aamaze 0.3.1

A python package for generating, solving and displaying mazes.

maze-package

A collection of maze generation and solving algorithms

Pre-requisites/Requirements to use the Package

• Python version 3.7+ (Program originally written using Python 3.9 interpreter)

Setting up the Virtual Environment

It is good practice to create a virtual environment for this project (and for any other project with non-standard-library dependencies). See this guide for how to setup and activate a virtual environment: Python docs

NOTE: Ensure that you activate the environment once you have created it (See Python docs)

Installing Dependencies (User Build)

Note: This guide assumes you are in the root project directory.

Poetry

If you have poetry installed on your machine, simply run poetry install.

setup.py

To install the relevant packages, select the directory that requirements.txt is in and run the following command:

pip install .

To check that all the packages have been installed, run the following command:

pip list

This should produce an output that contains these items

Package    Version
---------- -------
aamaze     latest_version
pip        20.2.3
pygame     2.3.0
setuptools 49.2.1

You are now ready to make Mazes!

Using the Package

Supported Algorithms

Generating Algorithms

• Eller
• GrowingTree
• Kruskals
• Prims
• RecursiveBacktracker
• RecursiveDivisor
• Wilsons

All Generation algorithms (with the exception of RecursiveDivisor) require a maze with all walls filled (start_filled=True)

Solving Algorithms

• AStarSolver
• DijkstraSolver
• FloodFillSolutionCheck

AStarSolver and DijkstraSolver find the shortest path between a Maze's entrance and exit. FloodFillSolutionCheck checks to see if every node in a maze can be reached from every other node.

Basic use case: Create a Maze and Solution

Creating a Maze and Solution to a Maze can be done in the following way:

1. Create a new Maze Object (In this case a 20x10 Maze)

from aamaze import Maze
maze = Maze(20, 10, start_filled=True, entrance_index=0, exit_index=-1)

2. Create a new GenerationAlgorithm Object
3. Run the "generate_maze" method on GenerationAlgorithm Object

from aamaze.generation import X_GeneratingAlgorithm
X_GenerationAlgorithm(maze).generate_maze()

4. Create a new SolvingAlgorithm
5. Run the "solve_maze" method on SolvingAlgorithm Object

from aamaze.solving import Y_SolvingAlgorithm
maze_solver = Y_SolvingAlgorithm(maze)
maze_solver.solve_maze()

The Objects you want to keep in this case are "maze" and "maze_solver". The GenerationAlgorithm can be safely discarded once its "generate_maze" has been run.

Basic use case: Displaying a Maze and its solution

To display a maze and its solution (optional):

1. Generate maze and solution Objects (as shown in Basic use case: Create a Maze and Solution).
2. Create a GraphicsApp Object

from aamaze import GraphicsApp
app = GraphicsApp()

3. Call the "run" method on the GraphicsApp Object

app.run()

Calling "app.run()" should open a new pygame Window that displays the Maze and its associated Solution (if a solution object is provided).

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