Question

To clarify I only wanted one or two for loops to help me on my way, preferably in the same style as I had used in the vertical 🙂

I’m making a game using a 2D array, and I need a check that tests if at the current position (indicated by a green square) the character there is part of a diagonal sequence of “l” more of the character.

Answer 1

public static boolean diagonals(char[][] b, int row, int col, int l) {

            int counter = 1; // because we start from the current position
            char charAtPosition = b[row][col];
            int numRows = b.length;
            int numCols = b[0].length;
            int topleft = 0;
            int topright = 0;
            int bottomleft = 0;
            int bottomright = 0;
            for (int i=row-1,j=col-1;i>=0 && j>=0;i--,j--) {
                if (b[i][j]==charAtPosition) {
                    topleft++;
                } else {
                    break;
                }
            }
            for (int i=row-1,j=col+1;i>=0 && j<=numCols;i--,j++) {
                if (b[i][j]==charAtPosition) {
                    topright++;
                } else {
                    break;
                }
            }
            for (int i=row+1,j=col-1;i<=numRows && j>=0;i++,j--) {
                if (b[i][j]==charAtPosition) {
                    bottomleft++;
                } else {
                    break;
                }
            }
            for (int i=row+1,j=col+1;i<=numRows && j<=numCols;i++,j++) {
                if (b[i][j]==charAtPosition) {
                    bottomright++;
                } else {
                    break;
                }
            }
            return topleft + bottomright + 1 >= l || topright + bottomleft + 1 >= l; //in this case l is 5
    }

The idea is that we walk in four directions and count the steps. This may not be the most efficient implementation, but at least it looks neat and easy to understand.