left-or-right

A Java GUI app to help you find your way with a little help from Mr Dijkstra and Mr Someone who invented A-Star.

Program Demo

Running locally

Make sure your have JDK 1.8+ installed on you system and Classpath variable pointing to the correct directory.

• Download the source code or clone the repo
• Compile all the three files in the src folder : javac Controller.java, javac Pathfinder.java, javac Node.java
• Run Controller : java Controller

Steps:

The main steps involved are :

1. Select a start node
2. Select an end node
3. Add walls wherever you like.
4. Select Pathfinding algorithm : Dijkstra or A-star.
5. Run the algorithm.
6. Clear the grid, undo an operation(unselect a start/end/wall node).

The main controls are :

• Press( do not hold) 's' and click anywhere on the grid to create a start node.

• Press 'e' and click anywhere on the grid to create an end node.

• Press 'c' to clear the grid or start over.

• Press 'backspace' to completely clear the grid while keeping start/end node

• Press 'd' and click on the specific node the user wants to delete.

• Press '1' to use Dijkstra's Algorithm.

• Press '2' to use A-Star pathfinding algorithm.

• Press 'spacebar' to run the algorithm.

Misc Information

This was an academic project which I built with some( a lot, in fact) help from the main project here : https://github.com/lootrr/PathFinder-Visualization

The cost of path and other data is displayed on the console.

You can create complex mazes by adding wall nodes and put Dijkstra(or A-star) in some trouble.

The A-star algorithm uses heuristic cost to find the min cost path. Consider this page for a better understanding. http://theory.stanford.edu/~amitp/GameProgramming/Heuristics.html#S7

For Queries/doubts/help

Forward your queries to *[email protected] *