In order to view this text properly, select Edit|Word wrap.
A little documentation to go with the program .....
When the program starts up, you see a (possibly) empty grid on the left, and three large buttons on the right, arranged vertically.
The default grid size is 15 by 10 and the default arrangement is to have one 'home square' in the top right corner. This can be customised (more about that later).
Each button represents one of the three possible moves available to both yourself and the computer, which move alternately.
You make a move by positioning the mouse pointer over the required button to the right of the screen and clicking the left mouse button. This then becomes your move. Assuming that the game is unresolved, the computer then assesses the situation, makes a move and then it is your turn again. Alternatively, use the keys '1', '2' or '3' for the top, centre or lower button, respectively.
As each move is made, the grid is updated and the ball rolls along the existing track (hence the name), until it comes to an empty square in the grid. The aim of the game is quite simple. To win, you need to make a move that will result in the ball rolling into the 'home square' and if the ball rolls off the grid directly after your move, then you have lost and the computer has won. Similarly, if the computer manages to roll the ball into the 'home square' then you have lost etc etc etc.
There are six menu items at the top of the screen and these are described here.
The 'File' menu option contains options to display and reset the scores, and exit the program (Alt-F4 works as well)
The 'Edit' option contains options to change the grid setup. You can add extra 'home squares', or add 'holes' to the grid, which then become losing squares, should the ball roll into one after your move (the 'home squares' are winning squares). To do this, select Edit|Edit Grid (to take you into edit mode). The buttons on the right then change to provide short-cut buttons for the edit menu options (namely 'Save', 'Reset' and 'Cancel'). Position the mouse cursor over a square and click the left mouse button to toggle a 'hole' and the right mouse button to toggle a 'home square'. Certain squares may not be editable and you will be informed of this should you try to change one of them. When you are happy with the arrangement, select the 'Save' option or button to leave edit mode and begin a new game with the new setup. Selecting the 'Reset' button or option will revert the setup to the default of no extra 'holes' and one 'home square' in the top right corner. You will stay in edit mode. Selecting 'Cancel' will return you to the current game, with the setup as you left it. As with the 'Save' option, you will no longer be in edit mode and the buttons to the right of the screen will once again be available to select moves.
The settings option contains four sub-menus, for level of difficulty, colours, ball settings and grid settings.
There are four different levels of difficulty and these are selectable under the menu option 'Settings|Level'. There is a bullet point beside the current difficulty level. The easiest level is level 1, with 4 being the most challenging. The initial startup level is 2.
If the colours that you see do not appeal to you, use one of the many options in the 'Settings|Colours' menu option to change the various colours to your heart's content, or the limitations of your graphic card, whichever is the smallest....
The ball speed and colours can be changed under the menu option 'Settings|Ball'.
The grid size and colours can be changed under the menu option 'Settings|Grid'. As you can see, some options appear in more than one menu, but this is purely for your convenience.
The 'Language' option allows you to change the program to one of the languages in the list. There is a bullet point to indicate the current language.
There is no online help, as the program is really very easy to use - don't be put off by the details of this file. The program is, however, shareware and you can use the menu option 'Help|Register Program' to enter the registration code that will be supplied to you when you give me some money !!!!! The registered version is almost identical to the shareware version, except for the shareware notice that does not appear and customisations are saved and used the next time the program is run.
That's about it, as far as documentation goes - try it and see.
