private String getDigEmptySpace(BoardViewer board, String digIndex) {
        if (digIndex.equals("\\")) {
            for (int relativePosition=0; relativePosition < board.getBoardSize(); relativePosition++) {
                String position = Integer.toString(relativePosition * (board.getBoardSize() + 1));
                if (!board.getBoard().containsKey(position)) {
                    return position;
                }

            }
        }
        else if (digIndex.equals("/")) {
            for (int relativePosition=0; relativePosition < board.getBoardSize(); relativePosition++) {
                String position = Integer.toString((relativePosition + 1) * (board.getBoardSize() - 1));
                if (!board.getBoard().containsKey(position)) {
                    return position;
                }

            }
        }

        return getRandomPosition(board.getBoardSize()^2);  //should never return this
    }