@database Solohalma_english.guide
@author "Andreas Barth"
@$VER: Slohalma_english.guide V1.1 (19.01.2000)
@wordwrap

@node Main "Solohalma-Documentation (english)"

		    Wellcome to @{b}Solohalma@{ub} V1.1!
		Copyright © 1998-99 Andreas 'Nobby' Barth
			       FREEWARE

 @{" Copyright and Disclaimer " link Copyright}  ... you must have read this!

 @{" News " link News}  Lock, something happened!

 @{" Introduction " link Einleitung}  What is Solohalma?
 @{" Rules " link Spielregeln}  Rules, not from me!
 @{" Requirements " link Voraussetzungen}  This is what you need!
 @{" Installation " link Installation}  This is what you have to do!
 @{" Start and Startoptions " link Start}  ... what you should know about it!
 @{" Playing, Gamefield and Menus " link Spiel}  ... to get familiar!

 @{" History und Plans " link History}  Past and future!
 @{" Thanks " link Danksagung}  ... for the help!
 @{" Author " link Autor}  Write an e-mail!


last changes: 19/01/2000
@endnode

@node Copyright "Solohalma-Copyright"

@{b}Copyright and Disclaimer@{ub}

@{b}Solohalma@{ub} is FREEWARE. That means you can copy it for non-commercial reason as often you want but without making any profit. It is not allowed to apply changes to the Solohalma-archive and the files should only be distributed as the whole archive.
Solohalma comes with no guarantees. By using it you agree to take any risk that the usage of this software brings with it.
The author of Solohalma is not responsible for any damage caused by the correct or incorrect usage of this software, not even if the user was informed about the possibility of damages before.
@endnode

@node News "News"

@{b}News@{ub}

Well, let's see what the new things are.

 - many new languages (thanks go to the ATO)
 - automatic jumping
 - some new start-options
 - installer-script
@endnode

@node Einleitung "Solohalma-Introduction"

@{b}Introduction@{ub}

Solohalma is a little game. Usually it is played with figures that you have to set up by hand before it can be played. But from now on this is not necessary any more because you can play Solohalma on your AMIGA.
It runs on the Workbench-Screen and can make your breaks more interesting.

Have fun!
@endnode

@node Spielregeln "Solohalma-Rules"

@{b}Rules@{ub}

The rules are quite easy. Solohalma is a game for only one person. After each field is set up with a figure the first free field must be chosen. Then you can jump either in horizontal or vertical direction with a figure over a still taken field to a free field. The figure you jumped over has to be removed. This procedure continues until no more jumping is possible. If there is only one figure left then you are the winner. Otherwise you have lost the game.
@endnode

@node Voraussetzungen "Solohalma-Requirements"

@{b}Systemrequirements@{ub}

Of course you need an AMIGA with at least kickstart 2.0 (V36). But some features like locale-support and color-allocation will work only with newer kickstarts (V38 and V39).
The game has been tested on several machines:
 - A4000T (OS3.1)
 - A1200 (OS3.0) with Blizzard 1230 III
 - A3000 (OS3.1) with CV64/3D
Since the requirements are so small it should run on all other configurations as well.
People with no AMIGA can play Solohalma on other computers using UAE.
The Workbench-screen should have some more colors to let the game look nice.
@endnode

@node Installation "Solohalma-Installation"

@{b}Installation@{ub}

Well, that is a easy job if you use the Installer. You simply double-click on the install-icon and follow the instructions.
I tested it quite often but if it really refuses to work you must tell @{"me" link "Autor"} this and do the following:
Copy the unpacked archive where you want. There should be no problem to start the program.
You should also make sure that your favourite language-file is placed in SYS:Locale/Catalogs or PROGDIR:Catalogs.
@endnode

@node Start "Solohalma-Start"

@{b}Start and startoptions@{ub}

You can either start the game from a shell or from the Workbench. Up to now there are the following options that can be specify as Icon-Tooltype or Shell-Parameter. 

 @{"CLOSEONCLOSEGADGET" link Opt_Close}
 @{"AUTOMATISCH" link Opt_auto}
 @{"STANDARTFARBEN" link Opt_Farben}
 @{"WINBREITE WINHOEHE WINPOSX WINPOSY" link Opt_Fenster}
@endnode

@node Opt_Close "CLOSEONCLOSEGADGET"

CLOSEONCLOSEGADGET/S

The program will quit if the CloseGadget is pressed. Otherwise it will just iconify.
@endnode

@node Opt_auto "AUTOMATISCH"

AUTOMATISCH/S

This activates the automatic jumping. It can be changed later by slecting the certain menu.
@endnode

@node Opt_Farben "STANDARTFARBEN"

STANDARTFARBEN/S

Solohalma uses only a minimum of colors instead of allocting them dynamicly. This is useful if the Workbench-Screen has only little colors. Additionally the menu can be used in the game to change this mode.
@endnode

@node Opt_Fenster "WINBREITE WINHOEHE WINPOSX WINPOSY"

WINBREITE/K/N WINHOEHE/K/N WINPOSX/K/N WINPOSY/K/N

This values specify the initial size and position of the window in pixels. They replace the default values.
WINBREITE, WINHOEHE = width, height
WINPOSX, WINPOSY = x-, y-position

@endnode

@node Spiel "Solohalma-Usage"

@{b}Game, Playfield and Menus@{ub}

A description of all the menus can be found @{"here" link Menü}.
Read @{"this" link Bedienung}, if you want to know how to operate the game.

After the start the big AB can be seen :-). You have to select 'new game' from the Project-Menu.
The playfield comes up and all fields are set up with a figure. The game asks for the first free field and this is what we have to do. It doesn't matter which one you choose - you can win in every case.
After that the jumping starts. Try not to separate  single figures from the others to prevent them from being unreachable. It is also advisable to act symmetrical. So you only need to think for one site.
@endnode

@node Menü "Solohalma-Menus"

@{b}Menu-description@{ub}

The @{fg highlight}Project@{fg text}-Menu:

 new game	- starts a new game
 undo		- take back the last move
 about		- shows some information
 iconify	- program will be iconified (Appicon on Workbench)
 quit		- quits the game

The @{fg highlight}Options@{fg text}-Menu:

 fixed colours	- if not selected, ObtainBestPen() will be used to request
		  gamecolors (works only with graphics.library V39+). On
		  WB-screen with a small depth it can happen, that necessary
		  colours can't be found or lock to similar. To prevent this
		  Solohalma can use the first 4 colours of the palette so that
		  you can at least see something.
 auto		- if selected, the figure that has only one possible destination, jumps
		  automatically
@endnode

@node Bedienung "Solohalma-Usage"

@{b}Usage@{ub}

The window consists of the playfield (the plus of 33 squares) and an information-row at the bottom border. The size of the window can be changed all the time by pulling the size-gadget.
If a field is taken by a figure it is displayed colored (green), otherwise it is grey. A (red) marking around a field marks it as the selected field. Selection can be done with the mouse or the cursor-keys.
With the left mousebutton or the Return-key the in the information-row displayed action will be performed on the selected field.
The info-row on the bottom border always shows the actual state of the game.
A move consists of two parts. First thing is that you have to select the figure with that you want to jump. The game allows only valid selections. After that the destination must be chosen. Again all errors will be ignored. If the move is complete the necessary manipulations will be done on the board.
The UnDo-function works in two different ways depending on the game status. If you are about to choose the destination-field and use undo, only the selection of the jumping figure is taken back. In all other cases a complete previous move will be taken back.
If the 'auto'-option is activated and you have selected a figure for jumping that has only one possible destination, it jumps automatically to that field. If there are more possibilities you have to choose manually like in the non-auto mode.
@endnode

@node History "Solohalma-History"

@{b}History@{ub}

If you have problems or suggestion, please tell me!

new in version 1.1 (01/03/1999):

 - automatic jumping
 - new languages
 - new startoptions
 - installer-script

new in version 1.0 (19/04/1998):

 - version 1.0 is the initial release


The program was written in Maxon C++ 3.1
@endnode

@node Danksagung "Solohalma-Thanks"

@{b}Thanks@{ub}

Thanks go to the following people:

 - Ralf and Anderas for testing the game

 - Dirk Neubauer for organizing the ATO translation

 - the @{"members of ATO" link ATO.readme/main} for their work
@endnode

@node Autor "Solohalma-Author"

@{b}The author@{ub}

Well, that's me!
Right now I am student at the Fachhochschule Jena in Germany. That's why I have the following e-mail-address:

@{fg highlight}	961etab@stud.fh-jena.de@{fg text}

Because this will change in the future, you should use my other address:

@{fg highlight}	andreas_barth@gmx.net@{fg text}

And at @{fg highlight}http://so.relativ.de/nobby/@{fg text} there will be my homepage.

Of course I also have a postal address:

@{fg highlight}	Andreas Barth
	Beethovenstraße 23
	08412 Werdau/Sachs.
	Germany@{fg text}


So, now you can write me!
@endnode