Provided by: xmpuzzles_7.7.1-1.2build2_amd64 bug

NAME

       xoct - Octahedron X widget

SYNOPSIS

       /usr/games/xoct    [-geometry    [{width}][x{height}][{+-}{xoff}[{+-}{yoff}]]]   [-display
       [{host}]:[{vs}]]    [-[no]mono]     [-[no]{reverse|rv}]     [-{foreground|fg}     {color}]
       [-{background|bg} {color}] [-face{0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7} {color}] [-{border|bd} {color}] [-delay
       msecs] [-[no]sound]  [-moveSound  {filename}]  [-{font|fn}  {fontname}]  [-{size  {int}  |
       sticky}]  [-{mode  {int}  |  both}]  [-[no]orient]  [-[no]practice]  [-userName  {string}]
       [-scoreFile {filename}] [-scores] [-version]

DESCRIPTION

       The original puzzle has 9 triangles per face (size = 3) and has period 4 turning (i.e. the
       face or points turn with 90 degree intervals).  The puzzle was designed by Uwe Meffert and
       called the Magic Octahedron (or Star Puzzler).  The puzzle was not widely distributed  but
       not  exactly  rare.   This  puzzle  has some analogies to the Rubik's Cube and the solving
       techniques are the same to that of the  Pyraminx.   Christoph's  Magic  Jewel  is  similar
       except  there are no trivial corners to solve.  This has 2^22*12! or 2,009,078,326,886,400
       different combinations.

       Uwe Meffert also noticed that there could be an  alternate  twisting  for  the  octahedron
       where it has period 3 turning (i.e. faces turn with 120 degree intervals).

       One  is  able to simulate a Trajber's Octahedron (period 3 turning and sticky mode).  Also
       one is able to simulate one with variant turning (period 4 turning and sticky mode).

FEATURES

       Press "mouse-left" button to move a piece.  Release "mouse-left" button on a piece on  the
       same  face  and in the same row (but not an adjacent piece or the move is ambiguous).  The
       pieces will then turn towards where the mouse button was released.

       Click "mouse-center", or press "P" or "p" keys to toggle the practice  mode  (in  practice
       mode   the   record  should  say  "practice").   This  is  good  for  learning  moves  and
       experimenting.

       Click "mouse-right", or press "Z" or "z" keys, to randomize the puzzle (this must be  done
       first to set a new record).

       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 "C" or "c" keys to clear the puzzle.

       "S"  or  "s"  keys  to start auto-solver.  Only works on 1x1x1, 2x2x2, and 3x3x3 facets in
       Period 4 mode.

       Press "O" or "o" keys to toggle the orient mode.  One has to orient the  faces  in  orient
       mode,  besides  getting all the faces to be the same color.  To do this one has to get the
       lines to be oriented in the same direction, this only matters with center "octas",  if  at
       all  (i.e.  those "octas" not on a corner or edge).  This does add complexity so there are
       2 sets of records.

       Press "3", "4", "B", or "b" keys (not the keypad 3, 4) to change modes to Period 3, Period
       4, or Both.

       Press  "Y" or "y" keys to toggle sticky mode (increase/decrease is disabled here if sticky
       mode is on).
       "Sticky" and "Period 3" turning allows only the faces to turn, it is as if the middle  cut
       of the three cuts did not exist.
       "Sticky" and "Period 4" turning allows only the points to turn, it is as if the middle cut
       of the three cuts did not exist.
       Beware, the "Sticky" mode is a hack and much could be done to improve its look.

       Press "I" or "i" keys to increase the number of pieces.

       Press "D" or "d" keys to decrease the number of pieces.

       Press ">" or "." keys to speed up the movement of pieces.

       Press "<" or "," keys to slow down the movement of pieces.

       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 Oct as:
         /     Counterclockwise

       7 8 9   Upper Left, Up, Upper Right
         ^
       4<5>6   Left, Clockwise, Right
         v
       1 2 3   Lower Left, Down, Lower Right

       Use the shift keys to access "Period 4" turns  from  "Both"  mode,  otherwise  it  assumes
       "Period 3" turning.  Points turn in "Period 4" and faces turn in "Period 3".

       Use  the  control  key  and the left mouse button, keypad, or arrow keys to move the whole
       octahedron.  This is not recorded as a turn.

       The title is in the following format (non-motif version):
              xoct.{3|4|both<turning modes>}: {1|2|3|4|5|6|sticky<number of "octas" per edge>}  @
              (<Number    of    moves>/{<Record    number    of    moves>    <user   name>|"NEVER
              noaccess"|"practice"}) - <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  octahedron  window  (resource  name
               "geometry").

       -display host:dpy
               This option specifies the X server to contact.

       -[no]mono
               This option allows you to display the octahedron window on a color screen as if it
               were monochrome (resource name "mono").

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

       -{foreground|fg} color
               This  option  specifies  the  foreground  of  the octahedron window (resource name
               "foreground").

       -{background|bg} color
               This option specifies the background  of  the  octahedron  window  (resource  name
               "background").

       -face{0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7} <color>
               This option allows you to change the color of a face (resource name "faceColorN").
               In mono-mode, color is represented as the first letter  of  the  color  name.  The
               faces  are  ordered  top  to bottom and left to right.  If you has two colors that
               begin with the same letter you should have one in uppercase and one  in  lowercase
               to distinguish them in mono-mode. You can change the colors of the faces to make a
               stupid octahedron (i.e. all White or in mono-mode  all  "W").   Unfortunately,  it
               will not normally say its solved when its randomized.  This would be cheating.

       -{border|bd} color
               This  option  specifies  the  border  color  of the octas in the octahedron window
               (resource name "borderColor").

       -delay msecs
               This option specifies the number of milliseconds it takes to  move  pieces  (1-50)
               (resource name "delay").

       -[no]sound
               This  option specifies if sliding pieces should make a sound or not (resource name
               "sound").

       -moveSound filename
               This option specifies the file for the move sound for the twisting of  the  puzzle
               (resource name "moveSound").

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

       -size <int>
               This  option  allows  you  to  change the number of octas on a edge (resource name
               "size").

       -sticky This option allows you to set the sticky mode (resource name "sticky").

       -mode <int>
               This option allows you to set the turning mode (resource name "mode").

       -both   This option allows you to set the turning mode to  both  period  3  and  period  4
               (resource name "mode" set at 5).

       -[no]orient
               This option allows you to access the orient mode (resource name "orient").

       -[no]practice
               This option allows you to access the practice mode (resource name "practice").

       -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 xoct 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 xoct configuration, starting position, and the movement of its
       pieces.

       Octahedron with default colors, not randomized:
         0       R     Red
       3   1   M   B   Magenta, Blue
         2       W     White
         4       O     Orange
       7   5   Y   P   Yellow, Pink
         6       G     Green

              size: 1-6 <number of triangles in the same orientation as the face per row>
              mode: 3-5 <period 3 turning, period 4 turning, or both (5)>
              orient: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true; if 1 then lines on "octas" to be oriented>
              sticky: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true; if 1 then some "octas" move together>
              practice: 0-1 <0 false, 1 true>
              moves: 0-MAXINT <total number of moves>

              startingPosition: <2 dimensional array of face "octa" position, each face has  size
              * size "octas", if orient mode then orientation number follows face number numbered
              clockwise from 0 to 11, where 0 is up>

       This is then followed by the moves, starting from 1.
              move #: <face> <position> <direction> <control>
       Each turn is with respect to a face and position.
       Position is 0 to size * size - 1.  Position 0 is the triangle furthest  from  the  center,
       increasing clockwise.
       Direction  is  represented as 0 up, 1 upper right, 2 right, 3 lower right, 4 down, 5 lower
       left, 6 left, 7 upper left, 9 clockwise, and 15 counterclockwise.
       Control is represented as 0 or 1, 1 if  the  whole  octahedron  is  moved  at  once  (here
       position does not matter), 0 if not.  The xoct record keeper does not count a control move
       as a move, but here we do.

REFERENCES

       Beyond Rubik's Cube: spheres, pyramids, dodecahedrons and God knows what else  by  Douglas
       R. Hofstadter, Scientific American, July 1982, pp 16-31.

       Magic Cubes 1996 Catalog of Dr. Christoph Bandelow.

SEE ALSO

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

COPYRIGHTS

       ® Copyright 1994-2013, 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