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XCUBES(6)			 Games Manual			     XCUBES(6)

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}]
       [-frame	{color}]  [-[no]stippleFrame]  [-[no]install] [-picture	{file-
       name}] [-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  The 15 puzzle was originally made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 puz-
       zle.

       Press "G" or "g"	keys to	read (get) a saved puzzle.

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

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

       Press "R" or "r"	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  where  x=1
       or y=1 or z=1.

       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 noac-
       cess".

OPTIONS
       -geometry {+|-}X{+|-}Y
	       This option sets	the initial position of	the cubes window  (re-
	       source 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  (re-
	       source name "foreground").

       -{background|bg}	color
	       This  option  specifies the background of the cubes window (re-
	       source 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").

       -frame color
	       This  option  specifies	the  color of the frame	(resource name
	       "frameColor").

       -[no]stippleFrame
	       This option allows you to toggle	the frame stippling  (resource
	       name "stippleFrame").

       -[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 slid-
	       ing of the tiles	(resource name "bumpSound").

       -dripSound filename
	       This option specifies the file for the drip sound for the drop-
	       ping 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 or clear the puzzle before a record is  set,	other-
       wise  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 Se-
       ries), 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),
       xbevel(6),  xabacus(6)

COPYRIGHTS
       (R) Copyright 1994-2024,	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://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/games/strategy/

V8.8.4				  15 Aug 2024			     XCUBES(6)

Want to link to this manual page? Use this URL:
<https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=xcubes&sektion=6&manpath=FreeBSD+Ports+15.1.quarterly>

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