Possibility List Calculation

[Karl Raams]

Hi Guys,

I've got this unique situation that I've never come across before. What I want to do is create a piece of code that will add to a list all the possibilities based off of settings that have been set.

What I currently have is a list of possible entries that looks somthing like this:

1. S
2. M
3. T

I also have an entry in the program where the user defines how many spaces there can be. For this example I'll use 4.

What I want to be able to do is generate a list of all possible combinations bassed of of the number of entries in the list (the user has the ability to add or remove entries whenever they want) and the number of places that they enter.

For the example information I have provided I want the list to show:

1. SSSS
2. SSSM
3. SSST
4. SSMM
5. SSMT
6. SSTT
7. SSTM
8. SMMM
9. SMMT
10. SMTT
11. STTT
12. MMMM
13. MMMT
14. MMTT
15. MTTT
16. TTTT

I'm just not sure how to achieve this. I realise that I will need some sort of complex looping code to achieve this. Any suggestions or ideas on how to achieve this would be greatly appreciated. I have the details of what I currently am able to achieve below. I am using the programming language Clarion but I can also understand Visual Basic and JavaScript.

The problem is that I can get the list to show:

1. SSSS
2. SSSM
3. SSST
4. SSM
5. SST
6. SM
7. ST
8. MMMM
9. MMMT
10. MMT
11. MT
12. TTTT

Using the code below where the MinorListQ is the list containing the first list I've got above with the values of S, M, and T in it and the GeneticQ is the list I'm creating with all the probable values in it (the third list). The DMA:ActiveGenes contains the number 4 in the example I have given and anything with a # after it is a local variable that I've defined on the fly.

Again I'm not sure if this code is useful to anyone I just need ideas on how to achieve this.

  Loop MinorLoop1# = 1 to Records(MinorListQ) 

    Number# = DMA:ActiveGenes 

    clear(MinorListQ)
    MLQ:Number = MinorLoop1# 
    get(MinorListQ,MLQ:Number)
    if error(); message(error()).
    
    clear(GeneticQ)    
    loop Loop1# = 1 to Number#
      QGE:ActiveGenes = clip(QGE:ActiveGenes)&''&clip(MLQ:Gene)
    end

    add(GeneticQ)

    loop 
      Number# -= 1
      if Number# <= 0; break.

      MinorLoop2# = (MinorLoop1# + 1)
    
      clear(MinorListQ)
      MLQ:Number = MinorLoop1#
      get(MinorListQ,MLQ:Number)
      if error(); message(error()).

      clear(GeneticQ)
      
      clear(AGenes)
      
      loop Loop1# = 1 to Number#
        AGenes = clip(AGenes)&''&clip(MLQ:Gene)
      end

      loop Loop2# = MinorLoop2# to DMA:ActiveGenes 
        clear(MinorListQ)
        MLQ:Number = Loop2#
        get(MinorListQ,MLQ:Number)
        if error(); message(error()).
        QGE:ActiveGenes = clip(AGenes)&''&clip(MLQ:Gene)
        add(GeneticQ)
      end  
    end
  end

Sorry for the long post. All suggestions and ideas are welcomed.

[Rabbit]

You could do something like this:

for a = 1 to 3
   for b = a to 3
      for c = b to 3
         for d = c to 3
            print a & b & c & d
         end for
      end for
   end for
end for

[Rabbit]

By the way, result 7 in your post is wrong. It shouldn't be there. And for future reference, the concept is called a Combination with Repetition.

[Karl Raams]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction I was searching up possibility instead of combination formulas. When you say result 7 did you mean the first 7 (SSTM) or the second 7 (ST). I don't see what is wrong with either of them. Could you please explain.

[Rabbit]

Number 5 is SSMT and number 7 is SSTM. It's a repeat, one of them needs to go. I say number 7 because it doesn't follow the established pattern.

[Karl Raams]

Oh... yes I see what you mean. Good spotting. Thank you a lot for your responses and the time you've spent to help answer my question. I've been able to make some headway and should be able to work out the final pieces to the puzzle now.

[Rabbit]

Good luck. Let us know how you get along.