Project Overview
This Morse code translator is a terminal application that allows real-time translation between text and Morse code. It features a color-coded, interactive interface and supports letters, numbers, and common punctuation marks.
Let's break down some key parts of the code to see these concepts in action.
Code Breakdown
The MorseTranslator Struct
pub struct MorseTranslator {
to_morse: HashMap<char, String>,
from_morse: HashMap<String, char>,
}
impl MorseTranslator {
pub fn new() -> Self {
let mut to_morse = HashMap::new();
let mut from_morse = HashMap::new();
// Populate with hashmaps...
MorseTranslator { to_morse, from_morse }
}
pub fn to_morse(&self, text: &str) -> String {
text.to_uppercase()
.chars()
.map(|c| {
if c.is_whitespace() {
" ".to_string()
} else {
self.to_morse.get(&c).cloned().unwrap_or_else(|| c.to_string())
}
})
.collect::<Vec<String>>()
.join(" ")
}
// from_morse method...
}
This struct allows:
- Use of
HashMapfor efficient lookup - Implementation of methods
- Rust's iterator methods like
mapandcollect
Terminal UI Handling
pub fn run_terminal_ui() -> crossterm::Result<()> {
let mut text = String::new();
let mut morse = String::new();
let translator = MorseTranslator::new();
let mut active_field = 0; // 0 for text, 1 for morse
execute!(stdout(), Hide)?;
loop {
// Clear screen and set colors...
match read()? {
Event::Key(event) => match event.code {
KeyCode::Esc => break,
KeyCode::Tab => {
active_field = 1 - active_field;
// Update translations...
},
KeyCode::Char(c) => {
// Handle character input...
},
_ => {}
},
_ => {}
}
}
execute!(stdout(), Show)?;
Ok(())
}
This function showcases:
- Error handling with the
?operator - Pattern matching with
match - Mutable state management in a loop
Conclusion and Next Steps
Building this Morse code translator is an engaging way to learn Rust's fundamentals while creating something useful. As you become more comfortable with these concepts, you can extend the project in various ways:
- Add sound output for Morse code
- Implement file I/O for saving and loading translations
The full code for this project is available on GitHub. Feel free to fork, experiment, and learn.
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