Arasan 12.0 released

[IWB]

Hello

First of all, thx for the new Arasan!

I would like to run it as a UCI engine for my IPON list but unfortunately it seems that it is not completely UCI compliant.

When I start the engine in a console under windows, I type "UCI" and then "quit" the engine doesn't quit. AS soon as you type "quit" a second time it stops. Unfortunately is this behavior causing the Shredder Classic GUI as well as the latest CB GUI to crash unexpectedly quite often. So I cant test the engine as it is in automatic mode for a couple of thousand games - which is a pity as it seems it crossed a very interesting line in playing strength! If you find the time and you are willing to fix this I will add Arasan in my list asap.

Rgds
Ingo

[jdart]

> it seems that it is not completely UCI compliant

I'll take a look at it. It worked ok in Arena. I don't use Shredder, ordinarily.

--Jon

[Werner]

Hi John,
perhaps you can implement uci in such a way that .rc file is not necessary.

E.G. tb-Path can be set by the GUI or inside uci parameters.

At the moment I use .rc although I play in uci mode - as without that file Arasan does not use tbs here.

best wishes
Werner

[IWB]

Hi

I'll take a look at it. It worked ok in Arena. I don't use Shredder, ordinarily.

--Jon

You dont need anything, just use a normal "Command-box" aka "console".

Any Windows, double click the exe, then 'UCI', then 'quit' and the box is still there. 'Quit" for a second time and it dissapears.

Bye
Ingo

PS: I checked in W7-x64 and XP-64

[jdart]

> double click the exe, then 'UCI', then 'quit' and the box is still there. 'Quit" for a second time and it dissapears.

Arasan 11.7 has the same behavior - in fact UCI support has not changed at all between 11.7 and 12.0. This didn't cause any problem with Arena but it seems maybe other UCI clients have issues.

this is easy to fix and if it is causing problems I can get you a fixed version pretty soon (I also found a bug in the scoring module, so I have another reason to do that). Regarding a delay on exit: there is currently a 5 second delay between "quit" and exit, to allow a thread that the program has started to terminate. That can be reduced if necessary.

I am running a match with a version that has a fix for the "quit" issue in Shredder 10's UI as I type this and it seems to work ok. (Arena 2.01 works already with Arasan 12.0, as far as I can tell).

Harun Taner also has problems running the program without the *.bit and arasan.rc files. I don't have immediate plans to fix that. If you just unzip the engine distribution package and put all the files in one place, it should work.

[IWB]

Hello John,

Thx for the fast reply.

To copy the RC and the bit files into one folder is no problem, just unusual for a UCI engine (especially the need for a RC file!). If you are already checking a version with the fixed quit issue I wait for the "12.x" version and check again.

Thanks again
Ingo

[beachknight]

> double click the exe, then 'UCI', then 'quit' and the box is still there. 'Quit" for a second time and it dissapears.

Arasan 11.7 has the same behavior - in fact UCI support has not changed at all between 11.7 and 12.0. This didn't cause any problem with Arena but it seems maybe other UCI clients have issues.

this is easy to fix and if it is causing problems I can get you a fixed version pretty soon (I also found a bug in the scoring module, so I have another reason to do that). Regarding a delay on exit: there is currently a 5 second delay between "quit" and exit, to allow a thread that the program has started to terminate. That can be reduced if necessary.

I am running a match with a version that has a fix for the "quit" issue in Shredder 10's UI as I type this and it seems to work ok. (Arena 2.01 works already with Arasan 12.0, as far as I can tell).

Harun Taner also has problems running the program without the *.bit and arasan.rc files. I don't have immediate plans to fix that. If you just unzip the engine distribution package and put all the files in one place, it should work.

Hi Jon,

A12.1 w32 console mode:

I just tried "quit" issue on different x64 OSes.

XP Pro x64 sp2 and Vista Ult x64 sp2 : ok
W7 HomePrem x64 : not ok, does not quit.

Havent tried on different GUIs yet.

PS: games.pgn

An extra line (return) between two games appears to be necessary.

Currently:

Code: Select all

Ra5+ 52. Ke6 d3 53. Rgd1 e4 54. Rd2 Rc6+ 55. Kd7 Rc2 56. Rdd1 d2 0-1
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]

Should be:

Code: Select all

Ra5+ 52. Ke6 d3 53. Rgd1 e4 54. Rd2 Rc6+ 55. Kd7 Rc2 56. Rdd1 d2 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]

[beachknight]

On Arena 201 only following three options are visible.

Ponder

MultiPV and

Threads

[beachknight]

On DF12 GUI two options are selectable:

Own Book

Threads

Plus following buttons are visible:

Save

Load

Defaults

Ok and

Cancel

[beachknight]

On DS11 GUI one option is visible:

Threads

Furthermore there are following buttons :

Default

Modify Eng

Create Eng

Cancel

Ok