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xboard(1X)

Xt/Athena user interface for GNU Chess, version 1.2

From the original Amiga UNIX 2.1 manual. Some things it mentions may not be in this release.

NAME · SYNOPSIS · DESCRIPTION · OPTIONS · RESOURCES · COMMAND BUTTONS AND KEYS · SEE ALSO · LIMITATIONS · COPYRIGHT

xboard - Xt/Athena user interface for GNU Chess, version 1.2

xboard [-wpc or -whitePieceColor color] [-bpc or -blackPieceColor color] [-lsc or -lightSquareColor color] [-dsc or -darkSquareColor color] [-mps or -movesPerSession moves] [-fcp or -firstChessProgram program_name] [-scp or -secondChessProgram program_name] [-fh or -firstHost host_name] [-sh or -secondHost host_name] [-spb or -solidPawnBitmap file_name] [-srb or -solidRookBitmap file_name] [-sbb or -solidBishopBitmap file_name] [-skb or -solidKnightBitmap file_name] [-sqb or -solidQueenBitmap file_name] [-skb or -solidKingBitmap file_name] [-opb or -outlinePawnBitmap file_name] [-orb or -outlineRookBitmap file_name] [-obb or -outlineBishopBitmap file_name] [-okb or -outlineKnightBitmap file_name] [-oqb or -outlineQueenBitmap file_name] [-okb or -outlineKingBitmap file_name] [-rsh or -remoteShell shell_name] [-td or -timeDelay seconds] [-tc or -timeControl minutes] [-rgf or -readGameFile file_name] [-rpf or -readPositionFile file_name] [-sgf or -saveGameFile file_name] [-spf or -savePositionFile file_name] [-mm or -matchMode (False | Init | Position | Opening)] [-mono or -monoMode (True | False)] [-debug or -debugMode (True | False)] [-clock or -clockMode (True | False)] [-big or -bigSizeMode (True | False)] [-st or -searchTime seconds]

xboard provides an X11/Xt/Athena Widgets user interface for GNU Chess. With xboard you can play GNU Chess, setup arbitrary positions, force variations or watch xboard manage a game between two chess programs.

xboard can also be used as a chessboard to play out games. It will read through a game file or allow a player to play (force mode) through a variation manually. All of the keystroke commands (Backward, Forward, Reset, etc.) work. A chess program doesn't even need to be present in the program search path in this case. This is useful for keeping track of email postal games or browsing games off the net.

After starting xboard you can make moves by pressing a mouse button while the cursor is over a square with your piece on it and dragging the mouse to another square. If the move is illegal, gnuchess will not allow it. xboard will then retract the move.

Alternate bitmaps for piece icons can be specified either by choosing one of two built-in sets or with the file name resources described below. There are two sets of piece bitmaps available: a large set (the default) and a small set. It is easiest to select the small set in the .Xdefaults file:

XBoard*bigSizeMode: false

The font used for button labels and comments can be changed in the

XBoard*font: helvetica_oblique14

If you are using a grayscale monitor, try setting the colors to:

XBoard*whitePieceColor: gray100
XBoard*blackPieceColor: gray0
XBoard*lightSquareColor: gray60
XBoard*darkSquareColor: gray40

The following command line options also correspond to X resources that you can set in your .Xdefaults file.

xboard accepts standard Xt options like -display and -geometry.
Color specification for white pieces suitable for XParseColor(3X11). Default: #FFFFCC. These colors look good on a DEC workstation. If you need different colors, try using the xcolors application. Source for xcolors can be found in the X11/R4 contrib directory.
Same for black pieces. Default: #202020.
Same for light squares. Default: #C8C365.
Same for dark squares. Default: #77A26D.
Time delay between moves during "Play From File". This doesn't have to be round numbers. Try -td 0.4. Default: 1 second.
Determines whether or not to use the clock. Some people aren't interested in having the chess clock be updated. This allows it to be turned off. The side that is on move is still highlighted.
Determines which set of bitmaps to use, a built-in 80x80 pixel set or a built-in 64-64 set.
Call GNU Chess with only one argument. Determines the program search time in seconds.
Amount of time for a set of moves determined by movesPerSession. If this number of moves is played within the time control period, xboard resets the time clocks. Default: 5 minutes.
Number of moves in a playing session. Default: 40 moves.
Name of file to read a game record from. If the first line does not appear to start with a move, that is if the first character of the file is not `1', then the first line is assumed to be a title and is displayed. Comments either start with [ and end with a matching ] or they start with a ! and end with the next newline. Game files are found in the directory named by the CHESSDIR environment variable. If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used unless the file name starts with a /.
Name of file to read a game position from. Position files are found in the directory named by the CHESSDIR environment variable. If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used unless the file name starts with a /.
Name of file to save a game record to. No default.
Name of file to save a game position to. No default.
Some systems do not use rsh as the remote shell. This option allows a user to name the remote shell command. This should be done in the resource file.
Name of first chess program that, by default, plays black. Default: "gnuchessr".
Name of second chess program that, by default, plays white. Default: "gnuchessr".
Name of host the white chess program plays on. Default: "localhost".
Name of host the black chess program plays on. Default: "localhost".
Names of the bitmap files for the bitmap piece icons. Default: solid_pawn.bitmap, solid_rook.bitmap ...
Names of the bitmap files for the outline piece icons. Default: outline_pawn.bitmap, outline_rook.bitmap ...
Automatically run a game between firstChessProgram and secondChessProgram. If matchMode is set to Init, xboard will start the game with the initial chess position. If matchMode is set to Position, xboard will start the game with the position specified by the readPositionFile resource. If matchMode is set to Opening, xboard will play out the opening moves specified by the -readGameFile resource. Default: "False".
Determines whether xboard displays its pieces and squares with two colors or four. You shouldn't have to specify monochrome. xboard will determine if this is necessary.

The actual string that is sent to initialize the chess program can be set from .Xdefaults. It can't be set from the command line because of syntax problems.
These resources control what is sent when the Machine White and Machine Black buttons are selected. This is mostly for compatibility with previous versions of gnuchess.
This is the font that is used by xboard.

Quits xboard. Q or q is a keyboard equivalent.
Resets xboard to the beginning of a chess game. It also deselects any game or position files.
inverts the view of the chess board.
displays a move hint from GNU Chess.
plays a game from a record file. If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename. Game files are found in the directory named by the CHESSDIR environment variable. If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used unless the file name starts with a /. G or g is a keyboard equivalent.
sets up a position from a position file. If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename. Position files are found in the directory named by the CHESSDIR environment variable. If this variable is not declared then the current directory is used unless the file name starts with a /.
saves a game to a record file. If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename.
saves a position to a position file. If no file is specified a popup dialog asks for a filename.
forces GNU Chess to play black.
forces GNU Chess to play white.
forces GNU Chess to switch sides.
plays a game between two computer programs.
moves forward through a series of remembered moves. F or f is a keyboard equivalent.
moves backward through a series of remembered moves. B or b is a keyboard equivalent.
forces a series of moves.
pauses the game clocks or game replay. P or p is a keyboard equivalent.
I, i, C or c iconifies xboard.

xchess(1), gnuchess(1)

Doesn't handle black to play positions.

White must be on move for two program mode to work.

Only recognizes algebraic notation.

If you press the Pause button during GNU Chess's turn xboard. will stop the clocks, but GNU Chess will still make a move.

If you play out an opening set of moves with Play From File, you must make a move and then select Machine Black.

-iconic doesn't work properly.

Copyright 1991 by 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.

June 11, 1991 X Version 11