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INSTALLATION
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1. BASIC INSTALLATION

CHESSBD is a windows program; install it as you would any windows
program.  Put all the CHESSBD files in a directory of your choosing
(e.g., "C:\CHESSBD).  If you already have a previous version of CHESSBD,
i suggest you do NOT at first install in the same directory.  Instead,
choose a new directory name and use this temporarily.  If you did any
customizations of the old CHESSBD, be sure to save your old "chessbd.ini"
so you can import your changes to the new version.  You can't just
copy the old chessbd.ini on top of the new, but you can selectively
move individual items such as your regname= and regdata= lines.

IMPORTANT:
Copy the file "_chessbd.ini" to "chessbd.ini".  (That is,
the same name, but without the initial underscore character).  NOTE:
in previous CHESSBD distributions, i simply called the file "chessbd.ini". 
However, this was accident prone because users would sometimes
unintentionally wipe out their old "chessbd.ini" file when installing
a new distribution.  Therefore, as a safety precaution, i decided to
rename the "chessbd.ini" file in the distribution archive.

Create a program manager icon for CHESSBD.  Under
Windows 3.1, use the program manager's File|New feature.  (Under Win95,
you want to create or change the "shortcut" for CHESSBD.)  Make the
starting directory for this icon the same as the directory where you put
the CHESSBD files.  For example, under Windows 3.1, you might fill in
the Program Item Properties dialog like this:

	Description: CHESSBD
	Command Line: CHESSBD
	Working Directory: C:\CHESSBD

If you have registered (paid for) an earlier version of CHESSBD, and
received a registration key, you can transfer it easily: Use your favorite
text editor and copy the 2 lines regdata= and regname= from the old
version's "chessbd.ini" file to the new "chessbd.ini" .  Or, if you
still have the email i sent you with the registration key, you can
transfer the key by copying that email message to a file "regmsg.txt"
and then running register.exe .

If you registered an earlier version but did not receive a registration
key, send email to dfong@igc.apc.org .

That's all there is to it.  You should now be able to run CHESSBD.
However, you will probably want to customize the program...


2. CUSTOMIZATION

CHESSBD has many customizable options.  Some of them can be set
by editing the file "chessbd.ini".  Others can be set by running
the program and selecting the Options dialog.  Server-dependent
ICS options are settable by editing "icsprofs.dat".


2.1 SCREEN SIZE

If the initial size of the CHESSBD window is too small or too big,
resize it by dragging the window sizing handles, then select
Window|SaveLayout.

If your monitor size is 1024x768 or larger, the default chessbd
layout settings should work OK.  But if your monitor size is 640x480,
you may wish to try the layout settings in "640x480.ini": copy the file
"640x480.ini" to "chessbd.ini" .  "640x480.ini" uses a slightly larger
font and slightly smaller windows.  The default chessbd.ini is identical
to "1kx768.ini".  These settings in these files are only suggestions;
you can easily create your own layouts as described above.

2.2 SELECT A PIECE SET

By default, CHESSBD uses a "minimalist" polygon-based piece set.
The CHESSBD distribution also contains several alternate piece
sets designed by users.  To use an alternate piece set, simply add the
name of the corresponding ini file to the option variable "proginifiles".
For example, to use the "classic" piece set designed by H J Toups,
click on Options|Browse and double-click on proginifiles, and add
TOUPS.INI to whatever filenames were already present before.  Then
click the Save button.  (NOTE: you could achieve the same effect
by adding TOUPS.INI to the CHESSBD icon's command line property.)

See the Inventory section below for a list of alternate piece sets.
If you want to design your own piece set, please read "qanda.txt".

Version 2.3a also contains a bitmapped piece set.  To use this piece set,
add BITMAPS.INI to the option variable "proginifiles" and click the Save
button.

You must be a registered user to use bitmapped piece sets.  If you want
to design your own bitmapped piece set, please read "qanda.txt".


2.3 CUSTOMIZE FONTS, COLORS, AND OTHER OPTIONS

You can customize the fonts, colors, and many other options by selecting
Options|Browse.  See the online help for more details.


2.4 CHESSBD STARTUP

The script file "_chessbd.rc" if present is read and interpreted upon
program startup.  You can edit the file (using an external text editor of
your choice) and add CHESSBD script commands to customize the program
according to your taste.  See the "Script Commands" "Option Variables"
topics.  You do not need to have a _chessbd.rc file.  


2.5 CUSTOMIZE ICS LOGIN PROFILES

If you are using CHESSBD as a client for the Internet Chess Servers,
you can either login manually (ICS|ManualLogin), or automatically
(ICS|<SERVER PROFILE NAME>).  If you want to login automatically,
you must first customize the profiles file "icsprofs.dat".

It's easy to customize "icsprofs.dat".  Use your favorite text editor.
For each server where you are a registered users, put your handle and
password in the corresponding profile entry.  For example, if you are
registered on the ICC server, using the handle "everyman" and your
password is "nothingburger", then search for the line "[ICC]", and
modify the following lines to read:

	icshandle=everyman
	ICSPassword=nothingburger

Once you have done this, the default login scripts ("_icc.rc" for ICC,
or "_fics.rc" for FICS) will usually work without modification.

If you regularly login to some server as an unregistered user, specify
the script "_uicc.rc" (for ICC) or "_ufics.rc" (for FICS) as your login
script in the corresponding profile entry.  For example,

	icsrcfile=_ufics.rc

NOTE: if you are using a raw modem connection rather than a SLIP/PPP
connection, you can still use CHESSBD, but you must create your own
login script.  Use the supplied "dial_ics.rc" as a model.

NOTE: if you must login thru a firewall, you must create your own login
script.  Use the supplied "ex_fwics.rc" as a model.

2.6 OTHER

You can customize the layout of ICS mode windows by moving and resizing
them.  Then select Window|SaveLayout.

You can learn more about CHESSBD's option variables by reading the
online help topics for ICS mode and the topics for Option variables.

Be advised that some options may affect how fast you can play,
especially if your computer is slow.  Bitmaps and piece animation
(rate at which pieces slide).  The default minimalist piece set is faster
than the bitmap piece set.  Piece animation takes time (of course).
If you have a fast system, these differences may not be noticeable,
but if you have a slow system, you may find it to your advantage to disable
"slow" features while in ICS mode.

2.6.1 PIECE MOTION SPEED

If you find that the pieces slide too slow or too fast after
an update, try modifying the variable "animationspeed".
Higher values make the pieces slide faster; lower values
make the pieces move slower.  The minimum permissible speed is 3.
A value of 0 will disable the feature, so pieces will "jump" immediately
to their target squares.  See the Option variable section of the winhelp
file for more info.

2.6.2 SOUNDS

To enable the soundcard feature, add the "sounds.ini" to the CHESSBD
option variable "proginifiles":  Click Options|Browse, double-click
on proginifiles, and add SOUNDS.INI to whatever was there before.

2.6.3 FEATURES THAT CAN BE SACRIFICED FOR SPEED

If you have a slow computer and want to play at fast ICS time controls,
you may find it desirable to turn off some of CHESSBD's features.
CHESSBD tries to automatically compensate by increasing the piece
animation speed when time is low, but if that is not sufficient,
here are some options you can set in chessbd.ini (or via the
Options|Browse dialog):

animationspeed=0 - do not slide pieces when making a move.
flashmoves=0 - do not flash the legal moves.
dragmove=-1 - enter moves with click-click instead of click-drag.
pieceblinks=0 - do not blink the last moved piece.
icssounds=0 - use speaker beep instead of sound card sounds.
bitmaps=0 - use polygon piece set (the default polygon set is fastest)

It may also help to reduce the window size - larger boards
take longer to refresh.

(Also be aware, too many incoming chats or shouts can slow down
the program's response to your input.  If you find this is a
problem, turn off shouts and channel stuff during your bullet games.
On FICS, you can "set silence=1").
