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diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a0ad94 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.txt @@ -0,0 +1,110 @@ + +SUDOKU SOLVER - README + + I'm not a fervent sudoku solver but I always wanted to try implementing + a program to solve the puzzles faster than I can. This is my first attempt. + + This program uses Qt 5 for its user interface, you will need + to have it installed to build or run the program. + +BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS + + Basic building instructions + + autoreconf -i + mkdir build + cd build + ../configure --with-qt-includes=/usr/include/qt + make + + The binary is called 'sudoku' and will be located in the 'src' directory. + You can run it from within the build directory: + + src/sudoku + +USAGE + + Running the program will show the main window, which consists of a basic + 9x9 sudoku grid and a number of menu options. + + GAME menu + + The NEW option will clear the current game + + The LOAD option allows you to load a previously loaded game. + + The SAVE allows you to save the current sudoku puzzle to the current file. + + The SAVE AS allows you to save the current sudoku puzzle to a new file. + + The REVERT option will reload the current file from disk. + + The QUIT option will close the program. + + MOVE menu + + The STEP option will try to solve a single random unsolved cell, + using the sudoku rules only. + + The GUESS option will try to solve a single random unsolved cell, + and will guess (search) for a solution as required. + + The SOLVE RULES option will try to solve the game, + using sudoku rules only. + + The FIND SOLUTION option will try to solve the game, + and will guess (search) for a solution as required. + + The VALIDATE option will verify if the current puzzel is valid. + + SETTINGS menu + + The MARK SOLVEABLE option will, if enabled, mark cells that can be + solved without guessing in yellow. + +SAVE GAME FILE FORMAT + + The file format is extremely simple: the files can be opened and edited + with a text editor. Unsolved positions are saved as well + and are indicated by zeroes. + + Example: + + 0 0 0 8 0 2 9 0 0 + 0 0 0 9 0 7 3 6 0 + 4 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 7 + + 0 8 0 0 0 5 0 4 6 + 1 3 0 0 7 8 0 0 0 + 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 7 0 + + 3 4 6 1 2 0 7 0 0 + 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 0 2 + 0 5 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 + + While the file format is optimized for readability, the program will + actually ignore extra whitespace while loading a file. This allows you to + load games from a simple file with a sequence of 81 numbers. + +ALGORITHM + + The constraint solver will try to find a solution by applying + two sets of sudoko constraints: the sudoku elimination rules, + where every number from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and subgrid, + and the sudoko inclusion rules, where every number has to appear exactly once + in every row, column and subgrid. + + The search solver will apply constraints until there are no cells left with a unique solution. + From there, it will pick a random unsolved cell, fill it with one of the remaining possibilities + and recurse into the next iteration. + +COPYRIGHT + + This sudoku solver was written by Stijn "Ingar" Buys and is available under + the terms and conditions of the GNU Public License, version 3 or higher. + + Copyright (c) 2012-2016 + ingar@osirion.org + + http://ingar.satgnu.net + |