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# XCUBES

Section: Games and Demos (6)
Updated: 4 Dec 2019
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## 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 The 15 puzzle was originally made around 1880 by Noyes Chapman (the 14-15 puzzle of Sam Loyd was made soon after).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 1994-2019, David A. Bagley

## BUG REPORTS AND PROGRAM UPDATES

Send bugs (or their reports, or fixes) to the author:

  David A. Bagley, <bagleyd AT verizon.net>

The latest version is currently at:

  https://www.sillycycle.com/puzzles.html
  http://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/games/strategy

## Index

NAME
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
FEATURES
OPTIONS
RECORDS
SAVE FORMAT
REFERENCES
SEE ALSO
COPYRIGHTS
BUG REPORTS AND PROGRAM UPDATES

This document was created by man2html, using the manual pages.
Time: 20:31:52 GMT, December 04, 2019