The preferences are divided into the following seven topics:
Your preferences are stored in the "Fixation PPC Prefs" file in the Preferences folder within the System Folder.
General Options
This topic contains the general options that do not currently fit into the other topics. topics list
Option | Description |
---|---|
On Program startup | This option allows you to specify what initially happens when Fixation is started. On "Automatic Connect", Fixation will automatically connect to the server last connected to when Fixation was previously run. On "Show connection window", the 'Connect to Server' window is displayed. |
Ask before quitting | If checked, Fixation verifies a quit operation. Fixation will always ask if you really want to quit if you're in the middle of a game, whether this option is selected or not. |
Smart windows | Probably one of the most confusing options. If you experience the problem of typing "observe roman", then FICS or whatever saying "You are now observing game 3.", but no window appears, try turning this option off. That shouldn't happen, though. Smart windows tells the server to stop observing a game when you close a window locally, and vice versa. |
Smart text | The server sends a prompt after every move -- this can quickly clutter up your text window. Selecting this option tells Fixation to try and eliminate these extra prompts. |
Slow + smooth text | When selected, Fixation scrolls the text window after every line. This slows things down when printing out big blocks, like who's and fingers. |
Moves in text window | If checked, moves are displayed in the text window. |
Bughouse teams | If checked, you will see a message when bughouse partnerships are formed or dissolved. NOTE: This option only works on ICC servers. |
Server Variables
This topic contains options that control the settings of certain variables on the chess server. topics list
Option | Description |
---|---|
Server prompt | Selecting "no prompt" will disable the server prompt on the ICC. For non-ICC servers, this acts the same as "server prompt". Selecting "server prompt" will use the default server prompt. Selecting "custom prompt" will set the prompt to the prompt specified in the following entry field. A custom prompt is not supported on ICC servers (this is a limitation of the server not Fixation). |
Set only on guest login | If checked, the server variables are only set on guest login. However, the server prompt is not affected by this option. |
Open to challenges | If checked, you will be open to match challenges. When selected, the open variable is set to 1 on logon. |
Show game results | If checked, you will see the results of all the games played on the server as the games end. When selected, the gin variable is set to 1 on logon. |
Show shouts | If checked, you will see shouts from other users. When selected, the shout variable is set to 1 on logon. |
Show s-shouts/cshouts | If checked, you will see sshouts (ICC) or cshouts (FICS/USCL) from other users. When selected, the cshout variable is set to 1 on logon to FICS or USCL. For ICC servers, the sshout variable is set to 1. |
Show guest tells | If checked, you will see tells from guests. When selected, the tell variable is set to 1 on logon. |
Auto examine | If checked, you will automatically enter examine mode at the end of your games. When selected, the examine variable is set to 1 on logon. NOTE: This feature is only available on ICC servers. |
No escape | If checked, the noescape variable will be set to 1 on logon. NOTE: This feature is only available on ICC servers. |
Game Playing Options
This topic contains options that control game playing on the servers. topics list
Option | Description |
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Auto-open bughouse partner's game | If checked, a game window will be automatically opened for your partner's game when you start a bughouse game. |
Close finished games on new game | If checked, any game windows currently open for finished games will be automatically closed when a new game is started. |
Flash when time running low | If checked, a red box flashes around the time when time gets below 10 seconds for either player. Flashing stops when time exceeds negative 10 seconds (this usually indicates player is lagged out). |
Give background time on drag | If checked, piece dragging may be noticeably less smooth. Leave this option unchecked unless you know what you are doing. If selected, Fixation will give processing time to other applications running in the background. You should not need this, but it might be useful for running a bughouse simulation or something. |
Minimalist turn marker | If checked, the player who's turn it is will only be indicated by a red circle, instead of a circle + lines. |
Put black on bottom when playing | When checked, black pieces will be placed on the bottom of the game window when you play a game. |
Show promotion options | If checked, a popup window will appear so you can choose what you want to promote to. You can either hit the relative key (e.g. 'b' for bishop) or click on the desired piece. Press the space bar for queenie. When not checked, Fixation will automatically promote to queen. If you play a lot of bullet/lightning games, leaving this unchecked would probably be best. |
Highlight last move | If checked, the last move made will be highlighted with a colored border. The highlighting color can be set in Color Options II. |
Log games played | If checked, all the games you play on chess servers will be automatically logged. Games will be stored in PGN format in the Game Logs folder inside the Fixation folder. |
Separate game logs | If checked, logged games will be saved as separate files. The file names will be based on the date and time and the player names, truncated to 31 characters if need be (HFS+ 255 character file names are not currently supported). For example, "20011227_0342_IceFog-Traini.pgn". In this case, the game was between IceFog and TrainingBot, played on Dec 27, 2001 at 3:42 am. If left unchecked, logged games will be saved (appended) to a single file whose name is based on the handle and server (e.g. "Icefog (ICC).pgn"). |
Color Options
This topic contains options that control color. topics list
Option | Description |
---|---|
Colored text | If checked, text will be colored. |
Admin colors | If checked, tells containing profanity will be colored in green. This help administrators to quickly spot such tells in order to take the appropriate action. |
Background text | Sets the background color and styles for the text in the console window. |
Foreground text | Sets the foreground color and styles for the server output displayed in the console window. |
user command | Sets the color and styles for the user commands displayed in the console. |
kibitz | Sets the color and styles for kibitzes. |
whisper | Sets the color and styles for whispers. |
shout/sshout | Sets the color and styles for shouts and sshouts. |
Color Options II
This topic contains options that control color. topics list
Option | Description |
---|---|
channel tell | Sets the color and styles for channel tells. |
private tell | Sets the color and styles for private tells. |
game challenge | Sets the color and styles for game challenges from other players. |
opponent say | Sets the color and styles for says from your opponent. |
notification | Sets the color and styles for player and game notifications. |
new message | Sets the color and styles for new message notifications. |
highlight last move | Sets the highlight color of the last move made. |
Sound Options
This topic contains options that control sound output. topics list
Option | Description |
---|---|
Enable sounds | If checked, sounds will be played. |
private tells | If checked, a sound will be played for private tells. |
Tells when playing | If checked, a sound will be played for tells while you are playing a game. Some find sounds played for tells distracting when playing so disabling this option lowers the distraction level. |
Moves when playing | If checked, a sound will be played for moves while you are playing a game. |
Moves when observing | If checked, a sound will be played for moves while you are observing a game. |
Moves when examining | If checked, a sound will be played for moves while you are examining a game. |
Move captures | If checked, a sound will be played when a pawn or piece is captured on a move. This sound is played instead of the normal move sound. |
My game starts | If checked, a sound will be played when you start playing a game. |
Player notifications | If checked, a sound will be played when a player on your notification list arrives or departs. |
New messages | If checked, a sound will be played when you receive a new message. |
Illegal moves | If checked, a sound will be played when you make an illegal move. |
Seek Graph Filters
This topic contains options that control the filtering of ads shown in the Seek Graph. topics list
Option | Description |
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Show unplayable ads | If checked, unplayable ads will be shown. Unplayable ads are shown in cyan in the Seek Graph. An ad is unplayable if you not meet the rating range for the ad. |
Show computer ads | If checked, seek ads issued by computers will be shown. Computer ads are shown as squares in the seek graph. |
Show guest ads | If checked, seek ads issued by guests will be shown. |