UltraFast-WBx

[Edsel Apostol]

To Marc Lacrosse and anyone that is expert with the matter, I have a few questions.

I have recently downloaded the package from Marc 's web page and I've started a little gauntlet. Is it just normal for winboard and pv.exe to pop up every time a new game starts? It seems to be annoying especially when you want to work on something and just let the tournament run in the background. Is there a way to remove the annoying pop-ups?

Lastly I don't know what's wrong with my setup and I followed what states in the manual but i can't seem to find the result and the PGN file of the tournament. What do you think is the problem?

[Edsel Apostol]

I think I had solved my problem. Thanks for Marc Lacrosse for a great utility. I just have one request, if the "pv.exe" could only be called within the "cmd.exe" (I don't know if its possible) and not to pop up three times before each start of a new game then that would be great.

[kranium]

To Marc Lacrosse and anyone that is expert with the matter, I have a few questions.

I have recently downloaded the package from Marc 's web page and I've started a little gauntlet. Is it just normal for winboard and pv.exe to pop up every time a new game starts? It seems to be annoying especially when you want to work on something and just let the tournament run in the background. Is there a way to remove the annoying pop-ups?

Lastly I don't know what's wrong with my setup and I followed what states in the manual but i can't seem to find the result and the PGN file of the tournament. What do you think is the problem?

Hi Edsel,

the location of the PGN file is specified by an entry in the winboard.ini:
for ex:
/saveGameFile="F:\ultrafast wbx\twisted_00435-gauntlet.pgn"

i recommend creating a dedicated instance of winboard.exe for this purpose, and then using or referring to the winboard.ini included in the WBX download, because there are other important entries (like /adjudicateLossThreshold=-200, etc.)

concerning the popups:
by default the winboard game window is minimized, but at the start of each game a couple of (command prompt) windows appear. this is the natural behavior, as far as i know and can't be changed.
(this doesn't bother me... i run my gauntlets on a dedicated PC).

hope this helps-
Norm

[kranium]

I think I had solved my problem. Thanks for Marc Lacrosse for a great utility. I just have one request, if the "pv.exe" could only be called within the "cmd.exe" (I don't know if its possible) and not to pop up three times before each start of a new game then that would be great.

oops, (i was busy writing my answer above when you posted you had solved the issue!)..

anyway, concerning the popups,
inside the .bat file, it may be possible to run pv.exe in minimized mode..
i.e. search and replace pv.exe with "pv.exe /m" or something similar.

i'll check it out..

[kranium]

this should work (i have not tested)

"start /min pv.exe"

[Denis P. Mendoza]

Thanks Edsel and Norman for the inputs. Marc's package is a good thing to try. But i'm also trying to find out how to remove these annoying pop-ups. At present I'm only using this batch script as I test engines one at a time- utrafast too.

Code: Select all

@ECHO OFF

start /wait C:\Winboard\winboard -cp -fcp "uci2wb.exe" -fd "C:\Winboard\UCIENGINES" -scp "SP-Active-Thinker_32-bit" -sd "C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\CHESS\engines\Thinker53B" -initString "new\n" /mg 100 /tc 1 /inc 1 

sleep 10

The "Exiting" popup needs to be clicked before 'stopping' commences.

Any possible additional commands to exit automatically?

Denis

[Denis P. Mendoza]

I'm also testing many methods aside from Marc's ultrafast pack. But I'm seeking secondhand experience to improve my attempts especially using the bare Winboard interface. Using batch scripts is simpler and fits me as i only use a few engines for testing.

Arena is also one GUI to try command line testing. It doesn't need long commands as long as everything is set correctly in Arena (like engines). I only attempted as there was some notes in the help file. The only problem I encounter was engines take a lot of time to initialize before commencing start of game. In Winboard, its almost instant.

Here's an example from the help file:

Examples:

Arena.exe /fcp SOS /scp Crafty /lpf C:\Arena\123test.EPD /lpi 2 /mg 4 /inc 1 /tc 01:00

Starts Arena with first engine SOS, second engine Crafty for a match for 4 games with the second position of the specified EPD file in Fischer-clock-mode 1/1.

It isn't really important to do this as it's much easier to just use the GUI menus/functions plus the other SW like PSWTM, Winboard Manager. etc. I'm just trying to learn how to use these GUI/s in other ways.

Thanks.

Denis

[Edsel Apostol]

Thanks Norman!

I will try that and will let you know if it works. Maybe Marc could integrate that into his batch file generator if it works.

By the way, I have tinkered with the winboard.ini to optimize it further. You can find my winboard.ini below. It hides other annoying displays and it was set to blindfold. My problem now is that I might have disabled showing the eval depths and score in the pgn and I don't know how to enable it again.

;
; WinBoard 4.2.7 Save Settings file
;
; You can edit the values of options that are already set in this file,
; but if you add other options, the next Save Settings will not save them.
; Use a shortcut, an @indirection file, or a .bat file instead.
;
/whitePieceColor=#ffffff
/blackPieceColor=#202020
/lightSquareColor=#d1d8e0
/darkSquareColor=#b0ceec
/highlightSquareColor=#ffff00
/premoveHighlightColor=#ff0000
/movesPerSession=80
/timeDelay=4
/timeControl="0:26"
/timeIncrement=0
/saveGameFile="D:\files\src\WBX\twistedgaunlet.pgn"
/autoSaveGames=false
/monoMode=false
/showCoords=false
/showThinking=false
/ponderNextMove=false
/periodicUpdates=false
/popupExitMessage=false
/popupMoveErrors=false
/size=tiny /clockFont="Arial:9 b"
/size=teeny /clockFont="Arial:9 b"
/size=dinky /clockFont="Arial:10 b"
/size=petite /clockFont="Arial:8 b"
/size=slim /clockFont="Arial:12 b"
/size=small /clockFont="Arial:14 b"
/size=mediocre /clockFont="Arial:14 b"
/size=middling /clockFont="Arial:14 b"
/size=average /clockFont="Arial:15 b"
/size=moderate /clockFont="Arial:16 b"
/size=medium /clockFont="Arial:16 b"
/size=bulky /clockFont="Arial:17 b"
/size=large /clockFont="Arial:19 b"
/size=big /clockFont="Arial:20 b"
/size=huge /clockFont="Arial:21 b"
/size=giant /clockFont="Arial:22 b"
/size=colossal /clockFont="Arial:23 b"
/size=titanic /clockFont="Arial:24 b"
/size=tiny /messageFont="Small Fonts:6"
/size=teeny /messageFont="Small Fonts:6"
/size=dinky /messageFont="Small Fonts:7"
/size=petite /messageFont="Small Fonts:7"
/size=slim /messageFont="Arial:8 b"
/size=small /messageFont="Arial:9 b"
/size=mediocre /messageFont="Arial:9 b"
/size=middling /messageFont="Arial:9 b"
/size=average /messageFont="Arial:10 b"
/size=moderate /messageFont="Arial:10 b"
/size=medium /messageFont="Arial:10 b"
/size=bulky /messageFont="Arial:10 b"
/size=large /messageFont="Arial:10 b"
/size=big /messageFont="Arial:11 b"
/size=huge /messageFont="Arial:11 b"
/size=giant /messageFont="Arial:11 b"
/size=colossal /messageFont="Arial:12 b"
/size=titanic /messageFont="Arial:12 b"
/size=tiny /coordFont="Small Fonts:4"
/size=teeny /coordFont="Small Fonts:4"
/size=dinky /coordFont="Small Fonts:5"
/size=petite /coordFont="Small Fonts:5"
/size=slim /coordFont="Small Fonts:6"
/size=small /coordFont="Small Fonts:7"
/size=mediocre /coordFont="Small Fonts:7"
/size=middling /coordFont="Small Fonts:7"
/size=average /coordFont="Arial:7 b"
/size=moderate /coordFont="Arial:7 b"
/size=medium /coordFont="Arial:7 b"
/size=bulky /coordFont="Arial:7 b"
/size=large /coordFont="Arial:7 b"
/size=big /coordFont="Arial:8 b"
/size=huge /coordFont="Arial:8 b"
/size=giant /coordFont="Arial:8 b"
/size=colossal /coordFont="Arial:9 b"
/size=titanic /coordFont="Arial:9 b"
/size=tiny /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=teeny /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=dinky /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=petite /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=slim /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=small /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=mediocre /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=middling /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=average /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=moderate /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=medium /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=bulky /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=large /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=big /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=huge /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=giant /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=colossal /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=titanic /tagsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=tiny /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=teeny /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=dinky /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=petite /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=slim /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=small /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=mediocre /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=middling /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=average /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=moderate /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=medium /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=bulky /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=large /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=big /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=huge /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=giant /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=colossal /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=titanic /commentFont="Arial:9"
/size=tiny /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=teeny /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=dinky /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=petite /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=slim /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=small /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=mediocre /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=middling /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=average /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=moderate /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=medium /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=bulky /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=large /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=big /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=huge /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=giant /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=colossal /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=titanic /icsFont="Courier New:8"
/size=tiny /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=teeny /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=dinky /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=petite /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=slim /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=small /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=mediocre /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=middling /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=average /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=moderate /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=medium /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=bulky /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=large /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=big /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=huge /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=giant /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=colossal /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/size=titanic /moveHistoryFont="MS Sans Serif:8"
/boardSize=slim
/alwaysOnTop=false
/autoCallFlag=false
/autoComment=false
/autoObserve=false
/autoFlipView=false
/autoRaiseBoard=false
/alwaysPromoteToQueen=false
/oldSaveStyle=false
/quietPlay=false
/getMoveList=true
/testLegality=true
/premove=false
/premoveWhite=false
/premoveWhiteText=""
/premoveBlack=false
/premoveBlackText=""
/icsAlarm=true
/icsAlarmTime=5000
/animateMoving=false
/animateSpeed=10
/animateDragging=false
/blindfold=true
/highlightLastMove=false
/highlightDragging=false
/colorizeMessages=false
/colorShout="#209000"
/colorSShout="b #289808"
/colorChannel1="#2020e0"
/colorChannel="b #4040ff"
/colorKibitz="b #ff00ff"
/colorTell="b #ff0000"
/colorChallenge="bi #ff0000"
/colorRequest="bi #ff0000"
/colorSeek="#980808"
/colorNormal="#000000"
/colorBackground=#ffffff
/soundShout=""
/soundSShout=""
/soundChannel1=""
/soundChannel=""
/soundKibitz=""
/soundTell=""
/soundChallenge=""
/soundRequest=""
/soundSeek=""
/soundMove=""
/soundBell="$"
/soundIcsWin=""
/soundIcsLoss=""
/soundIcsDraw=""
/soundIcsUnfinished=""
/soundIcsAlarm=""
/comPortSettings=9600,7,Space,1,None
/x=403
/y=0
/icsX=0
/icsY=564
/icsW=724
/icsH=426
/analysisX=-2147483648
/analysisY=-2147483648
/analysisW=-2147483648
/analysisH=-2147483648
/commentX=-2147483648
/commentY=-2147483648
/commentW=-2147483648
/commentH=-2147483648
/tagsX=-2147483648
/tagsY=-2147483648
/tagsW=-2147483648
/tagsH=-2147483648
/gameListX=-2147483648
/gameListY=-2147483648
/gameListW=-2147483648
/gameListH=-2147483648
/saveSettingsOnExit=true
/icsMenu={-
&Who,who,0,1
Playe&rs,players,0,1
&Games,games,0,1
&Sought,sought,0,1
|&Tell (name),tell,1,0
M&essage (name),message,1,0
-
&Finger (name),finger,1,1
&Vars (name),vars,1,1
&Observe (name),observe,1,1
&Match (name),match,1,1
Pl&ay (name),play,1,1
}
/icsNames={chessclub.com /icsport=5001 /icshelper=timestamp
freechess.org /icsport=5000 /icshelper=timeseal
}
/firstChessProgramNames={""

"pg14.exe twisted20081120.ini" /fd="C:\chess"

""
}
/secondChessProgramNames={""

"pg14.exe twisted20081120.ini" /sd="C:\chess"

""
}
/showButtonBar=false
/pgnExtendedInfo=true
/hideThinkingFromHuman=false
/liteBackTextureFile=""
/darkBackTextureFile=""
/liteBackTextureMode=1
/darkBackTextureMode=1
/renderPiecesWithFont=""
/fontPieceToCharTable=""
/fontPieceBackColorWhite=#000000
/fontPieceForeColorWhite=#000000
/fontPieceBackColorBlack=#000000
/fontPieceForeColorBlack=#000000
/fontPieceSize=80
/overrideLineGap=1
/adjudicateLossThreshold=-200
/delayBeforeQuit=0
/delayAfterQuit=0
/pgnEventHeader="Computer Chess Game"
/defaultFrcPosition=-1
/gameListTags="eprd"
/saveOutOfBookInfo=true
/showEvalInMoveHistory=false
/evalHistColorWhite=#ffffff
/evalHistColorBlack=#202020
/highlightMoveWithArrow=false
/highlightArrowColor=#ffff80
/stickyWindows=false
/adjudicateDrawMoves=80
/autoDisplayComment=false
/autoDisplayTags=false
/polyglotDir=""
/usePolyglotBook=false
/polyglotBook=""
/defaultHashSize=32
/defaultCacheSizeEGTB=4
/defaultPathEGTB=".\egtb"
/moveHistoryUp=false
/moveHistoryX=0
/moveHistoryY=0
/moveHistoryW=403
/moveHistoryH=239
/evalGraphUp=false
/evalGraphX=0
/evalGraphY=239
/evalGraphW=407
/evalGraphH=165
/engineOutputUp=false
/engineOutputX=0
/engineOutputY=404
/engineOutputW=724
/engineOutputH=160

[Edsel Apostol]

I'm also testing many methods aside from Marc's ultrafast pack. But I'm seeking secondhand experience to improve my attempts especially using the bare Winboard interface. Using batch scripts is simpler and fits me as i only use a few engines for testing.

Arena is also one GUI to try command line testing. It doesn't need long commands as long as everything is set correctly in Arena (like engines). I only attempted as there was some notes in the help file. The only problem I encounter was engines take a lot of time to initialize before commencing start of game. In Winboard, its almost instant.

Here's an example from the help file:

Examples:

Arena.exe /fcp SOS /scp Crafty /lpf C:\Arena\123test.EPD /lpi 2 /mg 4 /inc 1 /tc 01:00

Starts Arena with first engine SOS, second engine Crafty for a match for 4 games with the second position of the specified EPD file in Fischer-clock-mode 1/1.

It isn't really important to do this as it's much easier to just use the GUI menus/functions plus the other SW like PSWTM, Winboard Manager. etc. I'm just trying to learn how to use these GUI/s in other ways.

Thanks.

Denis

Hi Kuya Denis,

Let me know if you found some other great methods.

I'm thinking of doing an open source project that will serve as a tournament manager utility for UCI engines that has a simple interface to adjust the tournament settings without the chessboard display and will run very fast games, but for now I don't know where to start and I doesn't even have time.

[Denis P. Mendoza]

I'm also testing many methods aside from Marc's ultrafast pack. But I'm seeking secondhand experience to improve my attempts especially using the bare Winboard interface. Using batch scripts is simpler and fits me as i only use a few engines for testing.

Arena is also one GUI to try command line testing. It doesn't need long commands as long as everything is set correctly in Arena (like engines). I only attempted as there was some notes in the help file. The only problem I encounter was engines take a lot of time to initialize before commencing start of game. In Winboard, its almost instant.

Here's an example from the help file:

Examples:

Arena.exe /fcp SOS /scp Crafty /lpf C:\Arena\123test.EPD /lpi 2 /mg 4 /inc 1 /tc 01:00

Starts Arena with first engine SOS, second engine Crafty for a match for 4 games with the second position of the specified EPD file in Fischer-clock-mode 1/1.

It isn't really important to do this as it's much easier to just use the GUI menus/functions plus the other SW like PSWTM, Winboard Manager. etc. I'm just trying to learn how to use these GUI/s in other ways.

Thanks.

Denis

Hi Kuya Denis,

Let me know if you found some other great methods.

I'm thinking of doing an open source project that will serve as a tournament manager utility for UCI engines that has a simple interface to adjust the tournament settings without the chessboard display and will run very fast games, but for now I don't know where to start and I doesn't even have time.

Edsel,

Your query started it all. But I'm not so familiar yet on how to do it, so I used the lamer's choice. Maybe a 'STEALTH' engine tournament in DOS mode would be something to think about too! No other running SW in background will speed-up the engines and games.

Thanks.

Denia