NAME
xcubes - Cubes X widget
SYNOPSIS
/usr/games/xcubes [-geometry [{width}][x{height}][{+-
}{xoff}[{+-}{yoff}]]] [-display [{host}]:[{vs}]] [-[no]mono]
[-[no]{reverse|rv}] [-{foreground|fg} {color}] [-
{background|bg} {color}] [-{border|bd} {color}] [-block
{color}] [-size{x|y|z} {int}] [-[no]install] [-picture
{filename}] [-delay msecs] [-[no]sound] [-bumpSound
{filename}] [-dripSound {filename}] [-base {int}] [-
{font|fn} {fontname}] [-userName {string}] [-scoreFile
{filename}] [-scores] [-version]
DESCRIPTION
A 3D sliding block puzzle. The cubes represented are flat-
tened out on the plane. If the Blocks Z slider is greater
than 1, then each group of boxes is a layer of the puzzle.
If the Blocks Z slider = 1, then this is a simple 15 tile
puzzle. The 15 puzzle was originally made around 1879 (the
14-15 puzzle of Sam Loyd was made soon after). Similar 3D
puzzles include BloxBox; Qrazy Qube (2x2x2) by P. Hein of
Denmark and Varikon Box 'L (3x3x3) (Hungary) and Mad Marbles
(3x3x3) by Toys & Games International USA.
FEATURES
Click "mouse-left" button to move a block. Clicks on a
space, or clicks on blocks that are not in line with a
space, will not move blocks. Notice, one can move more than
one block at a time by clicking on the block farthest from
the space but still in line with the space. Since you only
have a 2-D screen the next level down is either the box to
the right of the current box or the bottom of the current
box.
Click "mouse-right" button, or press "R" or "r" keys, to
randomize the puzzle.
Press "I" or "i" keys to move a block in.
Press "O" or "o" keys to move a block out.
Press "S" or "s" keys to start the auto-solver. Only works
on lxmx1 where l > 3 and m > 3.
Press "U" or "u" keys to undo a move.
Press "G" or "g" keys to get a saved puzzle.
Press "W" or "w" keys to write or save a puzzle.
Press "C" or "c" keys to clear a puzzle.
Press ">" or "." keys to speed up the movement of blocks.
Press "<" or "," keys to slow down the movement of blocks.
Press "@" key to toggle the sound.
Press "Esc" key to hide program.
Press "Q", "q", or "CTRL-C" keys to kill program.
Use the key pad, "R" keys, or arrow keys to move without the
mouse.
Key pad is defined for Cubes as:
/ Out
8 Up
^
4<5>6 Left, In, Right
v
2 Down
The control key allows you to change the complexity of
xcubes. Hold down control key and use the keypad or arrow
keys to reduce or enlarge puzzle complexity.
The title is in the following format (non-motif version):
xcubes: <Number of columns>x<Number of rows>x<Number of
stacks> @ (<Number of moves>/{<Record number of moves>
<user name>|"NEVER noaccess"}) - <Comment>
If there is no record of the current puzzle, it displays
"NEVER noaccess".
OPTIONS
-geometry {+|-}X{+|-}Y
This option sets the initial position of the cubes
window (resource name "geometry").
-display host:dpy
This option specifies the X server to contact.
-[no]mono
This option allows you to display on a color screen
as if monochrome (resource name "mono").
-[no]{reverse|rv}
This option allows you to see the cubes window in
reverse video (resource name "reverse").
-{foreground|fg} color
This option specifies the foreground of the cubes
window (resource name "foreground").
-{background|bg} color
This option specifies the background of the cubes
window (resource name "background").
-{border|bd} color
This option specifies the border color of the blocks
in the cubes window (resource name "borderColor").
-block color
This option specifies the block color of the blocks
in the cubes window (resource name "blockColor").
-size{x|y|z} <int>
This option allows you to change the number of cubes
in a row, column, or stack (resource name "sizeX",
"sizeY", "sizeZ").
-[no]install
This option specifies if the colormap should be
installed or not (resource name "install").
-picture filename
This option specifies the file for the picture
(resource name "picture").
-delay msecs
This option specifies the number of milliseconds it
takes to move a block or a group of blocks one space
(1-50) (resource name "delay").
-[no]sound
This option specifies if a sliding block should make
a sound or not (resource name "sound").
-bumpSound filename
This option specifies the file for the bump sound
(resource name "bumpSound").
-dripSound filename
This option specifies the file for the drip sound
(resource name "dripSound").
-base int
This option specifies the base used (default is base
10) (resource name "base").
-{font|fn} ontname
This option specifies the font that will be used
(resource name "font").
-userName string
This option specifies the user name for any records
made or else it will get your login name (resource
name "userName").
-scoreFile filename
Specify an alternative score file (resource name
"scoreFile").
-scores This option lists all the recorded scores and then
exits.
-version
This option tells you what version of xcubes you
have.
RECORDS
You must randomize the puzzle before a record is set, other-
wise an assumption of cheating is made if it is solved after
a get or an auto-solve.
SAVE FORMAT
The format is not standard. The reason for this is that
this is simple and I do not know what the standard is.
sizeX: 1-8 <number of columns of blocks>
sizeY: 1-8 <number of rows of blocks>
sizeZ: 1-8 <number of blocks in a stack>
moves: 0-MAXINT <total number of moves>
startingPosition: <array of block positions where 0 is
the empty space>
This is then followed by the moves, starting from 1.
move #: <direction>
Direction is represented as 0 up, 1 right, 2 down, 3 left, 4
in, and 5 out.
REFERENCES
L. E. Horden, Sliding Piece Puzzles (Recreations in
Mathematics Series), Oxford University Press 1986, pp 1,
157-159.
Jerry Slocum & Jack Botermans, Puzzles Old & New (How to
Make and Solve Them), University of Washington Press, Seat-
tle, 1987, pp 126, 127.
SEE ALSO
X(1), xrubik(6), xskewb(6), xdino(6), xpyraminx(6), xoct(6),
xmball(6), xmlink(6), xpanex(6), xtriangles(6), xhexa-
gons(6), xabacus(6)
COPYRIGHTS
(Reg.) Copyright 1994-2005, David Albert Bagley
BUG REPORTS AND PROGRAM UPDATES
Send bugs (or their reports, or fixes) to the author:
David Albert Bagley, <bagleyd@tux.org>
The latest version is currently at:
ftp://ftp.tux.org/pub/tux/bagleyd/xpuzzles
ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/games/strategy