Author: Chessfun
Date: 09:53:50 02/17/03
Go up one level in this thread
On February 17, 2003 at 11:30:07, John Wentworth2 wrote: >I am finiding very hard to understand why programs like Fritz and Rebel both >support the Auto232 functionality but have such a pitiful and I mean pitiful, >help on the subject. With such little help why even bother mentioning it. > > If these programs are going to contain the function there should be DETAILED >explanation on how to use it with diagrams, setup the machines, troubleshooting >etc. etc. > >I am saying this from my past experience as a Software QA engineer, this lack of >documentation would never of passed QA. ---------------------- Autoplayer manual shortened and modified version. Translated from German and modified by Harald Faber. For professional use contact Harald.Faber@t-online.de 1. Hardware installation Both PC's have to be connected with the delivered cable. Use a serial port COM1 or COM2. It is possible to use COM1 at the 1st and COM2 at the 2nd PC. The delivered cable has 2 9-pin-sockets so you need an adapter if you have 25-pin-port available. 2. Starting the test-software After installing the hardware turn on both computers. Be sure to be at the DOS-prompt (occasionally you have to quit Windows etc.). Put the delivered 3.5"-disk into the 1st computer and a copy of this disk into the 2nd one. At the DOS-prompt change to the 3.5"-disk-drive on both computers (a: or b:) and type AUTOTEST <ENTER> at the 1st computer. This program checks if the connection between PC - PC is working correctly. Now also type AUTOTEST <ENTER> at the 2nd PC. If there is a connection found a message appears on both Pcs via which COM-port the Pcs are connected. Keep it in mind or write it down, it will be needed later on. If no connection is found then check the cable connection. if this is installed correctly, there is a problem with your PC, probably with the serial port. There may also be problems with the interrupts, i.e. if you plug the cable into the port where the mouse usually is connected it could be necessairy to de-activate the mouse-driver in the AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS. Furthermore there can be interrupt conflicts with some network.cards. 3. Starting the installation software If the connection was found correctly in point 2 then type INSTALL <ENTER> at the 1st PC. A menu appears. You may use the cursor keys as well as the normal keys on the keyboard (the first letter (marked) of the menu names are only in use). Go through with the cursor (right or left) to the program of your choice and press <ENTER> to open a pull-down-menu because you often have several different program versions. Select with cursor up/down and again press <ENTER>. Now a small window opens. You have to enter the following: Source install drive (3.5"-disk-drive, a: or b:); program directory (i.e. C:\GENIUS3); starting command for the program (i.e. cg3 /x for Genius3 in x-mode) and finally the used COM-port (here you fill in the number you got from the test program). Don't hesitate to edit the lines you want or have to edit. Always confirm entries with <ENTER>. This way you can install the autoplayer for all the other programs you want to use. When you have finished do the same procedure at the 2nd computer. 4. A first game between 2 programs 1. Start: The additional programs for the auotplayer are installed now on both computers, time for a test. Change the directory on your 1st computer to where the program you want to use is located. Instead of starting as usual you now have to type AUTO232 <ENTER> Some messages appear, then the chess program starts. Now do the same at the 2nd PC. Both programs were started and now have to be prepared for the first game autoplay a) new game: most programs load the last game when started. Therefore it is necessairy to enter the command for a new game on both Pcs. b) level: select the playing level of your choice on both programs (they don't need the same time control). For this first autoplay test game we propose you to take 5sec/move because it is a test and the game shouldn't last too long. Now both programs are prepared to finally start an autoplayer-game. Choose the program you want to play with white. On ist keyboard press <CTRL> - 0 (which is a null of course) (keep the CTRL-key pressed when pressing 0) The same effect has <ALT> - 0 Depending on the programs it may last some seconds until the programs start to play each other. be patient. You can control this, in the program the option "print moves" will be activated automatically. 2. End of game: The game will stop automatically (50-moves-rule, mate etc.). A special case would be if the first game would last more than 100 moves. Then the game would also stop because with default-settings the autoplayer allows play until move 100. How this can be modified will be explained later. At reaching the end of the game, the game will be saved after 15min as "match.001". You may save the game manually as well. 5. More games with the autoplayer Of course the autoplayer needs only to be installed once. If you want another autoplayer-game, repeat point 4. More info about more games etc. are in the instructions for advanced users. 6. Autoplayer for the advanced user To let 2 programs play overnight in tournament-mode with automatic saving the game is just the autoplayer's basic function. Here are further options: - series of games between 2 programs automatically with subsequently saving the games - definition of a time distance between 2 games - definition of maximum move number per game - definition of the name of the saved games (default is match.001, match.002 etc) - interrupting a game in progress (i.e. in a clearly won / lost / draw position) and start a new game - automatic play from a setup-position 1.series of games (option: /g) Before you get to know how to play 2, 3 or more games automatically some basic info: Although the autoplayer is installed on both Pcs and also started on both, the control of all activities has only one computer (master). Which one this is can be chosen with pressing <CTRL> - 0 to start the autoplay. The one where you press <CTRL> - 0 is the master. You can also give some more information to the master with starting parameters / options. For a series of games use the parameter /g. That means if you want to play 10 games type AUTO232 /g10 <ENTER> at the master (instead of auto232) and AUTO232 at the 2nd PC. The master always plays white! 2. definition of a time distance between 2 games (option /t) What is it good for? Simple: If you let 2 programs play blitz-games the default setting would let you wait 15min until a new game is started. This is not very senseful. It would be more senseful in games with 5sec/move to use a time parameter /t1. So if you want to play 10 games as above with 5sec/move it would be clever to type AUTO232 /g10 /t1 <ENTER> (again at the master, the slave always gets only AUTO232). If the autoplayer should wait 3min instead of 1min then just change the parameter from /t1 to /t3 and so on. Always think of the level you play. If you have 30min/game and use /t1 it could happen that one program is still thinking while the autoplayer thinks the game is over and suddenly starts a new game. In tournament games the formula time distance = time per move x 10 (tournament is 40m/2h = 3min/move) did stand the test. (personal remark: some programs like Hiarcs and MChessPro sometimes use more than this time, so right now I am at /t35 although this is sometimes really close...). Minimum time is 1min, maximum is 52000min 3. definition of maximum move number (option /m) Although more and more programs recognize not enough material to mate there are some cases where really nothing happens and both programs move just because it is their due. In these cases it can be senseful to use this parameter. So if you want a game not to last longer than 100 moves with the above options, type AUTO232 /g10 /t35 /m100 <ENTER> at the master and so on. 4. definition of names for the saved games (option /f) It is stupid to save the games always as match.001, match.002 etc. You may define the name yourself. I.e. type AUTO232 /g10 /t35 /m100 /fseries1 <ENTER> to save the games as series1.001, series1.002 etc. 5. interrupting a game in progress ( <CTRL> - 9 ) While a game series is running it often happens that you come to the computer(s) and see that the actual game is clearly won / lost / draw. So to not waste any more time for this senseless game you can interrupt the running game under the following conditions: - wait until the master computer is to move - while the master calculates press <CTRL> - 9 Either the master interrupts his calculations immediately or he finishes his calculations. (remark: it doesn't matter if you force the master to move) In both cases the move won't be sent to the other computer. Now press <CTRL> - 0 at the master. The actual game will be saved and afterwards another game will be started. 6. play from a setup-position Sometimes it is interesting to play from a certain position. In this case setup the position on both programs (of course loaded with AUTO232) and start like known with <CTRL> - 0. 7. tips and tricks 1. Fritz2: the autoplayer starts Fritz2 with default colours. Don't change it! Fritz2 also needs the sound to be enabled! If it is disturbing, add the option /s to the autoplayer. Then the sound is enabled but won't be heard out of the PC speaker. Fritz3 has the same problems until version 3.03. If you have anb earlier version than 3.04 then update your version (3.00-3.03) with the one on the auto232-disk (directory fritz304). 2.Kallisto: To use Kallisto, check if you have the version 1.83 or later. If necessairy you need to update. When installing Kallisto, the starting command has to be the .EXE-file, i.e. "V183" for Kallisto V1.83. Otherwise, if you fill in "Kallisto", the program won't be started with the autoplayer. 3. databases: for some programs that support databases it is useful to create a new database which only will contain the games played with the autoplayer. Create the databases before activating the autoplayer with <CTRL> - 0 4. finishing interrupted games: just load the interrupted game in both programs and start the autoplayer, but care for the settings 5. (my personal advice) notation: Always be sure to use the LONG NOTATION! If you have the short notation activated the autoplayer doesn't work! Another problem is that you always have to enter the AUTO232 /g10 /t35 /m100 /fseries1 etc. BEFORE you type AUTO232 at the 2nd computer! ----------------------- Let's face it documentation for programs such as Fritz or ChessPartner on the subject is hardly a need since it is so simple and they come with autoplayer support. I might add, that if you establish that the connection between PC's is working by playing two windows programs say Fritz CB and Fritz CB that may save you a step or two. For me using any version of Rebel in autoplay mode hardly ever worked, that when I was using two Win 98 machines, who knows maybe it was my video driver.....yea right. DOS is dead, it's time to move on. Sarah.
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