Algorithm Visualizer

This interactive application visualizes common sorting and graph algorithms. It's designed to help computer science students and enthusiasts understand how different algorithms work through step-by-step visualization.

Features

• Sorting Algorithm Visualizations:

  • Bubble Sort
  • Insertion Sort
  • Selection Sort
  • Merge Sort
  • Quick Sort

• Graph Algorithm Visualizations:

  • Breadth-First Search (BFS)
  • Depth-First Search (DFS)
  • Dijkstra's Algorithm

• Interactive Controls:

  • Pause/Resume visualization
  • Adjust array size and graph complexity
  • Return to menu to select different algorithms

Installation

Prerequisites

This project requires SDL2 and SDL2_ttf libraries.

macOS

Using Homebrew:

brew install sdl2 sdl2_ttf

Ubuntu/Debian

sudo apt-get install libsdl2-dev libsdl2-ttf-dev

Windows

1. Download SDL2 development libraries for MinGW from SDL2 website
2. Download SDL2_ttf from SDL2_ttf website
3. Extract both to a convenient location
4. Add the bin directories to your PATH environment variable

Building from Source

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/ADJB1212/AlgorithmViz.git
cd AlgorithmViz

2. Build the project:

make

This will compile the project and create an executable named algo.

3. Run the application:

./algo

Usage

1. Start the Application: Run the executable to launch the menu screen.

2. Select an Algorithm: Click on any of the available algorithms from the menu.

3. Customize Parameters: Adjust the array size or graph complexity using the slider.

4. Start Visualization: Click the "Start Visualization" button to begin.

5. Controls During Visualization:

   • Space: Pause/Resume the visualization
   • Esc: Return to the menu screen

Font Requirement

The application requires the Arial font. Make sure arial.ttf is in the same directory as the executable, or modify the source code to use a different font.

Technical Details

Project Structure

• main.c: Entry point and application initialization
• visualizer.c: Core visualization logic
• algorithms.c: Implementation of all algorithms
• ui.c: User interface components
• graph.c: Graph data structure and rendering

Building on Different Platforms

macOS

The default Makefile is configured for macOS with Homebrew-installed SDL2. If your installation is in a different location, update the CFLAGS and LDFLAGS in the Makefile.

Linux

You might need to modify the Makefile:

CC = gcc
CFLAGS = -Wall -Wextra -I/usr/include/SDL2
LDFLAGS = -lSDL2 -lSDL2_ttf -lm

SRC = main.c visualizer.c algorithms.c ui.c graph.c
OBJ = $(SRC:.c=.o)
EXECUTABLE = algo

all: $(EXECUTABLE)

$(EXECUTABLE): $(OBJ)
	$(CC) $(OBJ) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS)
	rm -f $(OBJ)

%.o: %.c
	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@

clean:
	rm -f $(OBJ) $(EXECUTABLE)

run: $(EXECUTABLE)
	./$(EXECUTABLE)

Windows with MinGW

CC = gcc
CFLAGS = -Wall -Wextra -IC:/SDL2/include -IC:/SDL2_ttf/include
LDFLAGS = -LC:/SDL2/lib -LC:/SDL2_ttf/lib -lSDL2 -lSDL2_ttf -lm

SRC = main.c visualizer.c algorithms.c ui.c graph.c
OBJ = $(SRC:.c=.o)
EXECUTABLE = algo.exe

all: $(EXECUTABLE)

$(EXECUTABLE): $(OBJ)
	$(CC) $(OBJ) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS)
	rm -f $(OBJ)

%.o: %.c
	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@

clean:
	rm -f $(OBJ) $(EXECUTABLE)

run: $(EXECUTABLE)
	./$(EXECUTABLE)

Replace C:/SDL2/ and C:/SDL2_ttf/ with your actual SDL2 installation paths.

Troubleshooting

SDL2 Library Not Found

• macOS: Verify SDL2 installation with brew list sdl2 sdl2_ttf
• Linux: Check installation with ldconfig -p | grep SDL
• Windows: Ensure SDL2 and SDL2_ttf DLLs are in your system PATH or in the same directory as the executable

Compilation Errors

• Check that all header files are correctly included
• Verify that SDL2 development libraries are properly installed
• Make sure the compiler can find the SDL2 headers (check CFLAGS)

Runtime Errors

• Font not found: Place arial.ttf in the executable directory
• Window creation failed: Check SDL initialization and video driver support