################# BASIC INFORMATION ################# Project Members: Peter Vieira, Juan-Carlos Garcia
Application Name: Grocery Shopping
Release Date: 10/09/2012
Contact Information: pete.vieira@gmail.com, juanky.garcia15@gmail.com
######################## APPLICATION DESCRIPTION: ######################## Takes a list of grocery items, including the "entrance" and "checkout", each with x,y coordinates corresponding to locations in a store, with consideration of where walls and obstacles are. The edge costs between all the items are calculated using Manhattan distances. The edges are then input into an A* algorithm that computes the least cost order of the items, starting with the "entrance" and ending with the "checkout." This optimal order is given as the parameter to a second A* algorithm which determines the shortest path between each item pair in order and returns these paths on a map, along with path cost and execution time. All the outputs are done through the console of whatever environment is used.
################### CLASS DESCRIPTIONS: ###################
This class contains the main method which runs the program with one argument to specify the map file. It creates a hashmap of the grocery items and their x,y coordinates, an array list of their edges and a linked list of the string names of the items. It then runs the first A* algorithm to obtain the least cost order of the items. It inputs this into a second A* algorithm by calling buildSolution(), which computes the least cost path to each item in order. The map of the paths is then printed.
This class contains the state information for nodes for the first A* algorithm in Search.java called "public GraphState A_star()". A GraphState consists of the total cost of the node, the path cost g(n) of the node and its name.
This class contains the state information for nodes for the second A* algorithm in Search.java called "public State A_star(int x0, int y0, int x1, int y1)". A State consists of the total cost of the node, its location and its name.
This class contains the information for each edge in the edges array list. An edge consists of its starting location "from," its ending location "to" and its cost.
This class calculates the minimum spanning tree given a set of edges and a list of items. It returns the cost of the minimum spanning tree.
This class is a helper class for MinItemsTree.java. It ensures that edges in the minimum spanning tree don't create cycles