Heimdall default values under Arena
Moderators: hgm, Rebel, chrisw
-
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:43 am
- Location: Budapest, Hungary
- Full name: Gabor Szots
Heimdall default values under Arena
When I install it under Arena and tell it to reset to defaults the EvalFile is set to Unknown Value and the engine does not move. If I delete Unknown Value the engine moves.
Gabor Szots
CCRL testing group
CCRL testing group
-
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2024 1:28 pm
- Full name: Mattia Giambirtone
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
The EvalFile option is optional. By default, if it's empty, it'll use the network file embedded in the executable. So unless you want Heimdall to play with a different net, set the EvalFile option to an empty string
-
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2024 8:30 pm
- Full name: Arthur Matheus
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
Hello, I had already asked this question one week ago.Gabor Szots wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2024 1:51 pm When I install it under Arena and tell it to reset to defaults the EvalFile is set to Unknown Value and the engine does not move. If I delete Unknown Value the engine moves.
https://www.talkchess.com/viewtopic.ph ... 45e6e24b18
Regards.
-
- Posts: 1852
- Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 6:08 am
- Location: U.S.A
- Full name: Andrew Grant
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
There are a number of (bugged) GUIs which attempt to set all params to their defaults on startup. Its very annoying, but won't ever be fixed.
When you can't win an argument, you censor it.
-
- Posts: 994
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 1:14 am
- Location: Columbus, Ohio USA
- Full name: Andrew R Case
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
Hello Andrew,AndrewGrant wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 4:32 am There are a number of (bugged) GUIs which attempt to set all params to their defaults on startup. Its very annoying, but won't ever be fixed.
Are there any GUIs you recommend that don't do this behavior?
-
- Posts: 3602
- Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:02 pm
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
CuteChess GUI does not do that.
-
- Posts: 1235
- Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:49 pm
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
This is of course not a bug since the uci protocol does not forbid this. If an engine can't handle this, it's the engine, that is bugged.AndrewGrant wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 4:32 am There are a number of (bugged) GUIs which attempt to set all params to their defaults on startup. Its very annoying, but won't ever be fixed.
Even in the example inside the original protocol description the GUI sends a default value to the engine.
// engine identify
id name Shredder
id author Stefan MK
// engine sends the options it can change
// the engine can change the hash size from 1 to 128 MB
option name Hash type spin default 1 min 1 max 128
// the engine supports Nalimov endgame tablebases
option name NalimovPath type string default <empty>
option name NalimovCache type spin default 1 min 1 max 32
// the engine can switch off Nullmove and set the playing style
option name Nullmove type check default true
option name Style type combo default Normal var Solid var Normal var Risky
// the engine has sent all parameters and is ready
uciok
// Note: here the GUI can already send a "quit" command if it just wants to find out
// details about the engine, so the engine should not initialize its internal
// parameters before here.
// now the GUI sets some values in the engine
// set hash to 32 MB
setoption name Hash value 32
// init tbs
setoption name NalimovCache value 1
setoption name NalimovPath value d:\tb;c\tb
// waiting for the engine to finish initializing
// this command and the answer is required here!
isready
// engine has finished setting up the internal values
readyok
-
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:29 pm
- Location: Germany
- Full name: Jörg Oster
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
I think you are misreading/misinterpreting.Alexander Schmidt wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 11:14 amThis is of course not a bug since the uci protocol does not forbid this. If an engine can't handle this, it's the engine, that is bugged.AndrewGrant wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 4:32 am There are a number of (bugged) GUIs which attempt to set all params to their defaults on startup. Its very annoying, but won't ever be fixed.
Even in the example inside the original protocol description the GUI sends a default value to the engine.
// engine identify
id name Shredder
id author Stefan MK
// engine sends the options it can change
// the engine can change the hash size from 1 to 128 MB
option name Hash type spin default 1 min 1 max 128
// the engine supports Nalimov endgame tablebases
option name NalimovPath type string default <empty>
option name NalimovCache type spin default 1 min 1 max 32
// the engine can switch off Nullmove and set the playing style
option name Nullmove type check default true
option name Style type combo default Normal var Solid var Normal var Risky
// the engine has sent all parameters and is ready
uciok
// Note: here the GUI can already send a "quit" command if it just wants to find out
// details about the engine, so the engine should not initialize its internal
// parameters before here.
// now the GUI sets some values in the engine
// set hash to 32 MB
setoption name Hash value 32
// init tbs
setoption name NalimovCache value 1
setoption name NalimovPath value d:\tb;c\tb
// waiting for the engine to finish initializing
// this command and the answer is required here!
isready
// engine has finished setting up the internal values
readyok
It's the engine which is sending the option name, its type and its default and min and max values here.
Edit: Sorry, obviously you are referring to the setoption command setting the NalimovCache to its default value of 1.
Jörg Oster
-
- Posts: 950
- Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:29 pm
- Location: Germany
- Full name: Jörg Oster
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
So this looks more like a problem of an empty string as a default option.AndrewGrant wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 4:32 am There are a number of (bugged) GUIs which attempt to set all params to their defaults on startup. Its very annoying, but won't ever be fixed.
Better to use something like "empty" or the name of the eval file as default.
Jörg Oster
-
- Posts: 1235
- Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:49 pm
Re: Heimdall default values under Arena
Yes, I was refering to the quoted sentence. Empty strings in communication protocols should be avoided in general. Some UCI engines use "<empty>" as default values for options without default value. An engine that uses an internal NN by default can tell this with the default value "internal". Then it shows up in the GUI and the user knows what is happening.Joerg Oster wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 1:04 pmSo this looks more like a problem of an empty string as a default option.AndrewGrant wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2024 4:32 am There are a number of (bugged) GUIs which attempt to set all params to their defaults on startup. Its very annoying, but won't ever be fixed.
Better to use something like "empty" or the name of the eval file as default.