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New Algorithm Trainer for Any Algorithm Set

MWilson

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
288
So here's another 2 sided PLL trainer, except this one can be used with any alg set and has several options to tailor it to your own intended use. It is created with Adobe Air, so there will be a small installer, and if you want to save settings you should run it in administrator mode. Feedback and ideas for more features is welcome and appreciated. It's not much compared to other software in the community, but I think a general purpose algorithm trainer with graphical options has been missing.

For a quick look at what you can do with it, open the spoilers.

Link: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?gi5v51p59e80iu0

When you first open the program, it will look like so:
image.png

The settings button brings up this screen:
image.png

From there you can do many things, such as change the cube colors:
image.png

You can toggle stickers on and off and set the disabled sticker color:
image.png

You can resize and reposition the cube display, and resizing the window fits the list into view:
image.png

Another example:
image.png

Use the keyboard to turn faces and do cube rotations:
image.png


image.png


image.png


image.png

Create new algorithm lists with simple XML:
Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<algorithms name="PLL">
	<algorithm name="Aa" auf="random">R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Ab" auf="random">F2 R2 F L F' R2 F L' F</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="E" auf="random">F R B R' F' R L F L' B' L F' R' L'</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="F" auf="random">R' L F2 L D' R F2 L' U L' R2 B2 R2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="H" auf="random">M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Ga" auf="random">R2 u R' U R' U' R u' R2 F' U F</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Gb" auf="random">R' U' R B2 D L' U L U' L D' B2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Gc" auf="random">R2 D' F U' F U F' D R2 B U' B'</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Gd" auf="random">R U R' F2 D' L U' L' U L' D F2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Ra" auf="random">R U2 R' U2 R B' R' U' R U R B R2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Rb" auf="random">R' U2 R U' F' L F R' F' L' F U' R</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Ja" auf="random">R' L' U2 L U L' U2 R U' L</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Jb" auf="random">L R U2 R' U' R U2 L' U R'</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Na" auf="random">L' U L2 F2 U L' F2 L U' F2 L2 U' L</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Nb" auf="random">R U' R2 F2 U' R F2 R' U F2 R2 U R'</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="T" auf="random">R2 U' R2 D B2 L2 U L2 D' B2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Ua" auf="random">B2 U' M U2 M' U' B2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Ub" auf="random">B2 U R L' B2 R' L U B2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="V" auf="random">R' U R' U' B' D B' D' B2 R' B' R B R</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Y" auf="random">F R U' R' F D R' B' R' B R2 D' F2</algorithm>
	<algorithm name="Z" auf="random">B L' B' L R B' R L' B' L B R2</algorithm>
</algorithms>



Here is the "readme" file included in the program to explain what can be done:
------------------
SETTINGS XML FILES
------------------

RUN PROGRAM IN ADMINISTRATOR MODE TO ENABLE AUTOMATIC SAVING OF SETTINGS ON EXIT, AND THE ABILITY TO SAVE TO A NEW SETTINGS FILE.

In the settings folder in the program install directory, settings.xml is overwritten with the current settings at the time of
closing the program. It is also the file that is loaded automatically when the program starts.

To save custom settings, use the "Save Settings" button in the Settings screen in the program, and DO NOT overwrite the already
present settings.xml or your settings will likely be lost eventually for reasons above. Instead, save to a new file.

To load settings, use the "Load Settings" button.

Open defaults.xml in a text editor to see what settings are saved. Note that the path to the loaded algorithms XML file is
saved into the settings file. This allows you to have seperate settings files associated with different algorithms XML files.
For example, for a corners only algorithm set like CLL, you may wish to disable edge stickers on the last layer. Once done,
save the settings as something like "settingsCLL" and when you want to practice CLL, just load that up and it will be how you
like it for practicing CLL.

--------
SETTINGS
--------

Click the settings button in the top left to view the settings screen. This is a complex task, so please review the previous
sentence several times before attempting to perform it yourself.

"Save Settings" and "Load Settings"
See above section "SETTINGS XML FILES".


"Open Algorithm XML ..."
Opens a file select dialog for loading in a list of algorithms. One such file is included in the algorithms folder of the
program install directory, called "PLL.xml". Use the contents of this example file to set up your own algorithm lists.

The general structure is ...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<algorithms name="Alg List Name">
<algorithm name="Alg 1" auf="random">R U R' U'</algorithm>
<algorithm name="Alg 2" auf="random">M2 E2 S2</algorithm>
</algorithms>

... where auf can be "none", "U", "U'", "U2", or "random".

"Change Color Scheme ...":
Click this button to change sticker and cube body colors. Click the stickers to the left of the color picker to select
which color to change, then drag in the square are to set the saturation and brightness, and move the hue slider up and
down to pick the overall color. Click back in the top right to return to the previous screen.

"Change Background Color ...":
Obvious. See previous option description.

"Toggle Stickers ..."
Click this button to toggle which stickers are visible. Click on a sticker to toggle it on or off, and use the color
picker to change the color of disabled stickers. Click the back button to return to the previous screen.

"Bottom Colors"
Click on the stickers to toggle their use as bottom colors. ONE MUST ALWAYS be enabled, so toggle another one on before
trying to turn the last one off or nothing will happen.

"Cube Shadow"
Only the "Cube" dispaly mode has a shadow, so this does nothing if that mode is not selected (see next option).

"Cube View"
"Cube": Basic portrait 3D looking (but not) view.
"Top": View the U face in full, along with the surrounding stickers. The top edge is the B face.
"qCube": View it like a qCube sim.
"Full": See all stickers at once. The top face is U, and the face below it is F.

----------
HOW TO USE
----------

Use the settings panel to load in a custom list of algorithms, or just go for it with the PLL default.

Resizing the window changes the display of buttons, so have it how you like it. This is especially useful for large lists.
Note that the visibility of the buttons may be poor with certain background colors.

Place your mouse over the cube graphic and drag it to move it up and down, or use your mouse wheel to change it's size.
Click it to skip to a new random alg in the list.

To take a guess at the currently displayed algorithm, click it's button in the right side list. If a new algorithm is
displayed, then you got it. If nothing happens, try another one.

Use the keyboard to turn the cube faces, or do full rotations. See the controls section below. Notably, F is a U' turn and J
is a U turn.

--------
CONTROLS
--------

Q: z'
W: B
E: L'
R: l'
T: x
Y: x
U: r
I: R
O: B'
P: z
A: y'
S: D
D: L
F: U'
G: F'
H: F
J: U
K: R'
L: D'
SEMI COLON: y
V: l
B: x'
N: x'
M: r'

Shift + W: b
Shift + E: l'
Shift + I: r
Shift + O: b'
Shift + S: d
Shift + D: l
Shift + F: u'
Shift + G: f'
Shift + H: f
Shift + J: u
Shift + K: r'
Shift + L: d'
 
Last edited:

MWilson

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
288
Hmm I haven't needed an account to DL off there before. Can you recommend a site? I notice there's a manage attachments button when making a post but it just opens a blank window. The installer is less than 100kb.

Edit: Changed the link.
 
Last edited:
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