Installation


Upgrading from Version 2.9

Version 2.10 is almost a drop-in replacement for Version 2.9. If you have not modified any of the data files, then simply create a new directory (you can throw the old one away as soon as you are happy with version 2.9), and unpack the new jar file. Then copy across your chu.Properties file. If you want to re-copile the sources, you porbably need to use NetRexx 2.00 or later.

However, if you have previously played Internet games, then note that 2.10 is not compatible with earlier versions. You cannot play games between 2.10 and an earlier version, and you cannot use any existing restart.catalog files, or database tables. A co-existence solution (if you need to restart any existing games), is to use a differently named database (i.e. if you used the default name of chushogi, use e.g. chu210) at the server end, and a differently named restart.catalog at the client end.

if you do not have any need for co-existence, simply delete existing tables and restart.catalog files.

Then procede to install the version 2.10 computer player, if it is available for your operating system.

Create the FILES sub-directory as a link to your existing FILES directory, or copy FILES across from the 2.9 directory.

Installing from scratch

These instructions are generic in nature. After reading them, you should then read the instructions for your particular operating system. If there are no instructions for your operating system, then you may have to guess a little.

First, it is necessary to install the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) or the Java Development Kit (JDK) for your operating system. The JRE is smaller, but if you wish to amend the program at all, you will need the JDK. You will also need the JDK (or at least the header files which come with it) if you want to compile the native (version 2) computer player, along with a C++ compiler.

You should install a JRE/JDK for Java 1.2 or later.

For Solaris or Windows, you can download the 1.2 JDK from http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.2/index.html (1.3 is probably a better choice). This is also a reasonable place to start looking for ports of the JDK to other operating systems.

If you have a JDK, then you can test that you have installed Java correctly, by trying to run the SwingSet application:

  1. Change to the SwingSet directory (this will be something like /usr/java/demo/jfc/SwingSet or C:\java\demo\jfc\SwingSet on JDK 1.2, and /usr/java/swing/examples/SwingSet))
  2. Type: java SwingSet or something like that)
  3. If the program works, then fine. If not, read the installation instructions that came with your JDK again.

Once you have installed Java, you should then download the jar file from http://www.colina.demon.co.uk/chu.html.

Next create a directory or folder to store the program. Then unpack the jar file into this directory (on Linux, Windows or Solaris, the command jar xf ChuV2-10.jar will do the trick). The command should be the same on most other operating systems. The jar command comes with the JDK. If you cannot find it, then maybe you have unzip, or some other similar command, which can be used to unpack jar files (which are just a form of zip files).

Create a subdirectory named FILES. If your system supports symbolic links, then make this a symbolic link to a permanent directory elsewhere. Otherwise, just make it a normal directory. The program will store saved-game and saved-position files (.csg, .fsy and .caf) files here.

You may have to ensure that the CLASSPATH environment variable contains . (the current directory).

Finally, you can run the program. On most operating systems, the command java Chu or jre Chu will be what you need.

Instructions for specific operating systems

This section contains instructions specific to a particular operating system, including installing the version 2 computer player.

Compiling the Version 2 computer player

The version 2 computer player is packaged as a java native method, and is written in C++. So you will need the header files (jni.h, and others) distributed with the JDK. You will also need a C++ compiler.

Then you must create a Makefile (or equivalent). Makefile.linux is an example file, which I use for compiling for Linux, running on Intel i686 processors (PentiumPro or Pentium II/III). Make a copy of it, and edit it according to your O/S and compiler requirements, naming it appropriately. If your file system supports links, then make a link from Makefile to Makefile.whatever.

I have included a file linking.html, which I have culled from the Java Tutorial, which shows how to link a shared library under Solaris with the Solaris C++ compiler, or Windows with Visual C++. Hopefully, this may be of some assistance.

Finally, write some installation instructions for downloading and installing the shared library/dynamic link library, and send the instructions and your makefile to me, so I can include it in future distributions.

Setting up the Restart Database

If you are intending to play games across the Internet, then you may want to set up a restart database. See for guidelines on how to do this.

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