Cube Size

The Cube Size dialog allows the user to select the size of the cube in the range 2 to MaxCubeSize. This dialog always opens with the cube in the "set" state.

The initial set state appearance may differ according to whether cube marking, available in the cube size 3 to an upper limit (depending on options), is selected. In application mode that will be reflected in the Unravel Options parameters read from the urvstart.ini file. At start-up when Auto mode is selected, the Unravel Options dialog will be presented before this dialog so that marking and scroll options can be changed, if required, before this dialog opens. At later times when in Auto mode, the Unravel Options dialog opens after this dialog closes. If the Enable marking for cubes from size 3 to computer-dependent limit option is checked and the Allow one size up absolute centre cubie rotation simulation for cubes of odd size is not checked, a marked cube will result if cube size is within the usable range. If the cube size is odd then the marking for the absolute centre cubie will be either a numerical graphic or a corner graphic according to the setting for the Use corner markings in lieu of numbers for absolute centre cubies option. If the numerical marking limit (typically about size 33) is exceeded corner marking of all centre cubies will take over within the limit of the corner marking extension. If the cube size is odd and the Allow one size up absolute centre cubie rotation simulation for cubes of odd size option is checked, then a Special Centre Cubie Query Dialog will open and if the user answers "Yes", the one-up even size cube with movement restrictions will be selected and displayed. If the user answers "No" then the current marking will not change.

The cube size shown at start-up is different for application and for applet modes. For application mode, this dialog normally opens showing the size that was set when the program was last shut down. However, if simulation of marked absolute centre cubies were active when the program was last shut down, the cube size initially shown will be odd, not the one size higher used for the simulation. For applet mode, this dialog opens showing the program's default size 16. The default parameters are always the same.

If the user clicks "OK" in this dialog, the currently displayed cube size will be selected. If the user clicks "Cancel", the cube size that was displayed when the dialog was opened will be selected.

If the user clicks "Help" the Cube Size Dialog Help dialog opens. Its main purpose is to clarify the impact of scroll and cube marking options on the selected cube size. It provides cube size limits calculated at run-time for unmarked and marked cubes for scroll disabled and enabled for the particular computer in use. The limits, applicable when the default Program Settings are used, are highlighted. It is expected that most users would have no reason to change the default settings.

In application program mode, any change in the cube size or marking option relative to that which appears at start-up, will be recorded in the urvstart.ini file on shut-down.