Thread for basic questions

[dvgrn]

Should pattern names be capitalized? Are they proper nouns?

By convention, not always. Some patterns have names that are traditionally capitalized: Caterpillar, Centipede, Gemini, Snark, Scorbie Splitter, Herschel (but "Herschel" makes particular sense since it's named after a person).

Other names are traditionally uncapitalized: glider, buckaroo, boojum reflector, syringe, waterbear, semi-cenark, etc., etc.

So just like forum usernames, if a pattern name shows up capitalized more often than not, then it probably makes sense to capitalize it ... but otherwise it's probably correct to keep it lowercase.

What is the smallest known corderbackrake?

I think that the most recent work on this is David Bell's results from last year. There's probably still something smaller out there in the Space of the Possible, though.

[Chris857]

Should pattern names be capitalized? Are they proper nouns?

On a very specific note, with A for all and Big A, it seems important to capitalize the "A" because the pattern contains the shape of a capital "A", not a lowercase "a".

[NNlk05]

What's the simplest universal Herschel toolkit?

[dvgrn]

What's the simplest universal Herschel toolkit?

R64 and Fx77 are a universal set, for some meanings of "universal". See Theorem 3.2, page 73 of the Life textbook.

[ThePlayzr]

Recently I asked how to do 2-state random soups, but how do you do symmetric soups?
EDIT: I know you can find it somewhere, but where do you check who found the first of a certain pattern in a certain rule on catagolue?

[NNlk05]

EDIT: I know you can find it somewhere, but where do you check who found the first of a certain pattern in a certain rule on catagolue?

Use the attribute endpoint
EDIT: Like this: https://catagolue.hatsya.com/attribute/ ... 3s23/H4_x4

Can someone find the ranking of this in census.rle? Thanks!

Code: Select all

x = 6, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
2b2o$2bobo$4b2o$5o2$2bo!

[hotdogPi]

Can someone find the ranking of this in census.rle? Thanks!

Code: Select all

x = 6, y = 6, rule = B3/S23
2b2o$2bobo$4b2o$5o2$2bo!

#428, 1730 occurrences

Code: Select all

x = 5, y = 4, rule = B3/S23
2o$3b2o$o3bo$b3o!

[I6_I6]

Are there independent glider reflectors for all periods (in Life)?

[PK22]

Are there independent glider reflectors for all periods (in Life)?

Probably, but a few periods are currently missing.
p1: Snark.
p2:

Code: Select all

x = 26, y = 30, rule = B3/S23
21b2o$21bobo$22b2o2$9bo$7bobo$8b2o4$22b2o$14b3o5bobo$24bo$7b2o3bo5bo5b
2o$6bobo3bo5bo$6bo5bo5bo$5b2o$14b3o$9b2o$4b2o2bo2bo$bo2bo4bobo$obobo5b
o$bo2bob2o$4bo2bo$5bo4bo$6b5o2$8bo$7bobo$8bo!

p3-p13 have bumpers (p10 and p12 aren't on the wiki, so here they are:)

Code: Select all

x = 72, y = 28, rule = B3/S23
25bo$25bobo$25b2o$70bo$69bo$69b3o5$15bo$15bobo$4bo10b2o28b3o13bo$3bobo
38b4o12bo$3bobo7b2o28bo4b2o10b3o$2obob2o5bo2bo27bobob2o$ob2o4bo4bobo
27bo7bo$4b6o4bo25b3ob4o2b2o6b2o$4bo3b2o29bo3bo4bobob2o3bo2bo$5b2o2b3o
6b2o18b2obobob2obo3b2o4bobo$6bobob2o6bo19b2o3bob2obobob2o5bo$b2obo3bob
o8b3o16b2obobo4bo3bo$bob2obob2o11bo18b2o2b4ob3o11b2o$5bobo4bo27bo7bo
14bo$5bobob4o30b2obobo15b3o$6b2obo32b2o4bo17bo$10b3o31b4o$12bo31b3o!

You can make a bumper for any period with a known true-period gun, as shown below:

Code: Select all

x = 19, y = 20, rule = B3/S23
11b2o$11bo$9bobo$9b2o$bo$2bo$3o2b2o$4bo2bo8bo$4bobo9bobo$5bo10b2o$13bo
$12bo$12b3o2$5b2o2b2o$5b2o2bo3bo$10b4o2$12b2o$12b2o!

This leaves {17, 19, 23, 26, 29, 31, 38, 39}.
p17:

Code: Select all

x = 48, y = 58, rule = B3/S23
34bo$33bobo$34bo4$25bo$23b3o6b3o$22bo8bo3bo$22b2o6bo5bo$30bo5bo$19b3o
8bo5bo$11bo6bo3bo8bo3bo2b2o$10bobo4bo5bo4bo3b3o3bobo$11bo5bo5bo3bobo10b
o$17bo5bo3bobo10b2o$18bo3bo5bo$19b3o10b2o$24b2o5bo2bo$23bo2bo5b2o$24b
2o10b3o$4b2o23bo5bo3bo$3b2o11b2o10bobo3bo5bo$5bo11bo10bobo3bo5bo5bo$17b
obo3b3o3bo4bo5bo4bobo$18b2o2bo3bo8bo3bo6bo$21bo5bo8b3o$9b3o9bo5bo$9bo
11bo5bo6b2o$10bo11bo3bo8bo$23b3o6b3o$32bo$16bo$15b2o$15bobo2$24bo$23b
obo$18b2o3b2o$19b2o6b2o$18bo8bobo$22b2o5bo$22b2o5b2o2$12b3o$14bo$13bo
3$7bo$7b2o$6bobo4$b2o$obo$2bo!

p23:

Code: Select all

x = 100, y = 82, rule = B3/S23
46b2o22b2o$47bo22bo$47bobo18bobo$48b2o18b2o$51b2o12b2o$51bobo10bobo$
44b2o5bo14bo5b2o$45bo26bo$45bobo22bobo$46b2o3b3o10b3o3b2o$51b2obo8bob
2o$50bo3bo8bo3bo$40b2o9b3o10b3o9b2o$40bo10b3o10b3o10bo$37b2obo36bob2o$
36bobob2o5b2o20b2o5b2obobo$35bo11b2o20b2o11bo$34bo4b2obo9b2o10b2o9bob
2o4bo$33bo4bo2bo10b2o10b2o10bo2bo4bo$32bo4bobo38bobo4bo$15b2o15b2o2bob
o8b3o18b3o8bobo2b2o$9b2obo2bobo17bobo9b3o18b3o9bobo$9b2ob3o2bo12b4obo
10bo3bo16bo3bo10bob4o$15b2o13bo2bo2bo9bob2o18b2obo9bo2bo2bo$9b6o2b3o3b
2o10bo11b3o3b2o8b2o3b3o11bo$8bo2bo4bo3bobobo28bobo6bobo$8b2o2b3ob2ob2o
bo32bo6bo30bo$13b2obo4bob4o28b2o4b2o28b3o$14bobob2obobo3bo12b2o34b2o
12bo8bo$4b2o9b2obobobo3b2o5b2o3b2o2bo32bo2b2o3b2o5b2o5b3o$5bo11bo2bo
12b2o3b2ob2o32b2ob2o3b2o11bo$5bobo7b3o2b2o16b2ob2o32b2ob2o16b2o$6b2o3b
2o2b3o11bo10bo36bo10bo$10bo5b3o3b3o2b2ob2o54b2ob2o2b3o$11bo2b5o3bo4b2o
b2o3b2o44b2o3b2ob2o4bo$12bob2obo5bo3bo2b2o3b2o5b2o30b2o5b2o3b2o2bo3bo$
13bo14b2o12bo32bo12b2o$43b3o26b3o$45bo26bo$14b2o$14bo$10bo4b3o$9bobo5b
o$9bo2bo32bo26bo$10b2o31b3o26b3o$28b2o12bo32bo12b2o$23bo3bo2b2o3b2o5b
2o30b2o5b2o3b2o2bo3bo$14b2o6bo4b2ob2o3b2o44b2o3b2ob2o4bo$bo12bobo5b3o
2b2ob2o54b2ob2o2b3o$b2o13bo12bo10bo36bo10bo$obo13b2o2b2o16b2ob2o32b2ob
2o16b2o$17bo3bo11b2o3b2ob2o32b2ob2o3b2o11bo$15bo2b3o5b2o5b2o3b2o2bo32b
o2b2o3b2o5b2o5b3o$15b2obo8bo12b2o34b2o12bo8bo$18bo5b3o28b2o4b2o28b3o$
18bobo3bo30bo6bo30bo$19b2o32bobo6bobo$35bo11b3o3b2o8b2o3b3o11bo$30bo2b
o2bo9bob2o18b2obo9bo2bo2bo$30b4obo10bo3bo16bo3bo10bob4o$35bobo9b3o18b
3o9bobo$32b2o2bobo8b3o18b3o8bobo2b2o$32bo4bobo38bobo4bo$33bo4bo2bo10b
2o10b2o10bo2bo4bo$34bo4b2obo9b2o10b2o9bob2o4bo$35bo11b2o20b2o11bo$36bo
bob2o5b2o20b2o5b2obobo$37b2obo36bob2o$40bo10b3o10b3o10bo$40b2o9b3o10b
3o9b2o$50bo3bo8bo3bo$51b2obo8bob2o$46b2o3b3o10b3o3b2o$45bobo22bobo$45b
o26bo$44b2o5bo14bo5b2o$51bobo10bobo$51b2o12b2o$48b2o18b2o$47bobo18bobo
$47bo22bo$46b2o22b2o!

I wasn't able to put together a p19 or p26 reflector, but the other periods are probably possible.

[hotdogPi]

This leaves {17, 19, 23, 26, 29, 31, 38, 39}.
p17:

Code: Select all

x = 48, y = 58, rule = B3/S23
34bo$33bobo$34bo4$25bo$23b3o6b3o$22bo8bo3bo$22b2o6bo5bo$30bo5bo$19b3o
8bo5bo$11bo6bo3bo8bo3bo2b2o$10bobo4bo5bo4bo3b3o3bobo$11bo5bo5bo3bobo10b
o$17bo5bo3bobo10b2o$18bo3bo5bo$19b3o10b2o$24b2o5bo2bo$23bo2bo5b2o$24b
2o10b3o$4b2o23bo5bo3bo$3b2o11b2o10bobo3bo5bo$5bo11bo10bobo3bo5bo5bo$17b
obo3b3o3bo4bo5bo4bobo$18b2o2bo3bo8bo3bo6bo$21bo5bo8b3o$9b3o9bo5bo$9bo
11bo5bo6b2o$10bo11bo3bo8bo$23b3o6b3o$32bo$16bo$15b2o$15bobo2$24bo$23b
obo$18b2o3b2o$19b2o6b2o$18bo8bobo$22b2o5bo$22b2o5b2o2$12b3o$14bo$13bo
3$7bo$7b2o$6bobo4$b2o$obo$2bo!

p23:

Code: Select all

x = 100, y = 82, rule = B3/S23
46b2o22b2o$47bo22bo$47bobo18bobo$48b2o18b2o$51b2o12b2o$51bobo10bobo$
44b2o5bo14bo5b2o$45bo26bo$45bobo22bobo$46b2o3b3o10b3o3b2o$51b2obo8bob
2o$50bo3bo8bo3bo$40b2o9b3o10b3o9b2o$40bo10b3o10b3o10bo$37b2obo36bob2o$
36bobob2o5b2o20b2o5b2obobo$35bo11b2o20b2o11bo$34bo4b2obo9b2o10b2o9bob
2o4bo$33bo4bo2bo10b2o10b2o10bo2bo4bo$32bo4bobo38bobo4bo$15b2o15b2o2bob
o8b3o18b3o8bobo2b2o$9b2obo2bobo17bobo9b3o18b3o9bobo$9b2ob3o2bo12b4obo
10bo3bo16bo3bo10bob4o$15b2o13bo2bo2bo9bob2o18b2obo9bo2bo2bo$9b6o2b3o3b
2o10bo11b3o3b2o8b2o3b3o11bo$8bo2bo4bo3bobobo28bobo6bobo$8b2o2b3ob2ob2o
bo32bo6bo30bo$13b2obo4bob4o28b2o4b2o28b3o$14bobob2obobo3bo12b2o34b2o
12bo8bo$4b2o9b2obobobo3b2o5b2o3b2o2bo32bo2b2o3b2o5b2o5b3o$5bo11bo2bo
12b2o3b2ob2o32b2ob2o3b2o11bo$5bobo7b3o2b2o16b2ob2o32b2ob2o16b2o$6b2o3b
2o2b3o11bo10bo36bo10bo$10bo5b3o3b3o2b2ob2o54b2ob2o2b3o$11bo2b5o3bo4b2o
b2o3b2o44b2o3b2ob2o4bo$12bob2obo5bo3bo2b2o3b2o5b2o30b2o5b2o3b2o2bo3bo$
13bo14b2o12bo32bo12b2o$43b3o26b3o$45bo26bo$14b2o$14bo$10bo4b3o$9bobo5b
o$9bo2bo32bo26bo$10b2o31b3o26b3o$28b2o12bo32bo12b2o$23bo3bo2b2o3b2o5b
2o30b2o5b2o3b2o2bo3bo$14b2o6bo4b2ob2o3b2o44b2o3b2ob2o4bo$bo12bobo5b3o
2b2ob2o54b2ob2o2b3o$b2o13bo12bo10bo36bo10bo$obo13b2o2b2o16b2ob2o32b2ob
2o16b2o$17bo3bo11b2o3b2ob2o32b2ob2o3b2o11bo$15bo2b3o5b2o5b2o3b2o2bo32b
o2b2o3b2o5b2o5b3o$15b2obo8bo12b2o34b2o12bo8bo$18bo5b3o28b2o4b2o28b3o$
18bobo3bo30bo6bo30bo$19b2o32bobo6bobo$35bo11b3o3b2o8b2o3b3o11bo$30bo2b
o2bo9bob2o18b2obo9bo2bo2bo$30b4obo10bo3bo16bo3bo10bob4o$35bobo9b3o18b
3o9bobo$32b2o2bobo8b3o18b3o8bobo2b2o$32bo4bobo38bobo4bo$33bo4bo2bo10b
2o10b2o10bo2bo4bo$34bo4b2obo9b2o10b2o9bob2o4bo$35bo11b2o20b2o11bo$36bo
bob2o5b2o20b2o5b2obobo$37b2obo36bob2o$40bo10b3o10b3o10bo$40b2o9b3o10b
3o9b2o$50bo3bo8bo3bo$51b2obo8bob2o$46b2o3b3o10b3o3b2o$45bobo22bobo$45b
o26bo$44b2o5bo14bo5b2o$51bobo10bobo$51b2o12b2o$48b2o18b2o$47bobo18bobo
$47bo22bo$46b2o22b2o!

I wasn't able to put together a p19 or p26 reflector, but the other periods are probably possible.

Neither of these work. Your p17 and p23 labels are switched, but that's not the problem. The p23 (labeled p17) is dependent (if the glider is absent, it breaks), while the p17 (labeled p23) doesn't work at p17 because it takes too long for the loaf to recover.

All but 17, 19, and 23 are known. https://conwaylife.com/wiki/LifeWiki:Ga ... tatus_page

[I6_I6]

Rephrased question: is there an independent reflector for each possible generation gap between two gliders?

[dvgrn]

Rephrased question: is there an independent reflector for each possible generation gap between two gliders?

That question is still answered by the same GoL Status Page table, isn't it?

All but 17, 19, and 23 are known. https://conwaylife.com/wiki/LifeWiki:Ga ... tatus_page

Could we technically build independent pseudo-reflectors for all of these periods, with a very long series of highway robbers -- number determined by the recovery time of the highway robber divided by the period in question? Each highway robber would have to be wired up to an inserter with its own custom delay/rephasing circuitry, so that the timings all come out right at the output end.

I think we can't quite do that with current tech, because we probably don't have an inserter that can get a glider into a gap in a p17 stream from just one side. And we don't have a highway robber that can produce output signals on both sides of an intermittent p17 glider stream, when it grabs a glider, so we can't use the usual insertion methods with cooperating signals from both sides of the target lane.

Or can we? What tricks am I missing? In particular, is there maybe a one-time turner that can drop a glider between two gliders 34 ticks apart on the same lane? We could use up an OTT and then rebuild it.

Is there a workable glider insertion that only needs a p17 spark on one side, where the spark doesn't interfere with passing gliders already in the stream? I don't have that part of pseudo-gun technology properly memorized.

[WhiteHawk]

Is there a conduit which uses the Herschel input shown and outputs the highlighted R-pentomino?

Code: Select all

x = 29, y = 33, rule = LifeHistory
23.A$22.ABA$21.2AB2A$20.2A2B2A$19.A2BABAB$18.A2BD2C2B$19.ABAC4B$20.C2D
.3B$13.4B3.A7B$12.2A6BA6B2A$12.2A5BA5B3AB$13.7B2A2BABAB$12.7BA2BABABA
$10.10B2A5B$8.19B$8.2BD15B$7.3BDBD4B.3B2A4B$8.2B3D4B2.2B2A3B$7.5BD4B2.
7B$6.10B4.6B$5.4B10.7B$4.4B12.6B$3.4B13.7B$2.4B14.6B$.4B14.2B2C2B$ABA
B16.C2BCB$2AB17.C3B$.A19.3C2$26.A$25.A.A$25.A2.A$26.2A!

EDIT: Attached an RF48H component and highlighted where the resultant herschel would appear without the junk ahead (I think that would make another L106, though this one might not be P2 and would be elementary) - I guess I therefore ask if there is a L106 conduit that can be made by suppressing the other herschel junk

[dvgrn]

Is there a conduit which uses the Herschel input shown and outputs the highlighted R-pentomino?
...
EDIT: Attached an RF48H component and highlighted where the resultant herschel would appear without the junk ahead (I think that would make a L106) - I guess I therefore ask if there is a L106 conduit that can be/has been made by suppressing the other herschel junk

This kind of question is what conduit systematic names were designed for. They're kept as all one conglomerate string of characters so that they can be searched for successfully using the forums' admittedly terrible search system.

In this case you're looking for an HL58R, and a search does turn up a very simple HL58R by MathAndCode.

Unfortunately it has the problem that you might expect, that the output R is traveling in the wrong direction so it charges right back and knocks out the eater2 catalyst. It doesn't seem like that output R is likely to be able to connect to anything in practice.

Oddly enough, there is an existing L106 that is made up of an HL58R plus the usual RF48H, but the output location for the R is quite a bit different.

[WhiteHawk]

Is there a century hassler which gets to the stage where the highlighted Toad appears?

Code: Select all

x = 18, y = 18, rule = LifeHistory
4.3A$3.A2.A$3.2A2.A$.2A3.2A$A2.A$A15.2A$2.A.2A10.2A$3.3A3.A$8.A.A$8.A
.A$9.A6.2A$16.2A2$7.C$7.2C$7.2C$8.C7.2A$16.2A!

[pifricted]

Is there a symmetry that the left transitions are equal to the right?

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 27, rule = LifeHistory
A2F2.3F$AEF2.AEF$3F2.A2F6$F2A2.2AF$FEF2.FEF$3F2.3F6$3F2.2FA$FEA2.FEA$
2FA2.3F6$3F2.3F$FEF2.FEF$2AF2.F2A!

[NNlk05]

Is there a symmetry that the left transitions are equal to the right?

Code: Select all

x = 8, y = 27, rule = LifeHistory
A2F2.3F$AEF2.AEF$3F2.A2F6$F2A2.2AF$FEF2.FEF$3F2.3F6$3F2.2FA$FEA2.FEA$
2FA2.3F6$3F2.3F$FEF2.FEF$2AF2.F2A!

Flip across an axis. I think D2?

[pifricted]

Is there a symmetry that the left transitions are equal to the right?

Flip across an axis. I think D2?

Emmm...I mean the symmetry in the ruletable.

[NNlk05]

Emmm...I mean the symmetry in the ruletable.

rotate4reflect I think.

[dvgrn]

The RoadMap says there's a "reflect_horizontal" and "reflect_vertical". Can't say as I've ever tried them, so I don't know if they're actually implemented in Golly.

[I6_I6]

The RoadMap says there's a "reflect_horizontal" and "reflect_vertical". Can't say as I've ever tried them, so I don't know if they're actually implemented in Golly.

I've just tried it and it doesn't work (even though the symmetries in bold are supposed to work in Golly).

[dvgrn]

I've just tried it and it doesn't work (even though the symmetries in bold are supposed to work in Golly).

Did you try "reflect_horizontal" or its apparent alias "reflect"?

[I6_I6]

I've just tried it and it doesn't work (even though the symmetries in bold are supposed to work in Golly).

Did you try "reflect_horizontal" or its apparent alias "reflect"?

Yes, I've tried both. (Neither worked.)

[Chris857]

I know of this 3G synthesis of a constellation of eater1 and a block (plus other variants that construct the B-heptomino from different directions). Eater1 doesn't seem to show up in cheap constellations like this very often - compared to like how I can sometimes get 3 blocks in 4G, or something like a snake and tub in 5G - probably also since the cheapest eater1 is already 2G - and I don't know of systematic ways to search for whether a constellation includes a certain still life.

Code: Select all

x = 72, y = 75, rule = LifeHistory
15$24.A$22.A.A$23.2A13$38.2D$38.2D8$38.2D$38.D.D$40.D$40.2D5$23.A$23.
2A$22.A.A12$59.3A$59.A$60.A!

Are there any other similarly cheap (3G or 4G) interesting eater1 constellations?

I ended up digging through catagolue and found these 3G syntheses of eater1 plus something else
xs11_33zx31e8
xs11_33zw31e8
xs11_31e8zcc
xs11_32acy3cc
xs11_32acydoo
xs14_178c0cik8

Code: Select all

x = 149, y = 70, rule = B3/S23
50bo39bo$o50bo36bobo51bo$b2o8bobo35b3o37b2o52bo$2o10b2o79bo47b3o$12bo
40bo40bo51bobo$54bo37b3o51b2o$14bo37b3o42bobo37bo9bo$14bobo40bobo37b2o
38b2o$14b2o41b2o39bo37bobo$58bo35$6bo$6bobo$6b2o$2b2o$2bobo75bo$2bo78b
o$79b3o4$79b2o$80b2o$79bo8$7b3o$7bo$8bo$89b2o$89bobo$89bo!

[otismo]

add Blinker get clean Eater

Code: Select all

x = 13, y = 39, rule = B3/S23
bo$bo$bo14$9bo$9bobo$9b2o$5b2o$5bobo$5bo15$10b3o$10bo$11bo!

Cheers !