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}] [-{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 solv-
       ing 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 "R" or "r" keys, to randomize the puzzle
       (this must be done first to set a new record).

       Press "G" or "g" keys to 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 "C" or "c" keys to clear the puzzle.

       "S" or "s" keys reserved for the auto-solver (not implemented).

       "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 "octas".

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

       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,  other-
       wise  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 noac-
       cess".


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 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 "reverse").
               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").

       -{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.
              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  orienta-
              tion 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),   xrubik(6),   xskewb(6),   xdino(6),   xpyraminx(6),  xmball(6),
       xmlink(6), xpanex(6),  xcubes(6),  xtriangles(6),  xhexagons(6),  xaba-
       cus(6)


COPYRIGHTS

       (R) Copyright 1994-2006, David Albert Bagley


BUG REPORTS AND PROGRAM UPDATES

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

       The latest version is currently at:
              ftp://ftp.tux.org/pub/tux/bagleyd/xpuzzles
              ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/games/strategy



V7.2.2                            21 Jul 2006                          XOCT(6)