The New Sudoku Players' Forum

[angusj]

I am having a problem with using the Alt key with (what else) the numeric keypad.

Hi again scrose. Thanks for all your terrific feedback. I hope I've fixed this bug in the latest build (ver 2.0i).

A redo action (Ctrl + Y) would be nice to have.

Yes, I've thought about that, it's not very hard to do, but it's a bit of a fiddle. No promises .

[scrose]

I hope I've fixed this bug in the latest build (ver 2.0i).

Yes, it appears to be working correctly. Thanks again!

I was thinking about suggesting a copy to clipboard feature, but it seems you beat me to it! Does it copy only the initial puzzle grid? After I fill in a few cells with "big" numbers, and then copy to the clipboard, the text copy doesn't contain any of the cells I filled in; they still show up as being empty.

[angusj]

Does it copy only the initial puzzle grid?

Yes, currently that's all you get. However, it would be easy to add a second grid which was a snapshot of where you're up to with 'big numbers' too.

I'm still pondering you suggestion re candidate state. The main thing holding me back is coming up with an acceptible layout given that some cells may have six or seven candidates.

Edit: OK, I've just now updated it again so a clipboard copy outputs the following format...

Code: Select all

..6|9..|.7.
...|.1.|..2
8..|...|...
-----------
.2.|...|..4
...|...|..1
..5|..6|...
-----------
...|...|.6.
...|..2|.5.
.1.|.43|...


14|692|8375
5.|.61|7842
87|243|5916
-----------
72|135|9684
.6|827|45.1
4.|518|6...
-----------
25|.89|146.
.8|476|215.
61|.54|3..8


[1]       [4]       [6]       [9]       [2]       [8]       [3]       [7]       [5]       
[5]       [39]      [39]      [6]       [1]       [7]       [8]       [4]       [2]       
[8]       [7]       [2]       [4]       [3]       [5]       [9]       [1]       [6]       
[7]       [2]       [1]       [3]       [5]       [9]       [6]       [8]       [4]       
[39]      [6]       [8]       [2]       [7]       [4]       [5]       [39]      [1]       
[4]       [39]      [5]       [1]       [8]       [6]       [27]      [239]     [79]     
[2]       [5]       [37]      [8]       [9]       [1]       [4]       [6]       [37]     
[39]      [8]       [4]       [7]       [6]       [2]       [1]       [5]       [39]     


[scrose]

a clipboard copy outputs the following format...

I like your format. Thank you for adding the "big number" state and the candidates grid.

One small aesthetic suggestion. Unless it is more trouble than it is worth, would it be possible to remove the extra spaces in the candidate grid?

Code: Select all

[13]      [9]       [57]      [367]     [168]     [2]       [357]     [4]       [367]
[23]      [8]       [27]      [367]     [4]       [5]       [237]     [379]     [1]
[1234]    [6]       [2457]    [37]      [1]       [9]       [2357]    [37]      [8]
[24]      [2457]    [1]       [25]      [3]       [6]       [9]       [78]      [27]
[6]       [27]      [3]       [2]       [289]     [8]       [4]       [178]     [5]
[249]     [245]     [8]       [1]       [7]       [4]       [6]       [3]       [23]
[5]       [14]      [46]      [9]       [16]      [137]     [1378]    [2]       [347]
[7]       [124]     [249]     [8]       [5]       [13]      [13]      [6]       [349]

compresses to

[13]   [9]    [57]   [367] [168] [2]   [357]  [4]   [367]
[23]   [8]    [27]   [367] [4]   [5]   [237]  [379] [1]
[1234] [6]    [2457] [37]  [1]   [9]   [2357] [37]  [8]
[24]   [2457] [1]    [25]  [3]   [6]   [9]    [78]  [27]
[6]    [27]   [3]    [2]   [289] [8]   [4]    [178] [5]
[249]  [245]  [8]    [1]   [7]   [4]   [6]    [3]   [23]
[5]    [14]   [46]   [9]   [16]  [137] [1378] [2]   [347]
[7]    [124]  [249]  [8]   [5]   [13]  [13]   [6]   [349]

[angusj]

One small aesthetic suggestion. Unless it is more trouble than it is worth, would it be possible to remove the extra spaces in the candidate grid?

Done. It'll shrink to the smallest wide allowed by the longest candidate list. However, each column will be the same width.

[scrose]

I just downloaded 2.0z and I'm getting a couple small errors with the copy to clipboard. The vertical grid lines in the current puzzle grid are shifted one column to the left. And the candidates grid is missing row 9.

[angusj]

I just downloaded 2.0z and I'm getting a couple small errors with the copy to clipboard. The vertical grid lines in the current puzzle grid are shifted one column to the left. And the candidates grid is missing row 9.

Edit: OK, spotted it now and fixed.

[scrose]

It'll shrink to the smallest wide allowed by the longest candidate list. However, each column will be the same width.

Dear sir, I demand that you remove all of the excess spaces. Not to do so only further perpetrates the blight of ill-formed fixed-width text-based tables. All this extra whitespace is clogging up the information superhighway, one byte at a time. It is people like you who are responsible for today's absurd hard drive capacities, necessary only in order to store your extraneous characters.

Of course, I am just kidding. Thank you for getting rid of the spaces that you did, and I promise that I will be satisfied with the columns being the same width.

On another note, I think this bug may have resurfaced.

[angusj]

On another note, I think this bug may have resurfaced.

One bug removed, another added .
Hopefully fixed now.
Thanks again.

[scrose]

The ability to print is a nice addition. Would it be possible to be given the choice of whether or not to print the pencilmarks?

Is it possible to add a keyboard shortcut for the Layout options? Pressing Ctrl + L would open up the Layout menu or perhaps display a small dialog letting you choose one of the three sizes.

Do you have plans to enable the Hint and Solve Next Step actions to identify eliminations via the colouring technique?

Have you given the redo action any more thought?

This next suggestion would be nice to have, but I can certainly live without it if you think it is unnecessary or too cumbersome to implement. Would it be possible for your program to check if an updated version is available for download?

I'm still loving your program. I like the increasing collection of saved puzzles. Eventually, I was able to get through all of your colour puzzles. Good job keeping the whole package under one megabyte!

[angusj]

The ability to print is a nice addition. Would it be possible to be given the choice of whether or not to print the pencilmarks?

Yes, I thought about that. However, I really wonder whether the print function would be used much (apart from putting the odd teaser on the noticeboard at work)?

Is it possible to add a keyboard shortcut for the Layout options?

Yes, it's possible but surely most would adjust it once (if needed) and then forget?

Do you have plans to enable the Hint and Solve Next Step actions to identify eliminations via the colouring technique?

They should be colored as selected cells already. Is that not working?

Have you given the redo action any more thought?

Yes, it's certainly a possibility.

Would it be possible for your program to check if an updated version is available for download?

You sound just like my brother .

I'm still loving your program. I like the increasing collection of saved puzzles. Eventually, I was able to get through all of your colour puzzles. Good job keeping the whole package under one megabyte!

Thanks! I'm also surprised at how other (typically Microsoft) compilers require so many bulky packages and still don't get it right. Anyhow, it's one of the joys of programming in Delphi.

[scrose]

Yes, I thought about that. However, I really wonder whether the print function would be used much (apart from putting the odd teaser on the noticeboard at work)?

Yes, I would tend to agree. However, if the pencilmarks were printed out, it would make the puzzle slightly easier for beginners. It's not necessarily a feature I would use, but it is one that I think would add nicely to your program.

Is it possible to add a keyboard shortcut for the Layout options?

Yes, it's possible but surely most would adjust it once (if needed) and then forget?

I find myself switching back and forth between Small (when I am using it and another window) and Large (when I am using it alone). Being a little mouse-phobic, I find it a little awkward pressing Alt + F, L, S/M/L.

Do you have plans to enable the Hint and Solve Next Step actions to identify eliminations via the colouring technique?

They should be colored as selected cells already. Is that not working?

If I load your colors1.ss puzzle, then hold down F11, it eventually reaches a point where it says no hint possible. (I'm using version 2.1n.) At this point I go through the (manual) process of filtering each digit and looking for colouring opportunities. I was suggesting that the Hint and/or Solve Next Step actions be able to apply the colouring technique automatically. For example, with colors1.ss, if I were to press F7 then r5c2 would be highlighted and the status line would say something like "Exclude based on 'Colors'", and pressing F11 would remove the candidate 5.

Would it be possible for your program to check if an updated version is available for download?

You sound just like my brother.

Right now, it seems like every time I check your website, the program version number has churned through a few more letters of the alphabet! With the releases coming fast and furious at the moment, it doesn't seem like a necessary feature; I can just check the website every couple days or so to see if there is an update. But I suppose there will come a time when you will no longer need to make updates as frequently -- like, when I stop asking for more features! At that time, it would be nice to have the program check automatically for a new version rather than me having to check the version number listed on your website. But, like I mentioned before, this would be nice to have, but I can live without it.

I'm also surprised at how other (typically Microsoft) compilers require so many bulky packages and still don't get it right. Anyhow, it's one of the joys of programming in Delphi.

That's funny, just last night my cousin's husband (cousin-in-law?) was talking to me about how much he enjoys Delphi, and that was one of the highlights he mentioned.

Updated: Made it easier to read who wrote what.

[scrose]

Is it possible to add a keyboard shortcut for the Layout options?

Yes, it's possible but surely most would adjust it once (if needed) and then forget?

I find myself switching back and forth between Small (when I am using it and another window) and Large (when I am using it alone). Being a little mouse-phobic, I find it a little awkward pressing Alt + F, L, S/M/L.

If I may, I will withdraw my request for a keyboard shortcut for the Layout feature. It took a while, but I'm getting used to the Alt + F, L, S/M/L and I can cope with it remaining that way.

However, I would like to ask for a keyboard shortcut for the Color Revert action which is only available via a right-click on the mouse. Perhaps Ctrl + R?

Updated: Made it easier to read who wrote what.

[scrose]

I think I've found a bug. I'm using version 2.1n. I accidentally pressed F10, so I pressed Esc to cancel the prompt. All of the pencilmarks disappeared, not only in the cell I had selected, but throughout the puzzle. This also happens if I use the mouse to click the Cancel button. I am able to recover the pencilmarks by pressing Ctrl + Z.

[scrose]

I may have found a bug of some sort. I have been able to reproduce it every time, even after a reboot in an attempt to get a fresh batch of RAM. Here are the steps I follow.

1. I paste the following puzzle, taken from here, into the program.
   

   Code: Select all

    9 . . | . 2 . | . . 1
 . 8 . | . . . | . 3 .
 . . 6 | . . . | 5 . .
-------+-------+-------
 . . . | 3 . 5 | . . .
 8 . . | . 6 . | . . 9
 . . . | 1 . 8 | . . .
-------+-------+-------
 . . 3 | . . . | 6 . .
 . 4 . | . . . | . 5 .
 1 . . | . 7 . | . . 8

2. I place a 5 in r1c2. (Note that this cell should be a 3.)
3. At this point, I have been able to replicate the problem four similar ways.
   
   1. Hold down F11.
   2. Press F11 sixteen times.
   3. Press F7 and F11 fifteen times, for a total of thirty key-presses.
   4. Press F11 fifteen times then press F7 once, for a total of sixteen key-presses.
      

At this point (soon after making eliminations to r3c5 and r7c5) the program freezes. I can no longer move the cursor around in the grid and I can no longer access the menu. If I Alt + Tab away and then back to the window, the window goes white and does not redraw itself. Opening the Task Manager, sudoku.exe is listed as being above 90% CPU usage. There are two "Simple Sudoku" tasks listed as "Not Responding", even though only one window is open. (Note that the second "Simple Sudoku" task that appears has a "garbled" icon: it has the light blue background, but there are random pixels of dark blue instead of the "SS" text.) When I try to close the window I get the "End Program" window, so I click "End Now", and then I am prompted to send an error report (which I can email to you if you want it), and then the window disappears (and both tasks disappear from the Task Manager). I can then restart the program and use it without encountering any troubles, although if I choose to I can immediately do another reproduction of the problem. As I mentioned, rebooting doesn't help. This is occuring with version 2.1n. My computer is a Pentium III 500 MHz with 256 MB RAM running Windows XP Home SP2. Please let me know if you need any more information, or need some of this information clairified, or if you are unable to reproduce this.