Thread for basic questions

[cgoler2]

You could also request for precompiled versions of apgsearch configured for different rules at the Search utilities executable? thread.

[silversmith]

You could also request for precompiled versions of apgsearch configured for different rules at the Search utilities executable? thread.

This is true, but if possible, I would recommend setting up a c++ compiler on your own computer, to save time and effort getting precompiled versions. It also is just a useful tool for running programs in general. Most likely people would be quite willing to help you set it up on your computer.

[cgoler2]

I already have one, but what commands do I run to downlad the git repository as a .git file? git clone downloads the git repository as a .zip file.

[silversmith]

I already have one, but what commands do I run to downlad the git repository as a .git file? git clone downloads the git repository as a .zip file.

Running "git init" in a unix-based command line makes a .git file. Running "git clone [source]" should then pull a copy of the git project to that location and update the .git file accordingly.

For apgsearch it would be something like

Code: Select all

git init

git clone https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/apgmera.git

[cgoler2]

Code: Select all

$ git init
hint: Using 'master' as the name for the initial branch. This default branch name
hint: is subject to change. To configure the initial branch name to use in all
hint: of your new repositories, which will suppress this warning, call:
hint:
hint:   git config --global init.defaultBranch <name>
hint:
hint: Names commonly chosen instead of 'master' are 'main', 'trunk' and
hint: 'development'. The just-created branch can be renamed via this command:
hint:
hint:   git branch -m <name>
Initialized empty Git repository in /home/Martin/.git/

Martin@LAPTOP-8U8U178C ~
$ git clone https://gitlab.com/apgoucher/apgmera.git
Cloning into 'apgmera'...
git: 'remote-https' is not a git command. See 'git --help'.

[silversmith]

This seems to be a problem with your installation of git.

According to this post it may be caused by Avast antivirus blocking the remote-https file and causing issues.

If this is the case, then try going into Avast's list of quarantined files and add an exception for the remote-https file.

[cgoler2]

Where is that?

[silversmith]

From the Avast app main page
1. Go to Protection.
2. Click Virus Chest.
3. Check if the remote-https file is in it.
4. If you find the file, verify it is from the git program directory.
5. Click the three dots next to the file, and click "Restore and add exception".

[cgoler2]

Thank you!

EDIT by dvgrn: Now that we have the "like" buttons, clicking the heart is a good way to say "thank you" that doesn't create a new post and send out an unnecessary notification to everyone subscribed to the thread.
Edit by cgoler2: How do I say thank you to dvgrn? I can't like my own post.

[silversmith]

You're welcome

[ihatecorderships]

Is Mark Niemiec's life page still being updated?

[bubblegum]

Is Mark Niemiec's life page still being updated?

He's working on compiling a new page. The current one up is still about six years out of date, though.

[mniemiec]

Is Mark Niemiec's life page still being updated?

I'm still working on my own internal copy of it, but it never seems to be quite ready for prime time. Unfortunately, the state of the art seems to be accelerating faster than I can keep up with it, so even my own internal version is getting more and more out of date (especially with all the new syntheses being uploaded to Catagolue, and its own internal mechanisms for creating others).

[hotdogPi]

Do any stable patterns (likely still lifes, but there can be oscillating components) scan as a QR code? You can take advantage of error correction.

[Dylan Chen]

Do any stable patterns (likely still lifes, but there can be oscillating components) scan as a QR code?

not feasible in B3/S23
normally QR code has corner components like this, it would grow and broke

Code: Select all

x = 28, y = 26, rule = B3/S23
6o$o4bo17b5o$ob2obo17bo3bo$ob2obo17bobobo$o4bo17bo3bo$6o17b5o16$b5o$bo
3bo16b4o$bobobo16bo2bo$bo3bo16bo2bo$b5o16b4o!

[breaker's glider gun]

(sorry if this interrupts) How do I do those things where I can open lifeviewer? When I tried it thought it was all saying what the bounded grid was. Please help!

Code: Select all

      O       O

        ------    
      /        \  
     |          | 

...Also, if ascii art is annoying, tell me and I'll stop.

EDIT:
How do I change my avatar?
EDIT:
Nevermind. Figured it out.

[JP21]

(sorry if this interrupts) How do I do those things where I can open lifeviewer? When I tried it thought it was all saying what the bounded grid was. Please help!

Code: Select all

mildly infuriating ascii art

...Also, if ascii art is annoying, tell me and I'll stop.

And that post (your first post) was too laggy for two of my browsers (on my phone) to really handle the page it was in.

[breaker's glider gun]

(sorry if this interrupts) How do I do those things where I can open lifeviewer? When I tried it thought it was all saying what the bounded grid was. Please help!

Code: Select all

mildly infuriating ascii art

...Also, if ascii art is annoying, tell me and I'll stop.

And that post (your first post) was too laggy for two of my browsers (on my phone) to really handle the page it was in.

Sorry. Should I delete it?

EDIT:
I mean the laggy one.


EDIT AGAIN:

I've deleted it.



EDIT AGAIN:
wait, is it just that I need to use the code thing?

[GUYTU6J]

(Originally I wanted to ask in the Exploratorium thread, but that place is not for random thoughts making no actual contributions to the project.)
Is there any demoscene program reflecting the modern development of Game of Life? I don't seem to find one here.

Or... Should it be considered an ancient artistic tech that has been superceded by things like LifeViewer? (EDIT: nope, at least LifeViewer does not support background musics; will it sometime?)

[breaker's glider gun]

How do I make a bounded grid with one of these

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 13, rule = life
8bo$8bob2o$9bo3$6bo$2o3b2o7b3o$6bo3$9bo$8bob2o$8bo!

things?

[dvgrn]

How do I make a bounded grid with one of these

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 13, rule = life
8bo$8bob2o$9bo3$6bo$2o3b2o7b3o$6bo3$9bo$8bob2o$8bo!

things?

If the unit of repetition were a 17x13 grid, you would do this in the header -- "T" stands for "Torus":

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 13, rule = B3/S23:T17,13
8bo$8bob2o$9bo3$6bo$2o3b2o7b3o$6bo3$9bo$8bob2o$8bo!

But if you just want a bounded grid with no repetition, it looks like this -- "P" stands for "Plane":

Code: Select all

x = 17, y = 13, rule = B3/S23:P17,13
8bo$8bob2o$9bo3$6bo$2o3b2o7b3o$6bo3$9bo$8bob2o$8bo!

Neither of those seems to do anything interesting with the pattern you quoted, so it's not clear to me what "one of these... things" is.

Information on bounded grid syntax is conveniently located in Golly under Help > Bounded Grids.

If you could give a link to where you got the pattern from, that would make it a lot easier to answer this kind of question.

[breaker's glider gun]

Thank you so much! I had something I needed it for.

[muzik]

Does anyone happen to still have any of the older versions of MJCell (before v.1.50)? The only ones I've been able to get are v.1.50 and v.1.51.

I've set up an archival index to keep track on what versions we have and what we don't.

[ihatecorderships]

If there is a phoenix 1, why isn't there a phoenix 2? Or maybe we could just call it the phoenix.

[dvgrn]

If there is a phoenix 1, why isn't there a phoenix 2? Or maybe we could just call it the phoenix.

My two cents: for all of the numbered object types -- another good example is "eater1" through "eater5" -- early Lifenthusiasts realized at some point that numbering was a terrible idea, and so they stopped numbering.

It's a terrible idea for eaters because the number of different eaters is unlimited. As more eaters are discovered by more people, it quickly gets difficult to coordinate among a very loosely organized group of rather argumentative nerdy people, to decide which eater to call "eater6" and which one to call "eater7", and so on. When naming conflicts happen in situations like this, things very quickly get very painful and confusing.

Luckily for the phoenix family, the attempt at arbitrary numbering stopped sooner than it did for eaters.

We can't officially call phoenix 1 just "the phoenix" (though the article does say that it gets referred to in exactly that way sometimes)... because its official name is "phoenix 1". It's referred to that way in a bunch of places, and anyway the number of phoenices is unlimited so it doesn't make much sense to call any particular one of them "the phoenix".

TL;DR: It's fine the way it is. Trying to rename things that have been named the way they are for half a century is just asking for trouble.