solve Day08 Part1 in python

Day08/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# Day 8: Haunted Wasteland
+## Part One
+You're still riding a camel across Desert Island when you spot a sandstorm quickly approaching. When you turn to warn the Elf, she disappears before your eyes! To be fair, she had just finished warning you about ghosts a few minutes ago.
+
+One of the camel's pouches is labeled "maps" - sure enough, it's full of documents (your puzzle input) about how to navigate the desert. At least, you're pretty sure that's what they are; one of the documents contains a list of left/right instructions, and the rest of the documents seem to describe some kind of network of labeled nodes.
+
+It seems like you're meant to use the left/right instructions to navigate the network. Perhaps if you have the camel follow the same instructions, you can escape the haunted wasteland!
+
+After examining the maps for a bit, two nodes stick out: AAA and ZZZ. You feel like AAA is where you are now, and you have to follow the left/right instructions until you reach ZZZ.
+
+This format defines each node of the network individually. For example:
+```
+RL
+
+AAA = (BBB, CCC)
+BBB = (DDD, EEE)
+CCC = (ZZZ, GGG)
+DDD = (DDD, DDD)
+EEE = (EEE, EEE)
+GGG = (GGG, GGG)
+ZZZ = (ZZZ, ZZZ)
+```
+
+Starting with AAA, you need to look up the next element based on the next left/right instruction in your input. In this example, start with AAA and go right (R) by choosing the right element of AAA, CCC. Then, L means to choose the left element of CCC, ZZZ. By following the left/right instructions, you reach ZZZ in 2 steps.
+
+Of course, you might not find ZZZ right away. If you run out of left/right instructions, repeat the whole sequence of instructions as necessary: RL really means RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL... and so on. For example, here is a situation that takes 6 steps to reach ZZZ:
+```
+LLR
+
+AAA = (BBB, BBB)
+BBB = (AAA, ZZZ)
+ZZZ = (ZZZ, ZZZ)
+```
+
+Starting at AAA, follow the left/right instructions. How many steps are required to reach ZZZ?

Day08/python/solution1.py

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+def parse_file(file_path):
+    """Parse the input file to extract instructions and the node map."""
+    try:
+        with open(file_path, 'r') as file:
+            lines = file.readlines()
+
+        instructions = lines[0].strip()
+        node_map = {}
+        for line in lines[2:]:
+            node, neighbors = line.strip().split(' = ')
+            node_map[node] = tuple(neighbors[1:-1].split(', '))
+
+        return instructions, node_map
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error parsing file {file_path}: {e}")
+        raise
+
+def find_repeating_unit(sequence):
+    """Find the repeating unit in a sequence."""
+    for i in range(1, len(sequence) + 1):
+        unit = sequence[:i]
+        if sequence == unit * (len(sequence) // len(unit)):
+            return unit
+    return sequence
+
+def navigate_network(instructions, node_map, start_node='AAA', end_node='ZZZ'):
+    """Navigate the network based on the instructions and return the number of steps."""
+    current_node = start_node
+    steps = 0
+    visited = set()
+    instruction_index = 0
+    instructions = find_repeating_unit(instructions)
+
+    while current_node != end_node:
+        if (current_node, instruction_index) in visited:
+            print(f"Loop detected at {current_node} with instruction index {instruction_index}")
+            return -1  # Indicates a loop without reaching the end node
+
+        visited.add((current_node, instruction_index))
+        direction = instructions[instruction_index % len(instructions)]
+        current_node = node_map[current_node][0 if direction == 'L' else 1]
+        instruction_index += 1
+        steps += 1
+
+    return steps
+
+def run_test():
+    """Run the test with the provided file path."""
+    try:
+        expected_result = 6
+        instructions, node_map = parse_file("../test.txt")
+        result = navigate_network(instructions, node_map)
+        assert result == expected_result, f"Test failed, expected {expected_result} but got {total_winnings}"
+        print(f"Test passed with {result} steps.")
+    except AssertionError as error:
+        print(error)
+
+def main():
+    print("Start Tests")
+    run_test()
+
+    try:
+        print("Start input.txt")
+        instructions, node_map = parse_file("../input.txt")
+        result = navigate_network(instructions, node_map)
+        if result == -1:
+            print("Failed to reach the end node due to a loop.")
+        else:
+            print(f"Reached the end node in {result} steps.")
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error during main execution: {e}")
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

Day08/test.txt

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+LLR
+
+AAA = (BBB, BBB)
+BBB = (AAA, ZZZ)
+ZZZ = (ZZZ, ZZZ)

README.md

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ I aim to complete each day's puzzle on the same day, but as with any challenge,
 | 05  | ✅       | ✅       | [Day05 README](/Day05/README.md) |
 | 06  | ✅       | ✅       | [Day06 README](/Day06/README.md) |
 | 07  | ✅       | ✅       | [Day07 README](/Day07/README.md) |
-| 08  | ❓       | ❓       | [Day08 README](/Day08/README.md) |
+| 08  | ✅       | ❓       | [Day08 README](/Day08/README.md) |
 | 09  | ❓       | ❓       | [Day09 README](/Day09/README.md) |
 | 10  | ❓       | ❓       | [Day10 README](/Day10/README.md) |
 | 11  | ❓       | ❓       | [Day11 README](/Day11/README.md) |