Author: F. Huber
Date: 14:31:07 10/28/02
Hello to all English users of ChestUCI,
because I didn´t find someone making an English translation of my
ChestUCI manual for me, I had to do this job myself. :-(
So here´s a short English version of my German text file ´Readme.txt´.
Until my next release of ChestUCI, where this file will be included,
you can copy this text and paste it into a new file ´English.txt´.
I hope, my English translation is not too bad. ;-)
Much fun and best regards,
Franz.
ChestUCI Ver.2.2 - (C) October 2002 by Franz Huber, Austria
=======================================================================
´ChestUCI´ is an UCI-interface for the top-level chess problem solver
´Chest Ver.3.19´ from Heiner Marxen (C) 1994-2002.
This text is a short English version of the German file ´Readme.txt´,
describing only the most important instructions for using ´ChestUCI´ -
more detailed informations can be found in the original German file.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Engine installation & configuration
-----------------------------------
´ChestUCI´ has to be installed under an UCI-compatible chess-GUI, and
has been tested with ´Arena 0.90´, ´Shredder 6-Classic´ and ´Fritz 7´.
Please note the following instructions:
1) during installation of the UCI-engine you have to choose the engine
file ´ChestUCI.exe´. DON´T select ´WinChest.exe´
2) the included program ´WinChest.exe´ is a slightly modified version
of the original ´Chest 3.19´, and is necessary for proper function.
DON´T rename it or use any other version of ´Chest´
Because ´Fritz´ doesn´t support the full UCI-standard, there exist
some restrictions under this GUI - really all features of ´ChestUCI´
are only available within ´Arena´ and ´Shredder´.
In the engine configuration menu (under ´Arena´) you can adjust the
following engine parameters or options:
1) ´DefenderMoves´: yes / no (Default=no)
---------------
This setting allows solving problems like "black moves first, and
(after that) white mates in n moves" (or reverse). So when you set
this option, every possible ´defender´ move (for the side to move)
is executed first, and then (for each of this moves) the selected
problem type will be solved for the opposite side.
All solutions will be ordered by the length of the main line, but
starting with possible ´defences´ (if no solution exists).
2) ´SearchDepth´: 0..30 (Default=10)
-------------
This value is the maximum search depth (in full moves) for the
calculation of a solution (´0´ is the same as ´30´).
Because ´Chest´ always looks for the shortest possible solution,
it´s not really necessary to set this option to the right value -
it is only a possibility to restrict the search depth (if wanted).
3) ´ProblemType´: Mate / Stalemate / SelfMate / SelfStalemate /
------------- HelpMate / HelpStalemate (Default=Mate)
Here you can select one of the six available types of chess puzzles.
Further informations (specially about the non-orthodox problem types)
you´ll find in the included original ´Chest´ documentation ´README´.
4) ´HashSize´: -1..2048 (Default=64)
----------
This value (in MB) determines the maximum size of the ´hash table´.
´0´ disables the use of any hash table, ´-1´ takes all free physical
memory, which is momentary available, for hashing (up to 2GB).
Any other value will be tested, if there´s actually enough free RAM
available - if not, it will be limited to the physical free RAM to
avoid ´disk swapping´, which would make ´Chest´ incredibly slower.
Remarks: a) depending on the complexity of the chess problem,
increasing this value could speed up Chest´s solution
process really dramatically
b) other ´Hash´ settings within the chess-GUI itself don´t
have any influence at all over Chest´s hash table
5) ´ShowProgress´: yes / no (Default=yes)
--------------
If this option is activated, ´ChestUCI´ continuously shows the actual
search depth, the move number and the currently examined move.
This can give a rough estimate, how much longer the solution process
of ´Chest´ could still take.
6) ´EngineMode´: UCI / Chest / Expert (Default=UCI)
------------
This setting determines in principle, how the original program
´Chest´ works together with ´ChestUCI´.
The default mode ´UCI´ causes ´Chest´ to return all moves in usual
coordinates notation, which exactly corresponds to the UCI-standard.
Only this UCI-mode allows you to make use of really all features,
which are available in ´ChestUCI´ - e.g. in this mode the solution
moves found by ´Chest´ are actually executed, and so you can play
against ´ChestUCI´ through all main lines up to the end.
The mode ´Chest´ works in a similar way, except it´s only showing
the solution lines in the analyse window (´Engine output window´
under ´Fritz´), but not actually executing any move. In this case
all solutions are shown in standard algebraic notation, and so the
output of ´Chest´ may be more readable for humans - but in this mode
it´s not possible to play against the engine.
The last mode setting ´Expert´ has to be selected, if you want to use
the following configuration field ´ExpertOptions´. In this mode there
is no action at all in the chess-GUI itself, but there will popup a
window with the complete solution of the original ´Chest´, shown in
your standard text editor. This mode is intended to be only a more
comfortable way of input/output for the original ´Chest´, than using
this program at the command line prompt. On the other hand, in this
mode you can use ´Chest´ with absolutely all options and parameters
of the original version, and so you may get a lot of more detailed
informations about the chess problem and its solution.
7) ´ExpertOptions´: Chest options (Default: -LSUr)
---------------
Into this input field, which should be only used by ´Chest´ experts,
you can directly enter every parameter and option of the original
program ´Chest´, and therefore have influence on Chest´s solution
process and information output.
As mentioned above, this option only works in ´Expert´ mode, and
only displays the solution file of ´Chest´, but doesn´t return any
moves or other informations to the chess-GUI.
Important: Because of the incomplete UCI-implementation of ´Fritz´,
this input field is not available under this GUI!
8) ´Show Options´: Options display
--------------
This button gives a short overview about all available options for
´Chest´, which can be used within the above ´ExpertOptions´.
More detailed informations about those parameters can be found in
the included README-file (or in the original source files of Chest).
Important: Also this button is not available under ´Fritz´!
Under ´Shredder´ this info window will not be displayed
until closing the configuration menu!
9) ´AutoSolution´: yes / no (Default=no)
--------------
If this option is activated, then after each calculation the output
file of ´Chest´ will be displayed automatically. This option is
especially useful for ´Fritz´ users, because under this GUI it´s
the only way to see Chest´s full solution (see next option).
10) ´Show Solution´: Solution display
---------------
This button displays the complete result of ´Chest´ with the full
solution tree and all additional informations about the solution.
It simply shows the output file ´ChestSol.txt´ with your Windows
standard text editor (usually the program ´Notepad.exe´).
Of course, this function only makes sense AFTER calculating the
solution for a given problem, and has to be closed again before
solving another problem.
Important: Also this button is not available under ´Fritz´!
11) ´German´: yes / no (Default=yes)
--------
This option controls the output language (German or English).
It effects all text messages, and - depending on the ´EngineMode´ -
also the move notation and the solution tree in Chest´s output file.
If ´EngineMode=UCI´, this only influences the text messages - the
move notation depends on the selected language within the chess-GUI,
and the output file always shows coordinates notation.
If ´EngineMode=Chest´, then also the moves in the GUI and in the
output file are shown in the selected language.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Program execution
-----------------
After setting up or loading a chess position, normally the engine can
be started immediately. Only for special problems or settings some
options in the engine configuration menu (as search depth or problem
type) can be set to appropriate values before starting ´ChestUCI´.
During the search process the engine only provides informations about
the current search depth, move number and current move, but only if
the option ´ShowProgress´ is activated. This allows a rough estimate
about the necessary time for a solution of the given problem.
Of course the search can be aborted at any time during calculation
by pressing the ´Stop´ button of the chess-GUI.
If ´Chest´ has solved the problem, then this main solution (and all
other existing solutions) are displayed in the chess-GUI. With
´EngineMode=UCI´ the first move of the main variation will also be
executed on the board, with ´EngineMode=Chest´ the complete solution
is only displayed without making any move.
If the given problem has no solution (on the adjusted conditions),
of course ´ChestUCI´ will also inform you about this situation.
When there are any troubles at the start or end of the engine (e.g.
problems with input or output files, or not being able to find the
program ´WinChest´), you´ll get an appropriate error message.
Furthermore if ´Chest´ has problems with the interpretation of its
input file, or ´ChestUCI´ cannot correctly analyse its output file,
then the output file ´ChestSol.txt´ is displayed automatically, so
you could find out the reason for the problem or error.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Special features
----------------
Since ´ChestUCI Ver.2.0´ this engine supports two additional and very
comfortable functions, which are only available with the default mode
´EngineMode=UCI´, and are used in the following way:
1) If a chess problem has more than one solution (so-called ´duals´),
you can scroll through this list of different solutions and select
each of them for further playing. Simply take back the last move,
that the engine just has made on the board, and press the button
´Start´ (or ´Move´) once more - and ´ChestUCI´ will choose the next
main line and execute it´s first key move on the board again. This
can be repeated as often as wanted to get really every solution,
and is especially useful in combination with the following feature.
2) After ´ChestUCI´ has found a solution and executed its key move,
you can play through the whole main line up to the last move against
the engine. This can be done either manually by simply making a next
move on the board, in which case ´ChestUCI´ immediately will answer
with the following move of the opposite side, or also automatically
by repeatedly pressing the ´Start´ button, which forces the engine
to make all moves itself. This even works with the ´Auto´ (or ´Demo´)
button, if the chess-GUI supports such an ´Autoplay´ mode, as e.g.
´Arena´ does. Of course you also can take back or move forward again
any number of moves you want - so it´s really worth playing a little
bit around with this feature and finding out what´s possible. In
other words, after ´ChestUCI´ has calculated the full solution, you
almost can play against it as with any other ´normal´ chess engine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Remarks
-------
o If you find any problems or errors in the program ´ChestUCI´,
I would be very grateful for every report, if possible with
exact details of the chess position and the kind of error -
either a posting in any chess forum in the Internet will do,
or just drop me a line by e-mail (see address below!)
o Besides I would really appreciate, if you have any ideas or
suggestions for improvements or enhancements of ´ChestUCI´
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Franz Huber October 2002
<fhub@gmx.at>
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