Better error messages when insufficient candidates to fill vacancies

src/stv/mod.rs

@@ -553,12 +553,14 @@ impl<S: AsRef<str>> From<S> for ConstraintMode {
 }
 
 /// An error during the STV count
-#[derive(Debug)]
+#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub enum STVError {
 	/// Options for the count are invalid
 	InvalidOptions(&'static str),
 	/// Tie could not be resolved
 	UnresolvedTie,
+	/// Unrecoverable error during the count
+	CannotCompleteCount(&'static str),
 }
 
 impl STVError {
@@ -567,6 +569,7 @@ impl STVError {
 		match self {
 			STVError::InvalidOptions(s) => s,
 			STVError::UnresolvedTie => "Unable to resolve tie",
+			STVError::CannotCompleteCount(s) => s,
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -667,6 +670,14 @@ where
 		return Ok(false);
 	}
 	
+	// Sanity check
+	let num_hopefuls = state.candidates.values()
+		.filter(|cc| cc.state == CandidateState::Hopeful)
+		.count();
+	if num_hopefuls == 0 {
+		return Err(STVError::CannotCompleteCount("Insufficient continuing candidates to complete count"));
+	}
+	
 	// Exclude lowest hopeful
 	exclude_hopefuls(state, &opts)?; // Cannot fail
 	calculate_quota(state, opts);
@@ -960,9 +971,11 @@ fn elect_sure_winners<'a, N: Number>(state: &mut CountState<'a, N>, opts: &STVOp
 		}
 	});
 	
-	let last_winner = hopefuls[num_vacancies - 1].1;
+	if num_vacancies - 1 < hopefuls.len() {
-	if last_winner.votes <= total_trailing {
+		let last_winner = hopefuls[num_vacancies - 1].1;
-		return Ok(false);
+		if last_winner.votes <= total_trailing {
+			return Ok(false);
+		}
 	}
 	
 	let mut leading_hopefuls: Vec<&Candidate> = hopefuls.iter().take(num_vacancies).map(|(c, _)| *c).collect();
@@ -973,7 +986,7 @@ fn elect_sure_winners<'a, N: Number>(state: &mut CountState<'a, N>, opts: &STVOp
 	}
 	
 	// Bulk elect all leading candidates
-	while state.num_elected < state.election.seats {
+	while !leading_hopefuls.is_empty() && state.num_elected < state.election.seats {
 		let max_cands = ties::multiple_max_by(&leading_hopefuls, |c| &state.candidates[c].votes);
 		let candidate = if max_cands.len() > 1 {
 			choose_highest(state, opts, max_cands, "Which candidate to elect?")?
@@ -1151,7 +1164,7 @@ fn can_bulk_elect<N: Number>(state: &CountState<N>, num_to_exclude: usize) -> bo
 		})
 		.count();
 	
-	if state.num_elected + num_hopefuls - num_to_exclude <= state.election.seats {
+	if num_hopefuls > 0 && state.num_elected + num_hopefuls - num_to_exclude <= state.election.seats {
 		return true;
 	}
 	return false;

tests/data/insufficient_candidates1.blt

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Comment: Constructed example - insufficient candidates to fill vacancies
+5 7
+1 1 0
+1 2 0
+1 3 0
+1 4 0
+1 5 0
+0
+"Candidate 1"
+"Candidate 2"
+"Candidate 3"
+"Candidate 4"
+"Candidate 5"
+"Insufficient candidates example 1"

tests/data/insufficient_candidates2.blt

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Comment: Constructed example - insufficient candidates after the exclusion of those with no votes
+8 7
+1 1 0
+1 2 0
+1 3 0
+1 4 0
+1 5 0
+0
+"Candidate 1"
+"Candidate 2"
+"Candidate 3"
+"Candidate 4"
+"Candidate 5"
+"Candidate 6"
+"Candidate 7"
+"Candidate 8"
+"Insufficient candidates example 2"

tests/units.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/*  OpenTally: Open-source election vote counting
+ *  Copyright © 2021 Lee Yingtong Li (RunasSudo)
+ *
+ *  This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ *  the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ *  (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ *  along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+mod utils;
+
+use opentally::election::{CountState, Election};
+use opentally::numbers::Rational;
+use opentally::parser::blt;
+use opentally::stv;
+use opentally::ties::TieStrategy;
+
+#[test]
+fn insufficient_candidates1() {
+	let stv_opts = stv::STVOptionsBuilder::default()
+		.ties(vec![TieStrategy::Random(String::new())])
+		.build().unwrap();
+	
+	let mut election: Election<Rational> = blt::parse_path("tests/data/insufficient_candidates1.blt").expect("Syntax Error");
+	stv::preprocess_election(&mut election, &stv_opts);
+	
+	let mut state = CountState::new(&election);
+	
+	stv::count_init(&mut state, &stv_opts).unwrap();
+	
+	loop {
+		let result = stv::count_one_stage::<Rational>(&mut state, &stv_opts);
+		match result {
+			Ok(done) => { assert_eq!(done, false); }
+			Err(err) => {
+				assert_eq!(err, stv::STVError::CannotCompleteCount("Insufficient continuing candidates to complete count"));
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn insufficient_candidates2() {
+	let stv_opts = stv::STVOptionsBuilder::default()
+		.ties(vec![TieStrategy::Random(String::new())])
+		.build().unwrap();
+	
+	let mut election: Election<Rational> = blt::parse_path("tests/data/insufficient_candidates2.blt").expect("Syntax Error");
+	stv::preprocess_election(&mut election, &stv_opts);
+	
+	let mut state = CountState::new(&election);
+	
+	stv::count_init(&mut state, &stv_opts).unwrap();
+	
+	loop {
+		let result = stv::count_one_stage::<Rational>(&mut state, &stv_opts);
+		match result {
+			Ok(done) => { assert_eq!(done, false); }
+			Err(err) => {
+				assert_eq!(err, stv::STVError::CannotCompleteCount("Insufficient continuing candidates to complete count"));
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}

tests/utils/mod.rs

@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ where
 	for<'r> &'r N: ops::Div<&'r N, Output=N>,
 	for<'r> &'r N: ops::Neg<Output=N>,
 {
-	if stv_opts.normalise_ballots {
+	stv::preprocess_election(&mut election, &stv_opts);
-		election.normalise_ballots();
-	}
 	
 	// Initialise count state
 	let mut state = CountState::new(&election);