C Programming 2d Array Question

I am set the task of writing part of a C program that will check if the user can move or not.
The program would use a 2d array

arrBoard[8][8]
and counters

#define EMPTY_SQUARE "E"
#define WHITE_SQUARE "W"
#define BMPTY_SQUARE "B"

I know the basic ideas of moves that can be made in the array

--------------------

x+1 | x+1 | x+0 | x-1
y+0 | y-1 | y-1 | y-1

x-1 | x+1 | x+0 | x-1
y+0 | y+1 | y+1 | y+1

-----------------------

I was wondering what the best way to check if the player can move is. Even after reading countless books i dont understand how you can read a position on an array.
Also how to define the edges of the board.

Im verymuch a newbie. (very basic idea of what im doing)

Any help would be appreciated.

I forgot this is for the game Othello!

Heres the code so far... i've implemented the 2D Array but it doesnt seem to do what i want it to do :(

Code:

#include "othello.h" /*Declare The Two Players*/ int row,col; int playerturn = 1; int player = 2; // ****Means that no-one can make a move until someone identifies themself as the host**** int board [BOARD_SIZE][BOARD_SIZE] = {0}; // the game console char g_sBuffer[512]; /* * gameEventsDispatcher : Main function to handle game events * eventID : Unique ID number to identify events and help with debugging * eventType : Indicates type of game event * eventRow : The row identifier of the active board square * eventCol : The column identifier of the active board square * eventData : For REQUEST_PLAY_EVENT, MESSAGE_INIT_EVENT, MESSAGE_PLAY_EVENT event types, * * : this string indicates the IP address and port number of the opponent */ void gameEventsDispatcher( long eventID, int eventType, int eventRow, char eventCol, char *eventData ) { switch ( eventType ) { case REQUEST_INFO_EVENT : sprintf( g_sBuffer, "Your game instance is: %s:%d", getIPAddress(),getPortNumber() ); displayMessage( g_sBuffer ); break; case REQUEST_PLAY_EVENT : notifyInit( eventData ); player = 1; // ****Means this is the host and player 1 **** for(row=0;row<BOARD_SIZE;row++); { for(col=0;col<BOARD_SIZE;col++); { board [row][col]=EMPTY_SQUARE; } board [4]['D'-'A']=WHITE_SQUARE; board [3]['E'-'A']=WHITE_SQUARE; board [3]['D'-'A']=BLACK_SQUARE; board [4]['E'-'A']=BLACK_SQUARE; /*Places White And Blacks on the Board*/ updateBoard( 5, 'D', board [4]['D'-'A'] ); updateBoard( 4, 'E', board [3]['E'-'A'] ); updateBoard( 4, 'D', board [3]['D'-'A'] ); updateBoard( 5, 'E', board [4]['E'-'A'] ); } break; case REQUEST_BOARD_EVENT : if ((player == 1) && (playerturn == 1)) { updateBoard( eventRow, eventCol, BLACK_SQUARE ); putNewDisc (eventRow,eventCol); playerturn = 2; } else if ((player == 2) && (playerturn == 2)) { updateBoard( eventRow, eventCol, WHITE_SQUARE ); putNewDisc (eventRow,eventCol); playerturn = 1; } break; case MESSAGE_INIT_EVENT : if ( ! notifyPlay() ) notifyInit( eventData ); /*Displays Initial Message To Show Status Of Game*/ displayMessage( "Game Activated - Lets Begin!" ); break; case MESSAGE_PLAY_EVENT : for(row=0;row<BOARD_SIZE;row++); { for(col=0;col<BOARD_SIZE;col++); { board [row][col]=EMPTY_SQUARE; } board [4]['D'-'A']=WHITE_SQUARE; board [3]['E'-'A']=WHITE_SQUARE; board [3]['D'-'A']=BLACK_SQUARE; board [4]['E'-'A']=BLACK_SQUARE; /*Places White And Blacks on the Board*/ updateBoard( 5, 'D', board [4]['D'-'A'] ); updateBoard( 4, 'E', board [3]['E'-'A'] ); updateBoard( 4, 'D', board [3]['D'-'A'] ); updateBoard( 5, 'E', board [4]['E'-'A'] ); } break; case MESSAGE_BOARD_EVENT : if (player == 1) { respond(eventRow,eventCol); updateBoard( eventRow, eventCol, WHITE_SQUARE ); //**** Updates Board With Whites **** playerturn = 1; // **** This is the recieving code for when player 2 makes a move, this the turn should go back to 1 **** } else if (player == 2) { respond(eventRow,eventCol); updateBoard( eventRow, eventCol, BLACK_SQUARE ); // **** Same as above **** playerturn = 2; // **** Same as above **** } //updateBoard( eventRow, eventCol, player2 ); //displayMessage( "Please Make A Move" ); break; case MESSAGE_RESPONSE_EVENT : displayMessage( g_sBuffer ); break; case MESSAGE_END_EVENT : sprintf( g_sBuffer, "Your opponent has given up!" ); displayMessage( g_sBuffer ); break; } } /* end of gameEventsDispatcher */

Here with the Header File

Code:

#include <arpa/inet.h> #include <fcntl.h> #include <glib.h> #include <gtk/gtk.h> #include <netdb.h> #include <netinet/in.h> #include <sys/types.h> #include <sys/socket.h> #include <unistd.h> /* * Descriptive string containing name and version number */ #define APPLICATION_NAME_STR "OTHELLO v1.0C" /* * Descriptive string to indicate the game board */ #define APPLICATION_GAME_BOARD "BOARD" /* * Descriptive string to indicate the message display */ #define APPLICATION_MSGBOX_STR "MESSAGES" /* * Descriptive string for button to start a game */ #define APPLICATION_BUTTON_PLAY_STR "PLAY" /* * Descriptive string for button to display information about current game */ #define APPLICATION_BUTTON_INFO_STR "INFO" /* * Descriptive string for button to end a game and exit application */ #define APPLICATION_BUTTON_EXIT_STR "EXIT" /* * Descriptive string for title of dialog window */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_STR "CONTINUE?" /* * Descriptive string for dialog button for user response Yes */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_YES_STR "YES" /* * Descriptive string for dialog button for user response No */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_NO_STR "NO" /* * Descriptive string for dialog asking whether player wants to exit */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_QUESTION "Are you sure you want to exit now?" /* * Descriptive string for title of dialog window when asking for opponent host info */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_HOST_STR "OPPONENT HOST" /* * Descriptive string for dialog button to connect to opponent host */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_HOST_YES "PLAY" /* * Descriptive string for dialog button for cancel play request */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_HOST_NO "CANCEL" /* * Max length permitted in text entry field */ #define TEXT_ENTRY_MAX_LENGTH 128 /* * Default width of application window */ #define APPLICATION_WINDOW_WIDTH 350 /* * Default height of application window */ #define APPLICATION_WINDOW_HEIGHT 560 /* * Default width of dialog window */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_WIDTH 250 /* * Default height of dialog window */ #define APPLICATION_DIALOG_HEIGHT 80 /* * Default value if network socket is invalid or not connected */ #define NETWORK_SOCKET_CLOSED -1 /* * Color of main window background */ #define COLOR_WINDOW_BG "lightsteelblue3" /* * Color of normal grid backgrounds */ #define COLOR_GRID_BG "palegreen3" /* * Color of grid backgrounds when mouse is hovering above */ #define COLOR_GRID_HOVER_BG "gold" /* * Color of grid backgrounds when mouse button is pressed */ #define COLOR_GRID_ACTIVE_BG "palegreen4" /* * Color of message display background */ #define COLOR_MSGBOX_BG "azure3" /* * Name of XPM image for use with Play button * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_BUTTON_PLAY "g_play.xpm" /* * Name of XPM image for use with Info button * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_BUTTON_INFO "g_info.xpm" /* * Name of XPM image for use with Exit button * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_BUTTON_EXIT "g_exit.xpm" /* * Name of XPM image to indicate Yes response on dialog window * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_BUTTON_DIALOG_YES "g_yes.xpm" /* * Name of XPM image to indicate No response on dialog window * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_BUTTON_DIALOG_NO "g_no.xpm" /* * Name of XPM image to indicate a game square without any discs * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_SQUARE_EMPTY "g_no_disc.xpm" /* * Name of XPM image to indicate a game square with a black disc * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_SQUARE_BLACK "g_black_disc.xpm" /* * Name of XPM image to indicate a game square with a white disc * Requires image file to be in same directory as application */ #define XPM_SQUARE_WHITE "g_white_disc.xpm" /* * Size of game board */ #define BOARD_SIZE 8 /* * Game event type when a player clicks on the PLAY button */ #define REQUEST_PLAY_EVENT 111 /* * Game event type when a player clicks on the INFO button */ #define REQUEST_INFO_EVENT 112 /* * Game event type when a player clicks on a square of the game BOARD */ #define REQUEST_BOARD_EVENT 113 /* * Game event type when opponent sends message to initialise a new game */ #define MESSAGE_INIT_EVENT 221 /* * Game event type when opponent sends message to start playing a new game after initialisation is done */ #define MESSAGE_PLAY_EVENT 222 /* * Game event type when opponent sends message to place a new disc on the game board */ #define MESSAGE_BOARD_EVENT 223 /* * Game event type when opponent sends message to confirm that player's new disc has been placed on board */ #define MESSAGE_RESPONSE_EVENT 224 /* * Game event type when opponent sends message to indicate end of game */ #define MESSAGE_END_EVENT 225 /* * Status value when a game square is empty */ #define EMPTY_SQUARE 331 /* * Status value when a game square contains a black disc */ #define BLACK_SQUARE 332 /* * Status value when a game square contains a white disc */ #define WHITE_SQUARE 333 /* * gameEventsDispatcher : Main function to handle game events * * Parameters : Unique ID number to identify events and help with debugging * Type of game event * The row identifier of the active board square * The column identifier of the active board square * The IP address and port number of the opponent * */ void gameEventsDispatcher( long, int, int, char, char* ); /* * updateBoard : Show status of game square at specific location on the board * * Parameters : Row label * Column label * Game square status * */ void updateBoard( int, char, int ); /* * resetBoard : Reset all game squares on the board to be all empty * */ void resetBoard(); /* * displayMessage : Appends message to game message console * * Parameters : Text message to display * */ void displayMessage( char* ); /* * notifyInit : Send message to opponent initiating a game * * Parameters : String of opponent host IP address * */ int notifyInit( char* ); /* * notifyPlay : Send message to opponent that you are ready to start playing * */ int notifyPlay(); /* * putNewDisc : Place a new disc on a specific location on the game board * * Parameters : Row label * Column label */ void putNewDisc( int, char ); /* * respond : Send confirmation response to opponent's placement of a new disc * * Parameters : Row label * Column label * */ void respond( int, char ); /* * getPortNumber : Returns port number of current game program * * Returns port number if server is connected, else returns NETWORK_SOCKET_CLOSED value * */ int getPortNumber( void ); /* * getIPAddress : Returns IP address of current computer * * Returns string representing the computer IP address * */ char* getIPAddress( void ); /* * endGame : Send message to opponent indicating end of game * * Parameters : TRUE if application should also exit after end of game message has been sent * */ void endGame( int );