How can I make this piece of code better? The problem to be solved is in the topmost comment.#include <iostream>#include <vector>#include <cassert>#include <stdint.h>#include <iterator>#include <queue>/* * Shuttle Puzzle: * A Shuttle Puzzle of size 4 consists of 4 white marbles, 4 black marbles, and a strip of * wood with 9 holes (as shown below). The marbles of the same color are placed in the * holes at the opposite ends of the strip leaving the center hole empty. The object of the * puzzle is to completely reverse the marbles on the strip. In general, a shuttle puzzle of * size N consists of N white marbles, N black marbles and 2N+1 holes. There are only * two permissible types of moves. You may slide 1 marble 1 space (into an empty hole) * or jump 1 marble over 1 mar * * W W W W O B B B B *///-------------------------------------------------------------------------------////Definitionclass shuttle_puzzle{private :  /* Private member variables and typedefs */  typedef std::vector<char> board;  board _game_board;  uint32_t _N;  enum SwapCase { LeftSkip = -2, ImmediateLeft = -1, Invalid = 0, ImmediateRight = 1, RightSkip = 2 };  bool _problem_solved;  std::queue<board> _solutions;  /* Private Methods */  void has_left_swap_move(uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase* cases, board &check_board);  void has_right_swap_move(uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase* cases, board &check_board);  bool solved(uint32_t open_loc, board &check_board);  board swap_marbles(uint32_t open_location, SwapCase curr_case, board modify_board);public :  /* ctor */  shuttle_puzzle(uint32_t N);  /* Method that solves the problem above */  void solve(uint32_t empty_location, board curr_game_board);  /* getter */  const board &get_game_board() const { return _game_board; }  uint32_t get_start_open_loc() const { return _N; }  const std::queue<board> &get_solutions() const { return _solutions; }}; //shuttle_puzzle//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------////Implmentation/* * ctor * Build the table with N Ws on the left and N Bs on the * right, and a O representing the empty location in the middle. * N Specifies the number of white marbles or black marbles. */shuttle_puzzle::shuttle_puzzle(uint32_t N) :  _N(N),  _problem_solved(false){  try {    _game_board.resize(2*N + 1);  } catch (std::bad_alloc ba) {    throw ba;  }  uint32_t left = 0;  uint32_t right = _game_board.size() - 1;  for (; left != right; ++left, --right) {    _game_board[left] = 'W';    _game_board[right] = 'B';  }  _game_board[left] = 'O';  assert(left == right && _game_board[left] == 'O' && _game_board[right] == 'O');}/* * The approach to this problem uses the fact that one step towards the solution * is a binary choice of swapping to the left or to the right. As in the tree below * *                         W O B *                         /   \ *                    O W B     W B O * * Using back tracking if a path down the tree will not lead to a solution */void shuttle_puzzle::solve(uint32_t empty_location, board curr_game_board){  /*   * Once we have found a solution mark problem as solved for this object   */  if (solved(empty_location, curr_game_board)) {    _solutions.push(curr_game_board);    _problem_solved = true;    return;  }  SwapCase left_cases[2] = {Invalid, Invalid};  SwapCase right_cases[2] = {Invalid, Invalid};  has_left_swap_move(empty_location, left_cases, curr_game_board);  has_right_swap_move(empty_location, right_cases, curr_game_board);  /*   * If you can swap a white marble into the empty location (left_cases[0]) or if you can   * hop a black with a white into an empty location (left_cases[1])   */  if (left_cases[0] || left_cases[1]) {    SwapCase left_swap_case = ((left_cases[0]) ? left_cases[0] : left_cases[1]); // -1 or -2 will be results    // swap marble at -1 or -2 from empty location with the empty location    board game_board_swap_left = swap_marbles(empty_location, left_swap_case, curr_game_board);    _solutions.push(curr_game_board);    if (!_problem_solved) {      solve(empty_location + left_swap_case, game_board_swap_left);    }    if (!_problem_solved) {      _solutions.pop();    }  }  /*   * If you can swap a black marble into the empty location (right_cases[0]) or if you can   * hop a white with a black into an empty location (right_cases[1])   */  if (right_cases[0] || right_cases[1]) {    SwapCase right_swap_case = ((right_cases[0]) ? right_cases[0] : right_cases[1]); // 1 or 2 will be results    // swap marble at 1 or 2 from empty location with the empty location    board game_board_swap_right = swap_marbles(empty_location, right_swap_case, curr_game_board);    _solutions.push(curr_game_board);    if (!_problem_solved) {      solve(empty_location + right_swap_case, game_board_swap_right);    }    if (!_problem_solved) {      _solutions.pop();    }  }}/* * This method will tell you which swap is valid to the left of the open * spot on the board. The cases are depeicted below * * W O B  -- Immediate Left Move * W B O  -- Left Skip * O W W B B -- Invalid */void shuttle_puzzle::has_left_swap_move(uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase *cases, board &check_board){  /*   * If piece to left is black or piece to left   * is white and the piece to the left of that is   * black. Make sure to check that you are within   * bounds   */    if (static_cast<int>(open_loc) - 1 < 0) {      cases[0] = Invalid;      cases[1] = Invalid;    } else if (static_cast<int>(open_loc) - 2 >= 0) {      if (check_board[open_loc - 1] == 'W') {        cases[0] = ImmediateLeft;        cases[1] = Invalid;      } else if (check_board[open_loc - 1] == 'B' && check_board[open_loc - 2] == 'W') {        cases[0] = Invalid;        cases[1] = LeftSkip;      }    } else if (static_cast<int>(open_loc) - 1 >= 0 && check_board[open_loc - 1] == 'W') {      cases[0] = ImmediateLeft;      cases[1] = Invalid;    } else {      cases[0] = Invalid;      cases[1] = Invalid;    }}/* * This method will tell you which swap is valid to the right of the open * spot on the board. The cases are depeicted below * * W O B  -- Immediate Right Move * O W B  -- Right Skip * W W B B O -- Invalid */void shuttle_puzzle::has_right_swap_move(uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase *cases, board &check_board){  /*   * If piece to right is white or piece to right   * is black and the piece to the right of that is   * white. Make sure to check that you are within   * bounds   */  if (open_loc + 1 >= check_board.size()) {    cases[0] = Invalid;    cases[1] = Invalid;  } else if (open_loc + 2 < check_board.size()) {    if (check_board[open_loc + 1] == 'B') {      cases[0] = ImmediateRight;      cases[1] = Invalid;    } else if (check_board[open_loc + 1] == 'W' && check_board[open_loc + 2] == 'B') {      cases[0] = Invalid;      cases[1] = RightSkip;    }  } else if (open_loc + 1 < check_board.size() && check_board[open_loc + 1] == 'B') {    cases[0] = ImmediateRight;    cases[1] = Invalid;  } else {    cases[0] = Invalid;    cases[1] = Invalid;  }}/* * A puzzle is solved if the open location is in the middle * of the board and if all the white marbles are on the right * and all the black marbles are on the left */bool shuttle_puzzle::solved(uint32_t open_loc, board &check_board){  uint32_t middle = (check_board.size()/2);  if (open_loc != middle) {    return false;  }  for (int i = 0, j = check_board.size() - 1; i != j; ++i, --j) {    if (check_board[i] == 'W' || check_board[j] == 'B') {      return false;    }  }  return true;}/* * We cannot modify the original board, so we must return a copy * of the modified board. So we obtain a copy of the board. Modify * the copy, and return it to the caller for further processing */shuttle_puzzle::board shuttle_puzzle::swap_marbles(uint32_t open_location, SwapCase curr_case, board modify_board){  board ret = modify_board;  char tmp = ret[open_location];  ret[open_location] = ret[open_location + curr_case];  ret[open_location + curr_case] = tmp;  return ret;}int main(int argc, char *argv[]){  shuttle_puzzle sp(1);  sp.solve(sp.get_start_open_loc(), sp.get_game_board());  std::queue<std::vector<char> > sol = sp.get_solutions();  for (;!sol.empty();) {    std::copy(sol.front().begin(), sol.front().end(), std::ostreambuf_iterator<char>(std::cout));    std::cout << std::endl;    sol.pop();  }  return 0;}
Shuttle Puzzle solver
c++;algorithm;programming challenge
Small Syntax problemsSince all your other header files are C++, why not make this one C++?#include <stdint.h>// Change to #include <cstdint>Identifiers beginning with _ and then a capitol letter is reserved in all scopes.uint32_t _N;In general it is best to avoid underscore as the first letter of an identifier (as the rules are not obvious (unless you know where to look them up).Passing pointers as parameters should be avoided:void has_left_swap_move (uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase* cases, board &check_board);void has_right_swap_move(uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase* cases, board &check_board);                                  //        ^^^^^^^^^Why do you need a getter?const board &get_game_board() const { return _game_board; }uint32_t get_start_open_loc() const { return _N; }const std::queue<board> &get_solutions() const { return _solutions; }Methods should manipulate the object not expose the internals.When you catch an exception you should catch by const reference:catch (std::bad_alloc const& ba)Otherwise you put yourself in the position of slicing the object on the catch.Did you really want to pass curr_game_board by value?void shuttle_puzzle::solve(uint32_t empty_location, board curr_game_board)Functions:The functions:void shuttle_puzzle::has_left_swap_move(uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase *cases, board &check_board)void shuttle_puzzle::has_right_swap_move(uint32_t open_loc, SwapCase *cases, board &check_board)Seem to be practically identical. You should be able to refactor into a single function.