home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Night Owl 6
/
Night Owl's Shareware - PDSI-006 - Night Owl Corp (1990).iso
/
029a
/
sugar2.zip
/
SUGAR.DOC
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1991-07-07
|
3KB
|
59 lines
GERHARDT AND SCHUSTER AUTOMATON
_______________________________
The acronym SUGAR is formed with letters from the names of the creators of the
automaton.
A full explanation of the rules which define the automaton can be found in
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN August 1988, p.104, and December 1988, p.119.
This program implements the automaton, displaying its evolution in three
different modes: GRAPH, SLIDE SHOW, FILMSTRIP. Pressing the ESC key stops
time, and brings up a menu which allows any mode to be called, without
resetting the automaton. The menu also allows the user to reset the automaton
as well as to enter comments about the current run. These comments are
automatically appended to a file (SUGAR.LOG) which also records, automatically,
the parameters selected for the run.
The opening screen offers choices in setting up the automaton's initial
configuration and display mode:
1. CELL SPACE: No defaults. Enter two integers separated by a comma and
followed by a CR. The second number must be less than 200.
The maximum total number of cells (x*y) must be less than
32,400. Thus, allowable pairs are (600,50) (500,60)
... (175,175) etc. Try (50,50). If excessive numbers are
entered, then (and only then) a default of (175,175) is
forced.
2. NO. STATES: No defaults. Try 100.
3. PARAMETERS: No defaults. Try k1=0.2 k2=3.0 g=19.
4. RESET RNG : Default 'N': the RNG generates a fixed sequence of random
numbers. 'Y' causes the RNG to be reset randomly.
5. NEIGHBORHD: Default 'V': von Neumann.
The two types can be are defined by the diagrams below:
o o o o
von Neumann o x o Moore o x o
o o o o
Experiment.
6. DISPLAY : Default 'G': graph. If 'P' is selected, then 'S': Slide
Show is the next default. Experiment.
There is hardly any error checking, in order to allow for maximum speed,
and minimum size.
If a 8087 or 86287 is present, the program uses it. The program has been
rewritten for a VGA graphic card (only). The 640x480x16 mode is used.
Questions and comments can be sent to the program's author:
Luigi Bianchi ■ 414 Atkinson College ■ York University
4700 Keele Street ■ North York ■ Ontario M3J 1P3 ■ Canada
E-M: lbianchi@yusol.bitnet ■ compuserve 72060,3723