Question

I am writing up a Game of Life program in C#. I am using a 2D array of structs. It seems when I display the Random method that the algorithm of the neighbours or something is wrong. When it goes through generations random cells are coming “alive” when they are not supposed to. Any help?

public struct cellDetail
{
    public int curGenStatus;
    public int nextGenStatus;
    public int age;

}
public class Class1
{

    static cellDetail[,] Generations(cellDetail[,] cells)
    {

        int neighbours = 0;

        for (int i = 0; i < 40; i++)
            for (int j = 0; j < 60; j++)
                cells[i, j].nextGenStatus = 0;

        for (int row = 0; row < 39; row++)
            for (int col = 0; col < 59; col++)
            {
                neighbours = 0;

                if (row > 0 && col > 0)
                {
                    if (cells[row - 1, col - 1].curGenStatus > 0)
                        neighbours++;
                    if (cells[row - 1, col].curGenStatus > 0)
                        neighbours++;
                    if (cells[row - 1, col + 1].curGenStatus > 0)
                        neighbours++;

                    if (cells[row, col - 1].curGenStatus > 0)
                        neighbours++;
                    if (cells[row, col + 1].curGenStatus > 0)
                        neighbours++;

                    if (cells[row + 1, col - 1].curGenStatus > 0)
                        neighbours++;
                }

                if (cells[row + 1, col].curGenStatus > 0)
                    neighbours++;
                if (cells[row + 1, col + 1].curGenStatus > 0)
                    neighbours++;

                if (neighbours < 2)
                    cells[row, col].nextGenStatus = 0;
                if (neighbours > 3)
                    cells[row, col].nextGenStatus = 0;
                if ((neighbours == 2 || neighbours == 3) && cells[row, col].curGenStatus > 0)
                    cells[row, col].nextGenStatus = 1;
                if (neighbours == 3 && cells[row, col].curGenStatus == 0)
                    cells[row, col].nextGenStatus = 1;
            }

        for (int i = 0; i < 40; i++)
            for (int j = 0; j < 60; j++)
                cells[i, j].curGenStatus = cells[i, j].nextGenStatus;

        return cells;
    }

    static void PrintCells(cellDetail[,] cells)
    {
        for (int row = 0; row < 40; row++)
        {
            for (int col = 0; col < 60; col++)
            {
                if (cells[row, col].curGenStatus != 0)
                {
                    cells[row, col].curGenStatus = (char)30;
                    Console.Write((char)cells[row, col].curGenStatus);
                }
                else
                    Console.Write(" ");
            }
        }
    }

    public static void Random(int numOfGenerations)
    {
        cellDetail[,] cells = new cellDetail[40,60];
        Random rand = new Random();

        for (int row = 0; row < 40; row++)
            for (int col = 0; col < 60; col++)
                cells[row, col].curGenStatus = rand.Next(0, 2);

        for (int i = 0; i < numOfGenerations; i++)
        {
            Console.ForegroundColor = (ConsoleColor.Green);
            Generations(cells);
            Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 3);
            PrintCells(cells);
        }

    }
}

Answer 1

The random object should be created only once and used by all objects of the class.By declaring it as a static member of the class this can be achieved.A better option would be to create a singleton helper class for random object.