C# Iterating an If statement with new value each time

Question

Is it possible to iterate nested if statements with a new value with every single iteration? I am trying to build a 1-dimensional cellular automata (for homework, I cannot deny it) and I'm completely new to C# as the following code will no doubt assure. I have tried to create this program using the most straightforward, basic, DIY methods available and have run myself into a rut.

I've got a string of 1's and 0's of length 8, say

string y;
y = "11110000";

I want to break this set up in 8 substring sets of 3 with each set comprising of a value in y together with a single value on either side of it. So counting from 0, the 3rd set would be 110, the 7th would be 001. However substrings will only provide the 1st to 6th set as I can't loop them around y to my liking so I defined the following-

y1=y.Substring(7,1)+y+y.Substring(0,1);

Using y1 I was able to get out all the substrings necessary. These were defined pretty basically as follows-

string a0, a1, a2, a3, a4, a5, a6, a7;
                    a0 = y1.Substring(0, 3);
                    a1 = y1.Substring(1, 3);
                    a2 = y1.Substring(2, 3);
                    a3 = y1.Substring(3, 3);
                    a4 = y1.Substring(4, 3);
                    a5 = y1.Substring(5, 3);
                    a6 = y1.Substring(6, 3);
                    a7 = y1.Substring(7, 3);

The rules for the next generation of cellular automata are up to the user in this program- that is to say the user can choose whether or not a substring, say 111->0 or 1 for all iterations. I used (an awful lot of) if tables in the following way for each substring

                     {
                        if (a0=="000")
                    {
                        Console.Write(a);
                        }
                        else if (a0=="001")
                        {
                            Console.Write(b);
                        }
                        else if (a0 =="010")
                        {
                            Console.Write(c);
                        }
                        else if (a0 == "011")
                        {
                            Console.Write(d);
                        }
                        else if (a0 == "100")
                        {
                            Console.Write(e);
                        }
                        else if (a0 == "101")
                        {
                            Console.Write(f);
                        }
                        else if (a0 == "110")
                        {
                            Console.Write(g);
                        }
                        else if (a0 == "111")
                        {
                            Console.Write(h);
                        }
                    }

where a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h are ints and are rules chosen by the user. So say for instance the user decides that each set 000 should result in a 1 value, then a=1. b corresponds to {0,0,1}, c to {0,1,0} and so on. However the fairly obvious problem with this method is that I end up with only 1 generation in ints that I can't get at. I'd love to replace y1 with this new generation (converted into a string). If this isn't possible let me know!

This link might also clear things up a bit

try using int.parse and than later .ToString and than you can use some kind of running index — LordTitiKaka, Oct 13 '14 at 13:31
This is not an answer to your question, but you're taking the wrong approach. Try to reread the link you've posted and understand the mathematics behind the cellular automata. It is much, much easier than you're making it, honestly! — Evil Dog Pie, Oct 13 '14 at 14:20
I don't doubt for a second that there isn't an easier approach out there but for me it is the most intuitive. I am really, REALLY unfamiliar with C# and programming as a whole and if tables are kinda my modus operandi (Latin?) for the momento (Mexican). — HipPriest, Oct 13 '14 at 14:30

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 22 '14 at 17:10

and here's how you COULD have gotten an A+ :D

  private static int[,] HipPriestsHomework()
    {
        string y = "11110000";
        Console.WriteLine(y);
        var rules = new[]
        {
            new {pattern = 0, result = 0},
            new {pattern = 1, result = 1},
            new {pattern = 2, result = 1},
            new {pattern = 3, result = 1},
            new {pattern = 4, result = 1},
            new {pattern = 5, result = 0},
            new {pattern = 6, result = 0},
            new {pattern = 7, result = 0},
        };
        Dictionary<int, int> rulesLookup = new Dictionary<int, int>();
        foreach(var rule in rules)
        {
            rulesLookup.Add(rule.pattern, rule.result);
        }

        int numGenerations = 10;
        int inputSize = y.Length;
        int[,] output = new int[numGenerations, inputSize];

        int[] items = new int[y.Length];
        for(int inputIndex = 0; inputIndex< y.Length; inputIndex++)
        {
            string token = y.Substring(inputIndex, 1);
            int item = Convert.ToInt32(token);
            items[inputIndex] = item;
        }

        int[] working = new int[items.Length];
        items.CopyTo(working, 0);
        for (int generation = 0; generation < numGenerations; generation++)
        {
            for (uint y_scan = 0; y_scan < items.Length; y_scan++)
            {
                int a = items[(y_scan - 1) % items.Length];
                int b = items[y_scan % items.Length];
                int c = items[(y_scan + 1) % items.Length];
                int pattern = a << 2 | b << 1 | c;
                var match = rules[pattern];
                output[generation, y_scan] = match.result;
                working[y_scan] = match.result;
                Console.Write(match.result);
            }
            working.CopyTo(items, 0);
            Console.WriteLine();
        }

        return output;
    }

C# Iterating an If statement with new value each time

1 Answers1