Game of Set program, need help with for loop nesting and more

[falconsx23]

I am making a game called Set, it is a card game: here is a brief description of the rules:

The game of Set is played with 81 cards, each of which has 4 properties (number, pattern,
color and shape). The number of objects is 1, 2, or 3. The 3 possible patterns are solid,
striped, and open. The 3 possible colors are red, green, and purple. The 3 possible
shapes are diamond, squiggle, and oval. The 81 cards comprise all possible combinations
of patterns, colors and shapes. Some example cards are:
• 1 Striped red oval
• 2 Solid green squiggle
• 3 Open purple diamond

Ok now what I am having trouble with is creating my deck of 81 cards. The way I am trying to do it is by creating a buch of nested for loops (should only be 4) that goes through each array and gets a number, color, shape and pattern. If nested right I should be able to create a deck of cards that has 81 possible combination's of numbers, colors, shapes and patterns.

import java.util.Scanner;
import java.util.*;
/**
 * Write a description of class GameOfSet here.
 * @author (Michael Brown) 
 * @version (a version number or a date)
 */
public class GameOfSet
{
 
    ArrayList<Card> cards;   //An array list of card objects
 
 
    /**
     * Constructor for objects of class GameOfSet
     * @param String to determine Shape and String to determine color
     * @param number can be 1-3
     * @param color can be red, green, purple
     * @param pattern can be solid, stripped, open
     * @param shape can be diamond, squiggle, oval
     * 
     */
    public GameOfSet()
    {
 
         cards = new ArrayList<Card>();
 
        Card cards = new Card ("1", "solid", "purple", "oval" );              //One card from the Cards ArraysList that has 4 perameters 
 
 
 
 
    }
 
    /**
     * Deck of 81 cards
     * nested for loop will create 81 possible 
     * combinations of number, color, pattern, and shape
     * each card will have one number, pattern, color and shape
     */
 
    public void getDeckOfCards()
    {      
      ArrayList<String> number = new ArrayList<String>(3);                     //ArrayList of numbers
      number.add("1");
      number.add("2");
      number.add("3");
 
      ArrayList<String>  color = new ArrayList<String>(3);                     //ArrayList of colors
      color.add("red");
      color.add("green");
      color.add("purple ");
 
      ArrayList<String> pattern = new ArrayList<String>(3);                 //ArrayList of patterns
      pattern.add("solid");
      pattern.add("striped");
      pattern.add("open");
 
      ArrayList<String> shape = new ArrayList<String>(3);                   //ArrayList of Shapes
       shape.add("diamond");
       shape.add("squiggle");
       shape.add("oval");
 
 
         for(int i = 0; i < number.size(); i++)
         {
 
             for(int j = 0; j < color.size(); j++)
             {
                  Card deck = cards.get(i);
 
                  for(int k = 0; k < pattern.size(); k++)
                  {
 
 
                        for(int m = 0; m < shape.size(); m++)
                        {
 
                        }
                    }
                }
            }                     
 
    }
 
 
}
 

As you can see I have Card deck = cards.get(i);, well I should also be able to get j, k, and m. But I have no idea where I should put that. And after I get that settled, I should be able to put what ever is at i, k, k, and m, and add that to the deck.

[r035198x]

A method called getDeckOfCards should not be void. It must be returning a List<Card> instead.
Enums will help to clean up the code and logic

[falconsx23]

Right now I want to just create a deck of 81 cards for that method. Im not sure If i should be returning anything yet. Also I am confused on the Enums link to help clean up the code. I will continue looking at it though.

[r035198x]

Suppose you have an enum called Color.
The Color.values() method gives you an array of all the colors.

[Frinavale]

@falconsx23
Who told you that there should only be 4 nested loops...or even that you need use for-loops to solve this problem? Seems a bit weird...you could use something like recursion to solve the problem and then there wouldn't be 4 nested loops...

I think that the point that r035198x was getting at is that it would probably be a lot easier if you were to use enums because you have a constant list of values for your numbers, patterns, colours, and shapes.

Anyways, I'm not sure why you're having a problem with solving the problem.

If you write it out as psudo code it's pretty obvious how the loop structure should look and what you should be doing:

For each number from 1 - 3 
  For each colour in my list/enum of shapes
    For each shape in my list/enum of shapes
      For each pattern in my list/enum of patterns
        Add a new card(number, colour, shape, pattern) to my deck of cards
      Get the next pattern
    Get the next shape
  Get the next colour
Get the next number

How much more simple can it get?
It really helps if you give your variables meaningful names...instead of using a,b, c or i,j,k,l,m use things like "number", "colour", "shape" and "pattern".

@falconsx23
What do you mean you're not sure if you should be returning anything....
The name of the method is getDeckOfCards...n ot "setDeckOfCards "...not "populateDeckOf Cards"....it's getDeckOfCards.

It seems very obvious that when someone calls the getDeckOfCards method the are expecting to get a deck of cards....how are they supposed to get anything if you don't give them something (return something to them) when they call the method? Again, pay attention to names :)

-Frinny

[falconsx23]

ok you are right that is bad programming on my part... sorry

[JosAH]

For any number n in the range [0,81) you can do the following:

int number= n/27;
int pattern= n/9%3;
int color= n/3%3;
int shape= n%3;
 

So a single loop will generate all your different cards; no recursion nor nested loops are needed.

kind regards,

Jos

[Frinavale]

@JosAH
Show off!

: )

[JosAH]

@Frinavale
Not at all; write down all numbers in the range 0 ... 80 in ternary (base 3) notation and you'll see: 0000 ... 2222. There are much trickier things one can do with this notion in any base.

kind regards,

Jos (ex-moderator)

[falconsx23]

Ok Frinavale, while I was working on this program my Lab Teacher Assistant suggested that using nested for loops will help me out, and what I have up there he said I was on the right track. Also keep in mind that I am still a beginner at Java and no expert. So what may be obvious to you is not to me and I apologize for that.

JosAH thanks alot for the response and I will try out the way you did as soon as I can get my program up.