Cells are ordered in a numerically random configuration.
Cells are ordered in a chronological sequence beginning from the leftmost cell (left/start lattice edge) and progressing towards the rightmost cell (right/end lattice edge). This is the default sequential ordering.
Cells are ordered in a chronological sequence beginning from the rightmost cell (right/end lattice edge) and progressing towards the leftmost cell (left/start lattice edge).
Cells are ordered in a alternating chronological structure beginning at the lattice center and progressing towards the edges. For even lattice sizes, the first cell is the left center cell in the lattice, the second cell is the right center cell, and this alternating sequence continues outward.
Cells are ordered in a alternating chronological structure beginning at the lattice edges and progressing towards the center. The first cell is the leftmost cell in the lattice, the second cell is the rightmost cell, and this alternating sequence continues inward.
Cells are ordered in a center outward structure where for even lattice sizes, the first cell is the right center cell, the second cell is the left center cell, and this alternating sequence continues outward.
Cells are ordered in a edges inward structure where the first cell is the rightmost cell in the lattice, the second cell is the leftmost cell, and this alternating sequence continues inward.
Cells are ordered in a modular pattern based on an interval of N. This creates a weaving sequence, where every Nth cell is chronologically ordered, forming a repeated pattern. Enter an N-value below to set the modularity for the weaving sequence. Invalid inputs will default to N = 2. N is restricted to the following range: 2 <= N <= Lattice Size.
Visit the Documentation page: Go to Documentation!
Setup mode is an interface unique to the Sequential Wolfram Nearest Neighbor Simulator. It is activated upon page load (opening the simulator), changing the lattice size, and clicking the "setup" button. In setup mode, simulation is not possible as this mode is designed to prepare and configure the algorithm for sequential simulation. By default, setup mode applies a left-to-right configuration for sequential simulation, but the user has complete control of algorithm configuration at any point. Selecting a cell ordering is significant to the sequential simulator as it greatly expands the capabilities and uniqueness of the simulation; it dramatically surpasses the uniqueness and complexity of the Parallel Wolfram Nearest Neighbor Simulator. Selecting an order is not mandatory nor necessary as a default order will be applied, yet it is strongly recommended to configure an ordering in setup mode and explore the vast capabilities of the program.
In the sequential implementation of the Wolfram nearest neighbor algorithm, the state of each cell in a lattice is updated one at a time, with each update using the results from previous cells in the same iteration. This causes a cascading effect, where the outcome for a cell depends on the already updated state of its neighbors, which may have been changed earlier in the same iteration. The algorithm examines each cell in the lattice one at a time, updating it based on its nearest neighbors' states. However, unlike a parallel version where all cells are updated simultaneously, the state of each cell is altered as the algorithm proceeds across the lattice in the configured order. Since the state of a cell is modified before moving to another cell, it may be influenced by the newly updated state of the previous cell, leading to a dependency chain within the same iteration. In each iteration, the algorithm performs updates sequentially, meaning that the effect of earlier updates propagates forward, and the end of the lattice may look quite different from the start, depending on the order in which cells were updated. This can lead to more complex, evolving behavior within a single iteration due to the cascading updates, making it more natural for modeling processes where local changes propagate gradually.
In setup mode, clicking a cell does not toggle it between dead and alive states, but rather, it sets the chronological ordering such that a number will be set to the cell. The numbers are stored in a stack in descending order from one to the lattice size. Clicking a cell will set it to the number at the top of the stack, so if an order was already half selected and the cell set as six was selected again, it would be removed and, six would be put back in the stack, meaning that the next cell clicked would be ordered at six. Keep in mind that the configuration has no limitations as long as each cell is given an order in the sequence. For instance, it is not required that the sequence follows a particular pattern, nor do a cell and its neighbor need to be close in order. Ordering the cells with a number simply communicates to the algorithm which cell to first apply the algorithm and then what cell to proceed, up until the final ordered cell in which the iteration is complete. Cells may be numbered by clicking them individually or by clicking and dragging, which will chronologically order the cells that were clicked during the event. Note that the cell ordering can be changed anytime by clearing with the "Clear" button or clicking an already ordered cell in setup mode. If changing the ordering while in simulate mode is desired, click the "setup" button to view the current cell ordering and alter it as desired. Additionally, cell ordering can be skipped (simulate without selecting order) as it will default to a left-to-right ordering.
The library in setup mode is a collection of sequential ordering presets, designed for quick and convenient ordering. The presets provided are common orderings that produce interesting outputs in concordance with the rule number selected in simulate mode. While the presets are relatively basic and patterned (except for random ordering), they produce complex models. The library allows users to efficiently apply these presets by clicking a preset image button. The current cell ordering in the lattice will be cleared before applying the preset ordering from the library. The ordering will be displayed in setup mode, and then the 'Simulate' button must be clicked in order to proceed to simulation mode, which will use the selected ordering. Before entering simulate mode, the cell ordering displayed with the library preset may be altered as desired, ensuring users can maintain their efficiency while using the library.
When selecting an order with a large lattice size, it may be difficult to determine which cell is the 120th or 300th in the lattice. In order to identify the cell without tediously counting all the cells before it, use the "Cell Position" feature. The cell position is a hovering iteration number and cell index calculator that follows the mouse inside the canvas. Anytime the mouse is on a lattice within the canvas, the box will update with the lattice iteration that is being hovered (which is always 0 in setup mode) and the cell index, starting at index 0. Lattice iteration and cell index are seperated by a colon (iteration number : cell index). Thus, with the cell position toggled on, hover over the cell in need of identification and reference the value after the colon (rightmost value). Since the cell position toggle is located in the options window, which is not accessable in setup mode, it must be toggled by either using the keyboard shortcut ALT + 'W' or by clicking the cell position toggle bar within the options window in simulate mode. Alternatively, use a preset ordering in the library to conveniently ensure all cells are ordered.
