Constructing All Permutations

For some of the problems, we need to go and check each possible solution, thus, we need iterate each one. There is a tech called "Backtracking" in CS field to help solve this kind of problems greatly.

One of the classical problem is get all of the permutation of a list. It can be an integer list, string list, or other object list. Using Backtracking, we can recursively get each possible permutation, then we can use this permutation or check if this is what we need.

The implementation code in java is followed:
The result is:

d b c a 

d b a c 

d c b a 

d c a b 

d a b c 

d a c b 

b d c a 

b d a c 

b c d a 

b c a d 

b a d c 

b a c d 

c d b a 

c d a b 

c b d a 

c b a d 

c a d b 

c a b d 

a d b c 

a d c b 

a b d c 

a b c d 

a c d b 

a c b d 

*************************

a b c d 

a b d c 

a c b d 

a c d b 

a d b c 

a d c b 

b a c d 

b a d c 

b c a d 

b c d a 

b d a c 

b d c a 

c a b d 

c a d b 

c b a d 

c b d a 

c d a b 

c d b a 

d a b c 

d a c b 

d b a c 

d b c a 

d c a b 

d c b a 

Here, if you need the permutation in some kind of sorted, you need to sort the list as your require in construct_candidates function.

import java.util.Arrays;

/**
 * 
 */

/**
 * @author antonio081014
 * @time: Oct 9, 2012, 4:45:59 PM
 */
public class Permutations {

    /**
     * @param args
     */
    public static void main(String[] args) {
 Permutations main = new Permutations();
 String[] s = { "d", "b", "c", "a" };
 main.Permutation(s);
 System.out.println("*************************");
 main.Permutation(new String[] { "a", "b", "c", "d" });
    }

    public void Permutation(String[] s) {
 int[] a = new int[s.length];
 backtrack(a, 0, s);
    }

    /*
     * The first k-1 indices is stored in a, here we need to choose the kth
     * element;
     */
    public void backtrack(int[] a, int k, String[] s) {
 // if we reach the end;
 if (is_a_solution(a, k, s)) {
     // print(a, k);
     process_solution(a, k, s);
     return;
 }

 int[] candidates = construct_candidates(a, k, s);
 // k = k + 1;
 for (int i = 0; i < candidates.length; i++) {
     a[k] = candidates[i];
     // make_move(a,k,s);
     int[] tmp = Arrays.copyOf(a, s.length);
     backtrack(a, k + 1, s);
     // unmake_move(a,k,s);
     a = Arrays.copyOf(tmp, s.length);

     // check if finished;
 }
    }

    /*
     * Get all the indices of elements which are not in the permutation list;
     */
    public int[] construct_candidates(int[] a, int k, String[] s) {
 int n = s.length;
 boolean[] in_perm = new boolean[n];
 // Mark all the indices of elements in the permutation as true;
 for (int i = 0; i < k; i++)
     in_perm[a[i]] = true;
 int[] ret = new int[n - k];
 int count = 0;
 // Count the unlisted elements' indices;
 for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
     if (in_perm[i] == false) {
  ret[count++] = i;
     }
 }
 return ret;
    }

    /*
     * Process the permutation, which is the array of the indices;
     */
    public void process_solution(int[] a, int k, String[] s) {
 for (int i = 0; i < s.length; i++) {
     System.out.print(s[a[i]]);
     System.out.print(" ");
 }
 System.out.println();
    }

    public boolean is_a_solution(int[] a, int k, String[] s) {
 // Reach the limit, which there is no element here;
 int n = s.length;
 return k == n;
    }

    // Check the permutation indices;
    public void print(int[] a, int k) {
 for (int i = 0; i < k; i++, System.out.print(" "))
     System.out.print(a[i]);
 System.out.println();
    }
}