Author Topic: Entering SMIRF 8x8 + 10x8 Chess Program (Read 109,989 times)

Smirf · « **on:** April 10, 2006, 04:48 PM »

SMIRF

I just have changed my SMIRF program to become a pure donationware program. So some pieces of text might still mention 'shareware,' where now 'donationware' is meant. Also some parts of its documentation still have to be translated into English. Nevertheless the program is beta yet, it should work.

Regards, Reinhard.

P.S.: Beta tester feed backs are welcomed !

P³.S.: Now an always actual download (~1.7 MB) could be found at my page:

http://www.chessbox.de/Compu/schachsmirf_e.html

At problems with SMIRF first try to delete the local SmirfGUI.ini file once.

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2006, 04:52 PM »

ive changed the attachment size to 8mb so you should be ok to upload it as one file which will make it easier for people.

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2006, 04:52 PM »

looks beautiful by the way!

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2006, 05:03 PM »

can you tell us a little bit about the program smirf?

as i understand it, it is a program that does a coupld of things - it can play a game of chess human vs computer but not just standard chess boards - but a whole bunch of test problems that involve different sized boards and starting positions.

it can also playback games and stuff.

can you give us some more background and other information that might be useful to know?

i know some chess experts, i'll ask them to come by and check it out.

Smirf · « **Reply #4 on:** April 10, 2006, 05:43 PM »

SMIRF tries to make a minimal approach to program chess and some variants like Chess960 (FRC) or 10x8 CRC (Capablanca Random Chess), which as supersets somehow compatibly contain traditional chess (that is what I name the FullChess approach). Its engine is small and currently sized 60 KB only, despite this one engine covers all those variants. SMIRF actually attempts to cover the opening stage without using huge looking up knowledge like opening books or endgame table bases. Thus it actually is recommended to play Chess960 or CRC to get different games.

SMIRF's strength currently seems to be about the Crafty level. Being my first approach to write a playing chess program, there will be of course some weaknesses and details to be improved. It uses an own public communication protocol between engine and GUI called TMCI (Third Millenium Chess Interface), which is subject to be modified if other programmers would be interested to also use it.

SMIRF is able to store and load games as PGN, cut and paste it and also positions as X-FEN. It enables PGN games to be commented, but does not (yet) support variant game lines. It has several playing timing levels. If the automatic answering is switched off, you could enter move series without having the engine answer. The gaits of the special 8x10 pieces Archbishop and Chancellor will be shown by marked squares. It is recommended to have the online hints be activated during first time. You could choose one of four languages: Eng, Ger, Fra, Swe. GothicChess actually is not supported directly, because I still have not received Ed Trice's license he promised me. Nevertheless in edit mode you could set up any starting array and switch castling rights by simply clicking at the rooks' file letters.

This here is my attempt to test, whether the distribution form as a donationware would give me sufficient support or not. If not, the project will be continued as shareware.

Regards, Reinhard.

P.S.: There also are a lot of interesting things at my homesite.

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** April 10, 2006, 05:53 PM »

Reinhard (smirf) - i *love* the look of your website. love it.

Smirf · « **Reply #6 on:** April 10, 2006, 06:19 PM »

mouser, happy to hear that. My opinion is, it would need a redesign. But - time ...

You would have noticed, that not all content is bilingual - merely chess related parts.

Reinhard.

f0dder · « **Reply #7 on:** April 10, 2006, 07:30 PM »

Nice to see your entry, Reinhard

Smirf · « **Reply #8 on:** April 10, 2006, 07:47 PM »

Quote from: f0dder on April 10, 2006, 07:30 PM

Nice to see your entry, Reinhard

I hope not to be the last one, entering a piece of software at this contest.

A new question is, how to find the correct category for SMIRF Chess: 'Large Program' or 'Game or Diversion' ?

Reinhard.

Smirf · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2006, 11:21 AM »

Now an always actual SMIRF download (1.7 MB) could be found at my page: http://www.chessbox.de/Compu/schachsmirf_e.html

jgpaiva · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2006, 11:46 AM »

Quote from: Smirf on April 11, 2006, 11:21 AM

Now an always actual SMIRF download (1.7 MB) could be found at my page: http://www.chessbox.de/Compu/schachsmirf_e.html

Nice, Smirf. But please edit your post on the beggining of the tread, to include that link instead of the attachments (only to avoid you having people reporting solved bugs

)
Good to see entries in the contest! thanks

Smirf · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2006, 11:50 AM »

Quote from: "jgpaiva"

... But please edit your post on the beggining of the tread ...

I did this already, but I have not been able to delete attachments.

Reinhard.

mouser · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2006, 11:52 AM »

i removed the download links (you can just uncheck them).

with regards to this:

Quote

A new question is, how to find the correct category for SMIRF Chess: 'Large Program' or 'Game or Diversion' ?

no need to worry about this question, programs can be elligible for multiple categories - judges will consider them in all appropriate categories.

Smirf · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2006, 12:16 PM »

Some more details on SMIRF:

variabel cache size, optimal move-pair iterative deepening, diff. time settings, analyse mode, PGN and X-FEN interface using clipboard; graphic export possibilities (also at 72% size), customizable colors, comfortable position editor, drawn or willful input of CRC and Chess960 starting arrays, automatic saving of last enviroment state, TMCI protocol engine as separated DLL; multilanguage GUI in German, Englisch, French and Swedish.

Regards, Reinhard.

Smirf · « **Reply #14 on:** April 25, 2006, 07:28 AM »

Hi, there is a new SMIRF version setup now also including the file "borlndmm.dll".

Smirf · « **Reply #15 on:** May 05, 2006, 05:22 AM »

Hi, are there already any SMIRF test users? Have there been any installation problems? If or if not: at which MS Windows OS?

Regards, Reinhard.

mouser · « **Reply #16 on:** May 05, 2006, 05:42 AM »

works well here - very cool app. it does a little blinking when the computer moves.. maybe that could be improved?

Smirf · « **Reply #17 on:** May 05, 2006, 06:26 AM »

Quote

it does a little blinking when the computer moves..

Well, mouser, I noticed that too, but I have no idea how to synchronize paint with a vblanc phase or to avoid that flickering anyway else. Actually the picture is drawn buffered and then copied at any paint event.

Reinhard.

f0dder · « **Reply #18 on:** May 05, 2006, 10:24 AM »

Quote from: Smirf on May 05, 2006, 06:26 AM

Quote
it does a little blinking when the computer moves..
Well, mouser, I noticed that too, but I have no idea how to synchronize paint with a vblanc phase or to avoid that flickering anyway else. Actually the picture is drawn buffered and then copied at any paint event.

Reinhard.

Do you trap the WM_ERASEBKGND message? If you do a full blit at WM_PAINT covering the entire client area, you shoudl make WM_ERASEBKGND do nothing, to avoid flickering.

Smirf · « **Reply #19 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:29 AM »

Quote from: "f0dder"

Do you trap the WM_ERASEBKGND message?

This sounds interesting. I never had trapped a Win message in Borland C++. Could you assist me with a link to an example for this?

Since the graphic is a TPaintBox only and not the whole client, it might be an idea to delay the real picture transfer to that erase event.

Reinhard.

f0dder · « **Reply #20 on:** May 05, 2006, 11:34 AM »

Hm, I guess there's some Borland C++ "OnEraseBackground" or similar message, but I haven't used VCL-based languages (or even straight Borland C++, for that matter) since... the delphi2 days, iirc.

Anyway, you don't really need to sync with vblanc/vret - as long as you double-buffer and do a single blit to the "primary surface". I'm sorry I don't know how TPaintBox etc. works

Smirf · « **Reply #21 on:** May 05, 2006, 12:05 PM »

Quote

... as long as you double-buffer and do a single blit to the "primary surface".

That is (so I hope) what I do. But it obviously sometimes is not sychronized with vblank.

May be, someone knows a trick to solve that problem ...

Reinhard.

f0dder · « **Reply #22 on:** May 05, 2006, 02:01 PM »

After having looked at Smirf myself, I don't think it's a vblank sync thing - <brainstorm>it looks a lot like the PaintBox(?) background is being erased before you copy your data to it. Do you use any calls to "erase", "clear" or a similar method? Does the PaintBox have a background color property?</brainstorm>

Smirf · « **Reply #23 on:** May 05, 2006, 03:17 PM »

All I do at paint is: PbxBrett->Canvas->Draw(0, 0, BmpBrett);

martyjn · « **Reply #24 on:** May 08, 2006, 01:37 AM »

Hi smurf love the look of the program and website I am thinking of entering a Tcp/IP winsock chess program that i have written It doesnt do any computer play but i use it to let me play across the net against my parents and family I am having a little trouple getting winsock to work reliebly on xp machines ( i wrote it in 98) and i want to bring them all together into the one(i also have checkers,reversi and norts and crosses using the same interface.

for anyone that is interested i have betas of my programs at http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/~martyjn/download the graphics are still in the beta stage as well and the interface could use some work you have to click on the piece that you want to move and then on the square to move it to.Istead of relaying threw a server one side acts as a server but has to send the IP adress to the client for the socket to connect.
Anyway i am rambling i just wanted to see what you thought abou my work.