Path Finder

Path Finder is a Java-based application for finding shortest walking paths around the UW–Madison campus. It uses a graph-based approach (with Dijkstra’s Algorithm) for computing optimal routes, backed by a custom hashtable that stores map data efficiently.

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Table of Contents

1. Project Overview
2. Features
3. Technologies & Tools
4. Setup & Installation
5. Usage
6. Testing
7. Project Structure
8. Contributors
9. License

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Project Overview

This project allows users to:

• Load campus map data and display building information.
• Compute and display the shortest path between two buildings.
• Show total walking time and route details using a text-based user interface.

It includes a separate frontend and backend, ensuring a modular structure for user interaction vs. data processing. A custom-chained HashtableMap and a DijkstraGraph class support efficient lookups and shortest path calculations.

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Features

• Campus Data Management: Load building and path data (e.g., from campus.dot) into a graph.
• Shortest Path Calculation: Uses Dijkstra’s Algorithm to quickly compute walking routes around campus.
• Frontend & Backend Separation: Clear distinction between the user interface (Frontend) and core logic (Backend).
• Extensive Testing: Includes multiple JUnit-based test suites for both frontend and backend functionalities.

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Technologies & Tools

• Java (11+)
• JUnit 5 for testing
• Makefile for compiling and running tests
• Graph Data (e.g., .dot files) for campus paths
• Git for version control

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Setup & Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/SrujayReddy/Path-Finder.git
cd Path-Finder

2. Ensure Java 11+ is installed.
   If you plan to run tests locally, confirm you have junit5.jar accessible on your machine (or set up in your IDE).

3. Review the files to confirm you see .java sources, Makefile, and data files like campus.dot.

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Usage

You can compile and run using the Makefile or standard javac/java commands.

• Compile & run the application:

make run

This compiles Frontend.java (and necessary classes) and runs it.

Alternatively, compile manually:

javac Frontend.java
java Frontend

(Adjust the main class if needed; some groups may start in Backend.java.)

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Testing

We have two main sets of tests: BackendDeveloperTests and FrontendTests.

• Backend Tests:

make runBDTests

Compiles and runs all JUnit 5 tests for the backend.

• Frontend Tests:

make runFDTests

Compiles and runs all JUnit 5 tests for the frontend.

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Project Structure

path-finder/
├── backend/
│   ├── Backend.java
│   ├── BackendDeveloperTests.java
│   ├── BackendInterface.java
│   ├── BackendPlaceholder.java
│   ├── ShortestPathImplementation.java
│   └── ShortestPathInterface.java
├── frontend/
│   ├── Frontend.java
│   ├── FrontendDeveloperTests.java
│   ├── FrontendInterface.java
│   └── TextUITester.java
├── graph/
│   ├── BaseGraph.java
│   ├── DijkstraGraph.java
│   ├── GraphADT.java
├── datastructures/
│   ├── HashtableMap.java
│   ├── MapADT.java
│   └── PlaceholderMap.java
├── submission-checkers/
│   ├── P23SubmissionChecker.java
│   └── P25SubmissionChecker.java
├── server/
│   └── HelloWebServer.java
├── data/
│   └── campus.dot
└── README.md

• campus.dot is a sample graph data file with building and path info.
• PlaceholderMap.java was used as a stub during development.
• TextUITester.java helps simulate CLI input/output for test scenarios.

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Contributors

• Frontend Developer: Srujay Reddy Jakkidi
• Backend Developer: Steve Hu

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License

This project was developed as part of CS400 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and is shared strictly for educational purposes.

Important Notes:

• Redistribution or reuse of this code for academic submissions is prohibited and may violate academic integrity policies.
• For external usage outside the course context, please include a clear reference or attribution.