Help with random letters.

[jenxin]

Hi everyone!

I need help with one of my cs assignments.

The assignment is to basically make a game. In the game, there is basically a 5x5 square, where each square has a letter from the alphabet.
There will be 1 random square with a blank space ' '. I am supposed to move the letters around, and get the inner 3x3 box to look like this
a|b|c
d|e|f
g|h|i

What I need help with is assigning random letters to the squares.

To start off I assigned each square to a random letter, like this

s1 = (char)('a' + randomNumberGenerator.nextInt( 26));
s2 = (char)('a' + randomNumberGenerator.nextInt( 26));
s3 = (char)('a' + randomNumberGenerator.nextInt( 26));
// and so on

Here's what my board looks like.

        	// Display the board
        	System.out.printf( "--------------------- \n"); 
        	System.out.printf( "| %c | %c | %c | %c | %c | \n", s1, s2 ,s3 , s4, s5) ;
        	System.out.printf( "--------------------- \n"); 
        	System.out.printf( "| %c | %c | %c | %c | %c | \n", s6, s7, s8, s9, s10) ;
        	System.out.printf( "--------------------- \n"); 
        	System.out.printf( "| %c | %c | %c | %c | %c | \n", s11, s12, s13, s14, s15) ;
        	System.out.printf( "--------------------- \n"); 
        	System.out.printf( "| %c | %c | %c | %c | %c | \n", s16, s17, s18, s19, s20) ;
        	System.out.printf( "--------------------- \n"); 
        	System.out.printf( "| %c | %c | %c | %c | %c | \n", s21, s22, s23, s24, s25) ;
        	System.out.printf( "--------------------- \n");

My question is how do I assign the letters to a square without repeating the letters? Note: I am not allowed to use arrays or simulate an array with strings.

the link to my assignment: http://logos.cs.uic.edu/107/assignme...uare%20Up.html

[KevinWorkman]

And why are you not allowed to use arrays?

[jenxin]

The teacher doesn't want us to, so I had to individually assign each letter to a variable..

[al_Marshy_1981]

Are you allowed to use a Set?

[NRitH]

I'm confused: are you asking how to generate each letter only once? (And if so, which two letters won't get generated, since you're going to generate only 24?)

If you can't use arrays, can you use any of the java.util.Collection classes? If so, then java.util.Set is what you need.

[jenxin]

Thanks for the replies, here's what I can and can't do:

You may not use arrays in this program, but must store the board positions in 25 char variables. (Don't worry if you don't know what arrays are yet - we're studying arrays later.) Similarly you may not simulate arrays by using Strings. 25 variables!

And yeah how to generate each letter once. They must be randomized in the board tho.

NRitH, i''ll look into what the java.util.Set does.

[gcalvin]

You may not use arrays in this program, but must store the board positions in 25 char variables. (Don't worry if you don't know what arrays are yet - we're studying arrays later.) Similarly you may not simulate arrays by using Strings. 25 variables!

That sounds like an exercise designed to induce brain damage. I wouldn't do it.

-Gary-

[jenxin]

Its worth about 10 % of my grade, I need to do it. :'(. Any guidance will be great. I've never used the java.util.Set , I don't think he wants us to use it.. but if its not against his rules, i'll use it, you can guys give some more info on it? Thanks

[KevinWorkman]

Its worth about 10 % of my grade, I need to do it. :'(. Any guidance will be great. I've never used the java.util.Set , I don't think he wants us to use it.. but if its not against his rules, i'll use it, you can guys give some more info on it? Thanks

If he wants you to use 25 variables, then he doesn't want you to use a Set.

[gcalvin]

Its worth about 10 % of my grade, I need to do it. :'(. Any guidance will be great. I've never used the java.util.Set , I don't think he wants us to use it.. but if its not against his rules, i'll use it, you can guys give some more info on it? Thanks

It seems to be against his rules. He's pretty specific about requiring 25 char variables.

-Gary-

[KevinWorkman]

It would be interesting to see your actual requirements. I don't usually request this, but can we see what your homework assignment actually says?

[JosAH]

And why are you not allowed to use arrays?

Oh stop nitpicking, it's part of the riddle, don't you understand that? No arrays, those are the rules of the game and no more than ten curly brackets and no semicolons and just one 'for' keyword. Probably the OP doesn't understand (yet) what arrays are but the OP defines the rules of the game.

kind regards,

Jos ;-)

[jenxin]

Sure guys, here's the link to my assignment.

Program 3: Square Up

[gcalvin]

OK, well to start filling your grid, I would start with a couple of instance variables, initialized like this:

        private String letters = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";
        private int lettersRemaining = 26;

Choose a random letter from letters by generating an index in the range 0 <= index < lettersRemaining, use charAt() to get the letter, then remove that letter from letters and decrement lettersRemaining. I don't see any legalities preventing you from putting that much into a method.

The rest of the code has to be done with huge ugly blocks of switch statements. It seems the whole point is to make you grateful when arrays are introduced.

-Gary-

[gcalvin]

Actually, you don't need lettersRemaining, because it's the same as letters.length(). The brain damage is taking effect already.

-Gary-

[KevinWorkman]

OK, well to start filling your grid, I would start with a couple of instance variables, initialized like this:

        private String letters = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz";
        private int lettersRemaining = 26;

Choose a random letter from letters by generating an index in the range 0 <= index < lettersRemaining, use charAt() to get the letter, then remove that letter from letters and decrement lettersRemaining. I don't see any legalities preventing you from putting that much into a method.

The rest of the code has to be done with huge ugly blocks of switch statements. It seems the whole point is to make you grateful when arrays are introduced.

-Gary-

I don't think that's legal either. From the assignment: You may not use arrays in this program, but must store the board positions in 25 char variables. (Don't worry if you don't know what arrays are yet - we're studying arrays later.) Similarly you may not simulate arrays by using Strings. 25 variables!


The assignment does have some clues as to how he wants it done. Convoluted yes, but not impossible. I'd recommend going over the Magic Squares example with a fine toothed comb.

[jenxin]

Am i supposed to initialize the squares first then?

and instead of making s1 = random letter, make it set to ie. s1 = a?

[jenxin]

Well thanks for the help. I ended up making 25 while loops for this

    	while ( s2==s2 || s2==s3 || s2==s4 || 
    			s2==s5 || s2==s6 || s2==s7 || 
    			s2==s8 || s2==s9 || s2==s10 || 
    			s2==s11 || s2==s12 || s2==s13 ||
    			s2==s14 || s2==s15 || s2==s16 || 
    			s2==s17 || s2==s18 || s2==s19 || 
    			s2==s20 || s2==s21 || s2==s22 || 
    			s2==s23 || s2==s24 || s2==s25)
    	{
    		s2 = (char)('a' + randomNumberGenerator.nextInt( 26));

microsoft word helped alot for changing the variables.

[jenxin]

Alright I need help with changing the square that contains the letter r into a space ' ' .

Can anyone help me with this? thanks

[al_Marshy_1981]

Alright I need help with changing the square that contains the letter r into a space ' ' .

Can anyone help me with this? thanks

Check every single character to see if it is the char 'r' and if it is change it to space going to need a switch statement, a big one...