Using Rubik's Cube

About: This program scrambles and restores the cube.

System requirements: Windows 2000, XP, 2003.
.NET Framework 1.1 and DirectX 9.0c (Redist)

Cube installation: xcopy install. Put downloaded files any place you like, but not on a network path.

Installing prerequisites

1. Install .NET Framework 1.1 (Windows 2003 has .NET Framework 1.1 built-in).
2. Direct link for DirectX 9.0c Redistributable for Software Developers is here. After main install, extract mdxredist.msi from directx_9c_redist.exe - ManagedDX.cab and install these Managed DirectX components.

After successful installation, inside %windir%\assembly directory you should have Microsoft.DirectX, Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3D and Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3DX components version 1.0.2902.0

(Alternatively, instead of original DirectX 9.0c you can download DirectX 9.0c June 2005, it installs Managed DirectX automatically. Before running Rubik's Cube under June 2005 DirectX version, copy cube.exe.config from config for DirectX 9.0c June 2005 directory over original one.)

There are 3 usage levels

Easy

Run and enjoy (feel free to adjust window size).

Medium

Use F5 or Alt+Enter to toggle fullscreen mode (switch to fullscreen works if main window is not maximized).
Use + and - keys to change scale.
Use arrow keys (left, right, up and down) to change point of view (vertical angle is bounded).
Use w to toggle wireframe mode.
Use F1 for About dialog, when in window mode.
Use Esc for exit.

You can change some default settings stored in settings.config:

Key name	Default value	Possible values
Window width	"300"	1, 2, 3 ...
Window height	"320"	1, 2, 3 ...
Shuffle count	"50"	0, 1, 2 ...
Start in fullscreen	"False"	False, True
Software rendering	"False"	False, True
Black background	"False"	False, True
No lights	"False"	False, True
No textures	"False"	False, True

Hard

Press s to stop demo.

You can rotate cube side by side using mouse. Drag selected brick up, down, left or right and then release left mouse button. Tip: prefer to drag bricks from current front side.
Use right mouse click to undo last move.
Use keys F2 and F3 to save and load cube position, when in window mode.
Use p to return to demo mode.

Secret level

You can track current fps rate via Performance Monitor on performance object Rubik's Cube. But first you should create these counters - run cube performance counter.exe from cpc directory under Admin account. To delete Rubik's Cube counters from your system, run cube performance counter.exe one more time.

Tips

1. Turn on antialiasing in video card settings to improve image quality.
2. Run in full screen and minimize background applications' activity to improve performance.

Using "A Rubik's Cube Solver" by Dennis Merritt
Copyright (C) 1987-2002 Amzi! inc.