Categories
analyzethis android

What’s new in Analyze This 4.0!

After a long wait, Analyze This 4.0 for Android was released today! Its a big release and I am sure you will all like it. Here is what’s new in it!

 Full Automatic Engine Analysis (with verbose commentary!) – BETA
It took me really long time to finish this feature (besides work on other Apps/features), but its finally here! Analyze This is probably the first Android App to feature a full automated analysis with natural language analysis. Yes, not only can it suggest moves, but it can also add verbose comments (in English, for now)
Moreover, the feature has been programmed to not only suggest the mistakes and bad moves, but it also marks good moves and sacrifices! Yes it can add symbols like “!”, “?!” , “??” etc

This is only the 1st version of this feature and obviously there will be some rough edges. I plan to keep improving this feature, so please send your suggestions or remarks based on your experience with this feature.
Free users can only choose between 1-5seconds per move. PRO users can choose upto 20seconds per move.

 Stockfish 6
PRO users of the App could manually download and install the latest version of Stockfish 6. Now, its available by default for all users (free and PRO)

 Engine Threads/Cores

Now you can choose the number of Threads/Cores/Processors the Engines can use. See Settings – Engine Options. 
Please note that choosing the max number of threads can improve Engine performance, but at the same time, your device may stall a bit and consume more battery. Use wisely.

 Automatic Opening recognition
The App now automatically tells you the Opening ECO, name in the Notation. The ECO will also be automatically saved when you save a game!

 Undo option in strategic places
From time to time, we all make mistakes! Accidentally deleted the wrong move? Or perhaps you cleared the board in Position setup? Don’t worry, UNDO has got you covered!
A major reason and driving force behind this was to improve the overall user experience.
Undo options have been added in multiple strategic places, so even if you make a mistake while using the App, you can undo it! 
Share board image with different arrow/highlight colors!
Now when you share the Board as image, you can choose from 4 preset colors and highlight the Squares or draw arrows with them! Makes it easy to express ideas.
Not only this, you can even directly Share board image from other Chess Apps installed on your device! Choose to export current board as FEN, and choose “Analyze This – Highlight & Share” option from the list of Apps! You are ready to highlight the board and share it!
☆ Option to hide engine arrow
For those of you who did not like the Engine revealing the solution with the arrow on the board, you may now hide the arrow. See Settings – Engine Options
☆ More space for Notation!
Some of you wanted even more space for the Notation view. Now the 2-way toggle next to the player names, can work 3-ways and provide more space for the Notation (and shrink the Board accordingly)
☆ Touch and hold the board for Quick annotation view
This was a nice feature added in the previous version which quickly helped to add annotation Symbols to the game. Earlier you could double tap on the board to view it, but some times that lead to false touches. This is now changed to long-press. So touch and hold the board to view the Quick annotation View.
In this regard, there is an additional feature in the Analysis Menu, to hide the Engine layout. When not needed, you can hide the Engines currently selected, and make more space for the Board/Notation.

☆ Bug fixes and other enhancements

This version has many bug fixes and lots of other visual enhancements and improvements under the hood!

//What could not make into this release
Unfortunately, Critter cannot run on Android 5.0 and above. I am looking for a suitable replacement, and will hopefully add it in a future release.

Meanwhile, please keep sending your bugs/feature suggestions, and I would be happy to consider them.

Categories
ichess

New version of iChess – Chess puzzles released to Google Play Store!

iChess 4.0.2 has been publicly released (Google Play Store)! Thanks to all who helped with the Testing. Please let me know if you spot anything odd.
I hope you all like it the way I enjoyed adding these new features!
Ofcourse, there is still lot of work to be done and I plan to add new features (Sync, etc!)

In due course of time, I hope to get these changes on Amazon (sooner) and on iOS (couple of months)

Categories
ichess

iChess 4.0 BETA ready for testing!

iChess 4.0 BETA is ready for Testing!
Its a big release and some things may have been inadvertently broken on some devices. Please help me test the App and report bugs/crashes!

//How to Test:
1. Either join the
MyChessApps G+ community https://plus.google.com/communities/108010145398500180406
or
Google Group https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/my-chess-apps
2. Visit the below link depending on the Free or Pro version of the App you have
Free:-  https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.pereira.ichess
Pro:-  https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.pereira.ichess.paid
3. Click ‘BECOME A TESTER’. It should say “You are now a tester”
4. Click ‘Download iChess from the Play Store’ at the bottom of the page.
5. Test and let me know if you see any bugs/problems!

//What’s new
* New material design!
* Mark puzzle as Favorite
* Improved Random puzzle function
* Option to hide Hint button (to remove temptation!)
* Sort puzzle icons by Title or Last Opened
* Auto open last puzzle file
* and more…

Categories
analyzethis android ios

Using Analyze This’ Instant-position analysis from your Android/iOS Chess App


ANDROID
You can use the Instant-position analysis feature of Analyze This from your own Chess App! All you need to do is invoke Analyze This and pass additional Intent extras.

1. Instant-position analysis for current position only
You can send the FEN string of the current position for Instant-position analysis. Note that only the FEN string is sent and not the whole PGN. So users would need to return back to your App in case they wish to analyze some other position.

public static final String PKG_ANALYZE_THIS_FREE 
= "com.pereira.analysis";
public static final String PKG_ANALYZE_THIS_PAID
= "com.pereira.analysis.paid";
public static final String ANALYZE_THIS_ACTIVITY
= "com.pereira.analysis.ui.BoardActivity";
public static final String KEY_FEN = "KEY_FEN";

//Since users may have either the Free or the Paid version of Analyze This, you should check using Package Manager


 //default to free version, 
//but check below if paid version is installed
String analyzeThisPackageName = PKG_ANALYZE_THIS_FREE;
if (isInstalled(this, if (isInstalled(this, PKG_ANALYZE_THIS_PAID)) {
//paid version is installed, so use it!
        analyzeThisPackageName = PKG_ANALYZE_THIS_PAID;
}

Intent intent = new Intent();
//send the "fen" string from your program
intent.putExtra(KEY_FEN, fen);
Intent intent =
new Intent();
try {
startActivity(intent);
}
catch (ActivityNotFoundException e) {
//TODO neither Free nor Paid version of Analyze This is installed,
so show message to the user to install the App from the Play store
}

//Method to check if the given package is installed on the device
public static boolean isInstalled(Context context, String packageName) {
boolean installed = true;
try {
PackageInfo pinfo =
context.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(packageName, 0);
}
catch (NameNotFoundException e) {
installed =
false;
}
return installed;
}

2. Instant-position analysis with whole PGN
You can also send the whole PGN game to Analyze This and have it immediately start analyzing the position at a given ply number: (new addition in Analyze This v3.1.4). The added advantage of sending the whole PGN text is that users can also move back and forth through the game without having to return back to your App.

//complete pgn text
intent.putExtra(android.content.Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, pgn); 
ComponentName name = new ComponentName(analyzeThisPackageName,
ANALYZE_THIS_ACTIVITY);

//plyNum (half-move) at which to start analyzing
intent.putExtra(KEY_PLY_NUM, plyNum);

intent.setComponent(name);


BONUS!
You can even ask Analyze This to flip the board or choose a different board color which suits your application’s board color.

 //Integer value, where 0="Aqua", 1="Blue", 2="Brown", 3="Gray", 
4="Green" , 5="Fritz", 6="Sky Blue"
intent.putExtra("KEY_COLOR", 0);
intent.putExtra("KEY_FLIPPED", true);

//set the component
ComponentName name = new ComponentName(analyzeThisPackageName,
ANALYZE_THIS_ACTIVITY);
intent.setComponent(name);

public static final String KEY_PLY_NUM = "KEY_PLY_NUM";

Intent shareIntent = new Intent(android.content.Intent.ACTION_SEND);
intent.setType("application/x-chess-pgn");

try {
startActivity(intent);
} catch (ActivityNotFoundException e) {
//TODO neither Free nor Paid version of Analyze This is installed,
 so show message to the user to install the App from the Play store
}
iOS
You can send the whole PGN game to Analyze This and have it immediately start analyzing the position at a given ply number. The added advantage of sending the whole PGN text is that users can also move back and forth through the game without having to return back to your App.Your iOSAppcan interact with Analyze This through custom URL schemes and copy PGN data to clipboard. Analyze This then starts analyzing the pgn copied by your App to the clipboard.
Step 1: Sending whole PGN to Analyze This
You can even ask Analyze This to flip the board or choose a different board color which suits your application’s board color.
static NSString *kPasteboardName = @"pgnPasteBoard";

//MUST – The pgn string that should be sent to Analyze This.
Currently the App only accepts a single game in pgn string format
static NSString *kPgnKey = @"pgn";

//OPTIONAL - the position at given ply which Analyze This will jump to
static NSString *kPlyKey = @"ply";

//OPTIONAL – if Analyze This should immediately start analyzing the position.
 Default -
static NSString *kAutoEngineKey = @"autoengine";

//OPTIONAL - Integer value where 1=”Aqua”, 2=”Blue”, 3=”Brown”,
4=”Gray”, 5=”Green”, 6=”Fritz” (starts from 1 not 0)
static NSString *kColorIndex = @"colorIndex";

//OPTIONAL - whether Analyze This should flip the board [true|false]
static NSString *kFlipped = @"boardFlip";
//Open Analyze This app and analyze the pgn
- (void)analyzeTapped {
NSInteger colorIndex = 1; // ex. Aqua board
BOOL isFlip = false;
NSNumber *currentPly;
// get pgn string from your app
NSString* pgnStr;

NSString *customURL = [NSString
stringWithFormat:@"apxchesspgn://?%@=%@",kPgnKey,
 kPasteboardName]; // configure the url
customURL = [customURL stringByAppendingString:
[NSString stringWithFormat:@"&%@=%@",
 kPlyKey, currentPly]]; 
//plyNum (half-move) at which to start analysing
customURL = [customURL stringByAppendingString:
[NSString stringWithFormat:@"&%@=%@",
 kAutoEngineKey, @(true)]]; 
// start engine when Analyze This loads
customURL = [customURL stringByAppendingString:
[NSString stringWithFormat:@"&%@=%ld",
 kColorIndex, (long)colorIndex]]; 
// colour of your choice
customURL = [customURL stringByAppendingString:
[NSString stringWithFormat:@"&%@=%d",
 kFlipped, isFlip]]; 
// flipped bool
// create a UIPasteboard with name “pgnPasteBoard”
UIPasteboard *pasteBoard =
[UIPasteboard pasteboardWithName:kPasteboardName 
create:true];

// set pin string to paste Board
[pasteBoard setString:pgnStr];

//if the url opens, it means Analyze This is installed else show the
//user alert to install Analyze This
if ([[UIApplication sharedApplication]
canOpenURL:[NSURL URLWithString:customURL]]) {
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:customURL]];
} else {
UIAlertView *alert = [[UIAlertView alloc]
initWithTitle:@"Install Analyze This"
message:@"Analyze this game with a powerful Chess engine!
Its free. 
Would you like to install it now?"
delegate:self
cancelButtonTitle:nil
otherButtonTitles:@"Install", @"Cancel", nil];
[alert show];
}
}
#pragma mark - UIAlertView Delegate
//Handle button clicks
- (void)alertView:(UIAlertView *)alertView clickedButtonAtIndex:
(NSInteger)buttonIndex
{
switch (buttonIndex) {
case 0:
//install
NSLog(
@"Install");
[self installAnalyze];
break;
case 1:
//Do nothing // cancel button
NSLog(
@"Do nothing");
break;
}
}
//open the Analyze This store listing in iTunes, so that the user can install the App
- (void)installAnalyze{
// Initialize Product View Controller
SKStoreProductViewController *storeProductViewController =
[[SKStoreProductViewController alloc] init];
// Configure View Controller
[storeProductViewController setDelegate:self];
[storeProductViewController loadProductWithParameters:
@{SKStoreProductParameterITunesItemIdentifier : @1090863537} 
completionBlock:^(BOOL result, NSError *error) {
if (error) {
NSLog(@"Error %@ with User Info %@.", error, [error userInfo]);
} else {
// Present Store Product View Controller
// [self presentViewController:storeProductViewController
animated:YES completion:nil];
}
}];
[self presentViewController:storeProductViewController
animated:YES completion:nil];
}
Step 2: Include URL Scheme in info.plist
Be sure to include Analyze This URL scheme in your application’s Info.plist under LSApplicationQueriesSchemes key if you want to query presence of Analyze This on user’s iPhone using -[UIApplication canOpenURL:].

Open Info.plist. Add new element (+). Set key asLSApplicationQueriesSchemes. Set values as apxchesspgn

My Chess Apps has a new Google Forum!

Dear Friends,

You now have a single place to discuss everything about my Chess apps!
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!members/my-chess-apps

Join the Google forum group and discuss features, suggestions, bugs and stuff with like-minded Chess enthusiasts!

Categories
analyzethis

Analyze This – Understanding the Chess Engine

What is Critter, Stockfish?

Critter & Stockfish are the Top free Chess engines (aka mini Computers) that come pre-installed with Analyze This.
They are like the commercial engines Fritz, Houdini albeit free.
As of May 2013, Critter has an estimated ELO strength of 3175 while Stockfish is rated at 3164! (Carlsen is 2868!)
Newer versions of Critter and Stockfish can be downloaded from their respective sites:
http://www.vlasak.biz/critter/
http://stockfishchess.org/download/

What are the three buttons next to the Engine?

“Start/Stop”
Start or stop the engine.
 
“+”
Increase the number of “lines” that the engine shows. By default, the engine only shows the first best move it has calculated. You can press “+” to ask the engine to show the 2nd, 3rd etc “best” moves. 1st move is always the best move. More engine lines mean that the engine has to use lot of CPU power and also spend equal time analyzing the other “best” moves that it considers. The quality can degrade with too many lines.
 
“-“
Decrease the number of lines. Lesser the lines, the efficient is the engine.

What do those numbers and symbols shown by the Engine mean?

+/= (=/+)
Slight advantage: White (Black) has slightly better chances.

+/− (−/+)
Advantage: White (Black) has much better chances. It is also written as ± for White advantage, ∓ for
Black advantage; the other similar symbols can be written in this style as well.

+− (−+)
Decisive advantage: White (Black) has a clear advantage.

(6.31) Centi pawn evaluation
The engine considers the position to be equal to 6.31 pawns (winning). Negative value means the position is losing for Black by those many pawns.
In other words, the evaluation of the position in terms of pawns (where pawn = 1pt)

ex: +3.2 means white is winning with score of 3.2 pawns. -0.5 means black is slightly ahead by 0.5 pawns.

d=16 (Engine depth)
The half-moves that the engine is currently thinking ahead. Typically means that the engine is thinking 8 moves ahead (8 for White, 8 for Black). As you give more time for the engine to chew on that position, the depth will keep increasing gradually.

For more details, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_annotation_symbols

NOTE: Running more engines simultaneously or with multiple lines can severely drain device battery.

Categories
followchess

What’s new in Follow Chess App!?

In the month of August, Follow Chess App got few nice updates:

All Games | Tournament Standings | Follow your country-men!

Tap on the arrow at the right, to see these hidden goodies!


ALL GAMES
Missed games from the earlier rounds? No problem! You can check out All Games from previous rounds too!
PS. Pro users can view ALL these games. Free users can view only some of them.

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
View tournament standings after every round!


FOLLOW YOUR COUNTRY-MEN
Follow Chess makes it easy to follow games and progress of your country-men. Simply set your country and Follow Chess will highlight their Standings. Also their live games will be shown at the very top for quick access!
(You may have been asked to choose your country the very first time you launched the App. Or you can set it from the Settings too!)

As promised, more goodies are coming!!

DOWNLOAD : Follow Chess App

Categories
yourmove

Your Move App updated – now make your move on ChessOK and mychess!

What’s new in Your Move 1.2.1

DOWNLOAD

* Added support for mychess.de and ChessOk correspondence servers

* Multiple Logins – Now you can login to your ICCF, Scheming Mind, ChessOK & mychess.de accounts, all on a single device, using a single App!

* [PRO] Export the game (ongoing or finished) via Email/FB/Twitter or send it to other Chess Apps installed on your device

* Minor enhancements and bug fixes

Categories
android ichess

[Android] iChess v3.6.1 released!

iChess v3.6.1 was released today with the following changes:

* You can now reset the Bird view and start solving afresh! (See Bird View screen – Menu – Reset). This will not affect your score

* If your puzzles PGN has a comment, then iChess will show it underneath the board.

* Better Fritz color
* Better support for foreign language PGNs
* Fixed some puzzles
* Other enhancements under the hood!

Categories
android chessbookstudy

Whats New in Chess Book Study v2.5! [Android]

v2.5 of Chess Book Study Android app was released today! [FREE / PRO]

Chess Book Study Store!
Chessdom Chess Insider PDFs/PGNs are now available for purchase from inside the App!
Read GM Analysis and reports of the historic Candidates 2014, European Individual Chp or the Gashimov Memorial. More coming soon…
You can even copy the PDF/PGN and view them on your Computer!*
(Please upgrade Ebookdroid (Chess) app to see the extra Menu option. Else use the Quick Action menu > Store)

Annotation Editor
You can effortlessly add annotations and comments to multiples moves from a single screen!

Settings

  • Board Colors – You can choose different Board colors. What more, the board/app background changes according to the chosen color!
  • Sound – Enable/disable sound

Promote Variation
In the Notation view, tap an already selected move or touch and hold to see more options, including the Promote Variation option.

Bug fixes and Misc changes
This release also includes some bug fixes and PGN library changes.

Play Store Links
[FREE / PRO]

* The files are stored on your sdcard. (/sdcard/Android/data/com.pereira.booknboard{.paid}/files/)