How to use Syzygy Endgame bases in Xboard & Winboard?

[sdchess]

How to use Syzygy Endgame Tablebases bases in Xboard & Winboard GUI with engines Stockfish and Komodo?
I write the way he poliglot.ini file:
[PolyGlot]
EngineCommand=komodo-9-64bit.exe
EngineDir=C:\engines\Komodo9\Windows
[Engine]
Ponder=false
Hash=576
OwnBook=false
SyzygyPath=C:\SBases_345
But it does not work in Winboard &Xboard 4.8!
How to do it correctly Windows, Mac OS, Linux?

[H.G.Muller]

In the Common Engine Options dialog, write in the EGTB Path text entry:

syzygy:C:\SBases_345

and press 'OK'. That should do it.

If you want to support several different EGT formats you should give them as a comman-separated list in this field, e.g.:

syzygy:SYZYGYPATH,nalimov:NALIMOVPATH,scorpio:BITBASEPATH

[sdchess]

I checked everything several times! But my engines Stockfish 6 and Komodo 9.2 do not use the table Syzygy bases in Winboard and Xboard (Mac OSX Linux)!
However, these engines use Syzygy bases in SCID PC GUI!
For example - this position!


1k6/6R1/K7/8/P7/8/5b2/8 w - - 0 1

[H.G.Muller]

Well, as I don't have syzygy bases there is very little I can say without seeing the debug log. Run XBoard or WinBoard with the extra option -debug when you make such a run where it does not work, and post the xboard.debug file that will be created here. (Having the engine make one move is good enough.)

I tried to just enter some random (non-existing) path into WinBoard, and then started Stockfish. This results in the following winboard.debug file:

StartChildProcess (dir=".") polyglot -noini -ec "stockfish-6-sse42.exe" -ed "C:\WinBoard-4.8.0\Stockfish" -uci NalimovCache=4 -uci GaviotaTbCache=4
nice engine proc to 10
790 >first : xboard
protover 2
798 <first : PolyGlot 2.0.3 by Fabien Letouzey.
835 <first : feature done=0
835 >first : accepted done
835 <first : feature analyze=1
835 >first : accepted analyze
835 <first : feature exclude=1
835 >first : accepted exclude
836 <first : feature colors=0
836 >first : accepted colors
836 <first : feature draw=1
836 >first : accepted draw
836 <first : feature ics=1
836 >first : accepted ics
836 <first : feature myname="Stockfish 6 64 POPCNT"
836 >first : accepted myname
836 <first : feature name=1
836 >first : accepted name
836 <first : feature pause=0
836 >first : accepted pause
836 <first : feature ping=1
837 >first : accepted ping
837 <first : feature playother=1
837 >first : accepted playother
837 <first : feature sigint=1
837 >first : accepted sigint
837 <first : feature reuse=1
837 >first : accepted reuse
837 <first : feature san=0
837 >first : accepted san
837 <first : feature setboard=1
837 >first : accepted setboard
837 <first : feature sigint=0
837 >first : accepted sigint
837 <first : feature sigterm=0
838 >first : accepted sigterm
838 <first : feature time=1
838 >first : accepted time
838 <first : feature usermove=1
838 >first : accepted usermove
838 <first : feature nps=1
838 >first : accepted nps
838 <first : feature memory=1
838 >first : accepted memory
838 <first : feature smp=1
838 >first : accepted smp
841 <first : feature egt="syzygy"
841 >first : accepted egt
841 <first : feature variants="normal,fischerandom"
841 >first : accepted variants
841 <first : feature option="Write Debug Log -check 0"
841 >first : accepted option
841 <first : feature option="Contempt -spin 0 -100 100"
841 >first : accepted option
841 <first : feature option="Min Split Depth -spin 0 0 12"
841 >first : accepted option
841 <first : feature option="Clear Hash -button"
841 >first : accepted option
841 <first : feature option="MultiPV -spin 1 1 500"
841 >first : accepted option
841 <first : feature option="Skill Level -spin 20 0 20"
841 >first : accepted option
841 <first : feature option="Move Overhead -spin 30 0 5000"
841 >first : accepted option
841 <first : feature option="Minimum Thinking Time -spin 20 0 5000"
841 >first : accepted option
842 <first : feature option="Slow Mover -spin 80 10 1000"
842 >first : accepted option
842 <first : feature option="SyzygyProbeDepth -spin 1 1 100"
842 >first : accepted option
842 <first : feature option="Syzygy50MoveRule -check 1"
842 >first : accepted option
842 <first : feature option="SyzygyProbeLimit -spin 6 0 6"
842 >first : accepted option
842 <first : feature option="Polyglot exclude move -string "
843 >first : accepted option
843 <first : feature option="Polyglot SettingsFile -file .\_PG\Stockfish_6_64_POPCNT.ini"
843 >first : accepted option
843 <first : feature option="Polyglot Log -check 0"
843 >first : accepted option
843 <first : feature option="Polyglot LogFile -file polyglot.log"
843 >first : accepted option
843 <first : feature option="Polyglot Resign -check 0"
844 >first : accepted option
844 <first : feature option="Polyglot ResignMoves -spin 3 0 10000"
844 >first : accepted option
844 <first : feature option="Polyglot QueenNeverResigns -check 1"
844 >first : accepted option
844 <first : feature option="Polyglot ResignScore -spin 600 0 10000"
844 >first : accepted option
844 <first : feature option="Polyglot Handledraws -check 0"
844 >first : accepted option
844 <first : feature option="Polyglot ContemptScore -spin 30 0 10000"
845 >first : accepted option
845 <first : feature option="Polyglot Book -check 0"
845 >first : accepted option
867 <first : feature option="Polyglot BookFile -file book.bin"
868 >first : accepted option
868 <first : feature option="Polyglot BookRandom -check 1"
868 >first : accepted option
868 <first : feature option="Polyglot BookDepth -spin 256 0 256"
868 >first : accepted option
868 <first : feature option="Polyglot ShowTbHits -check 0"
868 >first : accepted option
868 <first : feature option="Polyglot STFudge -spin 20 0 1000"
869 >first : accepted option
869 <first : feature option="Polyglot SyncStop -check 0"
869 >first : accepted option
869 <first : feature option="Polyglot Save -save"
869 >first : accepted option
869 <first : feature done=1
870 >first : accepted done
872 >first : memory 132
872 >first : egtpath syzygy C:\SyZyGy
872 >first : cores 1
872 >first : new
random
872 >first : ics -
872 >first : level 40 10 0
872 >first : post
872 >first : hard
872 >first : easy
873 >first : ping 1
Impossible move , type = 0
896 <first : pong 1

From the boldface messages you can see that Polyglot does report that Stockfish supports syzygy EGTs, and that WinBoard does communicate the path I specified to Polyglot. So everything seems to work fine for me.

[Edit] For completeness I also switched on Polyglot logging, by starting WinBoard with Stockfish as engine, ticking the Polyglot Log checkbox, pressing Polyglot Save, and restarting WinBoard. (Because I am interested to see what goes on at startup, and when I tick the Log checkbox the startup was already done. So I have to start it again when logging is on from the beginning.)

The Polyglot.log file that is created this way contains

1443509072.153 POLYGLOT *** LOGFILE OPENED ***
1443509072.153 Adapter->Engine: setoption name Hash value 132
1443509072.153 POLYGLOT *** Mainloop started ***
1443509072.346 GUI->Adapter: xboard
1443509072.346 GUI->Adapter: protover 2
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature done=0
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature analyze=1
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature exclude=1
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature colors=0
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature draw=1
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature ics=1
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature myname="Stockfish 6 64 POPCNT"
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature name=1
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature pause=0
1443509072.346 Adapter->GUI: feature ping=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature playother=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature sigint=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature reuse=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature san=0
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature setboard=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature sigint=0
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature sigterm=0
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature time=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature usermove=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature nps=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature memory=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature smp=1
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature egt="syzygy"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature variants="normal,fischerandom"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Write Debug Log -check 0"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Contempt -spin 0 -100 100"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Min Split Depth -spin 0 0 12"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Clear Hash -button"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="MultiPV -spin 1 1 500"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Skill Level -spin 20 0 20"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Move Overhead -spin 30 0 5000"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Minimum Thinking Time -spin 20 0 5000"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Slow Mover -spin 80 10 1000"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="SyzygyProbeDepth -spin 1 1 100"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Syzygy50MoveRule -check 1"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="SyzygyProbeLimit -spin 6 0 6"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot exclude move -string "
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot SettingsFile -file .\_PG\Stockfish_6_64_POPCNT.ini"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Log -check 1"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot LogFile -file polyglot.log"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Resign -check 0"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ResignMoves -spin 3 0 10000"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot QueenNeverResigns -check 1"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ResignScore -spin 600 0 10000"
1443509072.347 POLYGLOT Decapitalizing "Draw" in option "HandleDraws"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Handledraws -check 0"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ContemptScore -spin 30 0 10000"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Book -check 0"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot BookFile -file book.bin"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot BookRandom -check 1"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot BookDepth -spin 256 0 256"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ShowTbHits -check 0"
1443509072.347 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot STFudge -spin 20 0 1000"
1443509072.348 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot SyncStop -check 0"
1443509072.348 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Save -save"
1443509072.348 Adapter->GUI: feature done=1
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted done
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted analyze
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted exclude
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted colors
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted draw
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted ics
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted myname
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted name
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted pause
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted ping
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted playother
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted sigint
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted reuse
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted san
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted setboard
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted sigint
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted sigterm
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted time
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted usermove
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted nps
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted memory
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted smp
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted egt
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted variants
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.354 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1443509072.355 GUI->Adapter: accepted done
1443509072.357 GUI->Adapter: memory 132
1443509072.357 POLYGLOT setting the amount of memory to 132Mb
1443509072.357 POLYGLOT EGTB Cache is 0Mb
1443509072.357 POLYGLOT Not sending option "Hash" since it already has the correct value.
1443509072.357 GUI->Adapter: egtpath syzygy C:\SyZyGy
1443509072.357 POLYGLOT setting the Syzygy path to C:\SyZyGy
1443509072.357 Adapter->Engine: setoption name SyzygyPath value C:\SyZyGy
1443509072.357 GUI->Adapter: cores 1
1443509072.357 POLYGLOT setting the number of cores to 1
1443509072.357 POLYGLOT Not sending option "Threads" since it already has the correct value.
1443509072.357 GUI->Adapter: new
1443509072.357 Adapter->Engine: isready
1443509072.376 Engine->Adapter: info string Found 0 tablebases.
1443509072.376 Engine->Adapter: readyok
1443509072.376 POLYGLOT NEW GAME

I again emphasized the relevant commands in boldface/red, and you can see that the appropriate 'setoption' command is sent to the engine. At least according to Polyglot. And I don't think it can be lying about this, because the engine seems to respond to it with the info string that it did find 0 tablebases. (Which is correct, because I have none, and the folder S:\SyZyGy does not even exist on my system.)

So also at this level everything seems fine; the UCI engine gets informed about the configured syzygy path.

[addle-minded]

Sorry to resurrect this old discussion, but I'm having the same problem with Xboard 4.8.0 and Stockfish 8 64. I set up a K+P vs. K+P position in Xboard and entered analysis mode. The engine computed lots of lines; there was no evidence of tablebase lookups.

Here's my Polyglot logfile.

1481844058.120 POLYGLOT *** LOGFILE OPENED ***
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT Setting PolyGlot option "HandleDraws=true"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT Setting PolyGlot option "ContemptScore=25"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT Setting PolyGlot option "Book=true"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT *** SETTING BOOK ***
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT BOOK "book.bin"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT Unable to open book "book.bin"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT Setting PolyGlot option "BookFile=/home/kes/.polyglot/rodent.bin"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT *** SETTING BOOK ***
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT BOOK "/home/kes/.polyglot/rodent.bin"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT Setting PolyGlot option "ShowTbHits=true"
1481844058.120 Adapter->Engine: setoption name Contempt value 10
1481844058.120 Adapter->Engine: setoption name Threads value 7
1481844058.120 Adapter->Engine: setoption name Hash value 8208
1481844058.120 Adapter->Engine: setoption name Ponder value true
1481844058.120 Adapter->Engine: setoption name Slow Mover value 80
1481844058.120 Adapter->Engine: setoption name SyzygyPath value /home/3-4-5
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT *** Mainloop started ***
1481844058.120 GUI->Adapter: xboard
1481844058.120 GUI->Adapter: protover 2
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature done=0
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature analyze=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature exclude=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature colors=0
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature draw=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature ics=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature myname="Stockfish 8 64"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature name=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature pause=0
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature ping=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature playother=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature sigint=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature reuse=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature san=0
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature setboard=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature sigint=0
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature sigterm=0
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature time=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature usermove=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature nps=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature memory=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature smp=1
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature egt="syzygy"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature variants="normal,fischerandom"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Debug Log File -file <empty>"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Contempt -spin 10 -100 100"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Clear Hash -button"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="MultiPV -spin 1 1 500"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Skill Level -spin 20 0 20"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Move Overhead -spin 30 0 5000"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Minimum Thinking Time -spin 20 0 5000"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Slow Mover -spin 80 10 1000"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="nodestime -spin 0 0 10000"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="SyzygyProbeDepth -spin 1 1 100"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Syzygy50MoveRule -check 1"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="SyzygyProbeLimit -spin 6 0 6"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot exclude move -string "
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot SettingsFile -file /home/kes/.polyglot/Stockfish_8_64.ini"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Log -check 1"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot LogFile -file polyglot.log"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Resign -check 0"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ResignMoves -spin 3 0 10000"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot QueenNeverResigns -check 1"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ResignScore -spin 600 0 10000"
1481844058.120 POLYGLOT Decapitalizing "Draw" in option "HandleDraws"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Handledraws -check 1"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ContemptScore -spin 25 0 10000"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Book -check 1"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot BookFile -file /home/kes/.polyglot/rodent.bin"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot BookRandom -check 1"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot BookDepth -spin 256 0 256"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot ShowTbHits -check 1"
1481844058.120 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot STFudge -spin 20 0 1000"
1481844058.121 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot SyncStop -check 0"
1481844058.121 Adapter->GUI: feature option="Polyglot Save -save"
1481844058.121 Adapter->GUI: feature done=1
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted done
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted analyze
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted exclude
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted colors
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted draw
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted ics
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted myname
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted name
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted pause
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted ping
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted playother
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted sigint
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted reuse
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted san
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted setboard
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted sigint
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted sigterm
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted time
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted usermove
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted nps
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted memory
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted smp
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted egt
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted variants
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted option
1481844058.121 GUI->Adapter: accepted done
1481844058.122 GUI->Adapter: memory 8208
1481844058.122 POLYGLOT setting the amount of memory to 8208Mb
1481844058.122 POLYGLOT EGTB Cache is 0Mb
1481844058.122 POLYGLOT Not sending option "Hash" since it already has the correct value.
1481844058.122 GUI->Adapter: egtpath syzygy /home/3-4-5
1481844058.122 POLYGLOT setting the Syzygy path to /home/3-4-5
1481844058.122 POLYGLOT Not sending option "SyzygyPath" since it already has the correct value.
1481844058.122 GUI->Adapter: cores 7
1481844058.122 POLYGLOT setting the number of cores to 7
1481844058.122 POLYGLOT Not sending option "Threads" since it already has the correct value.
1481844058.122 GUI->Adapter: new
1481844058.122 Adapter->Engine: isready
1481844058.126 Engine->Adapter: info string Found 145 tablebases.
1481844058.126 Adapter->GUI: # info string Found 145 tablebases.

1481844058.126 Engine->Adapter: readyok
1481844058.126 Adapter->GUI: # readyok

1481844058.126 POLYGLOT NEW GAME

Highlighted in green is evidence that the tablebases have been found. Highlighted in red is a possible problem, though I could easily be barking up the wrong tree. In the Xboard GUI I request 8192MB hash and 16MB EGTB cache. The logfile seems to be reporting 8208MB hash and no EGTB cache. Note that 8208 = 8192 + 16. This interpretation is supported by the Polyglot initialization file.

; Created: Thu Dec 15 16:20:24 2016

[PolyGlot]
EngineCommand=/home/kes/.stockfish-8-linux/Linux/stockfish_8_x64
EngineDir=.
Log=true
HandleDraws=true
ContemptScore=25
Book=true
BookFile=/home/kes/.polyglot/rodent.bin
ShowTbHits=true
[Engine]
Contempt=10
Threads=7
Hash=8208
Ponder=true
Slow Mover=80
SyzygyPath=/home/3-4-5

I'd greatly appreciate suggestions.

[H.G.Muller]

Syzygy tablebases do not use any cache. The WinBoard memory command specifies the total amount of memory engines can use, and it is up to the engine to divide this up between the various tables. As for UCI engines Polyglot assumes the role of engine, it decides to use 0MB for EGTB cache (as syzygy does not support such a cache), and all 8208MB for hash tables. Looks perfectly normal to me. Why the probing doesn't work I cannot say.

[addle-minded]

H. G., thanks for your informative reply. I was being really dumb; it turns out that the tablebases are working, or at least I think so. The behavior of Syzygy tablebases seems very different from that of Nalimov tablebases.

[H.G.Muller]

The behavior of Syzygy tablebases seems very different from that of Nalimov tablebases.

That has nothing to do with the tablebases, but with how the engine is using them. I believe Stockfish does not cut off the search if the EGT probe indicates a draw, but just tries to find the best move according to its own search. (Which will of course never be winning. But it will at least not immediately squander all advantage. E.g. in a difficult-to-defend, but theoretically drawn KBPPKB with unlike B, it would not sac a Pawn on the first move, a Bishop on the second, and the other Pawn on the third move, which it might do if all drawn probes were instantly evaluated as 0 scores.) You could do exactly the same with Nalimov.