Sokoban YASC 1.676 has been published

Brian Damgaard has published a new version of his great and widely used Sokoban YASC program. There are also new versions of the optimizer (YASO) and the solver (YASS).

The release notes for this new version:

• The puzzle file format has undergone a major overhaul, most notably abandoning the run-length encoding feature.
  This includes both the simple form that allowed moves like 'rrrUUUU' to be encoded as '3r4U', and the advanced grouping form that encoded moves like 'rrUUUrrUUU' as '2(2r3U)'.
  The feature was not only never used in practice, but there was no real need for it. 
  For programmers, it greatly increased the implementation complexity, far more than could be justified.
  Thanks to Matthias Meger and Eric Sunshine for their valuable contributions to both the file format and its description.
• New feature: The application now includes an automatic "Check for Updates" feature, installing updates automatically when available.
   The update check frequency can be customized with options for weekly, monthly, yearly, or never. To adjust these settings, go to "Settings | Control | Miscellaneous".
• New feature: A graphical user interface (GUI) is now available for configuring all solver and optimizer plugins that come with Sokoban YASC.
  The program includes plugin scripts for several major solvers (e.g., Festival) and optimizers (e.g., JSoko). While the YASS solver and YASO optimizer are bundled with Sokoban YASC, the other programs must be downloaded separately from their respective websites due to license restrictions. 
  Once installed, the provided plugin scripts seamlessly integrate these external programs into the Sokoban YASC environment, allowing users to launch, stop, and manage tasks from the solver and optimizer queues.
  Previously, the only way to adjust settings such as 'time limit' or 'memory limit' for these external programs was by manually editing plain text files. 
  Although  functional, this method was far less user-friendly than a graphical user interface with checkboxes, radio buttons, drop-down lists for multiple choices, and other common GUI elements. 
  The novelty is that the underlying SokLisp scripting language has been enhanced with the ability to support GUI windows. 
  This upgrade enables the plugin scripts to offer a much more convenient, user-friendly interface for managing the settings.
   Additionally, it allows the plugins to offer new, advanced features, such as saving and swapping different sets of settings tailored for various types of tasks.
• The accompanying solution optimizer uses four optimization strategies. 
  One of them, “Global Optimization,” often requires considerable time with only minimal chances of finding improvements.
  Nevertheless, this method remains essential for optimizing secondary metrics, such as player lines, alongside moves and pushes.
  This capability makes the method particularly valuable for finding truly optimal solutions in very small puzzles.
   Now, the “Global Optimization” strategy includes a 50-million pushes limit, providing a more balanced trade-off between runtime and the likelihood of discovering improvements.
• Minor changes.

JSoko 2.22 has been published

A new JSoko version has been released.

Please check out the release notes.

Please report any bugs, problems or suggestions to: JSoko@mail.de

JSoko 2.21 has been published

A new JSoko version has been released.

Please check out the release notes.

Please report any bugs, problems or suggestions to: JSoko@mail.de