Enumeration of combinations of N balls in A boxes?

Question

I want to enumerate all possible combinations of N balls in A boxes.

example: I have 8

Answer 1

Pseudocode:

Enumerate(Balls, Boxes)
  if Boxes<=0 
    Error
  elseif Boxes=1 
    Box[1] = Balls
    PrintBoxes
  else
    forall b in 0..Balls 
      Box[Boxes] = b
      Enumerate(Balls-b, Boxes-1)
    endfor
  endif
end

Explanation

Start at the first box, if there are no boxes, complain and quit. If it is the last box to be filled, drop all remaining balls and show the result. If there are more boxes, first add 0 balls and repeat the procedure with the other boxes. Then add 1, ball 2 balls until there are no balls left.

To show, that the algorithm works, I give an example with real values, 3 balls and 2 boxes.

We have an array of boxes called Box, and each box can hold any number of balls (the value). PrintBoxes prints the current value of the boxes.

Box = (0,0)
Enumerate(3, 2)
  b=0
  Box = (0,0)
  Enumerate(3,1)
    Box = (3,0) 
    Print!
  b=1 
  Box = (0,1)
  Enumerate(2,1)
    Box = (2,1)
    Print!
  b=2
  Box = (0,2)
  Enumerate(1,1)
    Box = (1,2)
    Print!
  b=3   
  Box = (0,3)
  Enumerate(0,1)
    Box = (0,3)
    Print!

 Output:

 (3,0)
 (2,1)
 (1,2)
 (0,3)

 Which are all the combinations.

Another example with 3 boxes and 3 balls:

Box = (0,0,0)
Enumerate(3, 3)
  b=0
  Box = (0,0,0)
  Enumerate(3,2)
    b=0
    Box = (0,0,0)
    Enumerate(3,1)
      Box = (3,0,0)
    b=1
    Box = (0,1,0)
    Enumerate(2,1)
      Box = (2,1,0)
    b=2
    Box = (0,2,0)
    Enumerate(1,1)
      Box = (1,2,0)
    b=3
    Box = (0,3,0)
    Enumerate(0,1)
      Box = (0,3,0)
  b=1 
  Box = (0,0,1)
  Enumerate(2,2)
    b=0
    Box = (0,0,1)
    Enumerate(2,1)
      Box = (2,0,1)
    b=1
    Box = (0,1,1)
    Enumerate(1,1)
      Box = (1,1,1)
    b=2
    Box = (0,2,1)
    Enumerate(0,1)
      Box = (0,2,1)
  b=2
  Box = (0,0,2)
  Enumerate(1,2)
    b=0
    Box = (0,0,2)
    Enumerate(1,1)
      Box = (1,0,2)
    b=1
    Box = (0,1,2)
    Enumerate(0,1)
      Box = (0,1,2)
  b=3   
  Box = (0,0,3)
  Enumerate(0,2)
    b=0
    Box = (0,0,3)
    Enumerate(0,1)
      Box = (0,0,3)

Output
(3,0,0)
(2,1,0)
(1,2,0)
(0,3,0)
(2,0,1)
(1,1,1)
(0,2,1)
(1,0,2)
(0,1,2)
(0,0,3)