[erlang-questions] Newbie Question, brute force method.

[Jon Watte]

With tail recursion, each for loop turns into a function of its own.

stuff_a()
for (a=0; a != b; ++a) {
  c += stuff_b(a)
}
stuff_c()


turns into:

stuff_a()
stuff_b_loop(a, b, 0);
stuff_c()

stuff_b_loop(A, A, R) -> R;
stuff_b_loop(A, B, R) ->
  stuff_b_loop(A+1, B, R + stuff_b(A)).


This can almost always be re-written "mechanically" if you just think of the
loop as a tail-recursive function with start/stop/result arguments. You
could even declare a "for()" function that takes a fun():

for(Limit, Limit, _, Result) -> Result;
for(Start, Limit, Fun, Result) ->
    for(Start+1, Limit, Fun, Fun(Result)).


This would be used in the above as:

stuff_a(),
for(a, b, fun(C) -> C + stuff_b(C) end, 0),
stuff_c()

This, in turn, is the core of the "fold" operation on sequences and
containers. (Look at lists:foldl(), dict:fold(), and friends). Thus, for the
parts of your program that just iterate over the items in an element, you
can use lists:foldl() as the loop construct.


Sincerely,

jw



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On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 3:21 AM, Bangon Kali <bangonkali@REDACTED> wrote:

> Hi guys! I'm a newbie here. I'm very new to Erlang. Although I've been
> studying well im having problems converting sequential programs in to
> Recursive ones. I'm using this book Pragmatic Programming Erlang (2007).
> I've been half way in my readings. Although I kinda get some of the pieces
> along the way, I have been having problems with some parts. Generally on
> how
> to convert very sequential programs in to recursive ones.
>
> In order to test my knowledge in Erlang I have setup a challenge to myself,
> by converting  http://j.mp/r8hS3C this program  that I've made in several
> other languages (C, Python, Javscript) into Erlang. This program basically
> just Finds the set of Realistic Resistors and Capacitor for an Astable 555
> IC implementation.
>
> The program uses the brute force technique by testing all possible values
> and calculating the frequency. It will then compare the percentage
> difference between the previous frequency to the current frequency, if the
> new frequency is lower, then it will save the R1, R2, and C combinations.
> It
> will do in a loop until all possible realistic values of R1, R2 and C are
> tested.
>
> a simple pseudo code might be easier to understand
>
>
>
> where:
>   get_error returns the percentage difference between 2 values
>   get_frequency returns the frequency of an R1, R2 and C combination
>   f_desired is the frequency target
>
> the complete source code for this program (in some languages) are available
> on this bitbucket site: http://j.mp/r8hS3C
>
> i'm not asking for a direct translation in to erlang, but if you can easily
> make one, then that would really help, since i can study it directly and
> somehow learn to implement erlang on some other problems with the same
> situation such as this.
>
> here are some of my attempts, but im at loss at how to continue this.
>
> i hope you guys can help. just some clue, if i may ask. thanks!
>
>
> --
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