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README.TXT
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1995-11-29
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CHESSBD
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(c) 1994, 1995 by Don Fong (dfong@igc.apc.org)
Updated november 1995
1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
CHESSBD is a chess game reader (or "viewer") for Windows, similar to PGNRD
by Keith Fuller. It can read "almost any" game file. It incorporates a
heuristic parser that attempts to handle sloppy "natural" input and poorly
specified formats. The goal --- not quite attained --- is to parse
anything posted to the the rec.games.chess newsgroup, with no hand editing.
For example, CHESSBD can successfully parse the "Shamkovich benchmark"
posted by Steven J. Edwards in Jan 1994. However, some files cannot be
parsed without hand editing.
CHESSBD can be used as a NETSCAPE helper app to view PGN files on the web.
CHESSBD also incorporates SLICS, a graphical client for the Internet Chess
Club (ICC) server and the Free Internet Chess Servers (FICS).
CHESSBD is shareware. See section 4 below for details.
See section 6 below for installation instructions. See the online help for
usage instructions, or for information about the syntax and heuristics used
by CHESSBD.
2. FEATURES
* Recognizes both algebraic and descriptive move notation, eg,
p-k4
p-n8=Q+
e4
e8Q
* Accepts most known variants of "castling" notation
oo
0-0-0
* Disambiguates using +# (ep) indicators, etc
nxp#
* Recognizes PGN game headers
[Event "..."]
* Recognizes "natural" game headers of the form
White: XXX Black: YYY
* Handles nested variations between ()'s
(14. Nxd5 Qxd5 (14...Nxd5 e5!))
* Heuristically recognizes variations embedded in commentary text
15... d5
If 15... dc, Black will be faced with the ...
* Interactive "drag and drop" moves using the mouse
* Interactive traversal of game tree
* Works under Windows 3.1; uses color
* Can function as a netscape helper app to read PGN files.
* Can cut & paste games from your comm program.
* Can function as an ICS interface via Winsock TCP/IP.
2.1 ICS features
* Works with both ICC and FICS type servers.
* Can observe multiple games.
* User programmable buttons.
* Board and pieces are scalable.
* Login scripts and "server profiles" make login a breeze.
* Easy to use chat dialog.
2.2 NEW IN CHESSBD 2.2a
Features added since release SLICS 2.1e :
* Easier to use with TMSTAMP/TMSEAL
* Redesigned Arena dialog
* Experimental support for FICS Bughouse
* Better support for misc FICS features
3. LIMITATIONS
* Windows 3.1 only; will NOT run under 3.0 .
Requires a 386 or better cpu. Will NOT run on an 286.
* Makes NO attempt to fix incorrect input moves (eg by capitalization)
or guess ambiguous moves.
* See also the section "Implicit Header Recognition Failures"
in the "Parser Heuristics" help topic.
4. REGISTRATION INFORMATION
CHESSBD is shareware. If you find this program useful,
please send a contribution of $5.00 or more to:
Don Fong/227 Alta Ave/Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA
Please include your email address so i can send your registration key.
The key will disable the initial "nag" message on startup.
If you have already registered an earlier version, please send email
to dfong@igc.apc.org to receive your free reg key. Thanks to everyone
who has registered.
5. BUG REPORTS and COMMENTS
Please send bug reports, comments, and suggestions to:
dfong@igc.apc.org
Please do not send me ICC or FICS messages - it is hard to reply to them.
To report bugs, please use the form provided in "bugform.txt".
Thanks.
5.1 SUPPORT and TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
CHESSBD/SLICS is shareware. Don't expect a lot of help for $5.
6. INSTALLATION
CHESSBD is a windows program; install it as you would any windows
program. Decide what directory you want to put it in, and make that
the startup directory for the program when creating the program item.
Move the files chessbd.exe, chessbd.ini, chessbd.hlp, and icsprofs.dat
files into the same directory. If you are going to use custom .ini files
--- for example, setting up your user-programmable buttons or menu items
(see "About other .ini files" below) --- then put these files in the same
directory too. See the online help for more info.
6.1 CUSTOMIZATION
If you have a small monitor (eg, 640x480) you may want to use "tinyscrn.ini".
If you have a large monitor (eg, 1280x1024) you may want to use "bigscrn.ini".
See the online help for more info.
You will probably want to edit the example ex_ics.rc script (and then
rename it to be _ics.rc) to have your correct ICS login name and password,
so the program can log you in automatically. You will probably want to
edit the icsprofs.dat (the dialing directory file) to have your correct
login name on the different servers, so the program can help you switch
between servers easily. See the online help for more info.
6.1. INVENTORY
chessbd.exe - the executable - required
chessbd.hlp - winhelp file - required
chessbd.ini - initialization - recommended
icsprofs.dat - sample dialing directory - recommended
dfong.ini - default "minimalist" pieces - doc
nicok.ini - alternative "baroque" pieces by Nico Koolsbergen - doc
ericch.ini - alternative "staunton" pieces by Eric Churchill - doc
toups.ini - alternative "classic" pieces by Harry Toups - doc
tinyscrn.ini - additional chessbd.ini for small monitors
bigscrn.ini - additional chessbd.ini for big monitors
ex_ics.rc - sample ics login script - doc
dial_ics.rc - sample ics login script for direct modem usage - doc
readme.txt - this file - doc
qanda.txt - questions and answers - doc
tmstamp.txt - info about timestamper programs
netcom.txt - info about using timestamper programs with NETCOM
bugform.txt - bug reporting form - doc
demofile.txt - sample games file - doc
relnotes.txt - release notes - doc
About chessbd.ini :
You can edit the windows initialization file chessbd.ini (using an external
text editor of your choice) to alter the appearance or operation of CHESSBD.
Or you can use the program's Options dialog. You do not need to have a
chessbd.ini file: the program will default to reasonable values in its
absence.
About other .ini files :
If you want to try one of the extra .ini files, you can either edit
chessbd.ini to add the assignments from the other files, -or- you can add
the other file to the command line when you invoke it from the program
manager. (Eg, "chessbd nicok.ini" will read in nicok.ini after the normal
chessbd.ini file.) You can specify multiple .ini files if you wish. They
will be processed from left to right. The values in the rightmost (last)
file will take precedence in case of a conflict. (Eg, the command
"chessbd nicok.ini bigscrn.ini" uses the alternative pieces and the
big-screen layout.) CHESSBD treats these ini files as read-only: thus if
you change and save variables at run-time using the options dialog, the
changes will be saved to chessbd.ini , NOT to these additional .ini files.
This may or may not be what you want.
About _chessbd.rc :
The script file _chessbd.rc if present is read upon program startup. You
can edit the file (using an external text editor of your choice) and add
script commands to customize the program according to your taste. See the
"Script Commands" "Option Variables" topics. You do not need to have a
_chessbd.rc file.
About tmstamp.exe and tmseal.exe :
This distribution may or not contain a bundled copy of TMSTAMP or TMSEAL .
If you need a new version of TMSTAMP or TMSEAL, please download it
separately from chess.lm.com or caissa.onenet.net respectively. The
exact filename is subject to change. Look in the directory
/pub/icc/timestamp/ on chess.lm.com, or /pub/chess/timeseal/ on
caissa.onenet.net . Read the file tmstamp.txt . If you are a NETCOM user,
please also read netcom.txt .