How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily?

Hanken has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hi Dear Perl Experts,

I got a problem about how to represent a complex data structure in perl. Here is a rough introduction of my data: (1) the data consist of several commands: cmd00, cmd01, cmd02... And each command has a respective table; (2) the table has 3 elements: initial state, feedback and end state; (3) initial state could be any subset of {idle, start, jump, halt}; for each initial state, feedback has to pick up one from number (0 .. 3); (4) each initial state and feedback have a certain relative end state which is also within {idle, start, jump, halt}; end state could be more than one elements;

Graphically and strictly, it is showed as below:

Command              Initial state.           Feedback.              E
+nd state
cmd00.                    Idle                      0.                
+            Idle or start
                                                            1.        
+                    Start
                                Start.                   0.           
+                  Jump
                                                            3.        
+                    Halt or start
                                                            2.        
+                     Idle
cmd01                     Idle                      0.                
+            Idle or start
                                                            1.        
+                    Jump
                                Jump                   0.             
+                Halt or idle
                                                            1.        
+                    start
                                                            2.        
+                     Idle
cmd02.  .......
......
[download]

My target: I need a function like sub get_endstate_by_cmd($cmd, $default_state); I will send a random sequence of commands to the sub routine in which initial state and feedback will be randomized in their legal range, then it returns the end state for next iteration. The difficulties are: 1. To represent the data; 2. To randomize in a legal range; Could anyone give me some hints?

Comment on How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily? Download Code

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Re: How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily? by roboticus (Chancellor) on Jun 19, 2012 at 02:51 UTC
Hanken: Representing the data can be a bit tricky. But choosing the best "shape" for the data really depends on how you're using it. I'd suggest sketching out the code for the problem you're solving, and see what sorts of access methods you need. That will help you select a good representation of the data. You might want to review the perl data structures cookbook (`perldoc perldsc`) before and after sketching out your ideas, just to help you make associations. As far as choosing inside a legal range, the rand function (`perldoc -f rand`) should get you going. You might want to print out the first page of perlfunc as a handy list of the various types of functions built into perl. ...roboticus When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily? by NetWallah (Canon) on Jun 19, 2012 at 05:21 UTC
This sounds like a job for a Finite state machine like DMA::FSM. I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it. -SNL	[reply]
Re: How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily? by Anonymous Monk on Jun 19, 2012 at 03:04 UTC
Well, lines means array, and rows/columns means array-of-arrays `my @Commands = my @lines = [ qw/ Command Initial Feedback End / ];` [download] or if you need names, array-of-hashes `= { map {; $_ => $_ } qw/ Command Initial Feedback End / };` [download] or if you need names and space savings of array `use constant do { my $ix = 0; +{ map { $_ => $ix++ } qw[ Q_COMMAND Q_INITIAL Q_FEEDBACK Q_END ] } }; ... die $command->[ Q_FEEDBACK() ];` [download]	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily? by linuxkid (Sexton) on Jun 19, 2012 at 20:26 UTC
I suggest something like this:`$structure->[$number]->{$name}` --linuxkid imrunningoutofideas.co.cc	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily? by Boldra (Curate) on Jun 21, 2012 at 07:16 UTC
Did you know you can omit the second (and subsequent) arrows? `$structure->[$number]->{$name}` can be written `$structure->[$number]{$name}`. - Boldra	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: How to represent complex data structure and manipulate it easily? by linuxkid (Sexton) on Jun 21, 2012 at 14:13 UTC
never did realize that, but i dok find it improves readability, especcially when helping grren perl converts... --linuxkid imrunningoutofideas.co.cc	[reply]

--linuxkid

--linuxkid