Google Code URL

I don't remember if we provided this URL at the start, but this is the link to our Google Code Project where our code is hosted using Subversion version control.
(http://code.google.com/p/tbsc-senproj2013/)

More Updates

Fixed a problem with undoing a move (the pencil marks in the cell were not being restored properly) and a back-button navigation issue occurring after a user completed a puzzle and went to the History screen (it would go back to the still-editable puzzle); we also have the menu functionality done for undo, hint, validate, reset, and solve.  Selecting solve will replace all number keys at the bottom with an "OK" button that will bring them to the History screen and not record their score.  Score functionality is still waiting on implementing the timer.  I looked at some of that and may use a chronometer (an Android object) or a Handler of some sort to get the timer at the top to continue updating.  I'm also looking into the pause and resume functions - I think what I might do is make the pause return the user to the menu screen and they have to hit resume to keep working on the puzzle.  It should also do that when the user doesn't return to the puzzle before the app is closed by the system (can probably be done in an onStop or onDestroy method, I have to do more reading on the activity lifecycle).  I also need to figure out how I'm going to store it.  I was originally going to use an xml file or some sort of saved file, but I think there may be a more efficient way that doesn't require creating an external file.  More to research, anyway.

More Progress

Added pencil mark functionality today, and the generator will pass a puzzle of whatever difficulty it generates to the activity.  The problem with the generator at this point is if we ask it for a puzzle of a certain difficulty, we have to put it in a loop until it gives us one with that difficulty, and what it does is it keeps generating and then coming back with "unknown" difficulty and continuously regenerates.  We decided to look at it and see if it was generating anything useful at all, and it was, so we put it out to the puzzle screen.  We will be doing some more reading on the generator and its difficulty ratings.  Other things we are looking at next are to gray out buttons when the digit count on the puzzle board reaches 9 and begin looking into the timer functionality.

Puzzle UI function so far

The puzzle UI is the one that has the most going on inside it - right now our functionality includes the following:

1. The board draws with all given numbers having a gray background and not editable, and the default selected cell when the puzzle first appears is the top left cell.
2. User can select a cell and the app will automatically (if setting is appropriate) highlight the following:
1. The row the cell is in.
2. The column the cell is in.
3. The 3x3 box the cell is in.
4. Any cells containing the same number, if the cell selected has a value (in a different color than numbers 1 - 3).
3. If a cell has a value in it and it is not a given cell, the eraser button functions properly and resets highlighting.
4. The button digit counts recalculate with every number entered/erased (and only appear if the setting is appropriate).
5. If a user tries to enter an invalid number in a cell (like a second "3" in a row/column/box), the puzzle will shake briefly and not enter the number.
6. Upon puzzle completion, the screen will bring up a dialog saying it is completed and it will redirect the user to the History UI (it will need to pass the score once the timer functionality is completed).
7. Screen orientation functions properly (no numbers are reset, etc).

Screenshot of new highlighting function:

The colors show up pale on the emulator, but nicely on the phone.

The next steps I'd like to look at in the immediate future is darkening buttons when there are 9 of the number present on the board (no more to place), pencil marks function, and starting to set up the timer.

Right now the puzzle is being generated by two hard-coded strings (one with the fully solved puzzle, and one with the blanks in the puzzle).  It will be replaced by the generator's puzzles (which will be looked at later today).

Stephanie

Solved problem with values persisting

Solved issue with the user-entered values clearing on orientation change - also set digit counts to re-calculate so they remain accurate also.

Puzzle UI Screens

I made the selection a little more defined (with an outlined box) and changed the background color of the given cells so it would be easier to tell which cells were givens and which were user-entered.  I had originally planned on using font color to do that, but there wasn't enough of a difference between the colors without it drowning out in the puzzle background, so I changed the givens to have a darker gray behind them  (however, if you select a blank, user-entered field, you can see the black box more, and it is darker blue than the highlights still as it was in the previous post).  For the sake of having an actual puzzle and testing user entry, I just got a generic easy puzzle from the Internet and put it in as a test puzzle.  The digit counts on the buttons are created dynamically and are only shown if the settings in the app request it.  Still no functionality with the eraser, pencil, or pause buttons, but the number buttons will enter on the screen.  That's the part that doesn't persist - user-entered numbers on the screen reset to blank because the puzzle object needs to be held over orientation to not be reset.  Also, if the user tries to enter an invalid number (one where the same number is present already in that row, column, or box), the puzzle shakes back and forth briefly.  I am also thinking about having the highlighting include (in a different color) any boxes with the same number in them (ie: if I select a box with an eight in it, all other eights on the board are highlighted as well).  Screenshots of the screens so far:

Potential generator found

A potential generator has been found from http://ostermiller.org/qqwing/. The following features are listed on the website:

• Fast. It can solve 1000 puzzles in 1 second and generate 1000 puzzles in 25 seconds.
• Uses logic. Uses as many solve techniques as possible when solving puzzles rather than guessing.
• Rates puzzles. Most generators don't give an indication of the difficulty of a Sudoku puzzle. QQwing does.
• Can print solve instructions. Tells steps that need to be taken to solve any puzzle.
• Customizable output style. Including a CSV style that is easy to import into a database.