The Advent of Code 2024.

[Die Holländer 49]

56 minutes ago, JohnLM said:

But I did spot another error.  But is not a bug.  I miss-used the Random() function.

 

 

[corneliusdavid 220]

5 hours ago, JohnLM said:

What is part 2 that you are talking about?  Another puzzle?

There are two puzzles each day, the second is not revealed until you submit a correct answer for the first.

5 hours ago, JohnLM said:

I believe I have that part worked out.  This is not code, it is just my way for me to keep track of the logic for Inc/Dec directions, visually and mentally. 

{

 given the array for levels [1 3 2 4 5 ] 

1 and 3 = low to high is increase (RT) 
3 and 2 = high to low is decrease (LT) 

}

 

But there are twists as you said.

Yes, this works for these simple cases but what if the first number is higher than the second (making you think it's decreasing), but all the rest of the numbers after that are increasing? Well, it's an invalid row and you throw it out, right? What if there was a modification to that rule where in some cases you wouldn't throw that row out? It would change how you need determine increasing/decreasing.

[pmcgee 22]

I made a quick video of an (unsolved atm) part I liked of Q5-2 ...

 

 

[pmcgee 22]

I was following an idea that I had thought of yesterday ... and now have the form of the solution.

I was assuming the data was less strictly complete than it is, so in reality it's not so hard actually.

 

 

[JohnLM 22]

Update. . .

 

I have finally completed the Day-02 puzzle.  I started on these puzzles a week later, so I am behind, not to mention, slow. 

 

Because I am a thorough type person, for me, the tricky parts were in determining what items were:  Increasing, Decreasing, Inc/Dec, or the Same (c for 'center'), and capturing the value amounts for the Inc/Dec etc., and then reporting those as detail in the final report. 

I just need to clean up the output view and make a few changes to the UI and Report view.  Hopefully, I will show the results later today. 
 

[corneliusdavid 220]

I've been going slow, too (busy). I was stuck on Day 04 for quite awhile, thought I had it late last night and submitted an answer--but it was too low. 

 

I finally decided to look at some of the other answers on Reddit and found I had been making it way too hard on myself--nearly every other answer (no matter the language) approached it in a similar way and much simpler than my attempt. I haven't had time yet to redo my program (nor the heart to throw away all that work--even though it's wrong).

 

One thing I read on Reddit was a big note that reminded people that if you post your answer anywhere online, DO NOT post your input file! There are different input files for different users on Advent of Code and your input should not be shared with anyone else--solutions should work regardless of the input file and will have different answers. Also, don't post the puzzle text input (I need to go remove the texts from my repositories).

[JohnLM 22]

Sorry Cornelius, I don't understand you point on "input file".  what is it?  And for different users?  Anyway.  I was not sharing my source code, if that is what you mean.  Actually, I would be ashamed to show it.  Also, I see no reason why I can not show my output log or report or final outcome, not when the website already shows it in their instructions. 

 

>> Also, don't post the puzzle text input

I don't understand what you are saying. 

 

I'm getting ready to work on the Day-03 puzzle--I took a cellphone screenshot of the instructions and read it last night at work--It seems easy enough. Just some parsing of the string.  And I read (on reddit) that people were getting double-lines and were processing it wrong. And, no--I am not looking for answer on how to solve it or any other puzzle.  I would not read those if they are available, though those are in another language that I don't understand, nor how to read anyway. 

 

Also, question:  where are the second parts I keep reading about? 

I read bits here and there about part 1 and part 2.  But I don't see them in any of the days I have seen aready, 1-3. Or do you have to be at the website at a certain time to see it?  I don't know. 

[corneliusdavid 220]

Just now, JohnLM said:

I don't understand you point on "input file".  what is it?  And for different users?

Many people post their code solutions on Github to share and discuss with others; some include everything, even the input files and the instructions for the puzzle. This was a reminder on the Reddit site (where a lot of solutions are posted) not to include the instructions and input data. There are several different sets of input files and they generate different numbers; you're not supposed to share the input file generated for your unique login to AoC.

 

5 minutes ago, JohnLM said:

where are the second parts I keep reading about? 

I read bits here and there about part 1 and part 2.  But I don't see them in any of the days I have seen aready, 1-3. Or do you have to be at the website at a certain time to see it?

When you submit a correct answer to the first puzzle for a particular day, you get revealed a second puzzle for that day (there are only two per day). You don't see it until you correctly answer the first part--and the second one is always some twist to the first puzzle and uses the same input file. If you don't see any of them, then you haven't submitted any correct answers. You don't have to be at the website at a particular time but they aren't revealed ahead of the day for the puzzle.

[JohnLM 22]

@corneliusdavid, ah, now I understand, since I am not a member of AoC, nor registered participant.  I am an outsider just playing along as best I can. 

 

Also, I found this website:  https://jeroenheijmans.github.io/advent-of-code-surveys/

I did not see any Delphi / Pascal language mentioned. Looks like there are very few people (including myself--day1 and 2 puzzles solved) in this language tackling AoC. 

[corneliusdavid 220]

@JohnLM Cool website--interesting graphs!

[pmcgee 22]

Personally, I post everything that it takes to recreate my answer. And any sundry files (like Excel) I might employ to help along the way.

 

Reproducible Research™ 🙂

 

Quote

 I haven't had time yet to redo my program (nor the heart to throw away all that work--even though it's wrong).

Ha. I feel this pain. 😅
I have often found my code volume increasing like an expanding balloon ... until I have worked out what I should have been doing, then the cutting away begins ... and 80 lines drops back to 20.  I have this currently in my solution for Problem 5 Part 2.  60 out of 120 lines became unnecessary as I realised the information I needed to gather ... but the exploration process was necessary to come to that understanding in the first place. 🙂