NAME
xhexagons - Hexagons X widget
SYNOPSIS
/usr/games/xhexagons [-geometry [{width}][x{height}][{+-
}{xoff}[{+-}{yoff}]]] [-display [{host}]:[{vs}]] [-[no]mono]
[-[no]{reverse|rv}] [-{foreground|fg} {color}] [-
{background|bg} {color}] [-{border|bd} {color}] [-tile
{color}] [-size{x|y} {int}] [-[no]corners] [-delay msecs]
[-[no]sound] [-bumpsound {filename}] [-base {int}] [-
{font|fn} {fontname}] [-username {string}]
DESCRIPTION
A sliding tile puzzle. A hexagonal version of the 15 puz-
zle. The 17 puzzle was conceived of by Alwin Vietor and
marketed in 1885 in Germany as "Trilemma" with round pieces.
Sam Cornwell rediscovered this in 1989 with "Clockblocks" of
which 12 were numbered using hexagonal pieces. Also he pro-
duced a smaller 12 block puzzle with 9 that were numbered
called "Ninefield". Also Bernhard Wiezorke came up with the
similar 17 puzzle, "Hexafax, the New Fifteen Puzzle", in
1991 and a smaller 11 piece "Counterfax" of which 8 were
numbered.
FEATURES
If in corners mode: Press "mouse-left" button to move a
tile, then release "mouse-left" button on a space. It will
not move if blocked. One can only move one tile at a time.
The only tiles that can be moved are the tile(s) next to
both spaces.
If in nocorners mode: Click "mouse-left" button to move a
tile. One can move more than one tile at a time and one is
not constrained by parity.
Click "mouse-right" button, or press "R" or "r" keys, to
randomize the puzzle.
Press "M" or "m" keys to toggle corners mode. (Default is
on).
"S" or "s" keys reserved for the auto-solver (not imple-
mented).
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 slow down the movement of tiles.
Press "@" or "2" keys to toggle the sound.
Press "Esc" key to hide program.
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 Hexagons as:
7 9 Upper Left, Upper Right
^
4< >6 Left, Right
v
1 3 Lower Left, Lower Right
The control key allows you to change the complexity of xhex-
agons. 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):
xhexagons: <size> @ (<Number of moves>/{<Record number
of moves> <username>|"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 hexa-
gons 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 hexagons window in
reverse video (resource name "reverse").
-{foreground|fg} color
This option specifies the foreground of the hexagons
window (resource name "foreground").
-{background|bg} color
This option specifies the background of the hexagons
window (resource name "background").
-{border|bd} color
This option specifies the border color of the tiles
in the hexagons window (resource name "border-
Color").
-tile color
This option specifies the tile color of the tiles in
the hexagons window (resource name "tileColor").
-size{x|y} <int>
This option allows you to change the number of hexa-
gons in a row or column (resource names "sizeX",
"sizeY").
-corners
This option specifies the mode where movement is
very restrictive (resource name "corners").
-nocorners
This option specifies the mode where movement is
very easy (resource name
"corners"). -delay msecs This option specifies the
number of milliseconds it takes to move a tile or a
group of tiles one space (1-50) (resource name
"delay").
-[no]sound
This option specifies if a sliding tile should make
a sound or not (resource name "sound").
-bumpsound filename
This option specifies the file for the bump sound
(resource name "bumpSound").
-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").
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.
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.
corners: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true; if 0 then hexagon
corners are all snipped>
sizeX: 1-10 <number of columns of tiles>
sizeY: 1-10 <number of rows of tiles>
moves: 0-MAXINT <total number of moves>
startingPosition: <array of tile positions where 0 is
the empty space for the HIGH hexagon and -1 is the
empty space for the LOW hexagon (if present)>
This is then followed by the moves, starting from 1.
move #: <direction>
Direction is represented as 0 upper right, 1 right, 2 lower
right, 3 lower left, 4 left, and 5 upper left.
REFERENCES
Dieter Gebhardt, "From Trilemma to Counterfax", CFF 53,
October 2000, pp 8-10.
Sam Cornwell, "Ninefield: a Sliding Block Puzzle", CFF 57,
March 2002, pp 4-5.
Dieter Gebhardt, "Ninefield Revisited", CFF 58, July 2002, p
21.
Bernhard Wiezorke, "Hexafax, the New Fifteen Puzzle" bro-
chure
SEE ALSO
X(1), xrubik(6), xskewb(6), xdino(6), xpyraminx(6), xoct(6),
xmball(6), xmlink(6), xpanex(6), xcubes(6), xtriangles(6),
xabacus(6)
COPYRIGHTS
(Reg.) Copyright 1994-2004, 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