Years ago, I wrote a quick Amtrak script. I was amazed at how efficiently it could be done from a "lines of code" standpoint, though it took many more lines to make it turn efficient.

Let's have a little friendy competition to see just how small an amtrak script can be made to be. I know we can do get it down under 30 lines of code. Or gasp... 20?

For now, we'll not worry too much about turn-efficiency, but it needs to stick to the MSLs, and completely surround them with figs. If it lays a few extra figs or backtracks some, no biggie. We'll assume a starting point of Stardock, and that all Class 0's are known (read: in the database). We can also assume enough starting figs on our ship so as not to need a refill. Bonus points for turn efficiency.

One gotcha to watch out for... it can't attempt to lay a fig in FedSpace... OUCH!

Edit:
I just wrote a quick, very unsafe, 31-liner, which I'll post tomorrow, but that isn't even with much effort. I'm guessing we can trim it way down.

Enjoy,
+EP+

Can we call another script to save lines of code? For instance, call a surround script.

Helix

I get Second place My script is

Load ShortestAmtrackIntheUniverse.ts
halt

For an amtrak to work you need to surround All of fedspace with figs (sectors 1 - 10) not just the msl's.

Clearly, it has to be a proper amtrak, meaning fed (1-10 & SD) and the MSLs (SD<->1, SD<->AC, SD<->Rylos, Rylos<->AC) must be fully encased by figs.

No, you can't link to an external script, but you can integrate it and access it via gosub.

Surely, someone wants to take a stab at it, right?

yes let the monsters awake!! Dont give us your example yet!

Ill bite, but it will be acouple of days till ill have the time to take a stab. Like parrot id prefer if you wait to post your 33 line. Maybe a deadline of Monday? What's the starting sector as a standard?

The starting point is Stardock.

I'll hold off on my post till you guys have had a little time to work on it. I did a little outside-the-box thinking and shaved a few more lines, and I'm sure many more will come off before it's done. That is what I enjoy, approaching a problem from every angle till you end up with something you're surprised by. I wrote a 19-line version that almost worked! And I bet the end result will be even smaller.

Ok, a few thoughts from EP, a little work... I've gotten this. Now, who can beat it?

Wow, that is a nice little script. I do see one way to shorten it up one line since undeclared variables can be considered to have a value of zero.

Really? Hrm. I don't see a way to forgo initializing $i, since it would grow to random sizes depending
on the course. And I don't see a way to avoid initializing $c, since it would grow for the same reason.

Care to share?

It is the "step" var used in getWord $targets $next_step ($step) "%%%%" that MD is talking about. You init it as 1 a couple of lines before that.

               / Promethius / Enigma / Wolfen /

"A man who has no skills can be taught, a man who has no honor has nothing."

Couple quick thoughts before going to work?

I thought MSL's were between 1-SD 1-AC 1-Ry and AC-SD-RY
I don't see the path between 1 and anywhere but SD
I also don't see the sentinel "%%%%" being in the targets string

But maybe my brain cell in charge of logical thinking has died due to my use of alcohol.

Ohh... ok. Good catch. Change made...





1 to AC, 1 to Ry (and back) isn't part of the msl, is it? I believe it's 1 to dock, dock to
alpha, dock to rylos, rylos to alpha. If this turns out to be wrong, I can add to the targets
string easily enough.

%%%% Isn't in the targets string on purpose, getWord has a default value that you
can assign. Take a look...

http://www.navhaz.com/files/script.html#CMD_27

Ok, so 18 lines. Come on, someone can beat it...

The MSL is tera to dock , dock to tera then (trianglate dock , alpha , rylos)
: dock to rylos and back.
: dock to alpha and back.

: rylos to alpha and back.

Amtrack is all the sectors around the edge of all these sectors plus sector's around 1 though 10.