Merge pull request #107 from Ash-Jose/pathfinding_visualizer

Pathfinding visualizer issue #105 completed

Author: devmalik7

C++/pathfinding_visualizer/.gitignore

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+# ----------------------------
+# Build folders
+# ----------------------------
+build/
+build-*/
+out/
+bin/
+obj/
+
+# Generated Qt / CMake files
+CMakeFiles/
+CMakeCache.txt
+cmake_install.cmake
+CTestTestfile.cmake
+Makefile
+*.moc
+*.qrc.dep
+*.qm
+*.qmake.stash
+*.qmake.cache
+*.qtc_settings
+*.qtc_clangd
+.qm
+*_automoc.cpp
+
+# Qt Creator project files
+*.user
+*.pro.user
+*.qmlproject.user
+*.tags
+*.swp
+*.autosave
+*.creator
+*.creator.user
+
+# VS Code
+.vscode/
+.vscode-ipch/
+*.code-workspace
+
+# CLion / JetBrains
+.idea/
+cmake-build-*/
+
+# Windows system files
+Thumbs.db
+Desktop.ini
+$RECYCLE.BIN/
+
+# Logs
+*.log
+
+# Temporary files
+*.tmp
+*.temp
+*.bak
+*~
+*.cache
+*.orig
+
+# Compiled object files & artifacts
+*.o
+*.obj
+*.dll
+*.exe
+*.pdb
+*.lib
+*.a
+*.so
+*.dylib
+
+# Python virtual envs (if used in repo)
+venv/
+.env/
+
+# Ignore test output
+test_output/

C++/pathfinding_visualizer/CMakeLists.txt

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+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.21)
+project(pathfinding_visualizer LANGUAGES CXX)
+
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+
+# Enable Qt automatic processing
+set(CMAKE_AUTOMOC ON)
+set(CMAKE_AUTOUIC ON)
+set(CMAKE_AUTORCC ON)
+
+find_package(Qt6 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Widgets Core Gui)
+
+qt_add_executable(pathfinding_visualizer
+    src/main.cpp
+    src/MainWindow.cpp
+    src/Grid.cpp
+    src/Node.cpp
+    src/Algorithms/AlgorithmWorker.cpp
+
+    # Headers (needed for AUTOMOC)
+    include/MainWindow.hpp
+    include/Grid.hpp
+    include/Node.hpp
+    include/Algorithms/AlgorithmWorker.hpp
+
+    # UI + Resources
+    ui/MainWindow.ui
+)
+
+target_include_directories(pathfinding_visualizer PRIVATE include)
+
+target_link_libraries(pathfinding_visualizer PRIVATE Qt6::Widgets Qt6::Core Qt6::Gui)

C++/pathfinding_visualizer/README.md

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+# Pathfinding Visualizer (Code_Script Module)
+
+A GUI-based C++17 + Qt6 pathfinding animation tool that visually demonstrates  
+**BFS**, **Dijkstra**, and **A\*** exploring a 2D grid in real time.  
+This module is intended for educational use and integration into the Code_Script project.
+
+---
+
+## 📄 Small Description
+
+The Pathfinding Visualizer is an interactive Qt6 application that displays how classical pathfinding algorithms traverse a grid to find a path between two points. Users can place walls, change algorithms, adjust animation speed, and observe the search progress and final path.
+
+---
+
+## 🎯 Goals
+
+- Visually demonstrate how BFS, Dijkstra, and A\* explore and find shortest paths.
+- Provide an interactive 2D grid where users can toggle walls and set start/target nodes.
+- Animate algorithm steps in real-time (visited nodes + final path).
+- Maintain a thread-safe architecture using a background worker thread for algorithms.
+- Offer adjustable animation speed and algorithm selection via a toolbar UI.
+- Serve as a self-contained Code_Script module.
+
+---
+
+## 📁 File Structure
+
+```
+pathfinding_visualizer/
+│
+├── CMakeLists.txt
+├── README.md
+├── .gitignore
+│
+├── include/
+│   ├── MainWindow.hpp
+│   ├── Grid.hpp
+│   ├── Node.hpp
+│   └── Algorithms/
+│       └── AlgorithmWorker.hpp
+│
+├── src/
+│   ├── main.cpp
+│   ├── MainWindow.cpp
+│   ├── Grid.cpp
+│   ├── Node.cpp
+│   └── Algorithms/
+│       └── AlgorithmWorker.cpp
+│
+├── ui/
+│   └── MainWindow.ui        
+```
+
+---
+
+## 🛠️ Prerequisites
+
+### Software Requirements
+- **Qt 6.9.3** (or later)  
+  - MinGW 64-bit or MSVC 64-bit build tools installed via Qt Online Installer.
+- **CMake 3.16+**
+- **C++17 compatible compiler**
+  - MSYS2 MinGW-w64 (preferred for simplicity)
+  - or Microsoft Visual C++ (MSVC)
+- **VS Code** (recommended) with:
+  - *CMake Tools* extension
+  - *C/C++* extension
+
+### Optional
+- Qt Creator (IDE)
+- Git (if contributing back to Code_Script)
+
+---
+
+## ▶️ Usage Instructions
+
+### Running the Application
+After building the project, launch:
+
+./build/pathfinding_visualizer.exe
+
+This opens the main window containing the 2D grid and the control toolbar.
+
+---
+
+### Grid Interaction
+
+- **Left Click** on a cell → Toggle Wall (White ↔ Black)
+- **Right Click** on a cell → Set Start Node (Green)
+- **Shift + Left Click** or **Middle Click** → Set Target Node (Red)
+
+The grid updates visually using `Node` objects in a `QGraphicsScene`.
+
+---
+
+### Toolbar Controls
+
+- **Run** 
+  Starts the selected algorithm on a background thread (`AlgorithmWorker`).
+
+- **Reset** 
+  Clears all walls, visited cells, and path markings. Start/Target nodes return to defaults.
+
+- **Algorithm Selector**  
+  Choose between **BFS**, **Dijkstra**, or **A\***.
+
+- **Speed Slider**  
+  Controls animation delay (ms per step).  
+  Lower value = faster, higher = slower.
+
+---
+
+### Visualization Colors
+- **Start Node** → Green  
+- **Target Node** → Red  
+- **Walls** → Black  
+- **Visited Cells** → Light Blue  
+- **Final Path** → Yellow  
+
+Updates are triggered by worker-thread signals:  
+`visit(row,col)` and `pathNode(row,col)`.
+
+---
+
+## 🔧 Build Instructions (Windows — Qt 6.9.3)
+
+### Requirements
+- Qt **6.9.3**
+  - Either **MinGW 64-bit** or **MSVC 2022 64-bit** Qt build installed
+- CMake **3.16+**
+- A C++17 compiler
+- Optional: VS Code with **CMake Tools** extension
+
+---
+
+### 1️⃣ Configure (MinGW Example)
+
+cmake -B build -S . -G "MinGW Makefiles" ^
+-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="C:/Qt/6.9.3/mingw_64/lib/cmake"
+
+### 2️⃣ Build (MinGW)
+cmake --build build
+
+---
+
+### 1️⃣ Configure (MSVC Example)
+
+cmake -B build -S . -G "NMake Makefiles" `
+-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="C:/Qt/6.9.3/msvc2022_64/lib/cmake"
+
+### 2️⃣ Build (MSVC)
+cmake --build build --config Release
+
+---
+
+### 3️⃣ Run
+
+./build/pathfinding_visualizer.exe

C++/pathfinding_visualizer/include/Algorithms/AlgorithmWorker.hpp

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+#pragma once
+
+#include <QObject>
+#include <QPoint>
+#include <QVector>
+
+class AlgorithmWorker : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit AlgorithmWorker(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    ~AlgorithmWorker() override;
+
+public slots:
+    void runBFS(const QVector<QVector<int>> &grid, const QPoint &start, const QPoint &target, int delayMs);
+    void runDijkstra(const QVector<QVector<int>> &grid, const QPoint &start, const QPoint &target, int delayMs);
+    void runAStar(const QVector<QVector<int>> &grid, const QPoint &start, const QPoint &target, int delayMs);
+
+    void requestAbort();
+
+signals:
+    void visit(int row, int col);
+    void pathNode(int row, int col);
+    void status(const QString &msg);
+    void finished();
+
+private:
+    volatile bool m_abortRequested;
+
+    void sleepMs(int ms) const;
+
+    static inline int manhattan(int r1, int c1, int r2, int c2) {
+        return qAbs(r1 - r2) + qAbs(c1 - c2);
+    }
+};

C++/pathfinding_visualizer/include/Grid.hpp

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+#pragma once
+
+#include <QGraphicsScene>
+#include <QObject>
+#include <QPoint>
+#include <QVector>
+
+/**
+ * Grid manages QGraphicsScene and Node items.
+ * It also handles mouse interactions by installing an event filter on the scene.
+ * exportModel() returns a copy (QVector) safe to send across threads.
+ */
+class Node;
+class Grid : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    struct Model {
+        QVector<QVector<int>> grid; // 0 = free, 1 = wall
+        QPoint start;
+        QPoint target;
+    };
+
+    explicit Grid(int rows, int cols, QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    ~Grid() override;
+
+    QGraphicsScene* scene() const { return m_scene; }
+
+    Model exportModel() const;
+
+    // Called from GUI thread (slots)
+    void markVisited(int r, int c);
+    void markPath(int r, int c);
+    void reset();
+
+protected:
+    // eventFilter to capture mouse clicks on the scene and translate to grid actions
+    bool eventFilter(QObject *watched, QEvent *event) override;
+
+private:
+    void toggleWallAtScenePos(const QPointF &scenePos);
+    void setStartAtScenePos(const QPointF &scenePos);
+    void setTargetAtScenePos(const QPointF &scenePos);
+
+    int m_rows;
+    int m_cols;
+    QGraphicsScene *m_scene;
+    QVector<QVector<Node*>> m_nodes;
+
+    QPoint m_start;
+    QPoint m_target;
+};