user14760: Is anyone familiar with the .wdl and .dtz formats for the 6 man tablebase that are available?  
I already confirmed that both aren't needed, however they both store different information. Goal is to determine which one would fit what I want to do.
-I know there are other forums out there for this.  I'm a new member on one of them but trying to see if anyone here is familiar with this is all.

user46: Stockfish and LCZero can work with WDL without DTZ, but it might not find the optimal way to win under engine playing conditions. If you are only interested in analyzing positions with tablebases, you don't need the DTZ to tell you if a position is won or loss (since WDL already does that), but having DTZ will guarantee the winning/bestplay sequence if the engine cannot figure it out from probing WDL alone. 

user28052: You should use both if you have the space. From syzygy-tables.info:

Most of the time (during search) only WDL tables are used. Keep these on SSD storage if you can. DTZ tables are generally only used to finish the final phase of the game ("at the root").

More info at https://www.chessprogramming.org/Syzygy_Bases

user825: 
WDL gives win/draw/loss for a position
DTZ gives distance to zero for the 50-moves draw rule

Both files are needed, absolutely. Chess engines assume both files are there, and would only check one of those at run time. It's your responsibility to make sure you have both files. There's a good opportunity your engine will crash if you don't.
You're giving yourself trouble if you leave out one. Download them both or do nothing.

user16979: So called "DTZ" syzygy tables are a supplement to WDL ones; without WDL, they're mostly useless.
Stockfish/Cfish will work with WDL only, but then it might be unable to win a difficult won (as per tables) position. "Outside" the tables, that is, as long as you only analyze positions with more pieces than your tables have, "DTZ" syzygy tables are not required.

14760: <p>Is anyone familiar with the .wdl and .dtz formats for the 6 man tablebase that are available?  </p>

<p>I already confirmed that both aren't needed, however they both store different information. Goal is to determine which one would fit what I want to do.</p>

<p>-I know there are other forums out there for this.  I'm a new member on one of them but trying to see if anyone here is familiar with this is all.</p>
 46: <p>Stockfish and LCZero can work with WDL without DTZ, but it might not find the optimal way to win under engine playing conditions. If you are only interested in analyzing positions with tablebases, you don't need the DTZ to tell you if a position is won or loss (since WDL already does that), but having DTZ will guarantee the winning/bestplay sequence if the engine cannot figure it out from probing WDL alone. </p>
 28052: <p>You should use both if you have the space. From syzygy-tables.info:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Most of the time (during search) only WDL tables are used. Keep these on SSD storage if you can. DTZ tables are generally only used to finish the final phase of the game (&quot;at the root&quot;).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>More info at <a href="https://www.chessprogramming.org/Syzygy_Bases" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.chessprogramming.org/Syzygy_Bases</a></p>
 825: <ul>
<li>WDL gives win/draw/loss for a position</li>
<li>DTZ gives distance to zero for the 50-moves draw rule</li>
</ul>

<p>Both files are <strong>needed</strong>, absolutely. Chess engines assume both files are there, and would only check one of those at run time. It's your responsibility to make sure you have both files. There's a good opportunity your engine will crash if you don't.</p>

<p>You're giving yourself trouble if you leave out one. <strong>Download them both or do nothing</strong>.</p>
 16979: <p>So called "DTZ" syzygy tables are a supplement to WDL ones; without WDL, they're mostly useless.</p>

<p>Stockfish/Cfish will work with WDL only, but then it might be unable to win a difficult won (as per tables) position. "Outside" the tables, that is, as long as you only analyze positions with more pieces than your tables have, "DTZ" syzygy tables are not required.</p>
