Re: [XBoard-devel] (no subject)

[h . g . muller]

A new feature that is reglarly requested lately is to equip XBoard with
some kind of mode to automatically solve problems given in an EPD file
with an engine, and then let it keep the score of correct and incorrect
solutions. I have done nothing in that respect yet.

This is a feature that is very much related to 'match mode'. It is already
possible to start a match using a FEN / EPD file for starting positions
(auto-incrementing the position index). The difference here would be that
each 'game' of the match would only last for a single move, (i.e. it
should be played as 'Machine White' or 'Machine Black', rather than 'Two
Machines'), after which the move played by the engine should be compared
to the solution move (or 'avoid move') given in the EPD (for which some
additional parsing of the EPD line would have to be added; currently
XBoard only looks at the FEN part). The regular win and loss counters
could be used for keeping the number of correct and incorrect solutions,
which then pop up after the entre file is processed.

In addition there can be reporting in an automatic saveGameFile as usual.
An extension here might actually be to write the entire PV of the engine
as a PGN game, rather than just its move. There have also been requests to
make XBoard auto-play the engine PV on the display before going to the
next problem.

Capability to write an engine PV in the PGN might be generally useful.
Another thing that XBoard currently cannot do (I think) is automatically
annotate an entire file with depth/score and PV information obtained from
an analyzing engine. In match mode it can use the games in a file as
forced opening line, and if the game would run to the end, it would be
immediately finished. But the engine is kept in force mode during this, so
there is no PV info generated. An option could be added to have the engine
in analysis mode in stead in this phase, and allow it a number of seconds
according to the WinBoard time-control setting, and then save its PV info
with the moves.

These are just some suggestions for enhancements that would be widely
appreciated. Of course you might have your own ideas / wishlist for new
features.

Op Vr, 1 oktober, 2010 6:20 pm schreef Shahram Tabandeh:
> Hi,
>
>
> I'm Shahram Tabandeh, Ph.D. student at McGill University, experienced
> software developer and a lover of strategic games. I like to contribute to
> xboard project.
>
> cheers, Shahram
>
>
>
>