A chessboard is merely a two-dimensional array — a matrix — one where the rows and columns are the same size. As long as you can write code to output an 8-by-8 board, you can modify the code to reset the board’s size to any value.
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\nWhen I wrote my solution, I started with code that output a standard 8-by-8 board. I realized that the board was simply the same row repeated 8 times. Here’s the basic row:<\/p>\n
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |<\/code><\/pre>\nA final line is drawn under the last row, which makes the board look better for my chosen approach.<\/p>\n
Then I recognized that each cell in the row is basically the same thing over and over:<\/p>\n
---\r\n| <\/code><\/pre>\nThe last cell in the row has a right side to it. So the code could just repeat the above cell chunk 8 times, cap the row with another |<\/code> character. Then repeat that row 8 times, followed by output of the final line:<\/p>\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---\r\n| | | | | | | | |\r\n --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---<\/code><\/pre>\nTo make the size adjustable, I replaced the value 8 with the variable size<\/code>. Then I added a simple check to determine whether a command line argument was present:<\/p>\n if(argc <= 1)<\/code><\/pre>\nWhen no argument is present, argc<\/code> equals one, so the value of variable size<\/code> is set to 8. Otherwise, size<\/code> is assigned the value of argv[1]<\/code>, the first argument. The atoi()<\/em> function handles the conversion.<\/p>\nThe rest of the code consists of the loops required to output the board. Oh! And I added initial output that announces the board’s dimensions.<\/p>\n
Here is my solution:<\/p>\n
\r\n#include <stdio.h>\r\n#include <stdlib.h>\r\n\r\nint main(int argc, char *argv[])\r\n{\r\n int size,row,column;\r\n\r\n if(argc <= 1)\r\n size = 8;\r\n else\r\n size = atoi(argv[1]);\r\n\r\n printf(\"%d x %d Chessboard:\\n\",size,size);\r\n for(row=0;row<size;row++)\r\n {\r\n \/* Draw the top line *\/<\/span>\r\n for(column=0;column<size;column++)\r\n printf(\" ---\");\r\n putchar('\\n');\r\n \/* Draw the squares *\/<\/span>\r\n for(column=0;column<size;column++)\r\n printf(\"| \");\r\n printf(\"|\\n\");\r\n }\r\n \/* Draw the bottom line *\/<\/span>\r\n for(column=0;column<size;column++)\r\n printf(\" ---\");\r\n putchar('\\n');\r\n\r\n return(0);\r\n}<\/pre>\nYour solution doesn’t need to look exactly like this. The output must resemble a chess board in some way, and the code must react properly to the command line option. I tested my code for a 1 square chess board as well as a 40 square board and various values in between. It worked! If your code works as well, then you’re good.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A chessboard is merely a two-dimensional array — a matrix — one where the rows and columns are the same size. As long as you can write code to output an 8-by-8 board, you can modify the code to reset … Continue reading