README.md

Hackercup solver framework

A simple framework which can make writing solvers to Facebook Hackercup problems a bit easier.

How to use

To add a solver for a problem you should:

• Create a python file problemname.py somewhere in the problems directory with the following functions: solver and fetcher. The fetcher should have one input argument: an iterator of input file strings, it should read as many strings as required for one task for given problem, preformat it and return all the data needed. The solver gets the fetcher's output as input argument and should return the answer as a string or any object that can be formatted to a string.
• Create a text file input_problemname.txt in the input directory as taken from the Hackercup problem site.
• Run python runner.py problemname (it is possible to enter problemname in the command prompt).
• See the result at output/output_problemname.txt

Notes

The problemname string in the text above is an identifier to a task and should match for a solver and a corresponding input file.

A fetcher function should not read more strings than it is required: iterators are not reversible.

Packing

To make a zip package containing all necessary scripts to solve the problem, launch python packager.py problemname. The package will be put in the packages directory.