Problem while printing the content of an array, which is pointed bya variable

[Victor Reyes]

[Note: parts of this message were removed to make it a legal post.]

Team,

I am trying to print the content of array, which is "addressed?" by a
variable.
Instead of getting the content of the array, I am getting its name.
I think it is better to take a look at the code bellow. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE
Do not laugh at my code, I'm still a beginner!

For example, for array @a1h, I expected to see: 1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4 but
instead I see: @a1h.

class SudokuBrute
def initialize

# The following sudoku is from:
http://www.life.com/Life/sudoku/0,26379,,00.html
# This puzzle is rated as: easy
@a1h = [1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4]
@a2h = [0,0,0,6,0,4,0,5,0]
@a3h = [0,0,8,0,9,0,0,0,0]
@a4h = [6,0,0,9,0,0,0,1,5]
@a5h = [0,1,9,0,0,0,7,4,0]
@a6h = [5,3,0,0,0,1,0,0,8]
@a7h = [0,0,0,0,4,0,3,0,0]
@a8h = [0,7,0,5,0,8,0,0,0]
@a9h = [4,0,0,0,6,0,0,0,1]
end # End method initialize

def pGrid
for
x in 1..9 do
for
i in 1..9 do
arr = "@a" + i.to_s + "h"
puts arr
end
end
end # End of method pGrid
end # End Class

class Array
include Comparable
end

##################
ms = SudokuBrute.new

# Output initial settings
ms.pGrid

 

[Stefano Crocco]

Team,

I am trying to print the content of array, which is "addressed?" by a
variable.
Instead of getting the content of the array, I am getting its name.
I think it is better to take a look at the code bellow. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE
Do not laugh at my code, I'm still a beginner!

For example, for array @a1h, I expected to see: 1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4 but
instead I see: @a1h.

class SudokuBrute
def initialize

# The following sudoku is from:
http://www.life.com/Life/sudoku/0,26379,,00.html
# This puzzle is rated as: easy
@a1h = [1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4]
@a2h = [0,0,0,6,0,4,0,5,0]
@a3h = [0,0,8,0,9,0,0,0,0]
@a4h = [6,0,0,9,0,0,0,1,5]
@a5h = [0,1,9,0,0,0,7,4,0]
@a6h = [5,3,0,0,0,1,0,0,8]
@a7h = [0,0,0,0,4,0,3,0,0]
@a8h = [0,7,0,5,0,8,0,0,0]
@a9h = [4,0,0,0,6,0,0,0,1]
end # End method initialize

def pGrid
for
x in 1..9 do
for
i in 1..9 do
arr = "@a" + i.to_s + "h"
puts arr
end
end
end # End of method pGrid
end # End Class

class Array
include Comparable
end

##################
ms = SudokuBrute.new

# Output initial settings
ms.pGrid

Well, it's doing what you're asking it to do. arr is not an array, it's a
string like "@a1h". To achieve what you want, you can use
instance_variable_get, which returns the content of the instance variable
whose name is passed as argument:

arr = "@a" + i.to_s + "h"
puts instance_variable_get(arr)

The above suggestion works and only requires a small change in your code. Most
likely, though, you should rethink the design of your class, replacing the
nine instance variables with a single hash or array variable, like this:

@a = {
:a1h => [1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4],
:a2h => [0,0,0,6,0,4,0,5,0],
:a3h => [0,0,8,0,9,0,0,0,0],
:a4h => [6,0,0,9,0,0,0,1,5],
:a5h => [0,1,9,0,0,0,7,4,0],
:a6h => [5,3,0,0,0,1,0,0,8],
:a7h => [0,0,0,0,4,0,3,0,0],
:a8h => [0,7,0,5,0,8,0,0,0],
:a9h => [4,0,0,0,6,0,0,0,1]
}

This stores the content of the grid into a hash, where each entry represents a
row. The keys are symbols (you can replace them with strings, if you like) and
correspond to the names you gave to your instance variables. You can access a
row with:

row = @a[:a3h]

The downside of using a hash is that entries aren't ordered. If you need to
iterate on all the rows in order, this isn't the best solution. In this case,
I'd use an array:

@a = [
[1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4],
[0,0,0,6,0,4,0,5,0],
[0,0,8,0,9,0,0,0,0],
[6,0,0,9,0,0,0,1,5],
[0,1,9,0,0,0,7,4,0],
[5,3,0,0,0,1,0,0,8],
[0,0,0,0,4,0,3,0,0],
[0,7,0,5,0,8,0,0,0],
[4,0,0,0,6,0,0,0,1]
]

This way, rows can be accessed sequentially in the correct order, using
@a.each or the for ... in syntax you used above . You can also access them
using the [] syntax:

@a[3]

The downside is that you can no longer associate a key with the items.

I hope this helps

Stefano

 

[Victor Reyes]

[Note: parts of this message were removed to make it a legal post.]

Stefano,

Thank you for your suggestion and sample code.
I will use it.

Thanks again,

Victor

Team,

I am trying to print the content of array, which is "addressed?" by a
variable.
Instead of getting the content of the array, I am getting its name.
I think it is better to take a look at the code bellow. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE
Do not laugh at my code, I'm still a beginner!

For example, for array @a1h, I expected to see: 1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4 but
instead I see: @a1h.

class SudokuBrute
def initialize

# The following sudoku is from:
http://www.life.com/Life/sudoku/0,26379,,00.html
# This puzzle is rated as: easy
@a1h = [1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4]
@a2h = [0,0,0,6,0,4,0,5,0]
@a3h = [0,0,8,0,9,0,0,0,0]
@a4h = [6,0,0,9,0,0,0,1,5]
@a5h = [0,1,9,0,0,0,7,4,0]
@a6h = [5,3,0,0,0,1,0,0,8]
@a7h = [0,0,0,0,4,0,3,0,0]
@a8h = [0,7,0,5,0,8,0,0,0]
@a9h = [4,0,0,0,6,0,0,0,1]
end # End method initialize

def pGrid
for
x in 1..9 do
for
i in 1..9 do
arr = "@a" + i.to_s + "h"
puts arr
end
end
end # End of method pGrid
end # End Class

class Array
include Comparable
end

##################
ms = SudokuBrute.new

# Output initial settings
ms.pGrid

Well, it's doing what you're asking it to do. arr is not an array, it's a
string like "@a1h". To achieve what you want, you can use
instance_variable_get, which returns the content of the instance variable
whose name is passed as argument:

arr = "@a" + i.to_s + "h"
puts instance_variable_get(arr)

The above suggestion works and only requires a small change in your code.
Most
likely, though, you should rethink the design of your class, replacing the
nine instance variables with a single hash or array variable, like this:

@a = {
:a1h => [1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4],
:a2h => [0,0,0,6,0,4,0,5,0],
:a3h => [0,0,8,0,9,0,0,0,0],
:a4h => [6,0,0,9,0,0,0,1,5],
:a5h => [0,1,9,0,0,0,7,4,0],
:a6h => [5,3,0,0,0,1,0,0,8],
:a7h => [0,0,0,0,4,0,3,0,0],
:a8h => [0,7,0,5,0,8,0,0,0],
:a9h => [4,0,0,0,6,0,0,0,1]
}

This stores the content of the grid into a hash, where each entry
represents a
row. The keys are symbols (you can replace them with strings, if you like)
and
correspond to the names you gave to your instance variables. You can
access a
row with:

row = @a[:a3h]

The downside of using a hash is that entries aren't ordered. If you need
to
iterate on all the rows in order, this isn't the best solution. In this
case,
I'd use an array:

@a = [
[1,0,0,0,7,0,0,0,4],
[0,0,0,6,0,4,0,5,0],
[0,0,8,0,9,0,0,0,0],
[6,0,0,9,0,0,0,1,5],
[0,1,9,0,0,0,7,4,0],
[5,3,0,0,0,1,0,0,8],
[0,0,0,0,4,0,3,0,0],
[0,7,0,5,0,8,0,0,0],
[4,0,0,0,6,0,0,0,1]
]

This way, rows can be accessed sequentially in the correct order, using
@a.each or the for ... in syntax you used above . You can also access them
using the [] syntax:

@a[3]

The downside is that you can no longer associate a key with the items.

I hope this helps

Stefano