FAQ
This section answers common questions about the application, including usage, troubleshooting, and customization.
1. General Questions
Q: What does this application do?
A: This application calculates the shortest paths in a graph using A* and Dijkstra algorithms. It provides both a Command-Line Interface (CLI) and an HTTP API for interaction.
Q: What are the system requirements?
A: The application runs on:
macOS (requires a terminal and execution permissions)
Windows (requires batch script execution enabled)
Linux (requires Bash)
2. Installation & Launch
Q: How do I install and launch the application?
A:
Download the code folder from the GitHub repository.
Run the appropriate script:
On macOS/Linux:
./macLinuxProjectBuilder.shOn Windows:
windowsProjectBuilder.bat
Q: The application won’t launch. What should I do?
A: Try the following:
Ensure you have downloaded the correct script for your OS.
Check for execution permissions (
chmod +x macLinuxProjectBuilder.shon macOS/Linux).Close any applications that may be using the API port.
3. CLI Usage
Q: How do I calculate the shortest path using the CLI?
A:
Launch the application.
Enter a start node (integer).
Enter an end node (integer).
The shortest path and distance will be displayed.
Q: What commands are available in the CLI?
A: Enter help in the CLI to view the full list of commands.
4. API Usage
Q: How do I use the API?
A:
Start the application.
Send GET requests to
http://localhost:<port>/path?start=X&end=Y.
Q: Can I change the API response format?
A: Yes. Add &format=json or &format=xml to the request URL.
5. Customization
Q: Can I change the heuristic weight for A?*
A: Yes, use the weight command in the CLI.
Q: How do I change the number of landmarks?
A: Use the qty lm command in the CLI.
6. Troubleshooting
Q: Why do I get an “Invalid Node” error?
A: The node ID you entered does not exist in the dataset. Ensure you are using valid node numbers.
Q: Why is my API request failing with a 404 error?
A: The start or end node may not exist, or the API server might not be running. Check your node values and verify that the application is active.
Q: How do I stop the application?
A: Type stop or exit in the CLI, or press Ctrl+C in the terminal.
If your question is not listed here, check the full documentation or report an issue on GitHub.
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