Author: Wylie Garvin
Date: 10:21:02 12/30/01
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On December 30, 2001 at 13:01:59, Steve Maughan wrote: >I'm trying to get my chess program to play using Winboard. I've managed to get >it to communicate with the main program using the Standard I/O but am having >difficulties getting it to synchronise the commands. The following debug output >from Winboard will illustrate: > > [...SNIP...] > >Why is there a delay for the New command? Is Winboard waiting for me to send >something initially? Should I wait until I get the New command? Has anyone had >any of these problems before? > >All suggestions appreciated!! > >Many thanks, > >Steve Maughan Hi Steve, The author of Winboard has a page describing in detail the protocol: http://www.tim-mann.org/xboard/engine-intf.html Unfortunately the site seems to be down at the moment (for me anyway), but if I remember correctly, winboard will send the "xboard" and "protover 2" commands and then wait for some response for your program. I think it waits up to 2 seconds. If your engine is protocol-version-2-aware, I think it should send the "feature" command when it sees "protover N" and N>1. (versions before 2 didn't send this command, so you could just send a feature string always). Then Winboard knows you are version-2-aware, and sends a bunch of accepted/rejected messages for each feature you requested. If your engine does not send the feature command before the timeout expires, winboard assumes it can only handle the earlier version 1 protocol. If you send a feature string it should send new immediately. When that page is back up you should find what you're looking for. Best of luck, Wylie
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