Kata

Woah! I have no idea what happened here! I had just merged a Python translation. Although, I've never formally studied Python, is it possible that the code below is causing the problem when generating the random board?

board[rand(0,4)][rand(0,4)] = 'q'
board[rand(0,4)][rand(0,4)] = 'k'

It looks fine to me, but it's the only thing I can think of that would produce such a result.

2 problems here:

1. this way, you could obtain queen and king at the same place. Bad.
2. the board is surely generated this way: board = [['*']*5]*5. VERY BAD: this way, the same list instance of length 5 is put 5 times in the board. That's why all the rows of the same column contain 5 kings or 5 queens. And sometimes, due to the first point, you end up with only kings in the board.

Lots of things still to learn, for the translator, here... ;)

Sorry about that, i translated this kata the same week i learnt Python, About the problems

1. i just thought i would get at least one distinct number when i call rand(0, 4) four times
2. i guess i forgot to clone the list before placing it on the board

I have clarified this issue but i cant seem to Publish my changes, getting a Error: python version python not supported error, So i forked it, Please approve the fork Python translation fork @dukies_2000

@kodejuice Thank you for clarifying the issue with the fork. @siebenschlaefer Many thanks for fixing the issue!

Thanks. It looks good to me, and yes, N x N would have been a nice extra. I am happy to merge this with my code. This kata is currently being used as an application to a course, so I'd like to keep it the way it is for the next couple of weeks. After that, I would be more than happy to merge it. Thank you :)

Application process is over. I have now merged your python translation to my kata : )

Could you have a look at the issue above please.

Approve the fork (Python translation fork), cant seem to edit my kumite....but i have clarified the issue

Wow, thanks for that! I had no idea that my random test could be vulnerable. Do you have any advice or know of any resources I could use to try and prevent this in the future?

Meanwhile, thanks for fixing the 'board9' issue for me, and for all the advice you gave me on my previous kata. I have now unpublished that previous 'incarnation' as advised ; )

Objects and arrays are mutable. If you pass them inside a function, the function can mutate them all it wants. And then if you reuse the same object for different purposes, unexpected things can happen.

So the safe way is to always pass a deep clone of the object.

Thank you so much :)