Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 16:37:12 -0500
From: Dave Dyer <ddyer@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: SGF FF[4] version 8


Here is a preliminary spec for Lines of Action use of SGF 4.


The applet which uses this format, and archives of example games, can be found
at http://www.andromeda.com/people/ddyer/loa/loa.html


	// public property names, common to all SGF, used by the current LOA viewer.

"FF";	//format of the file
"GM";				//integer indicating the game type
"GN";		//the name of this particular game
"GC";		//a comment describing the game as a whole
"SZ";				//the size of the board
"PL";			//the player to play next
"AB";		//"Add black"
"AW";		//"Add white"
"AE";		//"Add empty"
	
"B";				//a black move
"W";				//a white move
"C";			//a comment
"N";			//node name
"PB";		//the name of the black player
"PW";		//the name of the white player
  
  	/* sgf property names specific to Lines of Action, sgf game ID 9 */

"SU";		//setup type, designates the intial placement of pieces, and also the
			  //implicitly the variation on the basic rules to be employed.  The
			  //currently valid values include the following strings (case is unimportant)
			  //for details on the setups and rule variations, consult the LOA home pages
			  //at www.andromeda.com/people/ddyer/loa/loa.html
			  Standard
			  Scrambled-eggs
			  Parachute
			  Gemma
				Custom		//the initial board is empty, AB and AW properties will be used to establish
									//the starting position.

 "AS";		//adding stones, the color of the player who is adding stones to the board. The
 					//valid strings are Black White or None.  The puropse of this property is to define
 					//a board position where the human is expected to continue placing stones on the board.
 					//through some user interface.
	"IP";		//designates the initial position in the game to be displayed by the viewer.  The only
					//value currently supported is <i>end</i>, which causes the viewer to initially display
					//the final position of the game.  The default is to display the position after setup
					//but before any moves.
	"SE";		//note the selected position, presumably the position of the stone about to be moved.	
	"IY";		//invert Y axis.  values are true or false, if true, the board should be displayed 
				  //with numbers increasing in value from bottom to top of the screen.
				  
				  
Notation for B and W moves

  A board position is specified by one letter and one number, letters are always displayed
  left-to-right across the screen.  Numbers are normally displayed 1-n from bottom to top
  of the screen.

	For normal moves, specify the source and destination squares, as specified by one letter and 
	one number.  For example,	A1-B2, optionally, a : may be used to identify a capturing move,
	for example A1:B2.  The use of the colon is purely for human readability.

  The following unusual moves specifiers are also used when appropriate
  
  Pass
  Resign
  Forfeit
  ^^					//"escape" move, used only in Gemma variation
  
	
	Other defaults
	
	the default setup is Standard
	the default board size is 8
	the default first player is black
	

---
My home page:  http://www.andromeda.com/people/ddyer/home.html