PROJECT: Debug And Polish (DAP0)

OBJECTIVE

As we have been implementing our pong and breakout games, occasionally some logic error occurs, preventing desired functionality. Debugging then ensues, to try and ascertain what isn't as it should be, what assumptions are we making that are incorrect, and what is just plain wrong and needs to be fixed.

One useful debugging tool we all could benefit from is a set of functions for displaying values onto the screen: if we know the value of a variable during runtime, we can better determine if things are as they should be. And if not: potentially help us in identifying the source of whatever problem is being experienced.

TASK

Take your ttb1-level breakout and add in a function that provides the following functionality:

takes as a parameter the output base you want to display (acceptable values range from 2-36)
takes as a parameter the starting x and starting y of where you want to display
takes as a parameter the variable you want to display the value contained therein

This function (and any other helper functions) can then be a companion on your other endeavours this semester in Vircon32, giving you quick access to some tools to help you figure out problems as they crop up.

EDIT

You will want to go here to edit and fill in the various sections of the document:

https://lab46.g7n.org/notes/discrete/fall2023/projects/dap0

DAP0

Number Bases

Basic Rule/Formula For Converting

Step 1: Divide the decimal number that you want to convert by the value of the desired base.

Step 2: Use the remainder from step 1 as the rightmost digit, aka the least significant digit, for the new base number.

Step 3: Replace the original decimal (base 10) number with the quotient from the first step.

Step 4: Repeat step 1-3 until the quotient in step 3 is zero.

Note: The remainder you get at each step will become part of the new base number. The new base number is obtained by putting the remainders in reverse order.

An example of converting the decimal number 29 to binary would look something like this,

Step	Operation	Result	Remainder
1	29/2	14	1
2	14/2	7	0
3	7/2	3	1
4	3/2	1	1
5	1/2	0	1

with the first remainder value becoming the least significant digit.

Converting between bases

Ideas for enhancement or polish

Deleting a node within a singly-linked list

In terms of our breakout, in which our brick structures are stored within our singly-linked list. When a brick is destroyed, it's likely that you're simply turning the visible flag to false. Once a brick is invisible, it still exists in memory even if nothing interacts with it. Freeing that brick from memory will improve performance, especially if you have a triple digit amount of bricks.

In our singly-linked list, we have two pointers: one at the start of the list and one at our current position in the list. Due to the limitations of the structure, we're unable to delete the node we're currently have selected with the current pointer. We're only able to delete the node before or after the one currently selected. In this example, we'll delete the one after.

To start, create a new brick struct pointer. We'll call it temp. Next, you'll want to assign temp to point at the node after the one currently selected by making use of current→next. The temp node is the node that'll be deleted.

In order to make sure our list still stays in one piece after the node deletion, you'll need to assign current→next to temp→next. This joins the list back together, and skips over the temp node.

Afterwards, free the memory allocation of the temp node. Vircon32 has this as a function called free();. See the Vircon32 C API documention for further insight.

sound

.wav files can be included into your programs to produce sound.

You can include a sound for various reasons. A collision, scoring, when the menu or pause is activated, or continuous background music.

The first thing you will want to do is to include the .wav file in your Make.sh. To do that nano into your make.sh and add the following:

echo
echo Convert the WAV sounds
echo
wav2vircon Paddle-ball.wav -o Paddle-ball.vsnd || abort_build
wav2vircon Brick-ball.wav -o Brick-ball.vsnd || abort_build
wav2vircon Miss-ball.wav -o Miss-ball.vsnd || abort_build

Depending on the number of .wav files you have, you may have more or less instances where you are calling wav2vircon.

You will also want to include it in your .xml file. Start by nanoing into your .xml file. Once your .xml file is open, add the following:

    <sounds>
        <sound path="Paddle-ball.vsnd"/>
        <sound path="Brick-ball.vsnd"/>
        <sound path="Miss-ball.vsnd"/>
    </sounds>

It is important that the file ends with .vsnd and not .wav. the .vsnd file is created by the make.sh file.

Then in your program you will want to include the audtio.h library and define the sound.

    #include "audio.h"
    #define your_sound number

To use sound in your program you will want to reference the audio.h library using the C API reference http://www.vircon32.com/api.html or you could also look at the shooterGameVideo .c file in github. Here is the link: https://github.com/vircon32/ConsoleSoftware/blob/main/Tutorials/ShooterGameVideo/Tutorial-Shooter.c

Adding sound to your game is actually extremely simple, where ever you want to use one of your sound files simply add the following line and specify which sound you want:

    play_sound( your_sound );

If you are running into an issue where the audio is overlapping creating a staticy noise, a good idea is to set the sound that you want to play to a channel. Then use the play_channel(channel number, your_sound) function, which causes the target channel to start playing its given sound if it is stopped or paused. It will also restart playback on a paused channel. If the channel is currently playing, it will retrigger the original sound. For certain games, this may be a better situation as the sound never triggers in tandem.

  assign_channel_sound(channel_number, sound);
  play_channel(channel_number)

If however you want the whole sound to play out without repeating itself in the middle, there is another way. the get_channel_state function gets the state of the channel you input as its perameters.

  if(get_channel_state(0)!=channel_playing){
    play_channel(brick_b);
  }

music

SUBMISSION

To be successful in this project, the following criteria (or their equivalent) must be met:

Project must be submit on time, by the deadline.
- Late submissions will lose 33% credit per day, with the submission window closing on the 3rd day following the deadline.
Executed programs must display in a manner similar to provided output
- output formatted, where applicable, must match that of project requirements
Processing must be correct based on input given and output requested
Output, if applicable, must be correct based on values input
Code must be nicely and consistently indented
Code must be consistently written, to strive for readability from having a consistent style throughout
Code must be commented
- Any “to be implemented” comments MUST be removed
  - these “to be implemented” comments, if still present at evaluation time, will result in points being deducted.
  - Sufficient comments explaining the point of provided logic MUST be present
No global variables (without instructor approval), no goto statements, no calling of main()!
Track/version the source code in your lab46 semester repository
Submit a copy of your source code to me using the submit tool by the deadline.

Submit Tool Usage

Let's say you have completed work on the project, and are ready to submit, you would do the following:

lab46:~/src/SEMESTER/DESIG/PROJECT$ submit DESIG PROJECT file1 file2 file3 ... fileN

You should get some sort of confirmation indicating successful submission if all went according to plan. If not, check for typos and or locational mismatches.

RUBRIC

I'll be evaluating the project based on the following criteria:

39:dap0:final tally of results (39/39)
*:dap0:multibase value output function implemented [26/26]
*:dap0:code compiles with no warnings or errors [7/7]
*:dap0:all game and build related files submitted [6/6]

For those doing data/dap0, and wondering if this multibase function can be the entirety (or in fact considered as any) of your enhancement or polish: no.

Pertaining to the collaborative authoring of project documentation

each class member is to participate in the contribution of relevant information and formatting of the documentation
- minimal member contributions consist of:
  - near the class average edits (a value of at least four productive edits)
  - near the average class content change average (a value of at least 1024 bytes (absolute value of data content change))
  - near the class content contribution average (a value of at least 1kiB)
  - no zero-sum commits (adding in one commit then later removing in its entirety for the sake of satisfying edit requirements)
- adding and formatting data in an organized fashion, aiming to create an informative and readable document that anyone in the class can reference
- content contributions will be factored into a documentation coefficient, a value multiplied against your actual project submission to influence the end result:
  - no contributions, co-efficient is 0.50
  - less than minimum contributions is 0.75
  - met minimum contribution threshold is 1.00

Additionally

Solutions not abiding by spirit of project will be subject to a 50% overall deduction
Solutions not utilizing descriptive why and how comments will be subject to a 25% overall deduction
Solutions not utilizing indentation to promote scope and clarity or otherwise maintaining consistency in code style and presentation will be subject to a 25% overall deduction
Solutions not organized and easy to read (assume a terminal at least 90 characters wide, 40 characters tall) are subject to a 25% overall deduction

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