Minimum Winboard command set for ICS

[nanochess]

Hi everybody. I would like to ask if there is a minimum required Winboard command set for ICS.

Thanks in advance.

[bob]

Hi everybody. I would like to ask if there is a minimum required Winboard command set for ICS.

Thanks in advance.

You need to at least deal with these:

(1) "time" so that you will be aware of how much time is left on your clock. "otim" if you care about the time left on your opponent's clock.

(2) "level" although you can play without this. But you will then know about the time control being used to better allocate time.

(3) "force" so that you can deal with adjourned games. "edit" is an inferior alternative if you prefer.

(4) "white", "black" and "go" so that you will know which color to play and when you should immediately start searching for a move when a game starts or resumes.

There are several others that are useful/helpful, they are in the "engine-intf.html" file in the xboard source distro.

[Dann Corbit]

Hi everybody. I would like to ask if there is a minimum required Winboard command set for ICS.

Thanks in advance.

You need to at least deal with these:

(1) "time" so that you will be aware of how much time is left on your clock. "otim" if you care about the time left on your opponent's clock.

(2) "level" although you can play without this. But you will then know about the time control being used to better allocate time.

(3) "force" so that you can deal with adjourned games. "edit" is an inferior alternative if you prefer.

(4) "white", "black" and "go" so that you will know which color to play and when you should immediately start searching for a move when a game starts or resumes.

There are several others that are useful/helpful, they are in the "engine-intf.html" file in the xboard source distro.

Awfully nice to have:

implement protover 2 so that the GUIs can tell what feature set you have.

[TonyJH]

Hi everybody. I would like to ask if there is a minimum required Winboard command set for ICS.

Thanks in advance.

You need to at least deal with these:

(1) "time" so that you will be aware of how much time is left on your clock. "otim" if you care about the time left on your opponent's clock.

(2) "level" although you can play without this. But you will then know about the time control being used to better allocate time.

(3) "force" so that you can deal with adjourned games. "edit" is an inferior alternative if you prefer.

(4) "white", "black" and "go" so that you will know which color to play and when you should immediately start searching for a move when a game starts or resumes.

There are several others that are useful/helpful, they are in the "engine-intf.html" file in the xboard source distro.

"white" and "black" are not needed:
"If colors=1, xboard uses the obsolete "white" and "black" commands in a stylized way that works with most older chess engines that require the commands."

I agree with the other commands mentioned. I'd recommend also supporting "new" and "quit".