Turning a 2D array of different color into a single color optimally - c++

Question

I am trying to find a solution of the puzzle game 'Flood It'. The main idea is to turn a whole N*M game board of k different colors into a single color. I have to start from the top left corner of the board and turn the same colored block into one of the colors of neighboring nodes and thus moving ahead and flooding the whole board into a single color at last. For example:
Initial Board:
1 1 1 2 2 3
1 1 2 3 4 5
1 1 1 1 3 4
1 4 3 2 1 5
2 3 4 5 1 2
Final Board:
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
where 1,2,3,4,5 represents different colors. I have prepared a C++ code for finding out the area of same colored block at any position of the board . This can be applied at the top left cell at first and then at the neighboring nodes of it to flood the color. My code is as follows:
#include <cstdint>
#include <vector>
#include <queue>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
typedef std::vector<int32_t> vec_1d;
typedef std::vector<vec_1d> vec_2d;
// Print the 2d vector with a label
void dump(std::string const& label, vec_2d const& v)
{
std::cout << label << "\n";
for (std::size_t y(0); y < v.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < v[0].size(); ++x) {
std::cout << v[y][x] << " ";
}
std::cout << "\n";
}
std::cout << "\n";
}
// Recursive implementation of the search
void find_connected_r(int32_t target_color
, std::size_t x
, std::size_t y
, vec_2d const& colors
, vec_2d& result)
{
if ((result[y][x] == 1) || (colors[y][x] != target_color)) {
return;
}
result[y][x] = 1;
std::size_t width(colors[0].size());
std::size_t height(colors.size());
if (x > 0) {
find_connected_r(target_color, x - 1, y, colors, result);
}
if (y > 0) {
find_connected_r(target_color, x, y - 1, colors, result);
}
if (x < (width - 1)) {
find_connected_r(target_color, x + 1, y, colors, result);
}
if (y < (height - 1)) {
find_connected_r(target_color, x, y + 1, colors, result);
}
}
// Entry point to the search, select the implementation with last param
vec_2d find_connected(std::size_t x, std::size_t y, vec_2d const& colors, bool recursive)
{
if (colors.empty() || colors[0].empty()) {
throw std::runtime_error("Invalid input array size");
}
int32_t target_color(colors[y][x]);
vec_2d result(colors.size(), vec_1d(colors[0].size(), 0));
if (recursive) {
find_connected_r(target_color, x, y, colors, result);
}
else {
find_connected(target_color, x, y, colors, result);
}
return result;
}
void dump_coordinates(std::string const& label, vec_2d const& v)
{
std::cout << label << "\n";
for (std::size_t y(0); y < v.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < v[0].size(); ++x) {
if (v[y][x]) {
std::cout << "(" << x << ", " << y << ") ";
}
}
}
std::cout << "\n";
}
int main()
{
vec_2d colors{
{ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 }
, { 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 1 }
, { 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1 }
, { 1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 1 }
, { 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 }
};
}
How will I turn the whole board/matrix into a single color by examining the neighboring nodes?

Answer 1

A possible top-level algorithm to solve this puzzle is to repeat the following until there is only one color on the whole board:
Find all contiguous color regions. Treat the region at (0,0) as primary, all others as secondary.
Pick the largest (by count of tiles) secondary region with a color that is different to the primary region's color. Let's name the color of this secondary region the new_color.
Recolor the primary region to new_color.
Finding all the regions
We should keep a cumulative_mask to track of all the tiles that are already identified as part of some region.
First we find the primary region, starting search at (0,0), and update our cumulative_mask with the result.
Then repeat until no more regions can be found:
Find the position of the first zero tile in the cumulative_mask, which has at least one non-zero tile in the primary region mask.
Find the region starting at this position.
Update the cumulative_mask with the mask of this region.
Selecting the color
Simply iterate through secondary regions, and find the region with largest count, which has a different color than the primary region.
Code
(also on coliru)
Note: Intentionally written in a way to make it possible to understand the algorithm. This could definitely be refactored, and it's missing a lot of error checking.
#include <cstdint>
#include <vector>
#include <queue>
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
typedef std::vector<int32_t> vec_1d;
typedef std::vector<vec_1d> vec_2d;
typedef std::pair<std::size_t, std::size_t> position;
position const INVALID_POSITION(-1, -1);
int32_t const INVALID_COLOR(0);
// ============================================================================
struct region_info
{
int32_t color;
vec_2d mask;
std::size_t count() const
{
std::size_t result(0);
for (std::size_t y(0); y < mask.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < mask[0].size(); ++x) {
if (mask[y][x]) {
++result;
}
}
}
return result;
}
};
struct region_set
{
// The region that contains (0, 0)
region_info primary;
// All other regions
std::vector<region_info> secondary;
};
// ============================================================================
// Print the 2D vector with a label
void dump(std::string const& label, vec_2d const& v)
{
std::cout << label << "\n";
for (std::size_t y(0); y < v.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < v[0].size(); ++x) {
std::cout << v[y][x] << " ";
}
std::cout << "\n";
}
std::cout << "\n";
}
// Print the coordinates of non-zero elements of 2D vector with a label
void dump_coordinates(std::string const& label, vec_2d const& v)
{
std::cout << label << "\n";
for (std::size_t y(0); y < v.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < v[0].size(); ++x) {
if (v[y][x]) {
std::cout << "(" << x << ", " << y << ") ";
}
}
}
std::cout << "\n";
}
void dump(region_info const& ri)
{
std::cout << "Region color: " << ri.color << "\n";
std::cout << "Region count: " << ri.count() << "\n";
dump("Region mask:", ri.mask);
}
void dump(region_set const& rs)
{
std::cout << "Primary Region\n" << "\n";
dump(rs.primary);
for (std::size_t i(0); i < rs.secondary.size(); ++i) {
std::cout << "Secondary Region #" << i << "\n";
dump(rs.secondary[i]);
}
}
// ============================================================================
// Find connected tiles - implementation
void find_connected(int32_t target_color
, std::size_t x
, std::size_t y
, vec_2d const& colors
, vec_2d& result)
{
std::size_t width(colors[0].size());
std::size_t height(colors.size());
std::queue<position> s;
s.push(position(x, y));
while (!s.empty()) {
position pos(s.front());
s.pop();
if (result[pos.second][pos.first] == 1) {
continue;
}
if (colors[pos.second][pos.first] != target_color) {
continue;
}
result[pos.second][pos.first] = 1;
if (pos.first > 0) {
s.push(position(pos.first - 1, pos.second));
}
if (pos.second > 0) {
s.push(position(pos.first, pos.second - 1));
}
if (pos.first < (width - 1)) {
s.push(position(pos.first + 1, pos.second));
}
if (pos.second < (height - 1)) {
s.push(position(pos.first, pos.second + 1));
}
}
}
// Find connected tiles - convenience wrapper
vec_2d find_connected(std::size_t x, std::size_t y, vec_2d const& colors)
{
if (colors.empty() || colors[0].empty()) {
throw std::runtime_error("Invalid input array size");
}
int32_t target_color(colors[y][x]);
vec_2d result(colors.size(), vec_1d(colors[0].size(), 0));
find_connected(target_color, x, y, colors, result);
return result;
}
// ============================================================================
// Change color of elements at positions with non-zero mask value to new color
vec_2d& change_masked(int32_t new_color
, vec_2d& colors
, vec_2d const& mask)
{
for (std::size_t y(0); y < mask.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < mask[0].size(); ++x) {
if (mask[y][x]) {
colors[y][x] = new_color;
}
}
}
return colors;
}
// Combine two masks
vec_2d combine(vec_2d const& v1, vec_2d const& v2)
{
vec_2d result(v1);
for (std::size_t y(0); y < v2.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < v2[0].size(); ++x) {
if (v2[y][x]) {
result[y][x] = v2[y][x];
}
}
}
return result;
}
// Find position of first zero element in mask
position find_first_zero(vec_2d const& mask)
{
for (std::size_t y(0); y < mask.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < mask[0].size(); ++x) {
if (!mask[y][x]) {
return position(x, y);
}
}
}
return INVALID_POSITION;
}
bool has_nonzero_neighbor(std::size_t x, std::size_t y, vec_2d const& mask)
{
bool result(false);
if (x > 0) {
result |= (mask[y][x - 1] != 0);
}
if (y > 0) {
result |= (mask[y - 1][x] != 0);
}
if (x < (mask[0].size() - 1)) {
result |= (mask[y][x + 1] != 0);
}
if (y < (mask.size() - 1)) {
result |= (mask[y + 1][x] != 0);
}
return result;
}
// Find position of first zero element in mask
// which neighbors at least one non-zero element in primary mask
position find_first_zero_neighbor(vec_2d const& mask, vec_2d const& primary_mask)
{
for (std::size_t y(0); y < mask.size(); ++y) {
for (std::size_t x(0); x < mask[0].size(); ++x) {
if (!mask[y][x]) {
if (has_nonzero_neighbor(x, y, primary_mask)) {
return position(x, y);
}
}
}
}
return INVALID_POSITION;
}
// ============================================================================
// Find all contiguous color regions in the image
// The region starting at (0,0) is considered the primary region
// All other regions are secondary
// If parameter 'only_neighbors' is true, search only for regions
// adjacent to primary region, otherwise search the entire board
region_set find_all_regions(vec_2d const& colors, bool only_neighbors = false)
{
region_set result;
result.primary.color = colors[0][0];
result.primary.mask = find_connected(0, 0, colors);
vec_2d cumulative_mask = result.primary.mask;
for (;;) {
position pos;
if (only_neighbors) {
pos = find_first_zero_neighbor(cumulative_mask, result.primary.mask);
} else {
pos = find_first_zero(cumulative_mask);
}
if (pos == INVALID_POSITION) {
break; // No unsearched tiles left
}
region_info reg;
reg.color = colors[pos.second][pos.first];
reg.mask = find_connected(pos.first, pos.second, colors);
cumulative_mask = combine(cumulative_mask, reg.mask);
result.secondary.push_back(reg);
}
return result;
}
// ============================================================================
// Select the color to recolor the primary region with
// based on the color of the largest secondary region of non-primary color
int32_t select_color(region_set const& rs)
{
int32_t selected_color(INVALID_COLOR);
std::size_t selected_count(0);
for (auto const& ri : rs.secondary) {
if (ri.color != rs.primary.color) {
if (ri.count() > selected_count) {
selected_count = ri.count();
selected_color = ri.color;
}
}
}
return selected_color;
}
// ============================================================================
// Solve the puzzle
// If parameter 'only_neighbors' is true, search only for regions
// adjacent to primary region, otherwise search the entire board
// Returns the list of selected colors representing the solution steps
vec_1d solve(vec_2d colors, bool only_neighbors = false)
{
vec_1d selected_colors;
for (int32_t i(0);; ++i) {
std::cout << "Step #" << i << "\n";
dump("Game board: ", colors);
region_set rs(find_all_regions(colors, true));
dump(rs);
int32_t new_color(select_color(rs));
if (new_color == INVALID_COLOR) {
break;
}
std::cout << "Selected color: " << new_color << "\n";
selected_colors.push_back(new_color);
change_masked(new_color, colors, rs.primary.mask);
std::cout << "\n------------------------------------\n\n";
}
return selected_colors;
}
// ============================================================================
int main()
{
vec_2d colors{
{ 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 }
, { 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 1 }
, { 1, 1, 4, 5, 3, 1 }
, { 1, 3, 3, 4, 3, 1 }
, { 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 }
};
vec_1d steps(solve(colors, true));
std::cout << "Solved in " << steps.size() << " step(s):\n";
for (auto step : steps) {
std::cout << step << " ";
}
std::cout << "\n\n";
}
// ============================================================================
Output of the program:
Step #0
Game board:
1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 3 3 1
1 1 4 5 3 1
1 3 3 4 3 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Primary Region
Region color: 1
Region count: 18
Region mask:
1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 1
1 1 0 0 0 1
1 0 0 0 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Secondary Region #0
Region color: 2
Region count: 3
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #1
Region color: 3
Region count: 4
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1 0
0 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #2
Region color: 4
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #3
Region color: 3
Region count: 2
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #4
Region color: 4
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Selected color: 3
------------------------------------
Step #1
Game board:
3 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 3 3 3
3 3 4 5 3 3
3 3 3 4 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3
Primary Region
Region color: 3
Region count: 24
Region mask:
1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 1 1 1
1 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Secondary Region #0
Region color: 2
Region count: 3
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #1
Region color: 4
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #2
Region color: 5
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #3
Region color: 4
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Selected color: 2
------------------------------------
Step #2
Game board:
2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 4 5 2 2
2 2 2 4 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2
Primary Region
Region color: 2
Region count: 27
Region mask:
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 0 0 1 1
1 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Secondary Region #0
Region color: 4
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #1
Region color: 5
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Secondary Region #2
Region color: 4
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Selected color: 4
------------------------------------
Step #3
Game board:
4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 5 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4
Primary Region
Region color: 4
Region count: 29
Region mask:
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Secondary Region #0
Region color: 5
Region count: 1
Region mask:
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
Selected color: 5
------------------------------------
Step #4
Game board:
5 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5 5 5
Primary Region
Region color: 5
Region count: 30
Region mask:
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
Solved in 4 step(s):
3 2 4 5

Answer 2

There's a bunch of things I don't understand in your code so instead of trying to fix them I'll create a new function and you can compare the two.
// this function is called when the user inputs the x and y values
// the colors vector will be modified in place by reference
void change_color(int x, int y, vec_2d& colors)
{
int target_color = colors[x][y];
// call the recursive flood fill function
flood_fill(0, 0, target_color, colors);
}
//this function is the recursive flood fill
void flood_fill(int x, int y, const int target_color, vec_2d& colors)
{
// if the current tile is already the target color, do nothing
if (colors[x][y] == target_color) return;
// only need to go right and down, since starting from top left
// Also, only goes to the next tile if the next tile's color is
// the same as the current tile's color
if (x < colors.size()-1 && colors[x+1][y] == colors[x][y])
{
flood_fill(x+1, y, target_color, colors);
}
if (y < colors[0].size()-1 && colors[x][y+1] == colors[x][y])
{
flood_fill(x, y+1, target_color, colors);
}
// finally, fill in the current tile with target_color
colors[x][y] = target_color;
}
EDIT: Since you meant you wanted to solve the game instead of implementing the game...
Keep track of which colors are still available on the board at all times. On each "turn", find the color that will fill the most tile area starting from the top left. Repeat until all tiles are filled with the same color.
This is more of a brute force approach, and there is probably a more optimized method, but this is the most basic one in my opinion.