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Subject: Re: Engine programming - standard input

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 06:45:16 12/03/03

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On December 03, 2003 at 07:48:21, martin fierz wrote:

>On December 03, 2003 at 05:08:14, Matt Thomas wrote:
>
>>I want to create a chess engine and am starting with the input/output routines.
>>I can handle output, but am not sure about how to implement input.  I am
>>thinking to use ReadFile() to be unbuffered, and for pipes.  I could implement a
>>loop to poll for input, but wouldn't that be a drag on CPU cycles?  I want to be
>>able to use pondering, but if the user decided to cancel the game I need to
>>listen for the command.  I am going to use the Winboard protocol and understand
>>the commands.  I am using VC6 to create a console app and am familiar with
>>creating a basic program in Windows/console/DOS.  Any help would be much
>>appreciated.  Examples would go a long way.  I have looked at some code for
>>other chess programs, but there is so much to sift thru and I want to focus
>>specifically on understanding the basics of implementing std input.  Thanks,
>>Matt
>
>haven't you got this the wrong way round? write engine, then worry about input
>once it makes it's first legal moves. at least that's what i did :-)
>
>cheers
>  martin


Actually this is not a bad idea to start here.  How are you going to handle
console input and pondering?  That probably should be answered first, because
it will affect the design of everything below it.  IE two threads?  one for
input, one for searching/pondering?  One thread with sporadic polling?  One
thread using an alarm() to trigger a poll?   Two processes, talking through a
pipe?  Etc...




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