mode will be terminated by a non-contact mate. Some @value{NAME} functions may not work with versions of GNU Chess earlier than 4.0, patchlevel 77, or with versions of Crafty earlier than 15.11. A few functions work with GNU Chess but not Crafty, or vice versa. The menus may not work if your keyboard is in Caps Lock or Num Lock mode. This seems to be a problem with the Athena menu widget, not an @value{NAME} bug. Also see the ToDo file included with the distribution for many other possible bugs, limitations, and ideas for improvement that have been suggested. @node Problems @chapter Reporting problems @cindex Bugs @cindex Bug reports @cindex Reporting bugs @cindex Problems @cindex Reporting problems Report bugs and problems with @value{NAME} to @example tim@@tim-mann.org. @end example Please use the @file{script} program to start a typescript, run @value{NAME} with the @samp{-debug} option, and include the typescript output in your message. Also tell us what kind of machine and what operating system version you are using. The command @samp{uname -a} will often tell you this. Here is a sample of approximately what you should type: @example script uname -a ./configure make ./xboard -debug exit mail tim@@tim-mann.org Subject: Your short description of the problem Your detailed description of the problem ~r typescript . @end example If you improve @value{NAME}, please send a message about your changes, and we will get in touch with you about merging them in to the main line of development. Send CMail bug reports/suggestions to @example evan@@quadstone.co.uk @end example @node Contributors @chapter Authors and contributors to @value{NAME} @cindex Authors @cindex Contributors @table @asis @item Tim Mann (tim@@tim-mann.org) has been responsible for XBoard versions 1.3 and beyond, and for WinBoard, a port of XBoard to Microsoft Win32 (Windows NT and Windows 95) @item Mark Williams contributed the initial (WinBoard-only) implementation of many new features added to both XBoard and WinBoard in version 4.1.0, including copy/paste, premove, icsAlarm, autoFlipView, training mode, auto raise, and blindfold. @item Ben Nye contributed X copy/paste code for XBoard. @item Hugh Fisher (Hugh.Fisher@@cs.anu.edu.au) added animated piece movement to XBoard, and Henrik Gram (henrikg@@funcom.com) added it to WinBoard. @item Frank McIngvale (frankm@@hiwaay.net) added click/click moving, the Analysis modes, piece flashing, ZIICS import, and ICS text colorization to XBoard. @item Jochen Wiedmann (wiedmann@@neckar-alb.de) ported XBoard to the Amiga, creating AmyBoard, and converted the documentation to texinfo. He was responsible for AmyBoard versions through 330.5 (based on xboard 3.3.pl0). @item Elmar Bartel contributed the new piece bitmaps introduced in version 3.2. @item Evan Welsh (Evan.Welsh@@msdw.com) wrote @code{CMail}. @item Patrick Surry helped with design, testing and documenting CMail. @item John Chanak contributed the initial implementation of ICS mode. @item Wayne Christopher created @code{XChess}; the color scheme and the old 80x80 piece bitmaps were taken from it. @item Chris Sears and Dan Sears wrote the original XBoard. They were responsible for versions 1.0 through 1.2. @end table @node CMail @chapter Using @value{NAME} for electronic correspondence chess @cindex cmail The @file{cmail} program will help you play chess by email with opponents of your choice using @value{NAME} as an interface. You will usually run @file{cmail} without giving any options. @menu * CMail options:: Invoking CMail. * CMail game:: Starting a CMail game. * CMail answer:: Answering a move. * CMail trouble:: Known CMail problems. @end menu @node CMail options @section Invoking CMail. @table @asis @item -h Displays @file{cmail} usage information. @item -c Shows the conditions of the GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. @item -w Shows the warranty notice of the GNU General Public License. @xref{Copying}. @item -v @itemx -xv Provides or inhibits verbose output from @file{cmail} and @value{NAME}, useful for debugging. The @code{-xv} form also inhibits the cmail introduction message. @item -mail @itemx -xmail Invokes or inhibits the sending of a mail message containing the move. @item -xboard @itemx -xxboard Invokes or inhibits the running of @value{NAME} on the game file. @item -reuse @itemx -xreuse Invokes or inhibits the reuse of an existing @value{NAME} to display the current game. @item -remail Resends the last mail message for that game. This inhibits running @value{NAME}. @item -game The name of the game to be processed. @item -wgames @itemx -bgames @itemx -games Number of games to start as White, as Black or in total. Default is 1 as white and none as black. If only one color is specified then none of the other color is assumed. If no color is specified then equal numbers of White and Black games are started, with the extra game being as White if an odd number of total games is specified. @item -me @itemx -opp A one-word alias for yourself or your opponent. @item -wname @itemx -bname @itemx -name @itemx -oppname The full name of White, Black, yourself or your opponent. @item -wna @itemx -bna @itemx -na @itemx -oppna The email address of White, Black, yourself or your opponent. @item -dir The directory in which @file{cmail} keeps its files. This defaults to the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_DIR} or failing that, @code{$CHESSDIR}, @file{$HOME/Chess} or @file{~/Chess}. It will be created if it does not exist. @item -arcdir The directory in which @file{cmail} archives completed games. Defaults to the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_ARCDIR} or, in its absence, the same directory as cmail keeps its working files (above). @item -mailprog The program used by cmail to send email messages. This defaults to the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_MAILPROG} or failing that @file{/usr/ucb/Mail}, @file{/usr/ucb/mail} or @file{Mail}. You will need to set this variable if none of the above paths fit your system. @item -gamesFile @cindex .cmailgames A file containing a list of games with email addresses. This defaults to the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_GAMES} or failing that @file{.cmailgames}. @item -aliasesFile @cindex .cmailaliases A file containing one or more aliases for a set of email addresses. This defaults to the environment variable @code{$CMAIL_ALIASES} or failing that @file{.cmailaliases}. @item -logFile A file in which to dump verbose debugging messages that are invoked with the @samp{-v} option. @item -event The PGN Event tag (default @samp{Email correspondence game}). @item -site The PGN Site tag (default @samp{NET}). @item -round The PGN Round tag (default @samp{-}, not applicable). @item -mode The PGN Mode tag (default @samp{EM}, Electronic Mail). @item OTHER OPTIONS Any unrecognized flags will be passed to @value{NAME}. Those most relevant for use with Icmail\fP are @samp{-timeDelay}, @samp{-noChessProgram}, @samp{-searchTime}, @samp{-searchDepth}, @samp{-saveGameFile}, @samp{-autosave}, @samp{-savePositionFile} and @samp{-boardSize}. @xref{Invocation}. @end table @node CMail game @section Starting a CMail game. Type @file{cmail} from a shell to start a game as white. After an opening message, you will be prompted for a game name, which is optional -- if you simply press return, the game name will take the form @samp{you-VS-opponent}. You will next be prompted for the short name of your opponent. If you haven't played this person before, you will also be prompted for his/her email address. @file{cmail} will then invoke @value{NAME} in the background. Make your first move and select @samp{Mail Move} from the @samp{File} menu. @xref{File Menu}. If all is well, @file{cmail} will mail a copy of the move to your opponent. If you select @samp{Exit} without having selected @samp{Mail Move} then no move will be made. @node CMail answer @section Answering a move. When you receive a message from an opponent containing a move in one of your games, simply pipe the message through @file{cmail}. In some mailers this is as simple as typing @kbd{| cmail} when viewing the message, while in others you may have to save the message to a file and do @kbd{cmail < file} at the command line. In either case @file{cmail} will display the game using @value{NAME}. If you didn't exit @value{NAME} when you made your first move then @file{cmail} will do its best to use the existing @value{NAME} instead of starting a new one. As before, simply make a move and select @samp{Mail Move} from the @samp{File} menu. @xref{File Menu}. @file{cmail} will try to use the @value{NAME} that was most recently used to display the current game. This means that many games can be in progress simultaneously, each with its own active @value{NAME}. If you want to look at the history or explore a variation, go ahead, but you must return to the current position before @value{NAME} will allow you to mail a move. If you edit the game's history you must select @samp{Reload Same Game} from the @samp{File} menu to get back to the original position, then make the move you want and select @samp{Mail Move}. As before, if you decide you aren't ready to make a move just yet you can either select @samp{Exit} without sending a move or just leave @value{NAME} running until you are ready. Because @value{NAME} can now detect checkmate and stalemate, @file{cmail} now handles game termination sensibly. As well as resignation, the @samp{Action} menu now allows draws to be offered and accepted for @file{cmail} games. For multi-game messages, only unfinished and just-finished games will be included in email messages. When all the games are finished, they are archived in the user's archive directory, and similarly in the opponent's when he or she pipes the final message through @file{cmail}. The archive file name includes the date the game was started. It's possible to have a @file{cmail} message carry more than one game. This feature was implemented to handle IECG (International Email Chess Group) matches, where a match consists of 1 game as white and 1 as black, with moves transmitted simultaneously. In case there are more general uses, @file{cmail} itself places no limit on the number of black/white games contained in a message; however, @value{NAME} does. @node CMail trouble @section Known CMail problems. It's possible that a strange conjunction of conditions may occasionally mean that @file{cmail} has trouble reactivating an existing @value{NAME}. If this should happen, simply trying it again should work. If not, remove the file that stores the @value{NAME}'s PID (@file{game.pid}) or use the @samp{-xreuse} option to force @file{cmail} to start a new @value{NAME}. Versions of @file{cmail} after 2.16 no longer understand the old file format that @value{NAME} used to use and so cannot be used to correspond with anyone using an older version. Versions of @file{cmail} older than 2.11 do not handle multi-game messages, so multi-game correspondence is not possible with opponents using an older version. @node Programs @chapter Other programs you can use with @value{NAME} @cindex Programs Here are some other programs you can use with @value{NAME} @menu * GNU Chess:: The GNU Chess engine * Crafty:: The Crafty chess engine * zic2xpm:: The program used to import chess sets from ZIICS @end menu @node GNU Chess @section GNU Chess The GNU Chess engine is available from: ftp://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuchess/ You can use XBoard to play a game against GNU Chess, or to interface GNU Chess to an ICS. @node Crafty @section Crafty Crafty is a chess engine written by Bob Hyatt (hyatt@@cis.uab.edu). You can use XBoard to play a game against Crafty, hook Crafty up to an ICS, or use Crafty to interactively analyze games and positions for you. Crafty is a strong, rapidly evolving chess program. This rapid pace of development is good, because it means Crafty is always getting better. This can sometimes cause problems with backwards compatibility, but usually the latest version of Crafty will work well with the latest version of @value{NAME}. Crafty can be obtained from its author's FTP site: ftp://ftp.cis.uab.edu/hyatt/. To use Crafty with XBoard, give the -fcp and -fd options as follows, where is the directory in which you installed Crafty and placed its book and other support files. @node zic2xpm @section zic2xpm The ``zic2xpm'' program is used to import chess sets from the ZIICS(*) program into XBoard. ``zic2xpm'' is part of the XBoard distribution. ZIICS is available from: ftp://ftp.freechess.org/pub/chess/DOS/ziics131.exe To import ZIICS pieces, do this: @table @asis @item 1. Unzip ziics131.exe into a directory: @example unzip -L ziics131.exe -d ~/ziics @end example @item 2. Use zic2xpm to convert a set of pieces to XBoard format. For example, let's say you want to use the FRITZ4 set. These files are named ``fritz4.*'' in the ZIICS distribution. @example mkdir ~/fritz4 cd ~/fritz4 zic2xpm ~/ziics/fritz4.* @end example @item 3. Now, either give XBoard the ``-pixmap'' option when starting up, e.g.: @example xboard -pixmap ~/fritz4 @end example Or, add this line to your .Xdefaults file: @example xboard*pixmapDirectory: ~/fritz4 @end example @end table (*) ZIICS is a separate copyrighted work of Andy McFarland (Zek on ICS). The ``ZIICS pieces'' are copyrighted works of their respective creators. Files produced by ``zic2xpm'' are for PERSONAL USE ONLY and may NOT be redistributed without explicit permission from the original creator(s) of the pieces. @node Copying @unnumbered GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE @include gpl.texinfo @node Index @unnumbered Index @printindex cp @contents