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}]  [-block  {color}]
       [-text  {color}] [-[no]install] [-picture {filename}] [-delay msecs] [-[no]sound] [-bumpSound {filename}]
       [-dripSound {filename}] [-{font|fn} {fontname}] [-size{x|y|z} {int}] [-base {int}]  [-userName  {string}]
       [-scoreFile {filename}] [-scores] [-version]

DESCRIPTION

       A 3D sliding block puzzle.  The cubes represented are flattened 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  The 15 puzzle was originally made around 1880  by  Noyes  Chapman  (the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 the 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 "C" or "c" keys, to clear the puzzle.

       Press "R" or "r" keys to read a saved puzzle.

       Press "W" or "w" keys to save (write) a puzzle.

       Press "U" or "u" keys to undo a move.

       Press "E" or "e" keys to redo a move.

       Press "Z" or "z" keys to randomize the puzzle.  New records can only be set from a cleared state.

       Press "S" or "s" keys to start the auto-solver.  Only works on lxmx1 where l > 3 and m > 3.

       Press "I" or "i" keys to move a block in.

       Press "O" or "o" keys to move a block out.

       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 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 the cubes window on a color screen as  if  it  were  monochrome
               (resource name "mono").

       -[no]{reverse|rv}
               This option allows you to see the cubes window in reverse video (resource name "reverseVideo").

       -{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").

       -block color
               This  option  specifies  the  block  color  of  the  blocks  in  the  cubes window (resource name
               "blockColor").

       -text color
               This option specifies  the  text  color  of  the  blocks  in  the  cubes  window  (resource  name
               "textColor").

       -[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 for the sliding of  the  tiles  (resource  name
               "bumpSound").

       -dripSound filename
               This  option  specifies  the  file  for  the  drip sound for the dropping or raising of the tiles
               (resource name "dripSound").

       -{font|fn} ontname
               This option specifies the font that will be used (resource name "font").

       -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").

       -base int
               This option specifies the base used in cubes (default is base 10) (resource name "base").

       -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, otherwise an assumption of cheating is made  if  it
       is solved after a get or an auto-solve.

SAVE FORMAT

       Here is the format for the xcubes configuration, starting position, and the movement of its pieces.

              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, Seattle, 1987, pp 126, 127.

SEE ALSO

       X(1), xtriangles(6), xhexagons(6), xmlink(6), xbarrel(6), xpanex(6),  xmball(6),  xpyraminx(6),  xoct(6),
       xrubik(6), xskewb(6), xdino(6), xabacus(6)

COPYRIGHTS

       ® Copyright 1994-2010, David A. Bagley

BUG REPORTS AND PROGRAM UPDATES

       Send bugs (or their reports, or fixes) to the author:
              David A. Bagley, <bagleyd@tux.org>

       The latest version is currently at:
              http://www.tux.org/~bagleyd/puzzles.html
              ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/games/strategy

V7.6.4                                             22 Oct 2010                                         XCUBES(6)