Comments/Ratings for a Single Item

Hi Aurelian, I really like to try out the new set-up, as I said it looks like very 'game-logical' with the Joker in the middle and the auxillary pieces nicely spread around it.. But I cannot open the invitation, I can't find the accept buttom, it just says, that it's your turn to move. Would you try again, or should I send an invitation to you ? 

Hello Thor,

I have sent 2 general invitations 1 for each game. It should work.

Considerring the arguments made by Jean-Louis Cazeaux I have changed the names of 2 of the pieces to my original intent so the griffin and aanca became dragon and griffin (meaning the aanca is called griffin now).

Can I do the following changes to the apothecary: standard piece set?

I'd like to be able sometime myself because in the near future I hope to come up with some other new games.

Add a dragon (with the letter D) 

Delete the Bird

Rename the AB to A  the CA to L and the CH to H

@Fergus,

I have noticed that I forgot to ask you how to restrict the king's special moves to when the king is not in check. May you give me a final extra hand for this project?

The preset is here : https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Apothecary+Chess-Modern&settings=ApothecaryChess-Modern

Considerring the arguments made by Jean-Louis Cazeaux I have changed the names of 2 of the pieces to my original intent so the griffin and aanca became dragon and griffin (meaning the aanca is called griffin now).

This seems a very bad change, and it also seems you misunderstood the arguments of Jean-Louis. For one, Griffin is the established English name for an F-then-R, and it would be very confusing to now use it for another piece. Jean-Louis never claimed the Griffin would be a suitable name for the W-then-F; only that Aanca was the historic name of the F-then-R, and that it would be bad to use it on another piece. And that Aanca referred to a monstrous mythical bird for which no English name exists.

And you now use the image of a Griffin for a piece called Dragon, and the image of a bird for a piece called Griffin...

The castle subroutine contains these lines:

  move #to #from; // Temporarily undo King move
  if sub checked #from:
    die A King may not castle out of check.;
  endif;

And before it ends, it includes this line:

  move #from #to; // Redo King move

@HG,

I will be changing the pictures once I figure out how.

For now you can use the symbolic apothecary piece set.

I had tried the following in the postmove section 1 but with little succes:

if flag f2 and == moved K:
move $dest $origin; // Temporarily undo King move
  if sub checked $origin:
    die A King may not castle out of check.;
  endif;
move $origin $dest;
endif;

You had this code before it. You should be able to see how it would stop your other code from working.

if == moved K: 
  unsetflag f2;
  set Kpos $dest;
endif;

@Fergus,

I'm glad to say I have managed to make it work.

Here is the code that does well:

if flag f2 and moved == K:
move $dest $origin; // Temporarily undo King move
  if sub checked $origin and not checkleap $origin $dest 1 0 or checkleap $origin $dest 1 1:
    die A King may not castle out of check.;
  endif;
move $origin $dest;
endif;

if == moved K: 
unsetflag f2;
set Kpos $dest;
endif;

if sub checked var Kpos:
  die You may not move into check.;
endif;

Later edit:

But althought the code works for white it does not work for black well, and also there is a weird side effect where a queen move on the first square generates the a king may not castle out of check error. So there is still work to do despite the progress.

2nd edit:

I think I have found the bug that generates both problems. It is the first if :

if flag f2 and moved == K:

this is either always true or always false if I move the == ahead of moved but I cannot get it to work in the intended way which is enter the condition when flag f2 of set and the K has just been moved.

Should be:

if and flag f2 == moved K:

Operators come before their arguments.  I'll add parenthesis to show what's going on (although you should not use the parenthesis):

if (and (flag f2) (== moved k))

I see what you say but with that I get always false. And the flag works well. I had checked.  So it is the equality. If i write if and flag f2 moved == K then it works for the king but the code enters for other pieces too which is weird.  So maybe == moved K regardless of how is written does not give the expected answer but all T or all F, which is weird. And that probably means I have trouble somewhere else.

Black pieces use lowercase labels. K is the white King, not just any King.

I know that. This is why the error seems weird to me. I'll get back to you on that!

You're still checking the flag on f2, which is not the starting space for the Black King.

All right, you were correct on that final point, but things are not done.

Let us start from scratch. Maybe I'll understand what is going on.

The code that greg has suggested:

if and flag f2 == moved K:

for the condition that enters the main code in question does not work although the way I see it it should.. It is always false. I have checked for the flag. That works fine so it moved be the == moved K part. But I can't see why!

Are you saying that this code is not working?

if and flag f9 == moved k:

Looking at the rest of your code, I see details that pertain only to castling, but I presume this code is not for castling. You need to understand what the code does and remove or modify what doesn't fit your purposes.

Fergus,

I have solved it:

if flag f2:
if moved == K:
  move $dest $origin; // Temporarily undo King move
  if sub checked $origin:
    if not or checkleap $origin $dest 1 0 checkleap $origin $dest 1 1:
    die A King may not use the special moves out of check.;
  endif;
endif;
  move $origin $dest;
endif;
endif;

@Aurelian,

At our current game I cannot make 7... b h5-f3 (bishop x wizard) because the GC program says: "A King may not use the special moves out of check. Use your browser's BACK button to go back to the previous page, then reload if necessary."

In order not to affect the current games, it would be convenient to do the tests to improve the code in a cloned preset using another settings name.

I removed the buggy code. 

Now it should work!

@Fergus,

I have moved the buggy code back to the old testing ground:

https://www.chessvariants.com/play/pbm/play.php?game=Apothecary+Chess+1&settings=Apothecary1working&submit=Edit

if flag f2:
if moved == K:
  move $dest $origin; // Temporarily undo King move
  if sub checked $origin:
    if not or checkleap $origin $dest 1 0 checkleap $origin $dest 1 1:
    die A King may not use the special moves out of check.;
  endif;
endif;
  move $origin $dest;
endif;
endif;

The way this goes wrong is that other pieces other than the king are affected by it. Any idea why?

I implemented 'repeated shuffling' in the diagram now, where the shuffle parameter accepts a comma-separated list of shuffles, which are then performed in order. I also added a new shuffle limitation: a piece prefixed with ':' (colon) will not be shuffled to different shades (like a '!' prefix would do), but to symmetric locations. (Which, on boards with an even number of files, should also have opposit shades.) Better make sure to apply it only to an even number of pieces on a set of symmetrically distributed locations!

I think this should allow you to do the shuffling you want, through a trick: When you shuffle (say) Knights and Bishops with :BN specification, it can only leave them as they were, or swap the N and B on both wings. Otherwise the Bishops would no longer be symmetrically positioned.

So what you can do is start the Bishops in the d- and g-file, and (say) A and C on the b- and i-file, and then shuffle A:BC. This will make the B end up either on d/g or b/i, with 50-50 chance. After that you shuffle B and N (which started on c- and h-file), as :BN, to randomize those while preserving symmetry. Finally you shuffle ACQ without limitations. So the specification would be shuffle=A:BC,:BN,ACQ .

I have tested it by pressing restart and it does not go well. The queen and knigt get swaped. But not the way I described in the rules. My code is here:

<script type="text/javascript" src="../membergraphics/MSinteractive-diagrams/betza.js"></script>
<div style="float:left;margin:0 40px 20px 0;">
<div class="idiagram">
files=10
ranks=12
holdingsType=1
promoZone=3
promoChoice=!P*N*B*C*W*R2*J2*Q1*D1*G1
graphicsDir=../graphics.dir/alfaerie/
whitePrefix=w
blackPrefix=b
graphicsType=gif
squareSize=54
symmetry=mirror
shuffle=G:BD,:BN,GDQ
hole::::a1,b1,c1,i1,j1,,a12,b12,c12,i12,j12
pawn:p:ifmnDfmWfceF:pawn:a4,b4,c4,d4,e4,f4,g4,h4,i4,j4,,a9,b9,c9,d9,e9,f9,g9,h9,i9,j9
rook::::a2,j2,,a11,j11:1
queen::::e3,,e10:1
bishop:B:B:bishop:d3,g3,,d10,g10
knight:N:NmHmA:knight:c3,h3,,c10,h10:1
wizard:W:FL:mage:d1,g1,,d12,g12
champion:C:WAD:champion:e1,h1,,e12,h12:1
joker:J:fI:fool:f1,,f12
dragon:D:FyafsF:dragon:i3,,i10
griffin:G:WyafsW:gryphon:b3,,b10
king:K:KimbsLimbsN:king:f3,,f10
</div></div>

I had tested it be pressing restart a few times on the diagram. Refresh gives me the initial position.

OK, I see that my trick did not work for swapping b and d, as these are same shade, so that the B must get automatically to opposit halves, and the : adds nothing extra. I changed the meaning of : now to explicitly mean "mirror-image location", and adapted the Diagram script for that. This should make your diagram work as you have it, with the updated script.

I'm not sure why but the diagram still does not work.

It behaves the same way.

I'm wondering if you have not tried to put a bishop over an already occupied square. Would this be an error?

I think caching again is broken on this website. I uploaded a new Diagram script, but when I read it back from the website, it shows the old text. Only when I suffix the URL with some random suffix, like ?t=1234, I get to see the newly uploaded text.

So this is what you can do as a work-around too: suffix the URL to betza.js in your comment to make it betza.js?nocache=true , to make sure it will use the new script. You still would have to flush your browser cache. When I tried the current script locally on your diagram, the shuffling works as it should.

BTW, note that when you specify symmetry=mirror (as you must, to preserve vertical symmetry during shuffling), there is no need to mention the location of the black pieces, as the Diagram would automatically add those. So you could leave out the double comma and everything behind it, even for the holes.

@HG,

Indeed HG, now the diagram works as expected for me too!...

Thanks!

@Fergus,

I have remade the code to work as expected for the king to not be able to use the special moves out of check:

/play/pbm/play.php?game%3DApothecary+Chess+1%26settings%3DApothecary1working

The relevant piece of code for white  is:

if flag f2:
if == moved K:
  if sub checked $origin:;
    if not or checkleap $origin $dest 1 0 checkleap $origin $dest 1 1:
    die A King may not use the special moves out of check.;
  endif;
endif;
endif;
endif;

There is still the problem that the special moves are displayed as legal when a king is in check. Is that solvable?

As long as you evaluate actual moves in the Post-Move sections, you have to bear in mind that potential moves are evaluated before a move would be made, and actual moves are evaluated after a move has been made. This means that you have to sometimes use different code for potential and actual moves. That's true of the King here. You should use both a function and a subroutine for the King's movement. The function should handle only potential moves, and it should stop a King from making its special move out of check before it makes its move. The subroutine should handle actual moves, and it should undo a King's special move after it has been made to make sure the King didn't move out of check with that move, then redo it if it was legal.

 have written the following code but I don't know where to call the subroutine.

sub King from to

    move #to #from;
    if sub checked #from:
    verify or checkleap #from #to 1 0 checkleap #from #to 1 1;
    else:
    verify fn King #from #to;
    endif;
    move #from #to;

endsub;

;

To the editors.

Can a piece set be changed or it needs to be redone from the beginning?

I want to change in the apothecary chess standard piece set the bird with the dragon.

Since your function has to allow special moves but stop the illegal ones, you should not be calling your function from your subroutine. They should be independent from each other. How to call the subroutine is described in the Fairychess include file tutorial under "A Real Example from Chess".

The tutorial also describes how you can use different pieces with the same notation. Although you cannot modify a set within Game Courier, you can change which pieces you use and what notation you will use for them. I recommend reviewing this tutorial every now and then.

While I could add code to Game Courier for enabling GAME Code programs to modify the images in piece sets, it would not work in Edit mode. So, if you want to use piece images that are not in your current set, you should change it to use a different set.

Fergus, 

I want to use the same set, not another one, but with a dragon picture instead of a bird picture. Is that even possible or should I make another piece set from the beginning?

Since you are using custom 'Apothecary' sets, and I doubt other games are using these sets, they can be altered.  Do you want to keep the notation the same?  ('A' becomes bird)  Or do you want to add a Dragon as 'D'?

I'd prefer the Dragon with a "D".

Ok, I have added D and left the A so older games will still view correctly.  If you are going to change the notation, remeber to change the name of the settings so that you don't break older game logs.

Thank you, Greg!

@Oisin D.

I need a moment with no ongoing games so that I can change the pieces from Griffin and Aanca to Dragon and Griffin, so please temporarilly delete your pending invitation.

You need to use a new Settings name so old games don't break.  But if you do that, the pending invite is ok.

@ Greg,

I prefer to keep the name  and maybe rename the settings files used for old games. Can it be done?

I prefer to keep the name  and maybe rename the settings files used for old games. Can it be done?

You can keep the name of the game, but the settings name will need to change.  I don't know how to change the settings name for existing logs.

I should use redirect then on the old settings file toward the new one, isn't it?

@HG, Hello, The interactive diagram on this page puts in the initial position an extra black joker outside of those defined. Why is this happening?

I have played this game against the interactive diagram's AI. It takes less time that an game courier match and I wanted to see how the games feel after the final changes I have made. The game seems to be very tactical now with many strong pieces quickly engaging . I'm really unsure about how good the game is. It's learning curve is quite steep but maybe once properly learned it is fun. I was hoping that more experienced player will take a look and try to play against the interactive diagram until the endgame (me I always blunder something before the endgame).

I have switched the places of sangoma and wizard in the opening position in order to give more opening opportunities.

I have tried this week to add a compound piece. Unfortunately this proved to make the game worse as more opening moves were forced. So I reverted to an earlier version while keeping the idea that black has more pieces on the non-king side. This will be the final apothecary chess-modern game. I'm satisfied with the game.

The interactive diagrams on this page have stopped working. Any idea why?

Fixed!

I had made a small change, to also look for castling partners of non-royal pieces that can castle, but that made it chocke on blacked-out squares, when it tried to figure out what move these had.

Thanks!

But they still are not showed, HG!

Flush your browser cache, or you will keep using the old version of the Diagra script. It works for me.

@Hg, You were correct. Now it works for me too. Curiously though that my other apothecary game worked fine!

The diagrams on this and the Apothecary Chess-Classic page are missing white's brouhaha squares, and so are both corresponding game courier presets.

To me they look normal!

Now I see what you mean. I don't think it is something I have done!

@Fergus Have you any idea about what is going on!

The link for Game Courier of Apothecary Chess Modern seems broken. I'm getting this message:

SYNTAX ERROR IN USER INPUT: on turn 0:

onboard expects a string, not an array.

Go back and try again

This preset is probably automated with GAME code generted by the Play-Test Applet. (I.e. the code in the betza.txt include.) This code indeed uses the 'onboard' test in several places, mostly for parsing the user's input move.

But the error message appears for me on invoking the preset from the link in the article, which should bring me to the start position. Only the Pre-Game GAME code should be executed at that point, and this would not do any onboard tests.

It seems to me that Game Courier acts here as if the user has entered a move, and then crashes on what it thinks the user entered. (Which would not be surprising if it pulled some garbage string out of nothing.)

I have not changed anything in the betza.txt include file since Aurelean reported the timeout of the mate test, and I cannot imagine that I introduced an error at that time that would not have been discovered in the mean time.

The preset for this game is not automated. Only the Grand Apothecary Games are. And they work fine! This used to work. I'll take a look.

Later Edit : I forgot how to enter the preset forcibly!

If it may help, the Apothecary Chess-Classic doesn't have the issue, it works fine loading the GC.

@Fergus or @HG

Can one of you help me be telling me how to access the preset. Currently I get the error bellow. But there was something I can't remember that if added to the page I could circumvent the error. Something like submit=edit. I don't remember exactly.

@Fergus & HG No worry. I have managed!

I have noticed the the difference between the two presets (besides the normal ones) is that the working one initializes the lastpiecetye (needed for the joker) to rook. It supposes to be initialized to None. When I initialize it to None it breaks like the other preset. So the problem is the treatment of none. So I get this error:

onboard expects a string, not an array.

Feegus, Have you any idea on what is going on?

This preset is probably automated with GAME code generted by the Play-Test Applet.

I looked at the code by appending "&submit=Edit" to the query string, and it has not been generated by the Play-Test Applet.

Have you any idea on what is going on?

Apart from instances in the fairychess include file, I see one instance of onboard in your code. It appears in your stalemated subroutine, and the variable passed to it has previously been calculated from the -Range function of a particular piece that has been found on the board. So, the problem may be due to the output of a particular range function. One -Range function that looks suspicious is your None-Range function, which returns an array of two empty arrays. It might work if you change this to just return an empty array, as a -Range function is supposed to return an array of coordinates, not an array of arrays. If that doesn't fix the problem, you can put in some debugging code to find out which -Range function is giving bad output when the code stops working.

@Fergus, You were correct; a simple empty array has done the trick. Thanks!

@Jean Louis, Now both 10x10 apothecary presets work fine! Thanks for your interest!

great! I want to code Bigorra. I have more than 26 different pieces, so I don't know how to do it. I wanted to look how you did for Ap. Chess.