README

Overview

This repository contains a Python project that constructs and solves mazes using the Tkinter library for graphical representation. The project includes modules for creating the maze, displaying it, and solving it visually.

Repository Structure

examples/
├── large_maze.py
├── medium_maze.py
├── small_maze.py
pymaze/
├── graphic.py
├── maze_builder.py
screenshots/
├── pymaze_screenshot.png
tests/
├── tests.py
README.md

Key Components

• examples/: Contains example scripts for generating and solving different sizes of mazes.
  • large_maze.py
  • medium_maze.py
  • small_maze.py
• pymaze/: Core library for maze construction and graphical representation.
  • graphic.py: Handles graphical elements and drawing using Tkinter.
  • maze_builder.py: Contains the Maze and Cell classes for maze generation and solving.
• screenshots/: Contains screenshots of the maze application.
  • pymaze_screenshot.png
• tests/: Contains unit tests for the maze generation functionality.
  • tests.py
• README.md: This file.

Setup and Usage

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x
• Tkinter library (usually included with standard Python installations)

Running Examples

Navigate to the examples directory and run any of the provided example scripts:

python3 examples/small_maze.py

You can also run medium_maze.py and large_maze.py in a similar fashion.

Running Tests

Navigate to the tests directory and run the test suite using:

python3 tests/tests.py

Code Overview

maze_builder.py

The Maze class is responsible for creating the maze structure. It initializes with parameters for the number of rows and columns, and optional margins. The maze is generated using a recursive backtracking algorithm.

Key methods:

• _create_cells(): Initializes the grid of cells.
• _break_entrance_and_exit(): Creates openings for the entrance and exit of the maze.
• _break_walls_r(x, y): Recursively removes walls to form the maze path.
• _reset_cells_visited(): Resets the visited status of all cells, used before solving the maze.
• solve(): Initiates the maze-solving process.
• solve_r(x, y): Recursively solves the maze using depth-first search.

tests.py

The Tests class uses the unittest framework to verify the correct creation of the maze, including the correct number of cells and the proper placement of the entrance and exit.

Contributions

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to fork this repository, make improvements, and submit pull requests.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

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This repository provides an interactive and visual approach to understanding maze generation and solving algorithms using Python and Tkinter.