How can I get my game of life code to animate in python?

Question

I'm currently writing the John Conway's game of life in python and I'm stuck when it comes getting the cells to animate according to the rules. currently my code is compiling without any errors but I just can't figure out how I can get the code to animate. My code is:

code edit

from tkinter import *
from random import *
import time
import numpy as np

PIXEL_SIZE = 10
ROW = 910
COLUMN = 700
grid = []
updated_grid = [[]]

def create_grid():
    for row in range(0, ROW):
        grid2 = []
        for column in range(0, COLUMN):
            grid2.append(randint(0, 1))
        grid.append(grid2)


def draw_grid():
    for row in range(0, ROW):
        for column in range(0, COLUMN):
            if grid[row][column] == 1:
                x0 = row*PIXEL_SIZE
                y0 = column*PIXEL_SIZE
                x1 = x0+PIXEL_SIZE
                y1 = y0+PIXEL_SIZE
                canvas.create_rectangle(x0, y0, x1, y1, fill='red')


def apply_rules():
    for row in range(1, ROW - 1):
        for column in range(1, COLUMN - 1):
            neighbours_count = 0
            # will count the neighbours for each cell
            neighbours_count += grid[row-1][column-1] # top left
            neighbours_count += grid[row][column-1] # top center
            neighbours_count += grid[row+1][column-1] # top right

            neighbours_count += grid[row-1][column] # middle left
            neighbours_count += grid[row+1][column] # middle right

            neighbours_count += grid[row-1][column+1] # bottom left
            neighbours_count += grid[row][column+1] # bottom center
            neighbours_count += grid[row+1][column+1] # bottom right

            # Game Of Life rules:

            # alive cell rules
            if grid[row][column] == 1:
                if neighbours_count < 2: # rule 1 any live cell with fewer than two live neighbours dies, as if by underpopulation
                    grid[row][column] = 0
                elif neighbours_count == 2 | neighbours_count == 3: # rule 2 any live cell with two or three live neighbours lives on to the next generation
                    grid[row][column] = 1
                elif neighbours_count > 3 & neighbours_count <= 8: # rule 3 any live cell with more than three live neighbours dies, as if by overpopulation
                    grid[row][column] = 0
                else:
                    grid[row][column] = 0
            elif grid[row][column] == 0: # dead cells rule 4 any dead cell with exactly three live neighbours becomes a live cell, as if by reproduction
                if neighbours_count == 3:
                    grid[row][column] = 1
                else:
                    grid[row][column] = 0


def one_cycle():
    apply_rules()
    draw_grid()
    window.after(1, one_cycle)


window = Tk() # creates the window for the game
window.title('Game Of Life Python') # is the game title written on the window
canvas_frame = Frame(window) # creates a frame on the window to hold the canvas
game_title = Frame(window) # creates a frame on the window to display the game title (which will be a label)
start_button = Button(window, text='Start Game', command=one_cycle) # creates a button which will be used to start the game
canvas = Canvas(canvas_frame, width=ROW, height=COLUMN, background='black') # creates the canvas used to the draw the game of life
game_title_label = Label(game_title, text='Game Of Life', font='Helvetica 20 bold', fg='grey') # creates the label for the game title which will be placed in a frame

canvas.grid(row=0, column=0) # places the canvas onto the canvas_frame
canvas_frame.grid(row=1, column=1) # places the canvas_frame onto the window
game_title_label.grid(rowspan=2, column=0) # places the title of the game onto the game_title frame
game_title.grid(row=0, columnspan=2) # places the frame for the game title onto the window
start_button.grid(rowspan=2, column=1) # places the start onto the window


create_grid()
window.mainloop()

I am new to python so please forgive me if you see any errors I've missed and thank you for any help you are able to give me.

Answer 1

I think you need a few modifications:

1. Change your Button to start the drawing: start_button = Button(window, text='Start Game', command=apply_rules)
2. Modify def apply_rules(): to have this addition at the end: window.after(0, apply_rules)
3. Don't call apply_rules() your self: apply_rules()

When you run the program you will need to press the Start Game button.

================

Update:

You may need to add another function to encapsulate the idea of running the rules and displaying the results continuously:

Keep def apply_rules(): as you have it in your posting and add a new function:

def one_cycle():
    apply_rules()
    draw_grid()
    window.after(1, one_cycle)   # use 1 to ease performance as Bryan suggests

Change the Button command to: command=one_cycle

Now you only need this at the bottom:

create_grid()
window.mainloop()