Author: José de Jesús García Ruvalcaba
Date: 15:09:34 09/10/98
Go up one level in this thread
On September 10, 1998 at 13:11:24, Robert Hyatt wrote: > >I agree totally. the Auto232 standard is gross. Completely gross. There are >many better ways to accomplish this task. First problem is that the message >format is rediculous, with the original auto232 interface not supporting *real* >chess since it didn't allow underpromotion. Then there were the timing issues >that resulted in hangs when a program moved too quickly. Cryptic move format >requiring a tab here, no tab there, etc... > >None of it made any sense from a software engineering point of view. I would >be more than happy to sit down with a group and work out a standard >communication interface that is easy to implement, easy to parse, and easy to >understand how it is supposed to work. > >We ought to be able to also provide some basic software that will let this work >on both unix and windows boxes (IE I can do the unix part myself, and we can >take that to make a "auto232" library that anyone using unix can call). I have >been trying to study the windows auto232 interface, but it is a nightmare, >still, because it uses the old auto232 message format with two levels of parsing >(which makes little sense). IE I send a somewhat cryptic message to the driver >(cryptic because of a byzantine format) that the driver then modifies and sends >to the other driver over the interface, which has to modify that to send it to >the engine, which has to modify that to interpret what the devil it means. > >That is not necessary. And there is *no* sense in thinking "windoze" only for >this interface, because it can work linux to windows, and linux to linux, as >well as windows to windows, if done correctly. > >Anyone interested? Shareware/Freeware guys want to take the lead here and do >this right, once and for all? Your description of of the windows auto232 could not have been better. It has been difficult for me too, it relieves me to see that I am in good company (: Your comments have led me to lose interest in auto232, being so difficult to port even on a PC not using windows. I am interested in the project you propose, defining a new (and good) standard communication interface among chess engines. I do not know if I can be of much help (I am not an expert on computer communications), but I gladly volunteer. At leatst I would like to stay updated on this.
This page took 0 seconds to execute
Last modified: Thu, 15 Apr 21 08:11:13 -0700
Current Computer Chess Club Forums at Talkchess. This site by Sean Mintz.