Q's about saving, modules, and multiple forms. (VB6)

[Jsnova864]

Hi, I got a few simple q's, I think. I'm making a pretty simple RPG but my program is getting too big for me to handle. I’m trying to figure out how to use modules to organize it and I figured out how to create one, but how would I import it so I could use it? I also would like to know how to setup something to save a game (and load), just to be able to save some variable values or something so I don’t start at level one every time. This also brings me to the process of saving and loading. I figured out how to make a 2nd form but how do I switch between them so I can use one for the actual field which you play on and the other as a menu screen for new game, load game, save game, ect?
Thanks for any help.

[Dököll]

Hi, I got a few simple q's, I think. I'm making a pretty simple RPG but my program is getting too big for me to handle. I’m trying to figure out how to use modules to organize it and I figured out how to create one, but how would I import it so I could use it? Thanks for any help.

Hello, Jsnova864!

I can help you figure out how to set up your modules. Please stay tuned for more help on saving for gaming purposes as I am not too savvy in this arena. Also I am pulling this one out of my forehead, bare with me:

Form1 Code (If then Else Statement)

Private Sub GetReady2Rumble_Click()

...a bunch of stuff here, your code perhaps

If user1 = 0 Then

WellWellWell = "DHU!"

Go2EvilDude.Deelite

ElseIf user1 = 10 Then

WellWellWell = "Fancy eh!"

Go2AngelDude.Sooweet

End If

En Sub

Go2EvilDude Module code (If Then Else statement)

Public WellWellWell As String

Public Sub Deelite()
    

    If WellWellWell = "DHU!" Then              
        
       Msg Box "Try again monsieur!" 

    End If

End Sub

Go2AngelDude Module code (If Then Else statement)

Public WellWellWell As String

Public Sub Sooweet()
    

    If WellWellWell = "Fancy eh!" Then              
         
      Msg Box "Groovy!" 

    End If

End Sub

Note: The message box information is where you'd need to have your app save to certain level. I guess you would need a timer or a way for the app to know which user is restarting the game therefore to load from last saved block...

Module explanations:

Names of your modules: Go2EvilDude and Go2AngelDude

Deelite and Sooweet are simply specific to your Public Sub command, serves to refire an additional If Statement to compute what must happen when user1 reaches 0 or 10

WellWellWell is just a way of getting something recorded as a result of user1 having a 0 or 10. Helps calculate the level of hardship/reward for specific instances (i.e. Try again or Groovy)

[Jsnova864]

Thanks so much. I know its basic stuff but my teacher went over modules on a day I was absent and our current project didn’t require it so I missed out. Just to be sure I got it straight; in order to call a private sub from the module it's the name of the module, a dot, then the name of the private sub. Right?

[Dököll]

Thanks so much. I know its basic stuff but my teacher went over modules on a day I was absent and our current project didn’t require it so I missed out. Just to be sure I got it straight; in order to call a private sub from the module it's the name of the module, a dot, then the name of the private sub. Right?

Right, name of module, a dot, and name of public sub...

Go2AgelDude.Soo weet calls the module named Go2AngelDude

Public Sub Sooweet() fires the code within that module (Go2AngelDude)

Good luck with project, and you're welcome!

[Killer42]

I may be mistaken, but I believe it works more like this...

• Private is private - you can't call it from outside the module.
• Public can be called from anywhere in the project, without the module name. (Unless the "module" is actually a form, in which case you do need to name it.)

In other words, where your code says Go2AngelDude.So oweet it should just say Sooweet. (Great names, by the way. :))

[Jsnova864]

O...kk. I haven’t seen public sub before so I didn’t know it existed. I tried a test program and I failed. I think the module part is ok because it has a problem with a method inside the module. Here (Error is at line 4, module code):

FrmField Code:

Dim A As Integer, Field As Long, ColorG As Long
Dim XCordG As Double, YCordG As Double, XIncG As Double, YIncG As Double, RadG As Double
Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    Select Case KeyCode
        Case vbKeyEscape 'Quick quit for debugging
            Unload Me
    End Select
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
FrmField.WindowState = vbMaximized 'Full Screen
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Resize()
    Field = FrmField.BackColor 'Black
    ColorG = &H80FF& 'No VbOrange?
    XCordG = FrmField.ScaleWidth / 2
    YCordG = FrmField.ScaleHeight / 2
    RadG = 10
    Call Guy 'Make Guy
End Sub

GuyModule Code:

Public Sub Guy() 'call this anytime the guy needs to move or refresh
    FillStyle = 0
    FillColor = Field 'Field = form backcolor
    Circle (XCordG, YCordG), RadG, Field   'undraw the guy....doesn't like it.
    For A = 0 To 4                         'Says, "Compile Error: Method Not Valid Without Suitable Object"
        Circle (xcord - RadG, ycord + 5 * A), RadG / 4, Field 'Would that object be the form?
        Circle (xcord + RadG, ycord + 5 * A), RadG / 4, Field
    Next A
    
    XCordG = XCordG + XIncG 'move the guy
    YCordG = YCordG + YIncG
    
    FillColor = ColorG
    Circle (XCordG, YCordG), RadG, Field 'Draw Guy
    For A = 0 To 4 'Arms
        Circle (xcord - RadG, ycord + 5 * A), RadG / 4, Field
        Circle (xcord + RadG, ycord + 5 * A), RadG / 4, Field
    Next A
End Sub

I think it is because it doesn't know where to make the circle. I thought because it was called in FrmField then it would draw it there. Is that the problem?

[Killer42]

I think it is because it doesn't know where to make the circle.

Correct.

I thought because it was called in FrmField then it would draw it there.

Incorrect.

Is that the problem?

Yes.

How's that for clear, concise answers?

If you'd like the useful ones, they cost extra. :)

Seriously, where the sub was called from is irrelevant. It is separate, stand-alone code.You could be calling it from another Sub in the same code modeul - where would it draw then?

You need to either specify Form1 in the code which draws the circle, or accept the drawing target as a parameter. For example, in Sub Guy() you can do this...
Form1.Circle (XCordG, YCordG), RadG, Field 'undraw the guy....doesn't like it.

or in Form1, do this...
Guy Me ' Make Guy
(note the CALL is optional.)
and in Sub Guy() do this...
Public Sub Guy(frm As Form) 'call this anytime the guy needs to move or refresh
frm.FillStyle = 0
.
.
.


A couple of things to keep in mind...

• The same applies to all the properties and methods, such as FillStyle and Circle.
• You will save yourself a lot of work if you get used to using the With block statement. It effectively lets you say "this whole block of code applies to this object". For example...
  With frm
  .FillStyle = ...
  .FillColor = ...
  End With
• Unfortunately, there are some methods which don't allow this sort of abbreviation. So for example, if Circle is one of them (I don't remember) then you might still have to include the object name at the front. (This is a pain.)

[Jsnova864]

Ok, good news and bad news. The good news is that I’m not getting anymore error statements. The bad news is that it still doesn't work. I have the ScaleMode for Frmfield on pixels. Not sure that is the problem though 'cause I changed XCordG = FrmField.ScaleW idth/2 to XCordG = FrmField.Width/2. Likewise with YCordG and it still didn't work. Nothing happens. On the other hand when I cut the code out of the module and paste it in the form it works.
Form Code(FrmField):

Dim A As Integer, Field As Long, ColorG As Long, XCordG As Double, YCordG As Double

Dim XIncG As Double, YIncG As Double, RadG As Double

Private Sub Form_Click()
    ModuleGuy.Guy Me
End Sub

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
    Select Case KeyCode
        Case vbKeyEscape 'Quick quit for debugging
            Unload Me
    End Select
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
FrmField.WindowState = vbMaximized 'Full Screen
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Resize()
    Field = FrmField.BackColor
    ColorG = &H80FF& 'No VbOrange?
    XCordG = FrmField.ScaleWidth / 2 'Scalemode = 3-pixel
    YCordG = FrmField.ScaleHeight / 2
    RadG = 20
    ModuleGuy.Guy Me 'Make Guy
End Sub

Module Code(ModuleGuy) :

Public Sub Guy(FrmField As Form) 'call this anytime the guy needs to move or refresh
    FrmField.FillStyle = 0 'Undraw Guy
    FrmField.FillColor = Field
    FrmField.Circle (XCordG, YCordG), RadG, Field
    For A = 0 To 4
        FrmField.Circle (XCordG - RadG, YCordG + 5 * A), RadG / 4, Field
        FrmField.Circle (XCordG + RadG, YCordG + 5 * A), RadG / 4, Field
    Next A
    
    XCordG = XCordG + XIncG 'move the guy
    YCordG = YCordG + YIncG
    
    FrmField.FillStyle = 0
    FrmField.FillColor = ColorG
    FrmField.Circle (XCordG, YCordG), RadG, Field 'Draw Guy
    For A = 0 To 4 'Arms
        FrmField.Circle (XCordG - RadG, YCordG + 5 * -A), RadG / 4, Field
        FrmField.Circle (XCordG + RadG, YCordG + 5 * -A), RadG / 4, Field
    Next A
End Sub

Note: I tried frm instead of frmfield and got the same results
P.S. Thanks for helping me. I've learned more about Vb from you guys than than I have in the past 2 weeks from my teacher :D

[Killer42]

I tihnk the most important correction you can make is to add
Option Explicit
at the top of all modules (code and form). You're using variables that don't exist, which means that VB just creates one for you, but it has no meaningful value.

Example: XCordG, which only exists within the form. You are trying to use it in your code module. Variable "scope" is a very important concept that you'll need to understand.

[Jsnova864]

Oh oops, stupid mistake. I usually use option explicit, but I forgot to use it because of it was just a test program. Thanks. I had to screw with the dims a bit to get it to work. I still can’t define XCordG and YCordG in the form and call it in the module but I think the "ByRef" method I just learned will let me get around that. I’ll screw around with it later. Thanks a lot for the help. I think I may come back later for saving because I don’t know where to start with it. Thanks again

[Killer42]

Oh oops, stupid mistake. I usually use option explicit, but I forgot to use it because of it was just a test program. Thanks. I had to screw with the dims a bit to get it to work. I still can’t define XCordG and YCordG in the form and call it in the module but I think the "ByRef" method I just learned will let me get around that. I’ll screw around with it later. Thanks a lot for the help. I think I may come back later for saving because I don’t know where to start with it. Thanks again

You should turn on the "Require explicit variable declaration" option, somewhere under the Tools menu. That way it's always there by default. This is one of those things which is better to have always switched on, even for a "quick and dirty" program, as it prevents so many little glitches like this.

Passing by reference is the default. Parameters are only passed by value if you say so. Although this is not very precise, the simplest way to think of it is that ByVal means "read only". In other words, just pass a copy of the value, don't let them touch my variable.

As for defining variables in the form and using them in the code module, you can, but only if you pass them in the call.

Let us know how it all goes. Good luck. :)

[Jsnova864]

Let us know how it all goes. Good luck. :)

Will do! Now I'Il have to learn to work with multiple forms,save somehow, and play music, but I'll try to get some of it myself before I ask fer help. Does anyone know some good sites for VB6 methods (references, tutorails, ect.). Everything I find seems to be for Vb.Net or VB2005. Thanks For all the help. I'll most likely be back :D.

[Dököll]

Will do! Now I'Il have to learn to work with multiple forms,save somehow, and play music, but I'll try to get some of it myself before I ask fer help. Does anyone know some good sites for VB6 methods (references, tutorails, ect.). Everything I find seems to be for Vb.Net or VB2005. Thanks For all the help. I'll most likely be back :D.

Get a load of these results:

http://www.google.com/search?q=VB+6+Tutorials&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA

Happy hunting!

[Killer42]

Will do! Now I'Il have to learn to work with multiple forms,save somehow, and play music, but I'll try to get some of it myself before I ask fer help. Does anyone know some good sites for VB6 methods (references, tutorails, ect.). Everything I find seems to be for Vb.Net or VB2005. Thanks For all the help. I'll most likely be back :D.

Yes, it is getting harder to find stuff for VB6. However, though I hate to admit it, there is good reason. Let's face it, VB6 is something like 9 years old. That's a long time in IT.

Althouhg I like VB6, I really need to find the time to start learning a later version. In which case, I guess it would make sense to go for the latest. Perhaps you should, too. VB2005 is, after all, available as a free download from MS. (I assume it's a limited version that you get for free).