engine setup question

[tvt2020]

Is it possible to eliminate the /first /f and /second /s distinction in the engine setup example below? it would be easier to setup the first engine and then copy the line to second engine.

/firstChessProgramNames={
jiajia-4u.exe /fd="c:\engines\jiajia" /firstXBook /fUCI
}
/secondChessProgramNames={
jiajia-4u.exe /sd="c:\engines\jiajia" /secondXBook /sUCI
}

[H.G.Muller]

Indeed, I agree. When you install in PSWBTM the 'first' and 'second' prefixes are already replaced by '%s'.

The whole startup dialog is candidate for elimination, and what will replace it will certainly make use of a single list do draw first and second (and third...) engine from. And will have a more dedicated dialog to manage this list, where you would not explicitly have to specify the engine directory (both name and path would be derived from your browsing to it, like in PSWBTM), and the UCI-ness and GUI-book usage would be indicated with checkboxes.

But it does require a lot of changes in WB to make it possible to change engine during a session, and I did not get to doing it yet.

[tvt2020]

Thanks, I'm looking forward for the new update.

[H.G.Muller]

OK, this is realized now, in the beta version at http://hgm.nubati.net/WinBoard-TM.zip . I added a new option there:

/singleEngineList true|false

The compiled-in default is 'false', in which case you will have the old behavior. When you set it to 'true', however, the second combobox will also display the /firstChessProgramNames list, and when you type an engine name there, you would have to type it exactly as you would type it in the first combobox: with /fd=, /fUCI rather than /sd, /sUCI etc. (When you set it to 'true' by typing it in the 'Additional options' field, you are obviously too late to still affect what is in the comboboxes, and the effect on the engine choice is undefined, but as this is a persistent option, the new setting will be in effect next time you start WinBoard.)

The Load Engine and Tournament / Match menu dialogs already use exclusively the first list, and in the Load Engine dialog you have the option to install every engine from that list as frst or second. I already removed the menu item to edit the /secondChessProgramNames list. So I guess in future releases I might configure the -singleEngineList option as 'true', and we can forget completely about the second list.

For specifying engines from the command line, the /fd, /sd, /fUCI, /sUCI etc. options remain as they always were.

[tvt2020]

Nice, this feature help a lot especially for me. I love to collect engines and watch it play again each other.
1 engine-list save time and less headache.

Thank You