C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
N N N NA A A AM M M ME E E E
cmail - an email chess helper
S S S SY Y Y YN N N NO O O OP P P PS S S SI I I IS S S S
c c c cm m m ma a a ai i i il l l l
[o o o op p p pt t t ti i i io o o on n n ns s s s]
D D D DE E E ES S S SC C C CR R R RI I I IP P P PT T T TI I I IO O O ON N
N N
The _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l program will help you play chess by
email with
opponents of your choice using an X interface. To use it,
you will need to be able to run _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d with which
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l is
distributed, available by anonymous FTP from numerous sites
around the world. It has been tested with _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d
_ 3._ 1; it may
require modification for other versions.
O O O OP P P PT T T TI I I IO O O ON N N NS S S S
You will usually run cmail without giving any options.
the next section for instructions.
-h h h h
Displays _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l usage information.
-c c c c
Shows the
conditions
of
the
GNU
See
General
Public
License.
-w w w w
Shows the warranty notice of the GNU General
Public
License.
-[ [ [ [x x x x] ] ] ]v v v v
Provides verbose output
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l (not _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d)
useful for debugging, or inhibits it. The x x x xv v v v form
also inhibits the cmail introduction message.
-[ [ [ [x x x x] ] ] ]m m m ma a a ai i i il l l l
Invokes or inhibits the sending of a mail
containing the move.
[ [ [ [x x x x] ] ] ]x x x xb b b bo o o oa a a ar r r rd d d d
from
message
Invokes or inhibits the running
on
of
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d
the
game file.
-[ [ [ [x x x x] ] ] ]r r r re e e eu u u us s s se e e e
Invokes or inhibits the reuse of an existing
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d
to display the current game.
-r r r re e e em m m ma a a ai i i il l l l Resends the last
mail message for that game. This
inhibits running _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d.
-g g g ga a a am m m me e e e _ n_ a_ m_ e
The name of the game to be processed.
-o o o op p p pp p p p _ n_ a_ m_ e
An alias for the opponent.
-a a a ad d d dd d d dr r r r _ a_ d_ d_ r_ e_ s_ s
Page 1
(printed 1/12/99)
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
The opponent's email address.
-e e e ev v v ve e e en n n nt t t t _ e_ v_ e_ n_ t
The PGN Event tag (default "Email correspondence
game").
-s s s si i i it t t te e e e _ s_ i_ t_ e
The PGN Site tag (default "NET").
-r r r ro o o ou u u un n n nd d d d _ r_ o_ u_ n_ d
The PGN Round tag (default "-", not applicable).
( ( ( (w w w wh h h hi i i it t t te e e e| | | |b b b bl l l la a a ac c
c ck k k k) ) ) ) _ n_ a_ m_ e
The PGN White/Black name tag (default "?", unknown).
( ( ( (w w w wh h h hi i i it t t te e e e| | | |b b b bl l l la a a ac c
c ck k k k) ) ) )n n n na a a a _ n_ e_ t _ a_ d_ d_ r_ e_ s_ s
The PGN White/Black network address tag (default
"?", unknown).
-m m m mo o o od d d de e e e _ m_ o_ d_ e
The PGN Mode tag (default "EM", Electronic Mail).
files.
-d d d di i i ir r r r _ d_ i_ r_ e_ c_ t_ o_ r_ y
The directory in which _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l keeps its
This
defaults to the environment variable $CHESSDIR or
failing that, $HOME/Chess or ~/Chess. It will be
created if it does not exist.
-m m m ma a a ai i i il l l lp p p pr
_ m_ a_ i_ l _ p_ r_ o_ g_ r_ a_ m
The program used by cmail to
This
defaults
to
the
$CMAIL_MAILPROG or failing
"/usr/ucb/mail" or "Mail".
r r ro o o og g g g
send email messages.
environment
variable
that "/usr/ucb/Mail",
g g g ga a a am m m me e e es s s sF F F Fi i i il l l le e e e
_ f_ i_ l_ e
A file containing a list of games with email
addresses. This defaults to the environment variable
$CMAIL_GAMES or failing that .cmailgames.
a a a al l l li i i ia a a as s s se e e es s s sF F F Fi i i il l l le e
e e _ f_ i_ l_ e
A file containing one or more aliases for a set of
email addresses. This defaults to the environment
variable
$CMAIL_ALIASES
or
failing
that
.cmailaliases.
-l l l lo o o og g g gF F F Fi i i il l l le e e e _ f_ i_ l_ e
A file in which to dump verbose debugging messages
that are invoked with the -v v v v option.
O O O OT T T TH H H HE E E ER R R R
O O O OP P P PT T T TI I I IO O O ON N N NS S S S
Any unrecognised flags will be passed to _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d.
Those most
relevant for use with _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l are:
Page 2
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C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
o o o
l le
F F F
[ [ [
old
ol l l ld
e e e ( (
Fa a a al
[x x x x]
d
(
l
]
d dS S S Sa a a av v v ve
(T T T Tr r r ru u u ue e
l ls s s se e e e) ) ) ),
] ]o o o ol l l ld d d ds
If this option is True, _
e e eS S S St t t ty y y yl l
e e | | | |
, , , o o o or r r r - - - s s sa a a av v v ve e e e
x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d uses the
save
style for saving games, rather than the new PGN
format. Newer versions
of
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l
and
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d
understand both formats automatically without using
this flag, so it is only necessary on starting a new
game where Black uses the old _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l (1.0).
t t t ti i i im m m me e e eD D D De e e el l l la a a ay y y y
( ( ( (o o o or r r r - - - -t t t td d d d) ) ) ) _ d_ e_ l_ a_ y
This sets the speed at which the moves are displayed
on start-up. It defaults to the environment variable
$CMAIL_TIME_DELAY if set, and 0 otherwise.
n n n
g gr
F F F
[ [ [
a
no o o
r r ra
Fa a a
[x x x
oC C C Ch h h he e e es
a a am m m m ( ( ( (T T
al l l ls s s se e e e)
x] ] ] ]n n n nc c c cp
If this option is
s s ss s
T Tr r r
) ) ), ,
p p p
False,
s sP P P Pr r r ro o o og g
ru u u ue e e e | | | |
, , o o o or r r r - - - _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d
starts
chess
program
which
can
be
used
with _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l to
suggest
moves.
s s s se e e
( ( ( (o o o
m m m mi i i
e ec c c co
Default: True.
ea a a ar r r rc c c ch h h hT T T Ti i i im m m me e e e
or r r r - - - -s s s st t t t) ) ) )
in n n nu u u ut t t te e e es s s s[ [ [ [: : : :s s s se e
o o on n n nd d d ds s s s] ] ] ]
Tells GNU Chess to spend at most the given amount of
time searching for each of its moves. Without this
option, GNU Chess chooses its search time based on
the number of moves and amount of time remaining
until the next time control.
s s s se e e ea a a ar r r rc c c ch h h hD D D De e e ep p p pt t t th h
h h ( ( ( (o o o or r r r - - - -s s s sd d d d) ) ) )
n n n nu u u um m m mb b b be e e er r r r
Tells GNU Chess to look ahead at most the given
number of moves when searching for a move to make.
Without this option, GNU Chess chooses its search
depth based on the number of moves and amount of
time remaining until the next time control.
s s s sa a a av v v ve e e eG G G Ga a a am m m me e e eF F F Fi i i il l
l le e e e ( ( ( (o o o or r r r - - - -s s s sg g g gf f f f) ) ) )
f f f fi i i il l l le e e e
If this option is set, _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d appends a
record of
the game played to the specified file on exit.
- - - -a a a au u u ut t t to o o os s s sa a a av v v ve e e e
o o o or r r r - - - a a a au u u ut t t to o o oS S S Sa a a av v v ve e e eG G G Ga a a am m
m me e e es s s s
If this option is True, at the end of every game
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d prompts you for a filename and
appends a
record of the game to the file you specify.
s s s sa a a av v v ve e e eP P P Po o o os s s si i i it t
o on n n nF F F Fi i i il l l le e e e ( ( ( (o o o or r r
s s s sp p p pf f f f) ) ) ) f f f fi i i il l l le e e e
If this option is set, _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_
the final
position reached to the specified file on
b
(
(
M
S
b
(
(
M
S
b
(
(
M
S
bo
(o
(L
Me
Sm
o
o
L
e
m
o
o
L
e
m
Page 3
oa
or
La
ed
ma
a
r
a
d
a
t ti i i io o
r - - - d
appends
exit.
a ar r r rd d d dS S S Si i i iz z z ze e e e
r r - - - -s s s si i i iz z z ze e e e) ) ) )
a ar r r rg g g ge e e e | | | |
d di i i iu u u um m m m | | | |
a al l l ll l l l) ) ) )
Determines how large the board will be and what
built-in piece bitmaps will be used. On a large
board (the default), pieces are 80x80 pixels, on a
medium board 64x64 pixels, and on a small board
40x40 pixels.
(printed 1/12/99)
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
S S S ST T T TA A A AR R R RT T T TI I I IN N N NG G G G A A A A
G G G GA A A AM M M ME E E E
Type _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l from a shell. After an opening message,
you will
be prompted for a game name, which is optional -- if you
simply press return, the game name will take the form
_ y_ o_ uVS-_ o_ p_ p_ o_ n_ e_ n_ t. You will next be prompted for the
name of your
opponent. If you haven't played this person before, you
will also be prompted for his/her email address.
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l will
then invoke _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d in the background. Make your
first move
and select _ M_ a_ i_ l _ M_ o_ v_ e from the _ F_ i_ l_ e
menu. If all is well,
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l will mail a copy of the move to your opponent.
If you
select _ E_ x_ i_ t without having selected _ M_ a_ i_ l
_ M_ o_ v_ e then no move
will be made.
A A A AN N N NS S S SW W W WE E E ER R R RI I I IN N N NG G G G
A A A A M M M MO O O OV V V VE E E E
When you receive a message from an opponent containing a
move in one of your games, simply pipe the message through
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l. In some mailers this is as simple as
typing "|
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l" when viewing the message, while in others
you may
have to save the message to a file and do "_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l <
file" at
the command line.
In either case _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l will
display the
game using _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d. If you didn't exit
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d when you made
your first move then _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l will do its best to
use the
existing _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d instead of starting a new one. As
before,
simply make a move and select _ M_ a_ i_ l _ M_ o_ v_ e from
the _ F_ i_ l_ e menu.
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l will try to use the _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d that was
most recently used
to display the current game. This means that many games can
be in progress simultaneously, each with its own active
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d.
If you want to look at the history or explore a variation,
go ahead, but you must return to the current position before
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d will allow you to mail a move. If you edit
the game's
history you must select _ R_ e_ l_ o_ a_ d _ C_ M_ a_ i_ l
_ G_ a_ m_ e from the _ F_ i_ l_ e menu
to get back to the original position, then make the move you
want and select _ M_ a_ i_ l _ M_ o_ v_ e. As before, if
you decide you
aren't ready to make a move just yet you can either select
_ E_ x_ i_ t without sending a move or just leave
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d running
until you are ready.
T T T TR R R RO O O OU U U UB B B BL L L LE E E E
S S S SH H H HO O O OO O O OT T T TI I I IN N N NG G G G
It's possible that a strange conjunction of conditions may
occasionally mean that _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l has trouble
reactivating an
existing _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d. If this should happen trying it
again might
work. If not, remove the file that stores the
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d's PID
(<_ g_ a_ m_ e>.pid) or use the -_ x_ r_ e_ u_ s_ e option to
force _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l to
start a new _ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d.
Older versions of _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l do not
understand
the
PGN
format
which
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d
now
uses.
If
your
opponent
uses
an older
version of _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l you will need to use the _ o_ l_ d_ s_ a_ v_ e flag to
initiate a game with him/her.
Page 4
(printed 1/12/99)
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
C C C CM M M MA A A AI I I IL L L L( ( ( (6 6 6 6) ) ) )
F F F FI I I IL L L LE E E ES S S S
"._ c_ m_ a_ i_ l_ g_ a_ m_ e_ s" contains
with the email
addresses of the opponents.
a
list
of
games
"._ c_ m_ a_ i_ l_ a_ l_ i_ a_ s_ e_ s" contains one or more
aliases for a set of
email addresses.
B B B BU U U UG G G GS S S S
No known bugs.
B B B BU U U UG G G G
R R R RE E E EP P P PO O O OR R R RT T T TS S S S
I make no promises but if you send bug reports/suggestions
to welsh@epcc.ed.ac.uk I'll do my best to fix/implement
them.
A A A AU U U UT T T TH H H HO O O OR R R R
Copyright (C) 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l is free
software;
you
can
redistribute
it
and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version
2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
_ c_ m_ a_ i_ l is distributed in the hope that it will be
useful, but
WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
See
the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public
License along with cmail; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Author:
Evan Welsh <welsh@epcc.ed.ac.uk>
Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre
JCMB, Kings Buildings
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh EH9 3JZ
Scotland
C C C CO O O ON N N NT T T TR R R RI I I IB B B BU U U UT T T TO O O OR R
R RS S S S
Patrick Surry helped with design, testing and documentation.
Tim Mann helped integrate _ c_ m_ a_ i_ l with
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d.
S S S SE E E EE E E E A A A AL L L LS S S SO O O O
_ x_ b_ o_ a_ r_ d(1)
Page 5
(printed 1/12/99)