Demonstration

Installation

1. Install JDK 11
2. Download the ZIP file or clone the git repository
3. Click on Jalen's Pathfinder.jar

How to Use

• Left Click on a button in the grid to pick a start point
  

• Left Click on another button in the grid to pick an endpoint and start the pathfinder
  

• Right Click on a button to add a wall
  

• Drag the Grid Size slider to the left to make it smaller or to the right to make it bigger
  

• Drag the Delay (in milliseconds) slider to the left to speed up the pathfinder or to the right to slow down tha pathfinder
  

• Check the Include Diagonals box to add diagonals in the pathfinder
  

• Check the Generate Maze box to generate a random maze
  

Algorithms

• A* algorithm to calculate the shortest path

  • Find the cell closest to the end point
  • Add surrounding nodes of that cell for evaluation
  • Construct the path that was found
  • Show Error If No Path Was Found

• Recursive algorithm to generate a random maze

  • Begin with a empty grid
  • Set the wall sizes to the width and height of our grid
  • Split the maze into fourths with a horizontal wall & vertical wall
  • Add two passages through each side of the horizontal wall & vertical wall
  • Recursively divide each of the four sides of the maze until the width or height of the walls are 2 cells