1. locate life.dll file within CMD using cd C:<path> 2)the file location within this zip is: C:\Life\bin\Debug\netcoreapp3.1
2. enter "dotnet life.dll" to run program with default settings

This program runs a visual simulation of the Game of Life. Each cell is represnted by a white square. Each generation has a set of rules applied to the grid. These rules are dependent on the number of neighbours each cell has.

1. Leave 1 space between arguments.

2. There are 13 options that can be set through command line arguments.

3. These options are: [--dimensions], [--periodic], [--random], [--seed], [--generations], [--max-update], [--step], [--neighbour], [birth], [--survival], [--memory], [--output], [--ghost].

4. Some of these options must be entered with a value.

5. Enter arguments after "dotnet life.dll" for example "dotnet life.dll --random 0.5"

6. Use the spacebar to progress through the program.

[--dimensions] Description: Sets the dimensions of the grid. Requires two parameters , these must be positive integers between 4 and 48 inclusive.

Usage: --dimensions Default: 16 16 Note: I have made the validation except 4, however the display library fails to handle a window size this small, and may crash.

[--periodic] Description: Enables and Disables periodic behaviour. Periodic behaviour uses a toroidal array, this means that there are no borders. This takes no parameters.

Usage: --periodic Default: OFF

[--random] Description: Sets the random factor. The random factor is used as the percentage of alive to dead cells, used in the creation of the random seed. This option takes one value , this must be a float between 1 and zero inclusive.

Usage: --random Default: 0.5

[--seed] Description: sets the seed file path. This is used to set the initial location of alive cells in the begining of the simulation. This must be a valid .seed file path to work

usage: --seed Default: N/A

[--generations] Description: Defines the number of generations the Game Of Life will run. This must be a non-zero, positive integer.

usage: --generations Default: 50

[--max-update] Description: sets the number of generations iterated per second. must be a float between 1 and 30 inclusive.

Usage: --max-update Default: 5

[--step] Description: Enables and disables step mode. Step mode waits until the space bar is pressed, before going to the next generation. This takes no values.

Usage: --step Default: OFF

[--neighbour] Description: Sets 3 options: neighbourhood type: moore or vonNeumann, describes the neighbour bounds; order: an integer between 1 and 10 inclusive, defines the size or radius of the neighbourhood; centre cell: true or flase, decides if you count the centre cell when you add up the alive neighbours.

Usage: --neighbour e.g. --neighbour vonNeumann 3 true Default: --neighbour moore 1 false

[--birth] Description: sets the number of neighbours that would allow for new cells to be born next generation. Must be a positive integer less than the max number of neighbours. can take an arbitrary number of paramteres. You can input a range of values using an elipses "..." e.g. "4...10" would input values 4,5,6,7,8,9,10.

Usage: --birth e.g. --birth 2 3 4...10 Default: --birth 3

[--survival] Description: sets the number of neighbours that would allow for new cells to survive to next generation. Must be a positive integer less than the max number of neighbours. can take an arbitrary number of paramteres. You can input a range of values using an elipses "..." e.g. "4...10" would input values 4,5,6,7,8,9,10.

Usage: --survival e.g. --survival 2 3 4...10 Default: --survival 2 3

[--memory] Description: defines the number of previous generations stored. We use previous generations to search for a steady state. The larger the memory, the greater periodicity we can identify. Must be an integer between 4 and 512 inclusive.

Usage: --memory Default --memory 16

[--output] Description: sets the output file path, used to write the last generation of cells into a .seed file. Writes it as the version 2 seed.

usage: --output DefaultL: N/A

[--ghost] Description: Enables ghost mode, which displays the last 3 generations of dead cells.

Usage: --ghost Default: OFF ...

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