//This is the optional step method a node can move to.
private void optionalStepChecker(MazePlot location)
{
//Gets the optional node string identifier.
var character = maze[location.row];
var str = character.Substring(location.column, 1);
//If optional node is a #(wall), skip it and return.
if (str != "#" || str == string.Empty)
{
//If optional step list is null, create and add optional node. Otherwise, check to see if optional node has already been added and add.
if (optionalSteps == null)
{
optionalSteps = new List <MazePlot>();
optionalSteps.Add(location);
}
else if (!optionalSteps.Any(x => x == location))
{
if (goodSteps == null)
{
optionalSteps.Add(location);
}
else if (goodSteps.Count(x => x.row == location.row && x.column == location.column) == 0)
{
optionalSteps.Add(location);
}
}
}
}
private bool addMoveChoice()
{
var currentOption = optionalSteps.Where(x => x != currentStep).LastOrDefault(x => !x.blacklisted);
foreach (var option in optionalSteps.Where(x => !x.blacklisted && x != currentStep))
{
//Finds the closes move choice from optional moves to finish
if ((Math.Abs(option.row - endingRow)) + (Math.Abs(option.column - endingColumn))
< (Math.Abs(currentOption.row - endingRow)) + (Math.Abs(currentOption.column - endingColumn)) &&
!goodSteps.Where(x => !x.blacklisted).Contains(option))
{
currentOption = option;
}
}
//Adds the next move to a list
if (goodSteps == null)
{
goodSteps = new List <MazePlot>();
goodSteps.Add(new MazePlot {
row = currentOption.row, column = currentOption.column
});
}
else
{
// If No moves available, blacklist the current location and back up.
if (currentOption == null)
{
if (goodSteps.Count > 2)
{
var step = goodSteps.FirstOrDefault(x => x.row == currentStep.row && x.column == currentStep.column);
step.blacklisted = true;
currentStep = goodSteps[goodSteps.Count - blackListCounter];
blackListCounter += 1;
return(false);
}
}
//Adds the temporary good step to the steps made and resets blacklisted counter.
var temporaryGoodStep = new MazePlot {
row = currentOption.row, column = currentOption.column
};
goodSteps.Add(temporaryGoodStep);
blackListCounter = 2;
}
//Clears the optional steps for any next moves.
//Updates the current cycle with move made.
//Returns the checker to see if the maze is complete and will break the loop.
optionalSteps.Clear();
currentStep = currentOption;
return(currentStep.row == endingRow && currentStep.column == endingColumn);
}
private MazeValues mazeSolver(string m)
{
maze = m.Split(new char[] { '\n', '\r' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
bool isComplete = false;
var startingRow = Array.FindIndex(maze, row => row.Contains("A"));
var startingColumn = maze[startingRow].IndexOf("A");
endingRow = Array.FindIndex(maze, row => row.Contains("B"));
endingColumn = maze[endingRow].IndexOf("B");
currentRow = startingRow;
currentColumn = startingColumn;
currentStep = new MazePlot {
row = currentRow, column = currentColumn
};
while (!isComplete)
{
if (currentStep.row != 0)//top
{
optionalStepChecker(new MazePlot {
row = currentStep.row - 1, column = currentStep.column
});
}
if (currentStep.row != 0)//left
{
optionalStepChecker(new MazePlot {
row = currentStep.row, column = currentStep.column - 1
});
}
if (currentStep.row < maze.Length - 1)//bottom
{
optionalStepChecker(new MazePlot {
row = currentStep.row + 1, column = currentStep.column
});
}
if (currentStep.column != maze[0].Length)//right
{
optionalStepChecker(new MazePlot {
row = currentStep.row, column = currentStep.column + 1
});
}
//Makes the next move and checks if complete
isComplete = addMoveChoice();
}
//complete the maze and return values.
var finalStepsList = goodSteps.Where(x => !x.blacklisted);
var mazeOutput = buildMazeSolution(finalStepsList);
return(new MazeValues {
steps = finalStepsList.Count(), solution = mazeOutput
});
}