Develop Reference

how to change items in a loop as if the letter is hidden behind the question mark

Is it possible to select a specific question marks from a loop and replace it with random.choice(letters) when chosen?
For example:
0 1 2
0 ? ? ?
1 ? ? ?
2 ? ? ?
User inputs 11 for example:
0 1 2
0 ? ? ?
1 ? M ?
2 ? ? ?
This is what i have done to show the board, but I have no clue how to select each question marks when the user input e.g (01 (0row 1column))
def create_game_board(rows, cols):
board = dict()
# save dimensions inside the dict itself
board['cols'] = cols
board['rows'] = rows
for y in range(rows):
for x in range(cols):
# add random letter to board at (x,y)
# x,y makes a tuple which can be a key in a dict
# changed to use string.ascii_uppercase so that you don't forget any letter
board[x, y] = random.choice(string.ascii_uppercase)
# change last element to # when both dimensions are odd
if (rows * cols) % 2 == 1:
board[rows-1, cols-1] = "?"
return board
def display_board(board):
# get dimensions
cols, rows = board['cols'], board['rows']
# print header
print(' '*30+" ".join([' '] + [str(x) for x in range(cols)]))
for y in range(rows):
# print rows
# print(' '.join([str(y)] + [board[x, y] for x in range(cols)])) # to display the actual letter at this location
print(' '*30+" ".join([str(y)] + ['#' if board[x, y] == '?' else '?' for x in range(cols)])) # using your display function
print() # separator empty line
board = create_game_board(rows[0], columns[0])
display_board(board)
def choice():
print('Hello ' + player[0]+"!")
cellnumber = input("Which cell do you want to open? (rowcolumn)")
print(cellnumber)
choice()

First, I suggest simplifying the majority of your code with the itertools module. To change get the user input (assuming it is valid), use a list comprehension to convert each character to an integer, destructure the list into col and row, then change board[col, row] to random.choice(string.ascii_uppercase). Like this:
import itertools
import random
import string
def create_board(cols, rows):
board = {k: '?' for k in itertools.product(range(cols), range(rows))}
board['dims'] = (cols, rows)
return board
def display_board(board):
cols, rows = [int(x) for x in board['dims']]
print(' ', *(str(x) for x in range(cols)))
for row in range(rows):
print(row, *(board[col, row] for col in range(cols)))
board = create_board(3, 3)
while True:
display_board(board)
row, col = [int(ch) for ch in input('Which cell do you want to open? (rowcolumn) ')]
board[col, row] = random.choice(string.ascii_uppercase)
I also added an infinite loop to keep the program going, but you can change this to fit the constraints of your program.

You can try to update the choice function to:
def choice(board):
print('Hello ' + player[0]+"!")
cellnumber = input("Which cell do you want to open? (rowcolumn)")
row = int(cellnumber[0])
col = int(cellnumber[1])
board[row, col] = random.choice(string.ascii_uppercase)
display_board(board)

What is the best way to generate random ships in an array in Python?

Recently, I've been working on a battleship game for my CS2 class. The focus of this project is to create a board game using arrays, and I decided to create a battleship. I have most of the code, but I cannot figure out how to get ships to get randomly generated on a 10x10 array without the ships being...
A. The wrong length
B. Looping around the array
Below is the function I currently have.
def createShips(board):
shipLen = [5,4,3,3,2]
shipAvalible = 5
directionposibilities = ["vertical", "horizontal"]
j = 0
for i in range(shipAvalible):
boatMade = False
#REGULAR VAR STATMENTS
direction = random.choice(directionposibilities)
col = randint(0,9)
row = randint(0,9)
while boatMade == False:
if direction == "vertical":
buildCount = 0
if col + int(shipLen[i]) <= 11:
colission = False
for i in range(0, int(shipLen[i])):
buildCount += 1
if board[int(row-i)][int(col)-1] == "X":
if colission:
pass
else:
colission = True
if colission:
col = randint(0,9)
row = randint(0,9)
else:
for j in range(buildCount):
board[int(row-j)][int(col)-1] = "X"
boatMade = True
else:
col = randint(0,9)
row = randint(0,9)
if direction == "horizontal":
if col + int(shipLen[i]) <= 10:
colission = False
buildCount = 0
for i in range(0, int(shipLen[i])):
buildCount += 1
if board[int(row)][int(col)+i-1] == "X":
if colission:
pass
else:
colission = True
if colission:
col = randint(0,9)
row = randint(0,9)
else:
for j in range(buildCount):
board[int(row)][int(col)+j-1] = "X"
boatMade = True
else:
col = randint(0,9)
row = randint(0,9)
shipAvalible = shipAvalible - 1
return(board)
board = [["■"] * 10 for x in range(10)]
print(createShips(board))
If you have any idea why this may not work please let me know!
P.S. I am using another function that prints the array nicely, if you would like that for convenience, it is seen below:
def showBoard(board):
print(" A B C D E F G H I J")
print(" ------------------------------")
rownumb = 1
for r in board:
if rownumb == 10:
space = ""
else:
space = " "
print("%d|%s|" % (rownumb, space + "|".join(r)))
rownumb += 1

Edit: #Eumel was a bit faster and said it better here
First of all, you have a inner and outer loop with the variable i, which might not actually interfere but it makes it harder to read the code. Consider renaming one of the variables.
When you create a vertical ship, you check the col rather than the row for index error, and does so against a value of 11 instead of your board size 10.
In the vertical case you build the ship "backwards" from the selected position, even though you checked that your board could fit the ship in the positive direction (And you place it in a column to the left). These negative values makes it such that your ships can wrap around.
In the horizontal case you are indexing a bit strange again where board[int(row)][int(col)+i-1] this gives that when i=0 you place your ship an index further to the left than intended, again causing the ship to wrap when col=0.
Further more, you could remove a few redundant if statements and duplicate lines of code, by moving:
direction = choice(directionposibilities)
col = randint(0, 9)
row = randint(0, 9)
Inside the while loop.

Ok lets go over this:
length check
if col + int(shipLen[i]) <= 9: since arrays start at 0 in python the maximum index for a 10x10 board is 9, therefore you need to chek against 9 instead of 11
loop variables
for k in range(0, int(shipLen[i])): using the same variable name for the outer and inner loop (while working in this specific case) is really bad form
collision check
if board[row+k][col] == "X": you want to build the ships "forwards" so you use row+k, you can also forego int conversions when you only use integers to begin with
collsion check 2
if colission: pass else: colission = True This whole block can be shortened to collision = True break since you dont need to keep checking for multiple collisions
buildcount
for j in range(buildCount): unless you get a collision (then you wouldnt be in this branch) buildCount is always the same as shipLen[i] so it can be completly removed from your code
boat building
board[row+j][col] = "X": same as before we build forwards
honorable mentions
shipAvailable = len(shipLen) you could also remove this part completly and iterate over your ships directly in your out for loop
Instead of radoomising your direction row and col on every break condition you could randomize it once at the start of your while loop
j = 0 unlike C you dont have to define your variables before using them in a loop, this statement does nothing

Diagonal shape in Python using while loops

I am working on a basic shapes program in Python and can't seem to work out my code. I need to keep it simple using while loops and the variables given, nested loops are usable.
Here is my code for a square:
def drawSquare(size, drawingChar):
print('Square: ')
row = 1
while row <= size:
# Output a single row
drawRow(size, drawingChar)
# Output a newline to end the row
print()
# The next row number
row = row + 1
print()
It is supposed to print like:
x
x
x
x
based on a size and character entered by the user.
drawRow is another function similar to drawSquare:
def drawRow(size, drawingChar):
col = 1
while col <= size:
print(drawingChar, end=' ')
col = col + 1

It would make more sense with a for loop:
def drawSquare(size, drawingChar):
for i in range(size):
print(" "*i + drawingChar)
Example:
drawSquare(4, "p")
Output:
p
p
p
p

Please show your work for drawDiagonal (or anything) when asking a question.
Diagonal is probably the easier case here:
def drawDiagonal(size, drawingChar):
for y in range(size):
s = ' '* y + drawingChar
print(s)
drawDiagonal(4,"X")
X
X
X
X
(Maybe pick a fixed font)

The solution I came up with is:
def drawDiagonal(size, drawingChar):
print('Diagonal: ')
row = 1
while row <= size:
# Output a single row
drawRow(row - 1, ' ')
print(drawingChar)
# Output a newline to end the row
print()
# The next row number
row = row + 1
print()
Note: drawRow is defined separately (above, in question)
& drawDiagonal was called separately as well:
drawDiagonal(userSize, userChar)
where
userSize = input('Size: ')
userChar = input('Character: ')

Creating Matrices

I'm trying to create a game of Minesweeper on python3 and the first thing im trying to do is have the user use command line input for the number of rows and columns that they wish to play with. Then I want to create a matrix based on those two numbers, but with the code below it keeps printing those two numbers that the user inputs instead of creating the actual matrix
import sys
def mineBoards(m):
Rows = len(m)
Cols = len(m[0])
for r in range(0,Rows,1):
for c in range(0,Cols,1):
print (m[r] [c],end="")
print()
return
def main():
Rows = input(int(sys.argv[1]))
Cols = input(int(sys.argv[2]))
main()

This is what I would do:
def make_board(rows, columns):
board = []
for i in range(rows):
board.append([])
for j in range(columns):
board[i].append(“-“)
return board
number_of_rows = int(input(“Number of rows: “))
number_of_cols = int(input(“Number of columns: “))
game_board = make_board(number_of_rows, number_of_cols)
Hope this helps!

You can do it like this:
rows = int(input("Number of rows: "))
cols = int(input("Number of columns: "))
board = [['-' for x in range(cols)] for y in range(rows)]
After that, the board will be a list of lists with dimensions rows x cols.
You can of course substitute the '-' with anything else, this is just an example.

Python sudoku checker

I'm working on an assignment for my CIS class in python. We have to code a Sudoku checker. In a 9x9 board we obviously have to check each row, col and 3x3 square for duplicates. I'm a little stuck on the idea of how to check the numbers by a 3x3 square. Below is my code for checking each row and col, if someone could help me a little with an outline or an approach just something for checking each 3x3 square that would be amazing!
self.columns = [ ]
for col in range(9):
col_tiles = [ ]
self.columns.append(col_tiles)
for row in range(9):
col_tiles.append(self.tiles[row][col])
self.squares = [ ]
for col in range(1, 10, 3):
for row in range(1, 10, 3):
square_tiles = [ ]
self.squares.append(square_tiles)
for x in range(3):
for y in range(3):
square_tiles.append(self.tiles[x][y])

This assumes you have the freedom to read the data and structure how you want. We want a set of unique values 1-9 for each row/column/3x3 grid, so one way is to either use a set or a list comparison (we'll use set here to make it cleaner). If we create a set equal to the numbers from 1 to 9, we have a point against which we can compare all of our other groups. Assume a structure like this (from here):
In [1]: r1 = [9,3,2,5,4,8,1,7,6]
In [2]: r2 = [1,8,7,9,2,6,5,4,3]
In [3]: r3 = [5,4,6,3,7,1,2,8,9]
# Continues....
Where each row represents a full row of data. Now lets create a section of that data that represents the first three rows, pull out one grid and compare the contents to our set:
In [4]: sec1 = [r1, r2, r3]
In [5]: nums = set(range(1, 10))
In [6]: nums == set(n for row in sec1 for n in row[:3])
Out[6]: True
This iterates over the first three rows and returns the first three elements in each of those rows. To get a better visual, here is the equivalent for-loop code to make it a bit easier to decipher:
result = set()
for row in sec1:
for n in row[:3]:
result.add(n)
Since our set of numbers includes everything from 1-9, we know it is valid. To move to the second, we range the row[:3] to row[3:6] (and row[6:9] after that). You'll then need to handle this for the next two sections as well. I'll leave it to you as to how to wrap this in a more dynamic structure (note the multiples of three), but hopefully this will get you started :)

Whenever you're having trouble coming up with an algorithm, just ask yourself: "How would I solve this manually, if the only way I could be given the problem was by a computer".
In other words, if I asked you to check the top left 3x3 grid, your eyes would just go to the top left corner and add up numbers. But if I said, check the top left 3x3 grid, and didn't actually give you the board, you'd say, "OK, give me the top left 3x3 grid".
And I'd say "How?"
And you'd say, "Imagine the tiles are numbered by rows and columns. I want the tiles in spots (0,0), (0,1), (0,2), (1,0), (1,1), (1,2), (2,0), (2,1), and (2,2)"
Does that help?

Here's what I would do: create 3 dictionaries, one for the rows, one for the columns, and one for the 3x3 squares.
while you loop through each element in the sudoku puzzle, keep track of your row and column (trivial), and use if statements to keep track of which 3x3 square you're in (a bit more involved)
then just send each element to the corresponding row, column, and 3x3 square dictionary, and compare at the end.
This way you only need to inspect each element once.
EDIT: also, set will probably be useful

This function will do. "sample" gives the randomness, so every time you run this you will get a different one.
from random import sample
def generate_sudoku_checker():
random_list = sample([1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9],9)
random_list = random_list + random_list[:9]
for i in range(3):
for j in range(3):
print(random_list[i+j*3:i+j*3+9])

Here is my solution to this :
Funtion:
def check_sudoku(lis):
n = len(lis)
digit = 1 #start from one
while (digit<=n):
i=0
while i<n: # go through each row and column
row_count=0
column_count=0
j=0
while j < n: # for each entry in the row / column
if lis[i][j] == digit: # check row count
row_count = row_count+1
if lis[j][i]== digit :
column_count = column_count+1
j=j+1
if row_count !=1 or column_count!=1:
return False
i=i+1 # next row/column
digit = digit+1 #next digit
return True

Late to the party but this worked for me:
def insert_sudoku():
puzzle = []
for i in range(9):
print("You've entered", len(puzzle), "rows so far")
row = input("Enter a row")
if len(row) < 9:
print("Not enough numbers on this row")
return insert_sudoku()
elif len(row) > 9:
print("Too many numbers. Try again!")
return insert_sudoku()
try:
row = [int(dig) for dig in row]
puzzle.append(row)
except:
print("Whoops, looks like you didn't enter only numbers somewhere. Try again!")
return insert_sudoku()
validate_entries(puzzle)
def validate_entries(puzzle):
check = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
b1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7, b8, b9 = [], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], []
for i in range(9):
z = []
for x in range(9):
z.append(puzzle[i][x])
puzzle.append(z)
for i in range(3):
b1 += (puzzle[i][:3])
b4 += (puzzle[i][3:6])
b7 += (puzzle[i][6:])
for i in range(3,6):
b2 += (puzzle[i][:3])
b5 += (puzzle[i][3:6])
b8 += (puzzle[i][6:])
for i in range(6,9):
b3 += (puzzle[i][:3])
b6 += (puzzle[i][3:6])
b9 += (puzzle[i][6:])
puzzle.append(b1)
puzzle.append(b2)
puzzle.append(b3)
puzzle.append(b4)
puzzle.append(b5)
puzzle.append(b6)
puzzle.append(b7)
puzzle.append(b8)
puzzle.append(b9)
for iter in puzzle:
if sorted(iter) != check:
print("No")
return
print("Yes")
insert_sudoku()
Inspired by this article
EDIT: Indentation might be off from copy + pasting the code.

What my answer adds is the use of a list comprehension to extract the tiles from the board.
"""
# good
board=[
[2,9,5,7,4,3,8,6,1],
[4,3,1,8,6,5,9,2,7],
[8,7,6,1,9,2,5,4,3],
[3,8,7,4,5,9,2,1,6],
[6,1,2,3,8,7,4,9,5],
[5,4,9,2,1,6,7,3,8],
[7,6,3,5,2,4,1,8,9],
[9,2,8,6,7,1,3,5,4],
[1,5,4,9,3,8,6,7,2]
]
"""
# bad
board = [
[1,9,5,7,4,3,8,6,2],
[4,3,1,8,6,5,9,2,7],
[8,7,6,1,9,2,5,4,3],
[3,8,7,4,5,9,2,1,6],
[6,1,2,3,8,7,4,9,5],
[5,4,9,2,1,6,7,3,8],
[7,6,3,5,2,4,1,8,9],
[9,2,8,6,7,1,3,5,4],
[2,5,4,9,3,8,6,7,1]
]
def check(l):
# each digit 1-9 should occur once
for n in range(1,10):
try:
l.index(n)
except ValueError:
return False
return True
# check the rows
for row in board:
print(check(row))
# check the columns
for column in [ [ board[r][c] for r in range(9) ] for c in range(9) ]:
print(check(column))
# check the tiles
for tile in [[board[r][c] for r in range(row, row + 3) for c in range(col, col + 3)] for row in range(0, 9, 3) for col in range(0, 9, 3)]:
print(check(tile))

This is my solution. I also want to confirm the time and space complexity of this code:
"""
Sample input 1:
295743861
431865927
876192543
387459216
612387495
549216738
763524189
928671354
154938672
Output: YES!
Sample input 2
195743862
431865927
876192543
387459216
612387495
549216738
763524189
928671354
254938671
Output: NOPE!!
"""
##################Solution############################################
def get_input():
#Get the input in form of strings and convert into list
print("Enter the board here: ")
lines = []
while True:
line = input()
if line:
lines.append(line)
else:
break
final = [(list(i)) for i in lines]
return final
def row_check(board):
# row check function which will be used in other two functions as well
text = ['1', '2', '3', '4', '5', '6', '7', '8', '9']
x = True
for row in board:
if sorted(row) == text:
x = True
else:
x = False
return x
def col_check(board):
# Getting the list of 9 lists containing column elements
i = 0
j = 0
cols = [[], [], [], [], [], [], [], [], []]
for j in range(0, 9):
for i in range(0, 9):
cols[j].append(board[i][j])
return (row_check(cols))
def tile_check(board):
#Getting the list of 9 lists converting each tile of 3x3 into 9 element list
lst =[[],[],[],[],[],[],[],[],[]]
i = 0
j = 0
k = 0
while k<9:
for r in range(i,i+3):
for c in range(j, j+3):
lst[k].append(board[r][c])
j = j +3
k = k +1
if j == 9:
j = 0
i = i+3
return (row_check(lst))
#main program
c = get_input()
if row_check(c) and col_check(c) and tile_check(c):
print("YES!")
else:
print("NOPE!!")