We Keep Coding

Figure out max number of consecutive seats

I had an interviewer ask me to write a program in c# to figure out the max number of 4 members families that can sit consecutively in a venue, taking into account that the 4 members must be consecutively seated in one single row, with the following context:
N represents the number of rows availabe.
The Columns are labeled from the letter "A" to "K", purposely ommiting the letter "i" (in other words, {A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,J,K})
M represents a list of reserved seats
Quick example:
N = 2
M = {"1A","2F","1C"}
Solution = 3
In the representation you can see that, with the reservations and the size given, only three families of 4 can be seated in a consecutive order.
How would you solve this? is it possible to not use for loops? (Linq solutions)
I got mixed up in the for loops when trying to deal with the reservations aray: My idea was to obtain all the reservations that a row has, but then I don't really know how to deal with the letters (Converting directly from letter to number is a no go because the missing "I") and you kinda need the letters to position the reserved sits anyway.
Any approach or insight on how to go about this problem would be nice.
Thanks in advance!

Here is another implementation.
I also tried to explain why certain things have been done.
Good luck.
private static int GetNumberOfAvailablePlacesForAFamilyOfFour(int numberOfRows, string[] reservedSeats)
{
// By just declaring the column names as a string of the characters
// we can query the column index by colulmnNames.IndexOf(char)
string columnNames = "ABCDEFGHJK";
// Here we transform the reserved seats to a matrix
// 1A 2F 1C becomes
// reservedSeatMatrix[0] = [0, 2] -> meaning row 1 and columns A and C, indexes 0 and 2
// reservedSeatMatrix[1] = [5] -> meaning row 2 and column F, index 5
List<List<int>> reservedSeatMatrix = new List<List<int>>();
for (int row = 0; row < numberOfRows; row++)
{
reservedSeatMatrix.Add(new List<int>());
}
foreach (string reservedSeat in reservedSeats)
{
int seatRow = Convert.ToInt32(reservedSeat.Substring(0, reservedSeat.Length - 1));
int seatColumn = columnNames.IndexOf(reservedSeat[reservedSeat.Length - 1]);
reservedSeatMatrix[seatRow - 1].Add(seatColumn);
}
// Then comes the evaluation.
// Which is simple enough to read.
int numberOfAvailablePlacesForAFamilyOfFour = 0;
for (int row = 0; row < numberOfRows; row++)
{
// Reset the number of consecutive seats at the beginning of a new row
int numberOfConsecutiveEmptySeats = 0;
for (int column = 0; column < columnNames.Length; column++)
{
if (reservedSeatMatrix[row].Contains(column))
{
// reset when a reserved seat is reached
numberOfConsecutiveEmptySeats = 0;
continue;
}
numberOfConsecutiveEmptySeats++;
if(numberOfConsecutiveEmptySeats == 4)
{
numberOfAvailablePlacesForAFamilyOfFour++;
numberOfConsecutiveEmptySeats = 0;
}
}
}
return numberOfAvailablePlacesForAFamilyOfFour;
}
static void Main(string[] args)
{
int familyPlans = GetNumberOfAvailablePlacesForAFamilyOfFour(2, new string[] { "1A", "2F", "1C" });
}

Good luck on your interview
As always, you will be asked how could you improve that? So you'd consider complexity stuff like O(N), O(wtf).
Underlying implementation would always need for or foreach. Just importantly, never do unnecessary in a loop. For example, if there's only 3 seats left in a row, you don't need to keep hunting on that row because it is not possible to find any.
This might help a bit:
var n = 2;
var m = new string[] { "1A", "2F", "1C" };
// We use 2 dimension bool array here. If it is memory constraint, we can use BitArray.
var seats = new bool[n, 10];
// If you just need the count, you don't need a list. This is for returning more information.
var results = new List<object>();
// Set reservations.
foreach (var r in m)
{
var row = r[0] - '1';
// If it's after 'H', then calculate index based on 'J'.
// 8 is index of J.
var col = r[1] > 'H' ? (8 + r[1] - 'J') : r[1] - 'A';
seats[row, col] = true;
}
// Now you should all reserved seats marked as true.
// This is O(N*M) where N is number of rows, M is number of columns.
for (int row = 0; row < n; row++)
{
int start = -1;
int length = 0;
for (int col = 0; col < 10; col++)
{
if (start < 0)
{
if (!seats[row, col])
{
// If there's no consecutive seats has started, and current seat is available, let's start!
start = col;
length = 1;
}
}
else
{
// If have started, check if we could have 4 seats.
if (!seats[row, col])
{
length++;
if (length == 4)
{
results.Add(new { row, start });
start = -1;
length = 0;
}
}
else
{
// // We won't be able to reach 4 seats, so reset
start = -1;
length = 0;
}
}
if (start < 0 && col > 6)
{
// We are on column H now (only have 3 seats left), and we do not have a consecutive sequence started yet,
// we won't be able to make it, so break and continue next row.
break;
}
}
}
var solution = results.Count;
LINQ, for and foreach are similar things. It is possible you could wrap the above into a custom iterator like:
class ConsecutiveEnumerator : IEnumerable
{
public IEnumerator GetEnumerator()
{
}
}
Then you could start using LINQ.

If you represent your matrix in simple for developers format, it will be easier. You can accomplish it either by dictionary or perform not so complex mapping by hand. In any case this will calculate count of free consecutive seats:
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
var count = 0;//total count
var N = 2; //rows
var M = 10; //columns
var familySize = 4;
var matrix = new []{Tuple.Create(0,0),Tuple.Create(1,5), Tuple.Create(0,2)}.OrderBy(x=> x.Item1).ThenBy(x=> x.Item2).GroupBy(x=> x.Item1, x=> x.Item2);
foreach(var row in matrix)
{
var prevColumn = -1;
var currColumn = 0;
var free = 0;
var div = 0;
//Instead of enumerating entire matrix, we just calculate intervals in between reserved seats.
//Then we divide them by family size to know how many families can be contained within
foreach(var column in row)
{
currColumn = column;
free = (currColumn - prevColumn - 1)/familySize;
count += free;
prevColumn = currColumn;
}
currColumn = M;
free = (currColumn - prevColumn - 1)/familySize;
count += free;
}
Console.WriteLine("Result: {0}", count);
}

int list won't display in console application

I come from a C++ background creating basic 2D games with it, but I am trying to teach myself C# to a point to where I can get the most basic of jobs using it. I am not in school but I am following the Problems on ProjectEuler.net.
The problem question is commented into the code. I can't tell whether I solved it or not because I can't get the numbers to display from a list into the console application.
I've tried writing to console directly from the variable value with Console.WriteLine but I'm not having any luck. I've also tried converting all int list values to a string value and displaying them but that also didn't work.
I'm not looking for the answer to number 4 just looking to display the list so I can find the answer on my own.
Why can't I get the list to write to the Console?
Any help is appreciated!
static void Main(string[] args)
{
/* A palindromic number reads the same both ways.
* The largest palindrome made from the product of two 2-digit numbers is 9009 = 91 × 99.
Find the largest palindrome made from the product of two 3-digit numbers. */
// 100 x 100 = 10000
// 999 x 999 = 998001
List<int> palindromeContainer = new List<int>();
int Increment = 2;
int Holder = 0;
for (int i = 100; i <= 999; ++i)
{
int j = i;
while (j <= 999)
{
do
{ Holder = i * j; // Gets all Possible Combinations of i * j
if ((Holder % Increment) != 0) // Checks for Prime Numbers
{
++Increment;
}
else if (Increment == Holder - 1 && Holder % Increment != 0 )
{
palindromeContainer.Add(Holder);
Increment = 2;
break;
}
else if (Increment == Holder - 1 && Holder % Increment == 0)
{
Increment = 2;
break;
}
} while (Increment < Holder);
++j;
}
}
palindromeContainer.Sort();
foreach (int line in palindromeContainer)
{
Console.WriteLine(line); // Display all items in list
}

Firstly comment out your loop logic and test without:
List<int> palindromeContainer = new List<int>();
palindromeContainer.Add(2);
palindromeContainer.Add(1);
palindromeContainer.Sort();
foreach (int line in palindromeContainer)
{
Console.WriteLine(line); // Display all items in list
}
Console.ReadLine();
This will output to the console. Then you will know this is working and console output is not the problem.

listboxes passing values from each other

I'm trying to multiply the values of 2 listboxes together and make their product appear at another list box I'm getting the results I need but the problem is when I rerun the loop using a command button the listbox removes the next instance of the first value calculated by ppc[i] * qty[i] but when I try to remove the the listBox4.Items.Remove(ppc[i] * qty[i]) it reprints the whole array again from first element to last element
string myString = textBox1.Text.ToString();
int index = listBox6.FindString(myString, -1);
int[] qty = new int[99];
int[] ppc = new int[99];
int[] gt1 = new int[99];
listBox3.Items.Add(listBox5.Items[index]);
listBox1.Items.Add(textBox2.Text.ToString());
if (index != -1)
{
listBox6.SetSelected(index, true);
listBox2.Items.Add(textBox1.Text); //name
}
listBox3.Items.Add(listBox5.Items[index]);
listBox3.Items.Remove(listBox5.Items[index]);
for (int i = 0; i != listBox2.Items.Count ; i++)
{
ppc[i] = Convert.ToInt32(listBox3.Items[i]);
qty[i] = Convert.ToInt32(listBox1.Items[i]);
listBox4.Items.Remove(ppc[i] * qty[i]);
listBox4.Items.Add((ppc[i] * qty[i]));
}

My understanding is that this loop works once, and then when it is re-run it is out of order. Are you making sure to clear listbox4 each time this loop is executed? Also since listBox2 isn't used, it is probably better not to use it for your loop bounds.
if(listBox1.Items.Count == listBox3.Items.Count)
{
int rowCount = listBox1.Items.Count;
listBox4.Items.Clear();
for (int i=0; i < rowCount; i++)
{
ppc[i] = Convert.ToInt32(listBox3.Items[i]);
qty[i] = Convert.ToInt32(listBox1.Items[i]);
listBox4.Items.Insert(i , (ppc[i] * qty[i]));
}
}

C# Array, String, error

int i;
int [,] Prices = new int [2, 7]{{1,2,3,4,5,6,7},{700,600,500,400,300,200,100}};
string[,] City = new string [2,1]{{"A"},{"B"}};
bool found = false;
for (i = 0; i <= City.Length -1; i++)
// for (y = 0; y <= City.Length - 1; y++)
{
if (LstDestinationCity.Text == City[i]) <<-- i get error here
{
im planing to do a program that if i select A city i get first row if B city i get 2 row

I think that's because City[i] "don't contain anything" you should check City[i,0]
if (LstDestinationCity.Text == City[i,0])// this should access the first element which is the text you are looking for

I would rather do it as
if (LstDestinationCity.Text == City[i,i])
{
// ...
}

Your City variable does not need to be a two dimensional array. If you change it to a one dimensional array you can access the values with one index instead of 2.
string[] City = new string [2]{"A","B"};

How to write groups of numbers using Console.Write?

I'm very new to C# (And Stack Overflow, forgive me for any poor etiquette here), and I'm writing the game Mastermind in a console application. I'm trying to show a list of the user's guesses at the end of the game, and I know that using Console.WriteLine(); will just give me 30-odd lines off numbers which don't tell the user anything.
How can I alter my code so that the program displays 4 numbers in a group, at a time? For example:
1234
1234
1234
//Store numbers in a history list
ArrayList guesses = new ArrayList(); //This is the ArrayList
Console.WriteLine("Please enter your first guess.");
guess1 = Convert.ToInt32(Console.ReadLine());
guesses.Add(guess1);
foreach (int i in guesses)
{
Console.Write(i);
}

I assume that each element of your byte array is a single digit (0-9). If that assumption is invalid -- please let me know, I'll modify the code :)
Action<IEnumerable<int>> dump = null;
dump = items =>
{
if(items.Any())
{
var head = String.Join("", items.Take(4));
Console.WriteLine(head);
var tail = items.Skip(4);
dump(tail);
}
};
dump(guesses);

It looks like you're most of the way there, you have a console write that writes them all out without linebreaks. Next add an integer count and set it to zero. Increment it by one in the foreach loop. count % 4 == 0 will then be true for all counts that are a multiple of four. This means you can stick an if block there with a write-line to give you your groups of four.

List<int> endResult = new List<int>();
StringBuilder tempSb = new StringBuilder();
for(int i=0; i < groups.Count; i++)
{
if(i % 4 == 0) {
endResult.Add(int.Parse(sb.ToString()));
tempSb.Clear(); // remove what was already added
}
tempSb.Append(group[i]);
}
// check to make sure there aren't any stragglers left in
// the StringBuilder. Would happen if the count of groups is not a multiple of 4
if(groups.Count % 4 != 0) {
groups.Add(int.Parse(sb.ToString()));
}
This will give you a list of 4 digit ints and make sure you don't lose any if your the number of ints in your groups list is not a multiple of 4. Please note that I am continuing based on what you provided, so groups is the ArrayList of ints.

This is some thing I quickly put together:
Update:
ArrayList guesses = new ArrayList(); //This is the ArrayList
// Four or more
guesses.Add(1); guesses.Add(2);
guesses.Add(3);guesses.Add(4);
guesses.Add(5); guesses.Add(6); guesses.Add(7);guesses.Add(8); guesses.Add(9);
//Uncomment-Me for less than four inputs
//guesses.Add(1); guesses.Add(2);
int position = 0;
if (guesses.Count < 4)
{
for (int y = 0; y < guesses.Count; y++)
{
Console.Out.Write(guesses[y]);
}
}
else
{
for (int i = 1; i <= guesses.Count; i++)
{
if (i%4 == 0)
{
Console.Out.WriteLine(string.Format("{0}{1}{2}{3}", guesses[i - 4], guesses[i - 3],
guesses[i - 2], guesses[i - 1]));
position = i;
}
else
{
if (i == guesses.Count)
{
for (int j = position; j < i; j++)
{
Console.Out.Write(guesses[j]);
}
}
}
}
}