SmallBasic chessboard code

Question

Hi

I am just looking at SmallBasic and my helloworld program equivalent is a chessboard!

So I have an 8x8 board but all of the same color with my code.

How do I get alternating square colors?

rows = 8
columns = 8
size = 40
For r = 1 To rows
For c = 1 To columns
GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "red"
boxes[r][c] = Shapes.AddRectangle(size, size)
Shapes.Move(boxes[r][c], c * size, r * size)
EndFor
EndFor

I guess it is some sort of nested for loop with loop counter as in java/c etc? But what?

Grateful for helpful replies-thanks

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My blog - http://www.richard-dickinson.com

Answer 1

hi - I'm very much a novice so my solution may be a little clumsy but it does work and borrows your code for drawing the chessboard.

rows = 8
 columns = 8
 size = 40
 For r = 1 To rows
   For c = 1 To columns
     row_remainder = Math.Remainder(r,2)
     col_remainder = Math.Remainder(c,2)
     If row_remainder = col_remainder then
       GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "red"
     Else
       GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "gold"
       EndIf
 boxes[r][c] = Shapes.AddRectangle(size, size)
 Shapes.Move(boxes[r][c], c * size, r * size)
 EndFor
 EndFor

cheers - Paul

slightly improved i think - someone needs to stop me from writing subs  if it's bad... part of me wanted to have colours as an array...but i'm not sure if that would have helped :)

rows = 8
 columns = 8
 size = 40
 colour1 = "red"
 colour2 = "gold"
 For r = 1 To rows
   For c = 1 To columns
square_colours()
 boxes[r][c] = Shapes.AddRectangle(size, size)
 Shapes.Move(boxes[r][c], c * size, r * size)
 EndFor
EndFor

'subroutine to colour the squares on the chessboard

Sub square_colours
     row_remainder = Math.Remainder(r,2)
     col_remainder = Math.Remainder(c,2)
     If row_remainder = col_remainder then
       GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = colour1
     Else
       GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = colour2
     EndIf
   endsub

Answer 2

Hi Paul

Many thanks for your prompt & very helpful reply.

I like your code model/logic. As at the moment, I know nothing of Basic or even SmallBasic, then I cannot comment on code mechanics/methods (other than general principles)?!

As always I guess there are many ways to code even basic programs!

I am intrigued by Basic (here SmallBasic) now. I am more expert (experienced!) in web coding & design but along the way have dabbled with many languages eg Java, Perl, C, C++, C# and libraries such as GTK/GTK+/ FLTK/ Gambas and very very recently (last couple of days) QT & MS VisualBasic in an attempt to create some GUI & exe programs (on Windows!).

This first stab at Basic for me is interesting- I think I can see the prospect of reasonable results without getting too bogged down with technicalities (installing SDK's IDE's etc etc).

Would you think it worth my while to look more at Basic/SmallBasic or just take the bull by the horns & learn VisualBasic?

I think I probably ought to look more at VisualBasic (& even other .Net languages eg VisualC++). I'll see!

Thanks & best wishes

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My blog - http://www.richard-dickinson.com