NAME
freesweep - a curses minesweeper-style game
SYNOPSIS
freesweep
[-% value] [-a] [-f | -i] [-h value] [-m value] [-s] [-w value]
[--alt-charset] [--fast] [--height=value]
[--interactive | --save-prefs] [--mines=value] [--percent=value]
[--width=value]
freesweep
[-a] [-b | -d] [--alt-charset]
[--dump-best-times | --show-best-times]
freesweep
[-a] [-g] [--show-gpl]
freesweep
[-v] [--version]
freesweep
[-H] [--help]
DESCRIPTION
freesweep is a curses-based minesweeper game for *nix.
OPTIONS
-% value, --percent=value
Sets the number of mines to value percent of the number of
squares on the board, rounded to the nearest integer. This
option cannot be used with the -m or --mines options.
-a, --alt-charset
Switch character sets between standard ASCII and PC-style
linedraw characters. Use of this option on the command line
indicates that the character set should be the set not specified
in the preferences file. See the FILES section below.
The character set can also be toggled during play using the ’a’
key, which can be useful when a terminal fails to have the PC-
style linedraw character set. See the COMMANDS section below.
-b, --show-best-times
Use the curses best times viewer rather than starting a game,
then exit.
The best times viewer can also be accessed during play by
selecting the ’b’ key. See the COMMANDS section below.
-d, --dump-best-times
Print the list of best times, sorted in descending order to
stdout. More information will be placed in this manual page
regarding the column format when it has been clearly
established.
-f, --fast
This option bypasses the intercative dialog normally run
initially. All values must either be specified on the command
line or in the preferences files.
-g, --show-gpl
Display the GNU General Public License, in a nice curses page
viewer. Currently version 2 of the license is displayed;
however, freesweep is licensed under version 2 or later of the
GNU GPL, so this license may be superceded in the future.
-H, --help
Print the lost of valid command line options, then exit.
-h value, --height=value
Set height to value. If the interactive dialog is run initially,
any value passed for height will be listed as the default.
-i, --interactive
Force the interactive menu to be run initially. This is
primarily used to override the FastStart option specified in the
preferences file. It cannot be used with the -f-fP or --fast
options.
-m value, --mines=value
Set the number of mines to value. This option cannot be used
with the -% or --percent options.
-s, --save-prefs
Save any preferences passed on the command line. This option is
normally used with the FastStart option (specified with -f or
--fast)
-v, --version
Display version information and exit. Use of this option
overrides all other options.
-w value, --width=value
Set width to value. If the interactive dialog is run initially,
any value passed for width will be listed as the default.
COMMANDS
When started normally, freesweep will conduct a dialog to query the
following information from the player: height and width of the board,
number of mines (as either an integer or in terms of size of the
board), if PC-style line drawing characters are to be used, if future
games should use FastStart mode, how to announce alerts (beep, visual
bell, or none), and if the newly entered preferences should be saved.
This dialog is skipped if the -f or --fast flags are passed, or if the
FastStart option is selected in the preference file.
In normal play, freesweep waits for keystrokes, and then reacts
according to the recieved value. Some keystrokes may be modified by a
preceding integer; these are noted in the list below by a preceding n.
The following keystroke values are valid:
n<arrow key>, nh, nj, nk, nl
The arrow keys move the cursor n squares in the corresponding
direction, as limited by the boundaries of the playing field. A
warning is issued should this occur. The default integer is one.
The vi-style motion keys h, j, k, and l are also accepted, and
are equivalent to the arrow keys.
a Toggle between the standard ASCII character set and PC-style
linedraw.
b Display the best times list, one screenful at a time. The game
clock is suspended for the duration of the best times viewer.
g Display the GNU General Public License, version 2. The game
clock is suspended for the duration of the viewing of the GNU
GPL. The text is displayed one screenful at a time; ’q’ returns
to game play, any other key advances to the next screenful.
? Display a help screen, containing a listing of valid commands.
The game clock is suspended for the duration of the viewing of
this screen.
f Toggle flagging the current square as a mine. Flagged squares
cannot be exposed.
<space>
FILES
~/.sweeprc
The user’s sweep resource file.
~/.sweeptimes
The user’s sweep best times file.
/etc/sweeprc
The global default sweep resource file.
/var/games/sweeptimes
The shared best times file.
The global preference file is read first, then the player’s
preference file. Any command line options are considered
next, and lastly any input from the interactive dialog.
AUTHORS
Gus Hartmann <hartmann@upl.cs.wisc.edu>
Pete Keller <psilord@upl.cs.wisc.edu>
CREDITS
This program would not have been written had there been more machines
capable of running X Windows in the lab where I learned to program, the
Undergraduate Project Lab at the University of Wisconsin Department of
Computer Sciences
BUGS
The best times code is currently only partially implemented.
The viewer for the GNU GPL and the best times cannot go backwards.
This manual page always includes the GNU-style long options, even on
systems which do not support them.
Other bugs should be reported to <sweep@cs.wisc.edu>.