#+title: Fornax
#+subtitle: Collection of tools to visualize Path Finding Algorithms
#+export_file_name: index
#+setupfile: ~/.emacs.d/org-templates/projects.org

| Website         | https://andinus.unfla.me/projects/fornax |
| Source          | https://git.unfla.me/fornax              |
| GitHub (mirror) | https://github.com/andinus/fornax        |

This collection includes:
- ~fornax~: Program that parses /Fornax Format/ and outputs video solution.
- Algorithms: Various algorithms solved in several programming
  languages.

* Demo

Solution for /DFS-33/, generated on /2021-11-03/ (click to play).

[[https://andinus.unfla.me/resources/projects/fornax/2021-11-03-DFS-33.mp4][https://andinus.unfla.me/resources/projects/fornax/2021-11-03-DFS-33.png]]

* Installation

~fornax~ is written in Raku, it can be installed with ~zef~. You can also
run it without ~zef~,  just run ~raku -Ilib bin/fornax~ from within the
source directory.

- *Note*: ~Cairo~ module & ~ffmpeg~ program is required.

** Release

1. Run ~zef install 'fornax:auth<zef:andinus>'~

Fornax should be installed, try running ~fornax --version~ to confirm.

- Solving programs / solutions are not included in the distribution, get
  them from this repository.

** From Source

You can either download the release archive generated by cgit/GitHub or
clone the project if you have ~git~ installed.

*** Without ~git~

1. Download the release:
   - https://git.unfla.me/andinus/fornax
   - https://github.com/andinus/fornax/releases
2. Extract the file.
3. Run ~zef install .~ in source directory.

*** With ~git~

All commits by /Andinus/ will be signed by this [[https://andinus.nand.sh/static/D9AE4AEEE1F1B3598E81D9DFB67D55D482A799FD.asc][PGP Key]].

#+begin_src sh
# Clone the project.
git clone https://git.tilde.institute/andinus/fornax
cd fornax

# Install fornax.
zef install .
#+end_src

* Documentation

Fornax parses /Fornax format/, generates a ~PNG~ for each iteration which is
later converted to a slideshow with ~ffmpeg~.

- Solved paths are highlighted if the iteration is preceded by ~|~.
- Illegal paths are highlighted if the iteration is preceded by ~!~.

- *Note*: If the number of iterations are greater than an 8 digit number
  then the slideshow might be incorrect.

** Options

- ~input~: This takes solved input file in the /Fornax/ format.
- ~frame-rate~: Frame rate for the video.
- ~output~: Output directory (for solution video/images).

* Project Structure

- Algorithms are located in ~algorithms/~ directory, sub-directory needs
  to be created for programming languages which will hold the actual
  source.

- Sample solutions can be found in ~resources/solutions/~ directory.

  - *Note*: Some solutions might output illegal moves (like walking over
    blocked path), this error is only in visualization, the solution is
    correct.

    This has been fixed in commit
    ~8cef86f0eb8b46b0ed2d7c37fa216890300249f6~.

* Fornax Format

Fornax format is an intermediate output file generated after solving the
maze. Algorithms must output the solution in this format.

#+begin_src
rows:<number of rows> cols:<number of columns>

...iterations
#+end_src

~...iterations~ is to be replaced by the resulting grid in each iteration
that is to be included in the final video. Since the number of rows and
columns is known, the whole grid should be printed in a single line.

- Every iteration should be separated by a newline.

- If the iteration cells is not equal to ~rows * columns~ or ~(rows *
  columns) + 1~ then it may be ignored by the program that parses the
  file.

- Solved iteration can be preceded by ~|~ character.

- Iteration that tries to walk on a blocked path can be preceded by ~!~
  character.

- First iteration is assumed to be the maze.

** Grids

A grid is printed for every iteration. Grids are composed of cells.

| Cell             | Symbol |
|------------------+--------|
| Path             | ~.~      |
| Blocked          | ~#~      |
| Destination      | ~$~      |
|------------------+--------|
| Visited          | ~-~      |
| Current Position | ~@~      |

- /Current Position/ is prioritized over /Blocked/ & /Destination/ symbol if
  it makes sense.

* News

** v0.1.0 - 2021-11-03

+ Initial implementation:

  - Includes DFS solver in Java and a tool to visualize the solution.