IOCCC FAQ Table of Contents
This is FAQ version 28.1 2024-10-20.
mkiocccentry tool and how do I use it?mkiocccentry and its related tools?mkiocccentry tool and how do I use it?mkiocccentry and its related tools?mkiocccentry tool?mkiocccentry tool?fnamchk tool?.auth.json and/or .info.json files?.auth.json file?.info.json file?author handle?author_handle.json file and how are they used?entry_id?.entry.json file and how is it used?fnamchk tool?.auth.json and/or .info.json files?.auth.json file?.info.json file?author handle?author_handle.json file and how are they used?entry_id?.entry.json file and how is it used?try.sh and try.alt.sh scripts and why should I use them?try.sh and try.alt.sh scripts and why should I use them?.top, .allyear, .year and .path files?.top, .allyear, .year and .path files?Jump to: top
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To submit your code to the IOCCC, you MUST follow these steps:
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ with the proper instructions. Watch the IOCCC news for an announcement of the availability of the IOCCC submit server.Jump to: top
mkiocccentry tool and how do I use it?mkiocccentry tool and how do I use it?This tool comes from the mkiocccentry repo and it is required that you @@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ mentioned and as described below.
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mkiocccentry and its related tools?mkiocccentry and its related tools?After you @@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ for more up to date information on downloading, compiling, and related FAQ infor
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We recommend starting with the sample @@ -710,7 +710,7 @@ command that is compatible with GNU Make version 3.81.
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Yes! The mkiocccentry(1) tool has some options to help write OR read from an
answers file so you do not have to input the author(s) or the submission
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ overwrite your prog.c or some other important file!
mkiocccentry -i answers.txt ...Jump to: top
While your entry’s source filename, as submitted, must be prog.c, your entry’s Makefile
may copy prog.c to a different filename as part of the compiling/building process. For example:
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The IOCCC makes extensive use of markdown. @@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ as it lists things you should not use in markdown files.
See also CommonMark Spec.Jump to: top
mkiocccentry tool?mkiocccentry tool?As the mkiocccentry toolkit is crucial in the contest, both for submitters and the judges, if you find a bug @@ -850,7 +850,7 @@ in the mkiocccentry repo
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We realise that the IOCCC rules, IOCCC guidelines @@ -897,7 +897,7 @@ FAQ on “rules, guidelines, tools feedback”.
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The IOCCC judges to welcome feedback on the IOCCC @@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ discussion.
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There are unfortunately some warnings that cannot be disabled; they are always @@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ inevitable in obfuscated code and even non-obfuscated code.
should be worried about too much as this is on the compiler developers, not you.Jump to: top
There are types of entries that are frequently submitted to the IOCCC. While we do not wish to prevent people from sending @@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ of the same theme.
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As entries have been fixed it is entirely possible that some of the entries no @@ -1056,13 +1056,13 @@ get around rule 2 size limits is discouraged).
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By tradition, we do not say.
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It takes a fair amount of time to setup, run, respond to messages, process entries, review entries, trim down the set entries to a set of winning entries, doing the @@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ for more information.
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Are you trying to trick us? :-)
@@ -1095,7 +1095,7 @@ certainly more than 3.Jump to: top
Because the publication on the IOCCC site IS the award! @@ -1174,7 +1174,7 @@ entries that do not win on their web page for everyone to see.
Jump to: topmkiocccentry(1) will check and warn about the following conditions:
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fnamchk tool?fnamchk tool?This tool, which is in the mkiocccentry @@ -1303,7 +1303,7 @@ for more information.
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.auth.json and/or .info.json files?.auth.json and/or .info.json files?If you want to validate the .auth.json or .info.json files you
@@ -1346,7 +1346,7 @@ submission manually then you would be violating .
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.auth.json file?.auth.json file?This file is constructed by the mkiocccentry(1) prior to forming the xz
compressed tarball of your submission. The .auth.json file contains
@@ -1616,7 +1616,7 @@ validate the .auth.json file.
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.info.json file?.info.json file?This file is constructed by the mkiocccentry(1) prior to forming the xz
compressed tarball of your submission. The .info.json file contains
@@ -2052,7 +2052,7 @@ FAQ on “validating JSON documents”.
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An author_handle is string that refers to a given author and is unique to the
IOCCC. Each author has exactly one author_handle.
TL:DR: The contents of these JSON files contain the best known @@ -2407,7 +2407,7 @@ for information about how to update and/or correct IOCCC author information.
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If you are an author of a winning entry, you may find your own author_handle
by going to your entry in the authors.html web page and viewing the string
@@ -2441,7 +2441,7 @@ for more information on terms such as author, entry, and s
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-
Q: What is an
+entry_id?Q 3.9: What is an
entry_id?entry_id is a string that identifies a winning entry of the IOCCC.entry_id is a 4-digit year, followed by an underscore, followed by a directory name.
2020_ferguson2Jump to: top
.entry.json file and how is it used?.entry.json file and how is it used?TL:DR: The contents of this JSON file contain information about each winning entry in JSON format.
@@ -2869,7 +2869,7 @@ something along those lines.Jump to: top
If you want or need to verify that a JSON document (as a string or file) is @@ -2906,7 +2906,7 @@ the tool.
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In general the best way to compile everything in an entry directory is to run:
@@ -2948,7 +2948,7 @@ were to do something likemake CC=gcc=mp-12 it would register as Jump to: top
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This depends on your operating system but below are instructions for Linux and macOS with alternative methods for macOS and different package managers with Linux.
@@ -3192,7 +3192,7 @@ FAQ on “GitHub pull request” for more information about pull requests.Jump to: top
This depends on your operating system but below are instructions for Linux and macOS with alternative methods for macOS and different package managers with Linux.
@@ -3223,7 +3223,7 @@ for downloading, installing and using ncurses.Jump to: top
This might depend on the entry but most likely the Swiss Army Knife of sound @@ -3255,7 +3255,7 @@ include this here, at least for now.
include this here, at least for now.Jump to: top
If your OS package manager does not have the package tcpserver you can
download, making sure you’re in a temporary directory, and compile the source
@@ -3270,7 +3270,7 @@ like:
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This depends on your operating system for which we describe a couple below.
We recommend trying a method suitable for your environment first, if possible.
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This depends on your operating system for which we describe a couple below.
We recommend trying a method suitable for your environment first, if possible.
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This depends on your operating system for which we describe a couple below.
We recommend trying a method suitable for your environment first, if possible.
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This depends on your operating system for which we describe a couple below.
In general OpenGL needs X11 to be installed and the X Window Server to be running. See the @@ -3421,7 +3421,7 @@ for downloading, installing and using OpenGL.
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Although one can clone the entire winner
@@ -3509,7 +3509,7 @@ browser to 1984/index.html, scroll down to Winning Entries of
index.html file. Of course the caveats listed above still will apply.
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This depends on your operating system but below are instructions for Linux and macOS with alternative methods for macOS and different package managers with Linux.
@@ -3539,13 +3539,13 @@ for downloading, installing and using zlib.We recommend trying a method suitable for your environment first, if possible.
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Please see the official Ruby installation guide.
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First, if gem is not installed, see the gem GitHub repo.
Assuming you have git(1) installed, you can do:
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Some entries that won the IOCCC, particularly entries from long ago, no longer compile on more @@ -3598,7 +3598,7 @@ compiles does not mean it will run on your specific system.
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Although we have fixed numerous entries to work with clang (sometimes in an alt @@ -3626,7 +3626,7 @@ for more information about pull requests.
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If the entry requires gcc and you did not explicitly install gcc in macOS you @@ -3643,7 +3643,7 @@ FAQ on “fixing an entry” for details.
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While we know that use of -Weverything is generally not recommended
by clang C compiler developers, we do use the -Weverything
@@ -3713,7 +3713,7 @@ better than other entries.
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try.sh and try.alt.sh scripts and why should I use them?try.sh and try.alt.sh scripts and why should I use them?A lot of the entries, old and otherwise, have complicated uses or, if not complicated uses, it has numerous uses (sometimes both), and having a script @@ -3734,7 +3734,7 @@ process or appreciate the entry more, then please do so.
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What may have worked years ago may not work well or work at all today. @@ -3786,7 +3786,7 @@ for how to submit a fix to an IOCCC entry.
grep intr or whatever.
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Unfortunately some older entries are non-portable and require 32-bit support or @@ -3851,7 +3851,7 @@ for more information about pull requests.
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We have set up make rules to easily do see what was changed in the winning IOCCC @@ -3943,7 +3943,7 @@ for more information.
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Some may wonder: “Doesn’t this tamper with the entry too much?”
@@ -3979,7 +3979,7 @@ can look almost identical.Jump to: top
Because some entries had to be fixed for modern systems and often the fixes @@ -4001,7 +4001,7 @@ FAQ on “entry source code changes” for more information.
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Due to the fact that the original code has sometimes had to change these files are the original winning entry or as close to as possible to the original that @@ -4010,7 +4010,7 @@ author might have made a modification without saving the original).
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The alternate versions are exactly what they sound like, versions of their @@ -4039,7 +4039,7 @@ for more information.
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There are a number of reasons this was done but they usually come down to a
@@ -4059,7 +4059,7 @@ cases, however, this had to be done even without clang objections.<
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Every entry has what is called the “original source file”. This is @@ -4122,7 +4122,7 @@ FAQ on “what changed” for more information and make rules relating to “original source file” differences.
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The reasons this was done varies. One of the earliest changes was making the old
.hint or .text files README.md files. The first time this was done was for
@@ -4151,7 +4151,7 @@ other times something else.
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If you see a problem with an IOCCC entry, first check the known bugs @@ -4223,7 +4223,7 @@ have the final say in the matter.
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First, if you do not already have a GitHub account or you have not installed an @@ -4386,7 +4386,7 @@ example, you would type:
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If you discover a problem with the IOCCC website that is related @@ -4410,7 +4410,7 @@ the issue. Otherwise, if you do not see the same issue reported, then feel free to open a new IOCCC website issue.
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For IOCCC website problems that relate to a particular IOCCC entry, please see the @@ -4471,7 +4471,7 @@ FAQ on “fixing an entry” for information on opening up an IOCCC issue.
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You may correct or update IOCCC author information by submitting a
GitHub pull request that modifies an author’s author_handle.json file.
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We would appreciate if you try to fix the broken (the link goes nowhere) or wrong (the link goes to something that clearly is not the original intent) web link. @@ -4592,7 +4592,7 @@ FAQ on “report website problem”.
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The IOCCC judges run the IOCCC entirely out of @@ -4612,7 +4612,7 @@ efforts, we suggest making an Anonymous gift via the
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We do not ‘maintain’ the contest entries as such. The code is made available on an ‘AS @@ -4719,7 +4719,7 @@ for more information about pull requests.
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While IOCCC judges look favorably on most requests to use IOCCC material,
@@ -4766,7 +4766,7 @@ For additional information on the Copyright and CC BY-SA
@@ -4807,7 +4807,7 @@ exaggeration.
-
Q: Why do you sometimes use the first person plural?
+Q 10.2: Why do you sometimes use the first person plural?
.top, .allyear, .year and .path files?.top, .allyear, .year and .path files?The IOCCC is now attempting to use the following terms:
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Disclaimer: This FAQ is not a license, has no legal @@ -4904,7 +4904,7 @@ including, of course, the IOCCC winners themselves! It is designed to help ensure that everyone may enjoy the IOCCC.
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The IOCCC uses Mastodon for news updates, announcements, and for various other social media purposes.
@@ -4932,7 +4932,7 @@ mastodon feed page and/or mastodon app from time to time to view IOCCC mastodon updates.Jump to: top
Sometimes an author will state that for best viewing purposes you should have your tabstop set at say 4 or 8. If you use vim or vi or vim in no compatible @@ -4942,7 +4942,7 @@ can hit ESC to do this) and then type the command:
where 4 is the value you wish to set the tabstop to.
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Q: How can I comment or make a suggestion on IOCCC rules, guidelines and tools?
+Q 2.1: How can I comment or make a suggestion on IOCCC rules, guidelines and tools?