Add details about -s seed/-d to FAQ and guidelines

faq.html

@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2>
 
 <!-- BEFORE: 1st line of markdown file: faq.md -->
 <h1 id="ioccc-faq-table-of-contents">IOCCC FAQ Table of Contents</h1>
-<p>This is FAQ version <strong>28.2.0 2024-12-28</strong>.</p>
+<p>This is FAQ version <strong>28.2.0 2025-01-16</strong>.</p>
 <h2 id="entering-the-ioccc-the-bare-minimum-you-need-to-know">0. <a href="#enter_questions">Entering the IOCCC: the bare minimum you need to know</a></h2>
 <ul>
 <li><strong>Q 0.0</strong>: <a class="normal" href="#enter">How can I enter the IOCCC?</a></li>
@@ -448,6 +448,7 @@ <h2 id="entering-the-ioccc-more-help-and-details">1. <a href="#submitting_help">
 <li><strong>Q 1.2</strong>: <a class="normal" href="#markdown">What is markdown and how does the IOCCC use it?</a></li>
 <li><strong>Q 1.3</strong>: <a class="normal" href="#mkiocccentry_bugs">How do I report bugs in an <code>mkiocccentry</code> tool?</a></li>
 <li><strong>Q 1.4</strong>: <a class="normal" href="#subdirectories">How may I use subdirectories in my submission if Rule 17 disallows them?</a></li>
+<li><strong>Q 1.5</strong>: <a class="normal" href="#mkiocccentry_test">How can I test my submission passes tests without having to answer questions?</a></li>
 </ul>
 <h2 id="ioccc-judging-process">2. <a href="#judging">IOCCC Judging process</a></h2>
 <ul>
@@ -965,6 +966,31 @@ <h4 id="q-1.4-how-may-i-use-subdirectories-in-my-submission-if-rule-17-disallows
 tarball does not exceed the limit, defined as <code>MAX_FILE_COUNT</code> in
 <a href="https://github.com/ioccc-src/mkiocccentry/blob/master/soup/limit_ioccc.h">limit_ioccc.h</a>,
 you can include tarballs with subdirectories or other files.</p>
+<div id="mkiocccentry_test">
+<h4 id="q-1.5-how-can-i-test-my-submission-passes-tests-without-having-to-answer-questions">Q 1.5: How can I test my submission passes tests without having to answer questions?</h4>
+</div>
+<p>In case you do not have a UUID or you simply want to test if <code>mkiocccentry(1)</code>
+does not detect any issues with your submission, without having to answer all
+the questions, you can use the <code>-d</code> option (which is an alias for <code>-s 21701</code>
+where <code>21701</code> is the seed) to have the tool make up pseudo-randomly selected
+answers.</p>
+<p>Please note that the tool will <strong>NOT</strong> delete the directory it makes so if you
+do have to try again you’ll have to remove it.</p>
+<p>An example use of this option is:</p>
+<pre><code>    mkiocccentry -d test_work prog.c Makefile remarks.md</code></pre>
+<p>This will run the tests that <code>mkiocccentry(1)</code>, write the JSON files, use
+<code>chkentry(1)</code>, package the tarball and run <code>txzchk(1)</code> on it.</p>
+<p>See also the
+FAQ on “<a href="#info_json">.info.json</a>”,
+the
+FAQ on “<a href="#auth_json">.auth.json</a>”,
+the
+FAQ on “<a href="#chkentry">chkentry</a>,
+the
+FAQ on”<a href="#txzchk">txzchk</a>”
+and the
+FAQ on “<a href="#fnamchk">fnamchk</a>”
+for more details.</p>
 <hr style="width:50%;text-align:left;margin-left:0">
 <hr style="width:50%;text-align:left;margin-left:0">
 <div id="judging">

faq.md

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # IOCCC FAQ Table of Contents
 
-This is FAQ version **28.2.0 2024-12-28**.
+This is FAQ version **28.2.0 2025-01-16**.
 
 
 ## 0. [Entering the IOCCC: the bare minimum you need to know](#enter_questions)
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ This is FAQ version **28.2.0 2024-12-28**.
 - **Q 1.2**: <a class="normal" href="#markdown">What is markdown and how does the IOCCC use it?</a>
 - **Q 1.3**: <a class="normal" href="#mkiocccentry_bugs">How do I report bugs in an `mkiocccentry` tool?</a>
 - **Q 1.4**: <a class="normal" href="#subdirectories">How may I use subdirectories in my submission if Rule 17 disallows them?</a>
+- **Q 1.5**: <a class="normal" href="#mkiocccentry_test">How can I test my submission passes tests without having to answer questions?</a>
 
 
 ## 2. [IOCCC Judging process](#judging)
@@ -647,6 +648,7 @@ for more thorough details on bug reporting.
 
 Jump to: [top](#)
 
+
 <div id="subdirectories">
 #### Q 1.4: How may I use subdirectories in my submission if Rule 17 disallows them?
 </div>
@@ -659,6 +661,40 @@ tarball does not exceed the limit, defined as `MAX_FILE_COUNT` in
 [limit_ioccc.h](https://github.com/ioccc-src/mkiocccentry/blob/master/soup/limit_ioccc.h),
 you can include tarballs with subdirectories or other files.
 
+<div id="mkiocccentry_test">
+#### Q 1.5: How can I test my submission passes tests without having to answer questions?
+</div>
+
+In case you do not have a UUID or you simply want to test if `mkiocccentry(1)`
+does not detect any issues with your submission, without having to answer all
+the questions, you can use the `-d` option (which is an alias for `-s 21701`
+where `21701` is the seed) to have the tool make up pseudo-randomly selected
+answers.
+
+Please note that the tool will **NOT** delete the directory it makes so if you
+do have to try again you'll have to remove it.
+
+An example use of this option is:
+
+``` <!---sh-->
+    mkiocccentry -d test_work prog.c Makefile remarks.md
+```
+
+This will run the tests that `mkiocccentry(1)`, write the JSON files, use
+`chkentry(1)`, package the tarball and run `txzchk(1)` on it.
+
+See also the
+FAQ on "[.info.json](#info_json)",
+the
+FAQ on "[.auth.json](#auth_json)",
+the
+FAQ on "[chkentry](#chkentry),
+the
+FAQ on "[txzchk](#txzchk)"
+and the
+FAQ on "[fnamchk](#fnamchk)"
+for more details.
+
 
 <hr style="width:50%;text-align:left;margin-left:0">
 <hr style="width:50%;text-align:left;margin-left:0">

next/guidelines.html

@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ <h1 id="ioccc-guidelines-version">IOCCC Guidelines version</h1>
 </div>
 </div>
 <p class="leftbar">
-These <a href="guidelines.html">IOCCC guidelines</a> are version <strong>28.30 2024-12-28</strong>.
+These <a href="guidelines.html">IOCCC guidelines</a> are version <strong>28.30 2025-01-16</strong>.
 </p>
 <p class="leftbar">
 The <a href="guidelines.md" download="guidelines.md">markdown form of these guidelines</a>
@@ -590,6 +590,13 @@ <h1 id="whats-new-this-ioccc">WHAT’S NEW THIS IOCCC</h1>
 and then re-uploading it to the same slot no the <a href="https://submit.ioccc.org">submit server</a>.
 </p>
 <p class="leftbar">
+To help you with this, so that you do not have to repeatedly answer all the
+questions, the <code>mkiocccentry(1)</code> tool has the options <code>-a answers</code>, <code>-A answers</code>
+and <code>-i answers</code>, where <code>-a</code> will write to an answers file if it does not
+already exist, <code>-A</code> will overwrite the file and <code>-i</code> will read the answers from
+the file.
+</p>
+<p class="leftbar">
 Once the contest enters the <strong><a href="../status.html#judging">judging</a></strong> state, you will
 <strong>NOT</strong> be allowed to upload your submission files.
 </p>
@@ -622,6 +629,18 @@ <h1 id="whats-new-this-ioccc">WHAT’S NEW THIS IOCCC</h1>
 to account for the new <a href="https://github.com/ioccc-src/mkiocccentry">mkiocccentry repo</a> tools.
 </p>
 <p class="leftbar">
+If you wish to test that your submission passes the <code>mkiocccentry(1)</code> tests
+without having to put in answers each time, you can use the <code>-d</code> or <code>-s seed</code>
+option to <code>mkiocccentry</code> for the tool to pseudo-randomly create answers for you.
+The <code>-d</code> option is an alias for <code>-s 21701</code>. An example use:
+</p>
+<pre><code>    mkiocccentry -d test_work prog.c Makefile remarks.md</code></pre>
+<p class="leftbar">
+where <code>test_work</code> is the directory which the tarball will be formed. Be aware
+that if the directory exists already, you will have to remove it or move it
+before this option will work a second time, just like in normal mode.
+</p>
+<p class="leftbar">
 See the
 FAQ on “<a href="../faq.html#mkiocccentry">obtaining and compiling the mkiocccentry tools</a>”
 and the
@@ -679,7 +698,7 @@ <h1 id="hints-and-suggestions">HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS:</h1>
 smaller. Or, maybe not. :-)
 </p>
 <p class="leftbar">
-There may be less than 2^7+1 reasons why these <a href="guidelines.html">IOCCC
+There may be fewer than 2^7+1 reasons why these <a href="guidelines.html">IOCCC
 guidelines</a> seem obfuscated.
 </p>
 <p>Check out your program and be sure that it works. We sometimes make

next/guidelines.md

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Jump to: [top](#)
 </div>
 
 <p class="leftbar">
-These [IOCCC guidelines](guidelines.html) are version **28.30 2024-12-28**.
+These [IOCCC guidelines](guidelines.html) are version **28.30 2025-01-16**.
 </p>
 
 <p class="leftbar">
@@ -208,6 +208,14 @@ uploaded submission by rebuilding your submission with the `mkiocccentry(1)` too
 and then re-uploading it to the same slot no the [submit server](https://submit.ioccc.org).
 </p>
 
+<p class="leftbar">
+To help you with this, so that you do not have to repeatedly answer all the
+questions, the `mkiocccentry(1)` tool has the options `-a answers`, `-A answers`
+and `-i answers`, where `-a` will write to an answers file if it does not
+already exist, `-A` will overwrite the file and `-i` will read the answers from
+the file.
+</p>
+
 <p class="leftbar">
 Once the contest enters the **[judging](../status.html#judging)** state, you will
 **NOT** be allowed to upload your submission files.
@@ -248,6 +256,23 @@ To assist in the formation of the xz compressed tarball for submission, use the
 to account for the new [mkiocccentry repo](https://github.com/ioccc-src/mkiocccentry) tools.
 </p>
 
+<p class="leftbar">
+If you wish to test that your submission passes the `mkiocccentry(1)` tests
+without having to put in answers each time, you can use the `-d` or `-s seed`
+option to `mkiocccentry` for the tool to pseudo-randomly create answers for you.
+The `-d` option is an alias for `-s 21701`. An example use:
+</p>
+
+``` <!---sh-->
+    mkiocccentry -d test_work prog.c Makefile remarks.md
+```
+
+<p class="leftbar">
+where `test_work` is the directory which the tarball will be formed. Be aware
+that if the directory exists already, you will have to remove it or move it
+before this option will work a second time, just like in normal mode.
+</p>
+
 <p class="leftbar">
 See the
 FAQ on "[obtaining and compiling the mkiocccentry tools](../faq.html#mkiocccentry)"
@@ -259,6 +284,8 @@ as well as
 [how to upload your submission](submit.html) for the IOCCC.
 </p>
 
+
+
 Jump to: [top](#)
 
 
@@ -317,7 +344,7 @@ smaller.  Or, maybe not.  :-)
 </p>
 
 <p class="leftbar">
-There may be less than 2^7+1 reasons why these [IOCCC
+There may be fewer than 2^7+1 reasons why these [IOCCC
 guidelines](guidelines.html) seem obfuscated.
 </p>