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Subject: Re: Installation Wizard for Crafty

Author: Bob Durrett

Date: 07:19:16 01/19/04

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On January 19, 2004 at 08:44:58, Odd Gunnar Malin wrote:

>On January 18, 2004 at 09:25:47, Bob Durrett wrote:
>
>>
>>For the vast majority of the people here at CCC, doing things the "old fashioned
>>way" is not a problem.
>>
>>But times are changing.  It should not be necessary to be a computer programmer
>>to install an amateur chess engine.
>>
>>I, at least, would like to have an installation wizard for Crafty and also one
>>for each and every chess engine listed in Dann Corbit's list!  [A deinstaller
>>would be a good idea too.]
>>
>>Bob D.
>
>Which gui is of interest?
>
>I'm working on an installerprogram right now, but it hard to find time. It have
>some progress anyhow.
>
>Currently it support installation in Winboard and Scid.
>Next will be ChessPartner I think and assigning shortcut to the program-menu so
>the engine can start up Winboard for direct playing against the engine. Then
>Chess Assistant, Chessmaster 8/900 and some of the Fritzes.
>
>As i write I try to also write the description text, just to clear my head. Here
>is what into it right now:
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------
>Engineinstaller ver. 1.0 Beta
>
>This program is meant to be a help for the author to guidline an user through
>the
>installation process.
>This program is typical started from a setup program. Also add it to the
>uninstall
>option with the parametre /u
>
>It could also be used as a standalone tool.
>
>Startup parametre
>*****************
>
>Syntax: EngineInstaller [options]
>
>/g Path to where to put any shortcut links (icons).
>/i installationfile for setup, defaults to EngineInstaller.ini
>/u remove the engine from previous installed guis.
>
>Installationfile
>****************
>
>The filename defaults to 'engineinstaller.ini' but could be
>changed with the parametre '/i'.
>
>Sections
>--------
>
>If you want to install the engine as several entries in a gui, just add
>a new section with the new settings. The file are readed from top to bottom
>so you can change the default several times.
>
>[Default]
>; Set parameters that are common for several section here.
>
>[Winboard]
>; Add Winboard parameters here.
>
>[Scid]
>; Add Scid parameters here.
>
>[Shortcut]
>; Create shortcuts in the program menu.
>
>Gui = Winboard
>
>Parameters
>----------
>
>Program  - Add the name of the program (exefile) here. If you need to specify a
>           directory this have to be relative to the installation directory.
>           Ex. 'Program = yace.exe', 'Program = bin\yace.exe'.
>           Default = ''
>
>Name     - Add the name you want to display for the user here. Not all gui use
>           this and some take it from the engine itself if it is a wbII- or
>           uci-engine.
>           Default = ''
>
>Author   - Add the authors name here. Uci-engines would take this from the
>engine
>           itself.
>           Default = ''
>
>Disable  - Set this to '0' if you don't want the engine to be installed in this
>           gui, eg. you know it wouldn't work.
>           If you want to change the default behaviour that would enable
>installation
>           in all known gui you can set it to false in the [Default] section,
>then
>           you of course have to use 'Disable = 0' for all gui you want it to
>           install itself to.
>           Default = 0
>
>Argument - Additional string to add to the command line.
>           Default = ' '
>
>Winboard - Winboardengine type 1 or 2, 0 = no winboardsupport
>           Default = 2
>
>UCI      - Could the engine run as uci engine.
>           Default = 0
>
>RunOnce  - The engine have to be restarted after each game.
>           Default = 0
>
>GUI      - Type of gui to use for shortcuts.
>
>Elo      - Proposed Elo for the engine.
>
>Url      - Url to homesite for the engine.
>
>Comment for some gui
>********************
>
>Winboard
>--------
>  This is a Winboard only gui so for installing uci-engines you need an
>  additional tool/adapter. One such adapter is uci2wb by Roland Pfister.
>  If you search the internet I'm sure you find it. Currently it is
>  located at http://wbec-ridderkerk.nl/
>
>  It will check the uninstall option in the register to locate the path
>  to Winboard. Works on ver. 4.x
>
>Scid
>----
>
>(Beta) History
>**************
>
>14.11.03 Start of project.
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>A sample of an installerfile for Yace looks like this.
>-------------------------------------------
>; Installationfile for Yace Paderborn 2003
>
>[Default]
>Program = yace.exe
>Name = Yace Paderborn (2003)
>Author = Dieter Buerssner
>UCI = 1
>
>; Bye default the installationprogram will try to install the engine
>; into all found Gui's.
>
>; Adding a shortcut in the Program menu for starting up the engine with
>Winboard.
>[ShortCut]
>GUI=Winboard
>-----------------------------------------
>
>I don't see this as an user tool but rather as a help tool for the
>engine-author.
>
>Odd Gunnar

It is a big step in the right direction.  When it also becomes a "user tool,"
then I will be happy since I am a "user."  : )

Bob D.



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