I am currently working on an assignment to build a functioning Rubik's cube. The program does not need a GUI. But it must simulate a 3 X 3 cube with rotation behaviors and provide a graphical representation of the cube (I'm going with a flat lettered structure). My code has a class for facets which make a Face (another class) and then there is a cube class which contains the rotation methods.
I am having trouble creating/choosing an algorithm to use that would simulate the cube and all possible rotations accurately. I found a solution on this site referencing a paper proposing 7 different ways to do it (the link in below). But which method is the most intuitive/easy to code? And more importantly, which would best fit the behavior outlined below (in the pseudocode)?
I am having trouble understanding how I could use any method to account for the changes on each face at once especially when taking into account the behavior of the face rotations (as opposed to the rows and columns).
How would you represent a Rubik's Cube in code?
Rotation Pseudocode:
map each cube numbers 1-54, faces 1 – 4 are 1 – 36 while top face is 37 - 45 and bottom is 46 – 54
1 turn: clockwise = +9
1 turn: counterclockwise = -9 loops back to 45
1 turn: up = + 37
1 turn: down = -37 loops back to 46
2 turns: clockwise = +9(2)
2 turns: counterclockwise = -9(2)
2 turns: up = +37(2)
2 turns: down = -37(2)
3 turns: clockwise = +9(3)
3 turns: counterclockwise = -9(3)
3 turns: up = +37(3)
3 turns: down = -37(3)
This pseudocode does not account for the face changes.
Is there a better/easier way to do this, different from the method my pseudocode proposes? How do I account for the face changes?
Example: (front face, 1 turn, clockwise)
123 741
456 852
789 963
Note: I am leaning towards the 54 element vector but am unsure how to manipulate it.
Also, this is my first question so let me know if something is wrong (not enough info, too much, wrong topic, etc.)
Thank you!
Note: This is the code I am working with.
Facet Class:
public class Facets {
public Color color;
public Facets(Color color){
}
public enum Color {
B, G, R, Y, O, P
}
public String getName(){
return this.color.name();
}
}
Face Class:
import java.util.Arrays;
public class Face {
public Facets[] face;
/*public Face(Facets.Color color, Facets.Color[] array){
face = new Facets[9];
for(int i = 0; i < face.length; i++){
face[i] = new Facets(array[i]);
face[i] = new Facets(color);
}
}*/
public Face(Facets.Color color){
face = new Facets[9];
for(int i = 0; i < face.length; i++){
face[i] = new Facets(color);
}
}
public Face(Facets.Color[] array){
face = new Facets[9];
for (int i = 0; i < face.length; i++){
face[i] = new Facets(array[i]);
//face[i] = face[i].toString();
}
}
//Returns a textual representation of Face
public String printFace(){
StringBuilder faceString = new StringBuilder();
for(Facets f: face){
faceString.append(f.getName());
System.out.println(f.toString());
}
return faceString.toString();
}
public static void main(String[] args){
Face face = new Face(Facets.Color.B);
System.out.println(face.toString());
}
}
Cube Class:
public class Cube {
public Cube(Face front, Face right, Face back, Face left, Face top, Face bottom){
}
public Cube createCube(){
}
public Cube rotate(int row, int column, String direction, int turns){
/*Turns must be between 0 - 4
Row must be 1 or 2, column must be 1 or 2, direction must be clockwise, counterclockwise, up or down (0 means no turn, 1 is top row or left column; 2 is bottom row or right column)
*/
}
public int turns(){
}
public Cube row(){
}
public Cube column(){
}
public Cube clockwise(){
}
public Cube counterClockwise(){
}
public Cube up(){
}
public Cube down(){
}
public Cube random(Cube cube){
}
public Cube configuration(Cube cube){
}
}
Rubik's Cube:
public class RubiksCube {
public RubiksCube(Cube cube){
}
public RubiksCube(Face front, Face rightOfFront, Face back, Face leftOfFront, Face top, Face bottom){
}
//calls face and colors and initializes the arrays into a object
//default config: solid color on each side so each array, representing a face, is set to a solid color
public void createNewCube(){
}
public void rotation(Cube cube, int row, int column, String direction, int turns){
}
public Cube configuration(Cube cube){//should return 6 Faces? or cube?
return cube;
}
}
