This is a code test I made for a job offer.
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- REQUIREMENTS
Python +2.7
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- EXECUTION
To run the applications, type from the main folder:
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Trains Application
python TrainsPythonGA/src/TrainApp.py $optional_input_path -
Conference Track Management
python ConferencetrackmanagementPythonGA/src/SchedulerApp.py $optional_input_path -
Merchant's Guide to the Galaxy
python MerchantsguidetothegalaxyPythonGA/src/CoinValueQuestionsParser.py $optional_input_path
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- TESTING
As requested, several tests have been added. In order to run them, execute them from the main folder. Paths to each of the tests files can be found in the file:
tests_runner.txt
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Explanation of the chosen application design
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General thoughts The 3 problems have a really similar folder structure. I have decided to put each object class in a separate folder. Although in these problems there are no examples of inheritance that make the folder useful to group them, I am used to do it that way. It also helps to easily see which files contain the main methods. Some methods for a cleaner code are used in the 3 problems (process_input, clean_screen); I could have put them in the same file in the project folder, but as those are small and simple methods, I decided to leave them in each of the problems. I haven't used much Exception handling, as the problems didn't really need them, and it wasn't needed for the tests either.
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Trains Application To have an application that worked simply, while being useful for testing, I decided to make it interactive. The user can specify which mode does he want, and the parameters for that mode. Tests on the input from the user are made, and an output is given to be more 'user friendly'. I have decided to also accept lower letters to define paths and strips, as all stations are in capital letters, so there's no possible doubt about that.
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Conference Track Management At the beginning I didn't have much clear how to solve the assignation problem. I tried to simply order from longer to shorter and assign them, but that obviously didn't work; some talks didn't have enough space in the end to be assigned (just a 15 minute period was free). Finally, apart from ordering them, I assigned them, always making sure that there were at least 30 mins left in case the time didn't match with the total.
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Merchant's Guide to the Galaxy For this problem I had to make some assumptions about how the statements in the input were shaped. I divided them in 4 types:
X is Y
x1 .. xn coin is val Credits
how much is x1 .. xn ?
how many Credits is x1 .. xn coin ?
Any statement that doesn't follow this logic won't be processed. Also I noticed the first time I thought the problem was solved that the value of coins could be floats, so I had to modify the application accordingly (didn't take more than 2 mins).
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A general view of the folders structure can be seen in:
Documentation/ProjectFolder.png