Intro

Not long ago I posed a challenge for those of us learning rust: https://lemmy.ml/post/12478167.

Basically write an equivalent of git diff --no-index A B … a file differ.

While it’s never too late to attempt it, I figured it’d be a good time to check in to see what anyone thought of it, in part because some people may have forgotten about it and would still like to have a shot, and also because I had a shot and am happy with what I wrote.

Check In

I’ll post where I got up to below (probably as a comment), but before that, does anyone have anything to share on where they got up to … any general thoughts on the challenge and the general idea of these?

My experience

My personal experience was that I’d not kept up with my rust “studies” for a bit and used this as a good “warm up” or “restart” exercise and it worked really well. Obviously learning through doing is a good idea, and the Rust Book is a bit too light, IMO, on good exercises or similar activities. But I found this challenge just difficult enough to make me feel more comfortable with the language.

Future Challenges

Any ideas for future challenges??

My quick thoughts

  • A simple web app like a todo app using axtix_web and diesel and some templating crate.
  • Extend my diffing program to output JSON/HTML and then to diff by characters in a string
  • A markdown parser??
  • maegul (he/they)OPMEnglish
    1·
    8 months ago

    Code

    use std::env;
use std::fs::read_to_string;

// > Data Types

#[derive(Debug)]
struct FileLens {
    a: usize,
    b: usize
}
impl FileLens {
    fn new(a_lines: &Vec<&str>, b_lines: &Vec<&str>) -> FileLens {
        FileLens{
            a: a_lines.len(),
            b: b_lines.len()
        }
    }
}


#[derive(Debug)]
struct Cursors {
    a: usize,
    b: usize,
}
impl Cursors {
    fn increment_cursor(&self, chunk: Option<&Chunk>) -> Cursors {
        let (a_inc, b_inc) = match chunk {
            Some(chnk) => {
                match chnk.chunk_type {
                    ChunkType::Addition => (
                        -1 * (i32::try_from(chnk.b_lines.len())
                            .expect("Lines vector too big for i32!")),
                        0,
                    ),
                    ChunkType::Deletion => (
                        0,
                        -1 * (i32::try_from(chnk.a_lines.len())
                            .expect("Lines vector too big for i32!")),
                    ),
                    ChunkType::Match | ChunkType::Modification => (1, 1),
                }
            }
            None => (1, 1),
        };

        let new_a_cursor = (i32::try_from(self.a).expect("opps")) + a_inc;
        let new_b_cursor = (i32::try_from(self.b).expect("opps")) + b_inc;

        // negative cursors should be captured here (despite bad error msg)
        Cursors {
            a: usize::try_from(new_a_cursor).expect("oops"),
            b: usize::try_from(new_b_cursor).expect("oops"),
        }
    }

    fn clone(&self) -> Cursors {
        Cursors{a: self.a, b: self.b}
    }
}

#[derive(Debug)]
enum ChunkType {
    Match,
    Addition,
    Deletion,
    Modification,
}
#[derive(Debug)]
struct Chunk {
    chunk_type: ChunkType,
    a_lines: Vec<String>,
    b_lines: Vec<String>,
    cursor: Cursors,
}
#[derive(Debug)]
#[derive(Clone)]
enum FileSpec {
    A,
    B,
    AB
}
#[derive(Debug)]
enum CompType {
    Match,
    Change,
    FileEnd(FileSpec)
}
// No Union for LineComp and FileSpec, so fold together
#[derive(Debug)]
struct LineComp {
    // don't store the string, as copying/borrowing gets involved, instead the cursor
    // ... we can get all the strings at the end when necessary
    cursor: Cursors,
    kind: CompType
}


// > States

#[derive(Debug)]
struct ChunkData {
    lines: Vec<LineComp>,
    cursor: Cursors,
    start_cursor: Cursors
}

impl ChunkData {
    fn set_cursor(&mut self, cursor: Cursors) {
        self.cursor = cursor;
    }
}

enum State {
    NewChunk {cursor: Cursors},
    NewLine {chunk_data: ChunkData},
    ContinuingChunk {chunk_data: ChunkData, line_read: LineComp},
    ContinuingChangeChunk {chunk_data: ChunkData, line_read: LineComp},
    EndingChunk {chunk_data: ChunkData, line_read: LineComp},
    EndingChangedChunk {chunk_data: ChunkData, chunk_type: ChunkType},
    // hmmm, LineComp type is actually LineComp with FileEnd as kind ... how type?
    FileEnd {chunk_data: ChunkData, line_read: FileSpec},
    FileEndChange {chunk_data: ChunkData},
    End
}


fn read_line(
    cursor: &Cursors, file_lens: &FileLens,
    a_lines: &Vec<&str>, b_lines: &Vec<&str>) -> LineComp {

    let a_end = ! (cursor.a < file_lens.a);
    let b_end = ! (cursor.b < file_lens.b);

    match (a_end, b_end) {
        (false, false) => {
            if a_lines[cursor.a] == b_lines[cursor.b] {
                LineComp{cursor: cursor.clone(), kind: CompType::Match}
            }
            else {
                LineComp{cursor: cursor.clone(), kind: CompType::Change}
            }
        },
        (false, true) => LineComp{cursor: cursor.clone(), kind: CompType::FileEnd(FileSpec::B)},
        (true, false) => LineComp{cursor: cursor.clone(), kind: CompType::FileEnd(FileSpec::A)},
        (true, true) => LineComp{cursor: cursor.clone(), kind: CompType::FileEnd(FileSpec::AB)},
    }

}

...
    • maegul (he/they)OPMEnglish
      1·
      8 months ago

      … continued

      fn main() {
    // > Getting args
    let args: Vec<String> = env::args().collect();

    if args[1..].len() != 2 {
        panic!(
            "Must provide two paths. Instead provided {:}",
            args[1..].len()
        );
    }

    println!("Args:");
    for a in args[1..].iter() {
        println!("{}", a);
    }

    // > Reading files and splitting into lines

    let a = read_to_string(&args[1]).expect("Failed to read file");
    let b = read_to_string(&args[2]).expect("Failed to read file");
    let a_lines: Vec<&str> = a.split("\n").collect();
    let b_lines: Vec<&str> = b.split("\n").collect();

    // > Initialising globals

    let file_lengths = FileLens::new(&a_lines, &b_lines);

    let cursor = Cursors { a: 0, b: 0 };
    let mut chunks: Vec<Chunk> = vec![];

    // mut necessary as overwriting in each loop
    let mut state: State = State::NewChunk {cursor};

    // > Loop
    loop {
        state = match state {
            State::NewChunk { cursor } => State::NewLine {
                chunk_data: ChunkData{
                    lines: Vec::new(), cursor: cursor.clone(), start_cursor: cursor}
            },
            State::NewLine { chunk_data } => {
                let line_read = read_line(&chunk_data.cursor, &file_lengths, &a_lines, &b_lines);

                match chunk_data.lines.as_slice() {
                    [] => {
                        match line_read.kind {
                            CompType::Match => State::ContinuingChunk {
                                chunk_data, line_read },
                            CompType::Change => State::ContinuingChunk {
                                chunk_data, line_read },
                            CompType::FileEnd(file_spec) => State::FileEnd {
                                chunk_data, line_read: file_spec},
                        }
                    },
                    [.., lc] => {
                        match lc.kind {
                            CompType::Match => {
                                match line_read.kind {
                                    CompType::Match => State::ContinuingChunk {
                                        chunk_data, line_read },
                                    CompType::Change => State::EndingChunk {
                                        chunk_data, line_read },
                                    CompType::FileEnd(file_spec) => State::FileEnd {
                                        chunk_data, line_read: file_spec},
                                }
                            }
                            CompType::Change => {
                                match line_read.kind {
                                    CompType::Match => State::EndingChunk {
                                        chunk_data, line_read },
                                    CompType::Change => State::ContinuingChangeChunk {
                                        chunk_data, line_read },
                                    CompType::FileEnd(_) => State::FileEndChange {
                                        chunk_data},
                                }
                            }
                            CompType::FileEnd(_) => panic!(
                            // error! should not have come here from FileEnd
                                "Failed to process file end correctly (failed at lines a:{},b:{})",
                                line_read.cursor.a, line_read.cursor.b),
                        }
                    }
                }
            },
            State::ContinuingChunk { mut chunk_data, line_read } => {
                chunk_data.lines.push(line_read);
                let new_cursor = chunk_data.cursor.increment_cursor(None);
                chunk_data.set_cursor(new_cursor);
                State::NewLine{chunk_data}
            },
            State::ContinuingChangeChunk { chunk_data, line_read } => {
                let first_lc = chunk_data.lines.first().unwrap();
                if a_lines[first_lc.cursor.a] == b_lines[line_read.cursor.b] {
                    State::EndingChangedChunk{
                        chunk_data, chunk_type: ChunkType::Addition
                    }
                }
                else if a_lines[line_read.cursor.a] == b_lines[first_lc.cursor.b] {
                    State::EndingChangedChunk{
                        chunk_data, chunk_type: ChunkType::Deletion
                    }
                }
                else {
                    State::ContinuingChunk { chunk_data, line_read }
                }
            },
            State::EndingChunk { chunk_data, line_read } => {
                let chunk_type = match line_read.kind {
                    CompType::Match => ChunkType::Modification,
                    CompType::Change => ChunkType::Match,
                    CompType::FileEnd(_) => panic!(
                            // error! should not have come here from FileEnd
                            "Failed to process file end correctly (failed at lines a:{},b:{})",
                            line_read.cursor.a, line_read.cursor.b
                        )
                };
                let new_a_lines: Vec<String> = chunk_data.lines.iter()
                                                .map(|lc| String::from(a_lines[lc.cursor.a]))
                                                .collect();
                let new_b_lines: Vec<String> = chunk_data.lines.iter()
                                                .map(|lc| String::from(b_lines[lc.cursor.b]))
                                                .collect();
                chunks.push(
                    Chunk{
                        chunk_type,
                        a_lines: new_a_lines,
                        b_lines: new_b_lines,
                        cursor: chunk_data.start_cursor,
                    }
                );

                // continue from last read line, but with a new chunk
                // ... repetitive yes, but cleaner code I think
                State::NewChunk { cursor: line_read.cursor }
            },
            State::EndingChangedChunk { chunk_data, chunk_type } => {

                let new_a_lines: Vec<String> = chunk_data.lines.iter()
                                                .map(|lc| String::from(a_lines[lc.cursor.a]))
                                                .collect();
                let new_b_lines: Vec<String> = chunk_data.lines.iter()
                                                .map(|lc| String::from(b_lines[lc.cursor.b]))
                                                .collect();
                chunks.push(
                    Chunk{
                        chunk_type,
                        a_lines: new_a_lines,
                        b_lines: new_b_lines,
                        cursor: chunk_data.start_cursor,
                    }
                );
                let new_cursor = chunk_data.cursor.increment_cursor(Some(chunks.last().unwrap()));

                State::NewChunk { cursor: new_cursor }
            },
            State::FileEnd { chunk_data, line_read} => {
                match line_read {
                    FileSpec::A => {
                        chunks.push(
                            Chunk{
                                chunk_type: ChunkType::Addition,
                                a_lines: vec![],
                                b_lines: b_lines[chunk_data.cursor.b..].iter()
                                            .map(|s| String::from(*s)).collect(),
                                cursor: chunk_data.cursor,
                            }
                        );
                        State::End
                    },
                    FileSpec::B => {
                        chunks.push(
                            Chunk{
                                chunk_type: ChunkType::Deletion,
                                a_lines: a_lines[chunk_data.cursor.a..].iter()
                                            .map(|s| String::from(*s)).collect(),
                                b_lines: vec![],
                                cursor: chunk_data.cursor,
                            }
                        );
                        State::End
                    },
                    FileSpec::AB => State::End,
                }
            },
            State::FileEndChange { chunk_data } => {
                let a_cursor = chunk_data.start_cursor.a.clone();
                let b_cursor = chunk_data.start_cursor.b.clone();
                chunks.push(
                    Chunk{
                        chunk_type: ChunkType::Deletion,
                        a_lines: a_lines[a_cursor..].iter()
                                    .map(|s| String::from(*s)).collect(),
                        b_lines: vec![],
                        cursor: chunk_data.start_cursor,
                    }
                );
                chunks.push(
                    Chunk{
                        chunk_type: ChunkType::Addition,
                        a_lines: vec![],
                        b_lines: b_lines[b_cursor..].iter()
                                    .map(|s| String::from(*s)).collect(),
                        cursor: chunk_data.cursor,
                    }
                );
                State::End
            },
            State::End => break,
        };

    }

    // > Wrap up

    println!("Done!");

    for (i,c) in chunks.iter().enumerate() {
        println!("\n--- Chunk: {} ---", i);
        println!("Type: {:?}", c.chunk_type);
        println!("A: {:?}", c.a_lines);
        println!("B: {:?}", c.b_lines);
    }
}