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Question

You can post your interesting sample source code (and an optional screenshot of the program) here.  If it is interesting enough we'll feature you and your source code on our blogs (http://blogs.msdn.com/smallbasic).  Here's something to get started.

GraphicsWindow.Show()

pic = Flickr.GetRandomPicture("lightning")

gw = GraphicsWindow.Width

gh = GraphicsWindow.Height

GraphicsWindow.DrawResizedImage(pic, 0, 0, gw, gh)

distance = 50

Turtle.Speed = 9

For sides = 3 To 20

DrawPolygon()

EndFor

Sub DrawPolygon

angle = 360 / sides

For i = 1 To sides

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

Turtle.Move(distance)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

EndFor

EndSub

Answer 1

A Blackboard application that allows you to draw on a window

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Black"   
GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "White"   
GraphicsWindow.MouseDown = OnMouseDown   
GraphicsWindow.MouseMove = OnMouseMove   
 
Sub OnMouseDown   
  prevX = GraphicsWindow.MouseX   
  prevY = GraphicsWindow.MouseY   
EndSub   
 
Sub OnMouseMove   
  x = GraphicsWindow.MouseX   
  y = GraphicsWindow.MouseY   
  If (Mouse.IsLeftButtonDown) then   
    GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(prevX, prevY, x, y)   
  endif   
  prevX = x   
  prevY = y   
EndSub 

Answer 2

Here's a program to create a collage of World Series photos from Flickr

tag = "World Series"

For i = 1 To 10

x = Math.GetRandomNumber(250)

y = Math.GetRandomNumber(250)

picName = Flickr.GetRandomPicture(tag)

GraphicsWindow.DrawResizedImage(picName, x, y, 200, 200)

EndFor

I wanted to actually scale the images instead of a fixed height and width but unfortunately the call the ImageList.GetWidthOfImage() keeps crashing (GetHeightOfImage works
fine). Anybody have any clues?

tag = "World Series"

pic = "MyPic"

For i = 1 To 10

x = Math.GetRandomNumber(300)

y = Math.GetRandomNumber(300)

picName = pic + i

ImageList.LoadImage(picName, Flickr.GetRandomPicture(tag))

height = ImageList.GetHeightOfImage(picName)

'This line crashes every time for me (running Vista 32bit).

'width = ImageList.GetWidthOfImage(picName)

GraphicsWindow.DrawResizedImage(picName, x, y, 300, height / 3)

EndFor

Thanks!

---

Program Manager, Visual Studio Community http://msdn.com/vbasic http://msdn.com/vsto http://blogs.msdn.com/bethmassi

Answer 3

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "White"

GraphicsWindow.MouseDown = OnMouseDown

GraphicsWindow.MouseMove = OnMouseMove

Sub OnMouseDown

prevX = GraphicsWindow.MouseX

prevY = GraphicsWindow.MouseY

EndSub

Sub OnMouseMove

x = GraphicsWindow.MouseX

y = GraphicsWindow.MouseY

If (Mouse.IsLeftButtonDown) then

GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(prevX, prevY, x, y)

endif

prevX = x

prevY = y

EndSub

When copy-pasting your Blackboard sample to SmallBasic it came as a new line. This should fix it (I copied from the SmallBasic editor to IE8 browser). BTW, the "line numbers" feature of the code block on this forum isn't good, since you can't copy-paste the source (you get the line numbers in the selection). It should use a table instead with the lines at the left column and the code at the right column so that you don't select and copy the line numbers and ruin the sample

Answer 4

Here's the classic Logo "Squiral". However having "Sub" without params isn't very useful for learning programming, plus it's counter-intuitive, since you allow one to call methods WITH parameters, but their own Subroutines can't have parameters. Isn't that unfair?

GraphicsWindow.Show()

Turtle.Speed = 5

angle = 91

Squiral()

Sub Squiral

side = 0

For i = 1 to 180

Turtle.Move(side)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

side = side + 1

EndFor

EndSub

(screenshot - added by Vijaye Raji)

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 5

I've created a cute little stock price simulator using the empirical distribution of (assumed normally distrubuted) stock price returns back to 1801.

Ten x pixels are 1 year.

GraphicsWindow.Show() 
 
pic = Flickr.GetRandomPicture("stock price") 
gw = GraphicsWindow.Width 
gh = GraphicsWindow.Height 
GraphicsWindow.DrawResizedImage(pic, 0, 0, gw/2, gh/2)

 
distance = 10
numyears = 80
numstocks = 100
pixelstep = 10
Price = 10
oldprice = price
mu = 0.1
sigma = 0.18
Sub Normal
part0=math.GetRandomNumber(10000)/10000
part1 = 2*Math.Pi*Math.GetRandomNumber(10000)/10000
part2 = Math.Cos(part1)
part3 = -2*Math.NaturalLog(Math.GetRandomNumber(10000)/10000)
nrml = mu + sigma*Math.SquareRoot(part3)*part2
EndSub
Sub stockprice 
    For i = pixelstep To numyears*pixelstep Step pixelstep
    Normal()
    Price= Price*(1+nrml)
    GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(i-pixelstep, gh-oldprice, i, gh-Price)
    oldprice = Price
  EndFor 
EndSub
Sub stocks
For j = 1 To numstocks
GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()
Price = 10
oldprice = Price
stockprice()
EndFor
EndSub
stocks()

Answer 6

I wrote a small app (cmd line only) that converts C to F and F to C. I added a little menu with input error handling for fun. :)

Goto mainLabel

mainLabel:

TextWindow.WriteLine("Ready to calculate? Enter your selection: ")

TextWindow.WriteLine("")

TextWindow.WriteLine("1. Convert C to F")

TextWindow.WriteLine("2. Convert F to C")

TextWindow.WriteLine("3. Exit")

For i = 1 To 3

TextWindow.Write(".")

Program.Delay(500)

EndFor

input = TextWindow.ReadNumber()

If (input = 1) Then

Goto ctofLabel

EndIf

If (input = 2) Then

Goto ftocLabel

EndIf

If (input = 3) Then

Goto exitLabel

Else

TextWindow.WriteLine("INVALID ENTRY!")

Goto mainLabel

EndIf

ctofLabel:

TextWindow.WriteLine("Enter degrees Celcius: ")

cel = TextWindow.ReadNumber()

fahr = (cel * 1.8) + 32

TextWindow.WriteLine(cel + " degrees C = " + fahr + " degrees F")

Goto mainLabel

ftocLabel:

TextWindow.WriteLine("Enter degrees Fahrenheit: ")

fahr = TextWindow.ReadNumber()

cel = 5/9*(fahr-32)

TextWindow.WriteLine(fahr + " degrees F = " + cel + " degrees C")

Goto mainLabel

exitLabel:

Program.End()

Answer 7

' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Filename: gol.sb

' Author: Christian Jacob <[e-mail]>

' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

' Width of the life grid

maxX = 100

' Height of the life grid

maxY = 100

' Size of the life pixels

lifeSize = 5

max = maxX * maxY

currentPos = 0

neighbourPos = 0

start = 0

initialize = 1

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "SteelBlue"

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.Title = "Game of Life"

GraphicsWindow.Width = maxX * lifeSize + 100

GraphicsWindow.Height = maxY * lifeSize

GraphicsWindow.MouseDown = OnMouseDown

GraphicsWindow.Show()

RunLoop:

If (quit = 1 ) Then

Goto End

EndIf

If (initialize = 1) Then

Initialize()

EndIf

If (start = 0 ) Then

Goto RunLoop

EndIf

GraphicsWindow.Clear()

DrawUI()

DrawSimulation()

CalculateNextGeneration()

Goto RunLoop

End:

Program.End()

Sub Initialize

GraphicsWindow.Clear()

' Initialize life grid

For y = 0 To maxY - 1

For x = 0 To maxX - 1

currentPos = y * maxX + x

Array.SetValue ("lifegrid", currentPos, 0)

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", currentPos, 0)

EndFor

EndFor

' Initialize  f-Pentomino

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", 50*maxX+50, 1)

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", 51*maxX+50, 1)

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", 52*maxX+50, 1)

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", 51*maxX+49, 1)

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", 50*maxX+51, 1)

DrawUI()

DrawSimulation()

initialize = 0

EndSub

Sub DrawSimulation

For y = 0 To maxY - 1

For x = 0 To maxX - 1

currentPos = y * maxX + x

life = Array.GetValue ("lifegridcopy", currentPos)

Array.SetValue ("lifegrid", currentPos, life)

if (life = 1) Then

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle (x*lifeSize, y*lifeSize, lifeSize-1, lifeSize-1)

EndIf

EndFor

EndFor

EndSub

Sub CalculateNextGeneration

For y = 0 To maxY-1

For x = 0 To maxX - 1

currentPos = y * maxX + x

GetNeighbourCount()

life = Array.GetValue("lifegrid", currentPos)

If( life = 0 And neighbourCount = 3 ) Then

' Get alife

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", currentPos, 1)

EndIf

If ( life = 1 ) Then

if(  neighbourCount = 2 Or neighbourCount = 3 ) Then

' Stay alive

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", currentPos, 1)

Else

' Die

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", currentPos, 0)

EndIf

EndIf

EndFor

EndFor

EndSub

Sub DrawUI

GraphicsWindow.DrawLine( maxX*lifeSize, 0, maxX*lifeSize, maxY*lifeSize)

' Start button

GraphicsWindow.DrawRectangle( maxX * lifeSize + 5, 5, 90, 30 )

GraphicsWindow.DrawText( maxX * lifeSize + 10, 12, "Start" )

' Stop button

GraphicsWindow.DrawRectangle( maxX * lifeSize + 5, 35, 90, 30 )

GraphicsWindow.DrawText( maxX * lifeSize + 10, 42, "Stop" )

' Init button

GraphicsWindow.DrawRectangle( maxX * lifeSize + 5, 70, 90, 30 )

GraphicsWindow.DrawText( maxX * lifeSize + 10, 77, "Init" )

' Quit button

GraphicsWindow.DrawRectangle( maxX * lifeSize + 5, 105, 90, 30 )

GraphicsWindow.DrawText( maxX * lifeSize + 10, 107, "Quit" )

EndSub

Sub OnMouseDown

x = GraphicsWindow.MouseX

y = GraphicsWindow.MouseY

' Draw or remove life pixel

If( x > 0 And x < maxX * lifeSize And y > 0 And y < maxX * lifeSize ) Then

lifeY = Math.Round(y / lifeSize)

lifeX = Math.Round(x / lifeSize)

newLife = ( lifeY * maxX ) + lifeX

life = Array.GetValue ("lifegridcopy", newLife)

If( life = 1 ) Then

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", newLife, 0)

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "SteelBlue"

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle (lifeX*lifeSize, lifeY*lifeSize, lifeSize-1, lifeSize-1)

Else

Array.SetValue ("lifegridcopy", newLife, 1)

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle (lifeX*lifeSize, lifeY*lifeSize, lifeSize-1, lifeSize-1)

EndIf

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Black"

EndIf

' Start button

If ( x > maxX * lifeSize + 5 And x < maxX * lifeSize + 95 And y > 5 And y < 30 ) Then

start = 1

EndIf

' Stop button

If ( x > maxX * lifeSize + 5 And x < maxX * lifeSize + 95 And y > 35 And y < 65 ) Then

start = 0

EndIf

' Init button

If ( x > maxX * lifeSize + 5 And x < maxX * lifeSize + 95 And y > 70 And y < 100 ) Then

initialize = 1

EndIf

' Quit button

If ( x > maxX * lifeSize + 5 And x < maxX * lifeSize + 95 And y > 105 And y < 135 ) Then

quit = 1

EndIf

EndSub

Sub GetNeighbourCount

neighbourCount = 0

' Left

neighbourPos = currentPos - 1

GetNeighbour()

' Right

neighbourPos = currentPos + 1

GetNeighbour()

' Above

neighbourPos = currentPos - maxX

GetNeighbour()

' Beneath

neighbourPos = currentPos + maxX

GetNeighbour()

' Above left

neighbourPos = currentPos - maxX - 1

GetNeighbour()

' Above right

neighbourPos = currentPos - maxX + 1

GetNeighbour()

' Beneath left

neighbourPos = currentPos + maxX - 1

GetNeighbour()

' Beneath right

neighbourPos = currentPos + maxX + 1

GetNeighbour()

EndSub

Sub GetNeighbour

If (neighbourPos >= 0 And neighbourPos < max-1) Then

If( Array.GetValue("lifegrid", neighbourPos) = 1 ) Then

neighbourCount = neighbourCount + 1

EndIf

EndIf

EndSub

This code might not meet best performance strategies, but it works and gives a simple introduction of how to get something like Conway's Game of Life working with Small Basic. 

When started, it is initialized with a pattern that sort of explodes at first. When clicking "Start", the simulation starts, "Stop" stops the simulation, "Init" resets the view and with "Quit" you end the program. Also, you can click on the grid to add life pixel or remove them. 

I believe this is a good learning example for the intermediate programmer. If I included this code within a tutorial, manual or any other type of documentation, I would encourage the reader to try extend the program by adding a generation-counter to the screen, mabye add code for handling the borders correctly and the advanced programmer add the possibility of choosing preset pattern to start the simulation with. 

Have fun! 

Answer 8

Hi,
I wrote a library to work with MySQL databases in Small Basic.

DataBase.Connect("localhost", "root", "", "test")

' Execute a query and store the results in a datatable

DataBase.QueryAndFill("SELECT * FROM testtable")

' Go through the results of the latest query

For i=0 To DataBase.NumberOfRows - 1

TextWindow.WriteLine(DataBase.GetResults(i, 1))

EndFor

' Show a form with a datagrid component which contains the results of the latest query

DataBase.ShowGridWindow()

'  Execute a query without storing the results

DataBase.Query("UPDATE testtable SET title='hi' WHERE id=2")

Download: smalldatabase.zip

Answer 9

Here is a sample to draw Koch Square graphics. Currently the iteration times is 5, which might be very slow, you can change it to 4 or 3.

Here is a screenshot

' file: koch_square.sb

' Mr.Turtle will draw a Koch Square for us

' l-system rules:

'   variables : F

'   constants : + -

'   start : F

'   rules : F = F + F - F - F + F

' set some default values

angle = 90

length = 3

iteration = 5

' set the graphic panel color

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "LightGreen"

'  move Mr.Turtle to the left-down corner for start

Turtle.Speed = 9

Turtle.Turn(-90)

Turtle.PenUp()

Turtle.Move(300)

Turtle.Turn(-90)

Turtle.Move(200)

Turtle.Turn(-90)

Turtle.PenDown()

' let's do it!

DrawStart()

' draw one rule

' if iteration is 0, stop further recursion

' otherwise, do recursion

Sub DrawRule

iteration = iteration - 1

If (iteration = 0) Then

Turtle.Move(length)

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

Turtle.Move(length)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Move(length)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Move(length)

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

Turtle.Move(length)

Else

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(angle)

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(angle)

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

DrawRule()

EndIf

iteration = iteration + 1

EndSub

' draw the start shape

Sub DrawStart

DrawRule()

EndSub

Answer 10

Another sample to draw Koch Curve.  You can ajust the times of iteration, 4 might be slow.

Here is a screenshot

file: koch_curve.sb

' Mr.Turtle will draw a Koch Square for us

' l-system rules:

'   variables : F

'   angle : 60

'   constants : + -

'   start : F - - F - - F

'   rules : F = F + F - - F + F

' set some default values

angle = 60

length = 5

iteration = 4

' set the graphic panel color

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "LightGreen"

'  move Mr.Turtle to the left-down corner for start

Turtle.Speed = 9

Turtle.PenUp()

Turtle.Turn(90)

Turtle.Move(150)

Turtle.Turn(90)

Turtle.Move(150)

Turtle.Turn(90)

Turtle.PenDown()

' let's do it!

DrawStart()

' hide Mr.Turtle

Turtle.Hide()

' draw one rule

' if iteration is 0, stop further recursion

' otherwise, do recursion

Sub DrawRule

iteration = iteration - 1

If (iteration = 0) Then

Turtle.Move(length)

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

Turtle.Move(length)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Move(length)

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

Turtle.Move(length)

Else

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

DrawRule()

EndIf

iteration = iteration + 1

EndSub

' draw the start shape

Sub DrawStart

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

DrawRule()

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

DrawRule()

EndSub

Answer 11

Here's a point-and-shoot game. It's a remake of the same thing I wrote using LOGO eons ago!

'Point-and-shoot

'(C)1989 McLeod/IdeaFix. http://www.zxprojects.com

'Target size

TargetSize=30

winner=0

wanttoplay=1

'A vector-screen style window

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor="Black"

GraphicsWindow.PenColor="Green"

GraphicsWindow.Clear()

Game()

Sub Game

While (wanttoplay=1)

GetRnd()

DrawTarget()

Turtle.PenUp()

'Game loop

While (winner=0)

Shoot()

EndWhile

winner=0

TextWindow.Write("Another game? (y/n) ")

answ = TextWindow.Read()

If (Text.StartsWith(Text.ConvertToLowerCase(answ),"n")) Then

wanttoplay=0

Else

GraphicsWindow.Clear()

Turtle.PenDown()

GraphicsWindow.PenColor="Green"

EndIf

EndWhile

EndSub

Sub Shoot

TextWindow.Write("Angle? ")

ang=TextWindow.ReadNumber()

TextWindow.Write("Distance? ")

dist=TextWindow.ReadNumber()

Turtle.Turn(ang)

Turtle.Move(dist)

Turtle.Turn(-ang)

xs=dist*Math.Cos(Math.GetRadians(ang))

ys=dist*Math.Sin(Math.GetRadians(ang))

If (xs>=xmin And xs<=xmax And ys>=ymin And ys<=ymax) Then

Sound.PlayChimes()

Turtle.Speed=100

Turtle.Move(-15)

Turtle.PenDown()

'The boom! visual effect

For n=1 To 36

GraphicsWindow.PenColor=GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

Turtle.Move(30)

Turtle.Turn(150)

EndFor

Turtle.PenUp()

Turtle.Move(15)

Turtle.Turn(ang)

Turtle.Move(-dist)

Turtle.Turn(-ang)

Turtle.Hide()

TextWindow.WriteLine("Target cleared!! You WIN")

winner=1

Else

TextWindow.Write("Target failed!! Try again (press RETURN)")

TextWindow.Read()

Turtle.Speed=100

Turtle.Turn(ang)

Turtle.Move(-dist)

Turtle.Turn(-ang)

Turtle.Speed=7

winner=0

EndIf

EndSub

Sub GetRnd

'These variables should store the current Height and Width of GraphicsWindow, but it seems not to work

he=480

wi=640

If (he < wi) Then

distance=40+Math.GetRandomNumber(he/2-TargetSize-40)

Else

distance=40+Math.GetRandomNumber(wi/2-TargetSize-40)

EndIf

angle=Math.GetRandomNumber(360)

xmin=distance*Math.Cos(Math.GetRadians(angle))

ymin=distance*Math.Sin(Math.GetRadians(angle))

xmax=xmin+TargetSize

ymax=ymin+TargetSize

EndSub

Sub DrawTarget

Turtle.Speed=100

Turtle.PenUp()

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Move(distance)

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

Turtle.PenDown()

For n=1 To 4

Turtle.Move(TargetSize)

Turtle.TurnRight()

EndFor

Turtle.PenUp()

Turtle.Turn(angle)

Turtle.Move(-distance)

Turtle.Turn(-angle)

Turtle.PenDown()

Turtle.Speed=7

EndSub

Answer 12

I love every single one of these samples!!  Amazing work - it's really hard for us to pick the one to feature in our blogs.  Because of that we're going to make this a weekly feature - keep your samples coming!

Answer 13

mcleod_ideafix's point and shoot game is now the featured sample of the week in our Small Basic blogs (http://blogs.msdn.com/smallbasic/default.aspx)

Answer 14

This (ported from a Modellus sample) should draw a flower (using angular coordinates in calculations and converting to cartesian to draw). Didn't try it though cause of the issue with SmallBasic in non-English locales, so please update if not showing ok and drop-in a screenshot too if you like the output :-)

init()

For i=1 To 100

oldx=x

oldy=y

solve()

animate()

t=t+dt

EndFor

Sub init

GraphicsWindow.Show()

t=0

dt=0.1

x=0

y=0

ofsx=GraphicsWindow.Width/2

ofsy=GraphicsWindow.Height/2

EndSub

Sub solve

theta=10*t

r=10*Math.cos(60*t)+20

x=r*Math.cos(theta)

y=r*Math.sin(theta)

EndSub

Sub animate

GraphicsWindow.AddLine(ofsx+oldx,ofsy+oldy,ofsx+x,ofsy+y)

EndSub

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 15

Thanks to George, i used your code layout on the squarial code for this fun trick i made.
I imagine it'll make every geometric shape imaginable if it the golden ratio wasnt truncated to 10 decimal places or so.

GraphicsWindow.Show()

Turtle.Speed = 10

angle = (1+ Math.SquareRoot(5))/2

golden()

Sub golden

side = 0

For i = 1 to 360

Turtle.Move(side)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

side = side + 1

angle = angle + 1

EndFor

EndSub

Also, doing things proper, here is a graph of the golden ratio:

GraphicsWindow.Show()

Turtle.Speed = 10

angle = 30

golden()

Sub golden

side = (1+ Math.SquareRoot(5))/2

For i = 1 to 360

Turtle.Move(side)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

side = side + i

EndFor

EndSub

Answer 16

GraphicsWindow.Show()

Turtle.Speed = 10

angle = 80

golden()

Sub golden

side = (1+ Math.SquareRoot(5))/2

For i = 1 to 180

Turtle.Move(side)

Turtle.Turn(angle)

side = side + 1

EndFor

EndSub

Nice, ported it to Scratch to see it though (waiting for the next SmallBasic that will run ok at my system's locale). Try the above variation for a knitted-like star pattern :-). Also at your first fun-sample try using 180 instead of 360. In Scratch it shows like a 3D sphere with blasts/rays arround it (could imagine it as a star or exploding planet)

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 17

I was a little bored. It's obvious what this is :) Maybe I'll get up the gumption one day to write something useful.

GraphicsWindow.Show()

Turtle.Speed = 10

side = 800

fib()

x = 1

y = 1

Sub fib

For x = 1 to 300

z = x + y

x = y

y = z

Turtle.Move(z + 1)

Turtle.Turn(side)

EndFor

EndSub

Answer 18

 Made a star field.   Frustarted I can't specify RGB color.  Tried Graphics.DrawPixel() with clearing sreen, but it flickered like crazy.  Instead I make rectangle objects, and move those.  I simulate darker colors in the back by using some flags in the array so I can alternate the color from dim to white.

Initialize()

Main()

Sub Initialize

GraphicsWindow.Title = "Super Star Field!"

GraphicsWindow.Width = 640

GraphicsWindow.Height = 480

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "black"

GraphicsWindow.PenWidth = 0

GraphicsWindow.Show()

num_stars = 200

For index = 0 To num_stars

NewStar()

EndFor

EndSub

Sub NewStar

Array.SetValue("star_x", index, Math.GetRandomNumber(100) - 50)

Array.SetValue("star_y", index, Math.GetRandomNumber(100) - 50)

' Pick a random z depth

z = (Math.GetRandomNumber(50) / 100) + 0.50

Array.SetValue("star_z", index, z)

' Start with a dark color and save our shape

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "DimGray"

Array.SetValue("star_shape", index, GraphicsWindow.AddRectangle(2, 2))

Array.SetValue("star_color", index, 0)

EndSub

Sub Update

For index = 0 To num_stars

z = Array.GetValue("star_z", index)

x = (Array.GetValue("star_x", index) / z) + 320

y = (Array.GetValue("star_y", index) / z) + 240

shape = Array.GetValue("star_shape", index)

' Next z position

z = z - 0.02

If(x < 0 Or x > 639 Or y < 0 Or y > 479 Or z <= 0) Then

GraphicsWindow.RemoveShape(shape)

NewStar()

Else

' Check if we should make the star brighter

If(z < 0.4) Then

If(Array.GetValue("star_color", index) = 0) Then

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "White"

GraphicsWindow.RemoveShape(shape)

shape = GraphicsWindow.AddRectangle(2, 2)

Array.SetValue("star_shape", index, shape)

Array.SetValue("star_color", index, 1)

EndIf

EndIf

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(shape, x, y)

Array.SetValue("star_z", index, z)

EndIf

EndFor

EndSub

Sub Main

' Run forever

While(1 = 1)

Update()

EndWhile

EndSub

Picture doesn't do this justice, as the real thing is like flying through space :-)

Answer 19

Very nice, Jeff.  You can use RGB colors:

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "#EEFFBB"

GetPixel and SetPixel are raster operations and are inherently very inefficient.  Adding and moving shapes (like you have done) is the best way to achieve good performance in these kind of animations.

Answer 20

I had a delay in the main loop, then found out on a 3.2ghz Core 2 Duo, running as fast as the program can, it runs at a "good" speed.

This is kinda crappy though if you think about it, moving as fast as it can 200 stars at a time, it just runs "okay" on a 3.2ghz processor... :P   I guess the idea of Basic though isn't speed.

I wrote this same little program in Quick Basic back in 1993? on a 486 DX2-66, using an SVGA Library for speed and to wait on VSync, it was liquid smooth on that 66mhz processor, so on a 3.2ghz processor, i'd expect the program to run TOO FAST without a delay in there.

Does Small Basic convert to .NET byte code?  Are there future optimizations that could be done or am I just asking too much.  I know again SmallBasic's task isn't necessarily for "game" or graphics development.

Answer 21

desktop.SetWallPaper(Flickr.GetRandomPicture("puppies"))

Program.End()

Short, sweet, and useful.  Interesting language you got there.

Answer 22

Version 2 - I like this better - helps me find a picture I like interactively..

While(word <> "quit")

TextWindow.Show()

word = TextWindow.Read()

If( word <> "quit" )Then

Desktop.SetWallPaper(Flickr.GetRandomPicture(word))

TextWindow.Hide()

Program.Delay(1000)

TextWindow.Show()

Else

TextWindow.Hide()

EndIf

EndWhile

Program.End()

Answer 23

Another turtle space filling curve, looks like I'm not the only one to write one :).. This one draws a hilbert curve.

TextWindow.WriteLine("Order:")

n=TextWindow.ReadNumber()

n=n+1

right()

Sub left

i=i+1

If (i<n) Then

Turtle.TurnRight()

right()

Turtle.Move(10)

Turtle.TurnLeft()

left()

Turtle.Move(10)

left()

Turtle.TurnLeft()

Turtle.Move(10)

right()

Turtle.TurnRight()

EndIf

i=i-1

EndSub

Sub right

i=i+1

If (i<n) Then

Turtle.TurnLeft()

left()

Turtle.Move(10)

Turtle.TurnRight()

right()

Turtle.Move(10)

right()

Turtle.TurnRight()

Turtle.Move(10)

left()

Turtle.TurnLeft()

EndIf

i=i-1

EndSub

Answer 24

I was just messing around with loops and the turtle, and decided I should make something fun. This will take any number x, draw a polygon with x number sides, and off of each side will be a perfect star.

GraphicsWindow.Height = 800

GraphicsWindow.Width = 800

Turtle.Speed = 10

x = 75

Star:

While( s < 5 )

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

Turtle.Move(40)

Turtle.Turn(144)

s = s + 1

While(r < (x - 1) )

If(s = 5) Then

Turtle.Move(-75)

Turtle.Turn(360/x)

Turtle.Move(100)

s = 0

r = r + 1

Else

Goto Star

EndIf

EndWhile

EndWhile

Answer 25

Beth Massi said: I wanted to actually scale the images instead of a fixed height and width but unfortunately the call the ImageList.GetWidthOfImage() keeps crashing (GetHeightOfImage works
fine). Anybody have any clues?

No clues, but I can confirm ImageList.GetWidthOfImage() crashes on WinXP too.

---

Andrew Burton - http://profnano.org

Answer 26

Draws A fractual branch of a tree.

 

n=7

angle=45

x=0

y=0

GraphicsWindow.Title="Fractal Plant"

GraphicsWindow.PenWidth=0.5

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "White"

GraphicsWindow.Width=700

GraphicsWindow.Height=500

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor="Black"

GraphicsWindow.Show()

X()

Sub X

i=i+1

If (i<n) Then

F()

angle=angle-25

Store()

Store()

X()

Get()

angle=angle+25

X()

Get()

angle=angle+25

F()

Store()

angle=angle+25

F()

X()

Get()

angle=angle-25

X()

EndIf

i=i-1

EndSub

Sub Store

Stack.PushValue("tree",x)

Stack.PushValue("tree",y)

Stack.PushValue("tree",angle)

EndSub

Sub Get

angle=Stack.PopValue("tree")

y=Stack.PopValue("tree")

x=Stack.PopValue("tree")

EndSub

Sub F

i=i+1

If (i<n) Then

x2=x+(Math.Sin(angle))*4

y2=y+(Math.Cos(angle))*4

GraphicsWindow.AddLine(x,y,x2,y2)

x=x2

y=y2

F()

F()

EndIf

i=i-1

EndSub

Answer 27

Regarding the start field program, obviously the issue is the repaint caused by SetPixel which also causes the flashing (the flashing is probably cause that repaint also erases the background first and then redraws? [this is classic issue - in Windows you'd disable the background repaint of that window control]).

Apart from setting flags to the window handle to not repaint its background (or overriding the respective method of the control used in your .NET app) one also needs some method to batch graphics commands. From my experience the best is a command-block (internally implemented with try/finally), doing:

StartGraphics
 ...commands...
EndGraphics

this has to be in the language syntax (better for naive users) if the language doesn't support lambda lists to make the above some BatchUpdate(graphics-commands-as-a-lambda-list) call

cause also call those StartRefresh/EndRefresh, StartUpdate/EndUpdate or whatever sounds explanatory enough for the end user

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 28

Regarding getWidthOfImage (why not getImageWidth?), maybe the image hasn't yet loaded? (they should wait for it to load or have an option if you want to wait or not). Can try polling the image in a loop (do a small sleep at each loop) till it gets a width or if you can't try/catch errors in SmallBasic (don't remember), just wait for some long enough (?) period first and then try to call the method

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 29

This seems a fun language to play around with. :-) I'm a big fan of spinning 3D cubes. I'm sure there's a nicer way of implementing this - it is a bit flickery, so consider yourself warned.

GraphicsWindow.Title = "Spinning Cube"

GraphicsWindow.Show()

Time = 0

MainLoop:

RotationX = Time / 30

RotationY = Time / 40

Scale = Math.Min(GraphicsWindow.Width, GraphicsWindow.Height) * (1.2 + Math.Sin(Time / 50)) * 0.5

Time = Time + 1

GraphicsWindow.Clear()

GraphicsWindow.PenWidth = Scale / 200

For x = -1 To 1 Step 2

For y = -1 To 1 Step 2

z = -1

TransformPoint()

StartX = TransformedX

StartY = TransformedY

z = 1

TransformPoint()

GraphicsWindow.AddLine(StartX, StartY, TransformedX, TransformedY)

EndFor

EndFor

For x = -1 To 1 Step 2

For z = -1 To 1 Step 2

y = -1

TransformPoint()

StartX = TransformedX

StartY = TransformedY

y = 1

TransformPoint()

GraphicsWindow.AddLine(StartX, StartY, TransformedX, TransformedY)

EndFor

EndFor

For z = -1 To 1 Step 2

For y = -1 To 1 Step 2

x = -1

TransformPoint()

StartX = TransformedX

StartY = TransformedY

x = 1

TransformPoint()

GraphicsWindow.AddLine(StartX, StartY, TransformedX, TransformedY)

EndFor

EndFor

Program.Delay(10)

Goto MainLoop

'  Inputs: x, y, z, RotationX, RotationY, Scale. Outputs: TransformedX, TransformedY.

Sub TransformPoint

TransformedX = y * Math.Cos(RotationX) - x * Math.Sin(RotationX)

TransformedY = -x * Math.Cos(RotationX) * Math.Sin(RotationY) - y * Math.Sin(RotationX) * Math.Sin(RotationY) - z * Math.Cos(RotationY)

TransformedZ = 3 - x * Math.Cos(RotationX) * Math.Cos(RotationY) - y * Math.Sin(RotationX) * Math.Cos(RotationY) + z * Math.Sin(RotationY)

TransformedX = TransformedX * Scale / TransformedZ + GraphicsWindow.Width / 2

TransformedY = TransformedY * Scale / TransformedZ + GraphicsWindow.Height / 2

EndSub

Answer 30

I've been enjoying working in SmallBasic; it takes me back to when I had a ZX81. I took the paddle game sample and made it work, increase in difficulty and allow the player more control of the angle and speed of the "ball"; next to add breakout style blocks to destroy.
B0ff1n

paddle = GraphicsWindow.AddRectangle(120, 12)

ball = GraphicsWindow.AddEllipse(16, 16)

speed=9

GraphicsWindow.FontSize = 16

GraphicsWindow.MouseMove = OnMouseMove

lives = 3

score = 0

gw = Math.Floor( GraphicsWindow.Width - 8 )

gh = Math.Floor( GraphicsWindow.Height - 20 )

While (lives>0)

x = Math.GetRandomNumber(gw)

y = 36

deltaX = 1

deltaY = 2

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(ball, (x-8), y)

PrintScore()

'    Sound.PlayChimeAndWait()

For i=1 To 20

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(300, 150, "Get Ready!")

Program.Delay(50)

EndFor

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "White"

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle(10, 100, 630, 200)

While (y < (gh+2))

x = x + deltaX

y = y + deltaY

If (x >= gw Or x <= 8) Then

deltaX = -deltaX

EndIf

If (y <= 36) Then

deltaY = -deltaY

EndIf

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(ball, (x-8), y)

padX = GraphicsWindow.GetLeftOfShape(paddle)

'TextWindow.WriteLine("X:"+x+" Y:"+y+" padX:"+padX+" gh:"+gh)

If (y >= gh) Then

'TextWindow.WriteLine("Testing for collision")

If (x >= padX And x <= padX + 120) Then

'TextWindow.WriteLine("Hit!")

Sound.PlayClick()

score = score + 10

PrintScore()

deltaY = -deltaY

'did the user hit the ball with the very edge of the paddle?

If (x<=padx+40 Or x>=padx+80) then

If (x<=padx+20 And deltaX>0) then

'*user hit the ball with the "corner" of the paddle; reverse the x-direction too

deltaX = -deltaX

EndIf

If (x>=padx+100 And deltaX<0) then

'*user hit the ball with the "corner" of the paddle; reverse the x-direction too

deltaX = -deltaX

EndIf

If (Math.Abs( deltaX )<2) Then

deltaX = deltaX*2

EndIf

Else

If (Math.Abs(deltaX)>1) Then

deltaX = deltaX/2

EndIf

EndIf

If (Math.Remainder(score,50)=0) Then

speed=speed-1

If (speed<1) Then

speed=1

EndIf

EndIf

'Else

'TextWindow.WriteLine("Missed!")

EndIf

EndIf

'      GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(ball, (x-8), y)

Program.Delay(speed)

EndWhile

lives = lives - 1

EndWhile

GraphicsWindow.ShowMessage("You scored : " + score+ " points", "Paddle - Game Over")

Program.End()

Sub OnMouseMove

paddleX = GraphicsWindow.MouseX

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(paddle, paddleX - 60, GraphicsWindow.Height - 12)

EndSub

Sub PrintScore

' Clear the score first and then draw the real score text

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "White"

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle(10, 10, 630, 20)

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(10, 10, "Score: " + score)

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(300, 10, "Lives: " + lives)

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(540, 10, "Speed: " +speed)

EndSub

The reason why the original sample didn't work for me was that the graphicswindow.height was returning 480.1 and was comparing the y-ordinate to be exactly that; hence my use of math.floor and some >'s rather than ='s.
Great stuff though; now why can't Visual Studio be this good?

Answer 31

Inside the Small Basic Samples folder there's a Fractal example; the fractal is a Sierpinski Triangle. Having written Sierpinski Triangles in other BASIC dialects such as Basic4GL & Brutus2D, I thought I'd write a new version in Small Basic.

' Sierpinski Triangle written in Small Basic

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Black"

width = 640

height = 480

x1 = (width / 2)

x2 = (width / 2)

y1 = 0

y2 = 0

maxPoints = 100000

For i = 0 To maxPoints

direct = Math.GetRandomNumber(3)

If (direct = 0) Then

x1 = (x2 + width / 2) / 2

y1 = (y2 + 0) / 2

EndIf

If (direct = 1) Then

x1 = (x2 + 0) / 2

y1 = (y2 + height) / 2

EndIf

If (direct = 2) Then

x1 = (x2 + width) / 2

y1 = (y2 + height) / 2

Endif

GraphicsWindow.SetPixel(x1, y1, "White")

x2 = x1

y2 = y1

EndFor

Answer 32

1	'This is a simple pong game.
2	'Player 1 is on the left, moves with the mouse
3	'Player 2 is on the right, moves with the arrow key
4	'Stop by pressing esc
5
6
7	'const
8	BALLSIZE = 15
9	PADDLEWIDTH = 10
10	PADDLEHEIGHT = 100
11	SPEED = 3
12	PlAYERDISTANCE = 20
13	PLAYERSPEED = 50
14
15	continue = 1
16	wanttoplay = 1
17
18	player1Score = 0
19	player2Score = 0
20
21
22	Start()
23	Program.Delay(2000)
24	Program.End()
25
26
27	Sub Start
28	init()
29	program.delay(1000)
30	GraphicsWindow.MouseMove = OnMouseMove
31	GraphicsWindow.KeyDown = OnKeyPressed
32	GraphicsWindow.KeyUp = OnKeyReleased
33	While(wanttoplay = 1)
34	Moveball()
35	endwhile
36	EndSub
37
38	Sub init
39
40	GraphicsWindow.Title = "Dan's pong"
41	GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor= "black"
42	GraphicsWindow.Width = 800
43	GraphicsWindow.Height = 600
44	GraphicsWindow.Clear()
45
46	'setup background
47	GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "LightGoldenrodYellow"
48	GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle(0,500,800,100)
49
50	'initialize players
51	GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "red"
52	GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "red"
53	player1 = GraphicsWindow.AddRectangle(PADDLEWIDTH,PADDLEHEIGHT)
54
55
56	GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "blue"
57	GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "blue"
58	player2 = GraphicsWindow.AddRectangle(PADDLEWIDTH,PADDLEHEIGHT)
59
60
61	'initialize ball
62	GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "SpringGreen"
63	GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "SpringGreen"
64	ball = GraphicsWindow.AddEllipse(BALLSIZE,BALLSIZE)
65
66	'randomize ball start direction
67	temp = Math.GetRandomNumber(10)
68	If (temp < 5) Then
69	deltaY = 1
70	Else
71	deltaY = -1
72	endif
73
74	temp = Math.GetRandomNumber(10)
75	If (temp < 5) Then
76	deltaX = 1
77	Else
78	deltaX = -1
79	endif
80
81
82
83	'position players and ball
84	GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(player1,0,200)
85	GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(player2,800 - PADDLEWIDTH,200)
86	GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(ball,(800-BALLSIZE)/2,143)
87
88	'draw scoring board
89	GraphicsWindow.FontSize = 40
90	GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "black"
91	GraphicsWindow.DrawText(360,520,player1Score +" - " + player2Score)
92
93	EndSub
94
95
96	Sub OnMouseMove
97	paddleY = GraphicsWindow.MouseY
98	If (paddleY < 50)then
99	GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(player1, GraphicsWindow.Width - 800,0)
100	Else
101	If (paddleY > 450) then
102	GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(player1, GraphicsWindow.Width - 800,400)
103	else
104	GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(player1, GraphicsWindow.Width - 800,paddleY-PADDLEHEIGHT/2)
105	EndIf
106	Endif
107	EndSub
108
109
110	Sub OnKeyPressed
111	key = GraphicsWindow.LastKey
112
113	If (key = "Up" Or key = "Down") Then
114	player2move()
115	else
116	command()
117	EndIf
118
119	EndSub
120
121
122	'reset player2 speed
123	Sub OnKeyReleased
124	PlAYERDISTANCE = 20
125	EndSub
126
127	Sub player2move
128	curpos = GraphicsWindow.GetTopOfShape(player2)
129	newpos = curpos
130	If (key = "Up") Then
131	newpos = curpos - PLAYERDISTANCE
132	If (newpos < 0) Then
133	newpos = 0
134	EndIf
135	EndIf
136	If (key = "Down") Then
137	newpos = curpos + PLAYERDISTANCE
138	If (newpos > 500 - PADDLEHEIGHT) Then
139	newpos = 500 - PADDLEHEIGHT
140	EndIf
141	EndIf
142	GraphicsWindow.AnimateShape(player2,800-PADDLEWIDTH,newpos,PLAYERSPEED)
143
144	'the longer you hold the key, the faster the paddle moves
145	PlAYERDISTANCE = PlAYERDISTANCE*1.1
146	EndSub
147
148
149
150	'stop the game
151	Sub command
152	If (key = "Escape") Then
153	wanttoplay = 0
154	EndIf
155
156	EndSub
157
158
159
160	Sub Moveball
161	x = GraphicsWindow.GetLeftOfShape(ball)
162	y = GraphicsWindow.GetTopOfShape(ball)
163	x = x + deltaX
164	y = y + deltaY
165
166	If (y < 0 Or y > 500 - BALLSIZE) Then
167	deltaY = -deltaY
168	Sound.PlayClick()
169	endif
170
171	If (x < PADDLEWIDTH Or x > 800 - PADDLEWIDTH - BALLSIZE) Then
172	deltaX = -deltaX
173	Sound.PlayClick()
174	endif
175
176	GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(ball,x,y)
177	Program.Delay(SPEED)
178	checkforgoal()
179	endsub
180
181
182	Sub checkforgoal
183	player1pos = GraphicsWindow.GetTopOfShape(player1)
184	player2pos = GraphicsWindow.GetTopOfShape(player2)
185	ballXpos = GraphicsWindow.GetLeftOfShape(ball)
186	ballYpos = GraphicsWindow.GetTopOfShape(ball)
187
188
189	If (ballXpos < 0 + PADDLEWIDTH) Then
190	If (ballYpos < player1pos Or ballYpos > player1pos + PADDLEHEIGHT) Then
191	player2Score = player2Score + 1
192	sound.PlayBellRingAndWait()
193	init()
194	endif
195	EndIf
196
197
198	If (ballXpos > 800 - PADDLEWIDTH - ballsize) Then
199	If (ballYpos < player2pos Or ballYpos > player2pos + PADDLEHEIGHT) Then
200	player1Score = player1Score + 1
201	sound.PlayBellRingAndWait()
202	init()
203	endif
204	EndIf
205
206	endsub
207
208

Answer 33

 Jeff Sidlosky's Star field simulation is the featured sample of this week.

Answer 34

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "000000"

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = "#00CC44"

vDistance = 100

pixelsPerUnit = 70

centerX = GraphicsWindow.Width / 2

centerY = GraphicsWindow.Height / 2

oldX = centerX

oldY = centerY + vDistance

Turtle.Show()

Turtle.Speed = 7

Turtle.PenUp()

Turtle.Move(-vDistance)

Turtle.PenDown()

Turtle.TurnLeft()

Turtle.Speed = 10

For fi = 0 To 360

radianFi = Math.GetRadians(fi)

ro =   (1 + Math.Sin(radianFi)) * (1 + 0.9 * Math.Cos(8 *  radianFi)) * (1 + 0.1 * Math.Cos(24 *  radianFi))

dx = ro * Math.Cos(radianFi) * pixelsPerUnit

dy = ro * Math.Sin(radianFi) * pixelsPerUnit

newDistance = Math.SquareRoot(dx * dx + dy * dy)

newX = centerX - dx

newY = centerY - dy + vDistance

GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(oldX, oldY, newX, newY)

oldX = newX

oldY = newY

If (newDistance >= 10) Then

Turtle.Turn(fi)

Turtle.Move(newDistance)

Turtle.Turn(180)

Turtle.Move(newDistance)

Turtle.Turn(180-fi)

EndIf

EndFor

Turtle.TurnRight()

Turtle.Speed = 5

Turtle.Move(-vDistance / 2)

Turtle.PenUp()

Answer 35

I would like to submit my 4 state button :D.

http://smallbasic.com/drop/buttonclick.zip

Thanks,
 Pacolaco

Answer 36

 There is a simple game, I know about few bugs (enemy balls get stuck, sometimes it starts with bad resolution - I don't know why), but it should works. If you wish, you can rewrite OnKeyDown to better movements.

PLAYERSIZE = 16

TARGESIZE = 10

ENEMYSIZE = 20

alive = "true"

score = 0

numberOfBalls = 0

bonus = 1000

currentX = 0

currentY = 0

newX = 0

newY = 0

targetBallX = 0

targetBallY = 0

Init()

Start()

Program.Delay(2000)

Program.End()

Sub Init

GraphicsWindow.Height = 400

GraphicsWindow.Width = 400

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Gainsboro"

GraphicsWindow.KeyDown = OnKeyDown

EndSub

Sub Start

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Red"

playerBall = GraphicsWindow.AddEllipse(PLAYERSIZE, PLAYERSIZE)

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(playerBall, currentX, currentY)

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Gold"

targetBall = GraphicsWindow.AddEllipse(TARGESIZE, TARGESIZE)

MoveTargetBall()

AddNewEnemy()

Playing()

GraphicsWindow.Clear()

Program.Delay(3000)

Program.End()

EndSub

Sub Playing

While (alive = "true")

Program.Delay(10)

currentX = currentX + newX

currentY = currentY + newY

If (currentX < 0) Then

currentX = 0

EndIf

If (currentX > GraphicsWindow.Width - PLAYERSIZE) Then

currentX = GraphicsWindow.Width - PLAYERSIZE

EndIf

If (currentY < 0) Then

currentY = 0

EndIf

If (currentY > GraphicsWindow.Height - PLAYERSIZE) Then

currentY = GraphicsWindow.Height - PLAYERSIZE

EndIf

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(playerBall, currentX, currentY)

For i = 0 To numberOfBalls - 1

moveX = 0

moveY = 0

If (Array.GetValue("axis", i) = 1) Then

moveX = Array.GetValue("speed", i)

Else

moveY = Array.GetValue("speed", i)

EndIf

x = Array.GetValue("x", i) + moveX

y = Array.GetValue("y", i) + moveY

If (x < 0 Or x > GraphicsWindow.Width - ENEMYSIZE) Then

Array.SetValue("speed", i, -Array.GetValue("speed", i))

EndIf

If (y < 0 Or y > GraphicsWindow.Height - ENEMYSIZE) Then

Array.SetValue("speed", i, -Array.GetValue("speed", i))

EndIf

Array.SetValue("x", i, x)

Array.SetValue("y", i, y)

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(Array.GetValue("balls", i), x, y)

If (Math.Abs((currentX + (PLAYERSIZE / 2)) - (x + (ENEMYSIZE / 2))) < ((PLAYERSIZE + ENEMYSIZE) / 2) And Math.Abs((currentY + (PLAYERSIZE / 2)) - (y + (ENEMYSIZE / 2))) < ((PLAYERSIZE + ENEMYSIZE) / 2)) Then

alive = "false"

EndIf

EndFor

If (Math.Abs((currentX + (PLAYERSIZE / 2)) - (targetBallX + (TARGESIZE / 2))) < ((PLAYERSIZE + TARGESIZE) / 2) And Math.Abs((currentY + (PLAYERSIZE / 2)) - (targetBallY + (TARGESIZE / 2))) < ((PLAYERSIZE + TARGESIZE) / 2)) Then

score = score + 2000 + numberOfBalls * 100

If (bonus > 0) Then

score = score + bonus

EndIf

bonus = 1000

MoveTargetBall()

AddNewEnemy()

EndIf

bonus = bonus - 1

GraphicsWindow.Title = "Score: " + score

EndWhile

EndSub

Sub AddNewEnemy

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "SteelBlue"

ball = GraphicsWindow.AddEllipse(ENEMYSIZE, ENEMYSIZE)

Array.SetValue("balls", numberOfBalls, ball)

Array.SetValue("axis", numberOfBalls, Math.GetRandomNumber(2) + 1)

Array.SetValue("x", numberOfBalls, GraphicsWindow.Height - Math.GetRandomNumber(GraphicsWindow.Height - ENEMYSIZE))

Array.SetValue("y", numberOfBalls, GraphicsWindow.Width - Math.GetRandomNumber(GraphicsWindow.Width - ENEMYSIZE))

Array.SetValue("speed", numberOfBalls, Math.GetRandomNumber(4) + 1)

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(ball, Array.GetValue("x", numberOfBalls), Array.GetValue("y", numberOfBalls))

numberOfBalls = numberOfBalls + 1

axis = -axis

EndSub

Sub MoveTargetBall

targetBallX = GraphicsWindow.Height - Math.GetRandomNumber(GraphicsWindow.Height - TARGESIZE)

targetBallY = GraphicsWindow.Width - Math.GetRandomNumber(GraphicsWindow.Width - TARGESIZE)

GraphicsWindow.MoveShape(targetBall, targetBallX, targetBallY)

EndSub

Sub OnKeyDown

key = GraphicsWindow.LastKey

If (key = "Down") Then

If (newY = 0) Then

newY = 1

Else

newY = 0

EndIf

EndIf

If (key = "Up") Then

If (newY = 0) Then

newY = -1

Else

newY = 0

EndIf

EndIf

If (key = "Left") Then

If (newX = 0) Then

newX = -1

Else

newX = 0

EndIf

EndIf

If (key = "Right") Then

If (newX = 0) Then

newX = 1

Else

newX = 0

EndIf

EndIf

EndSub

Answer 37

Here's a screenshot for Nidzo's game.  It was a blast!

Answer 38

Please when you post samples deselect the "line numbers" option. It's not well implemented in the forums and one copy-pastes the numbers too with the code (should have a real HTML table ther instead, probably they use a CSS layout or something). Bad for beginners that want to try some sample

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 39

Well this is my 1st "app" made in SB. It's a console slot machine (?) It's not really hard to code at all, and SB makes it easier. It still needs some work on it to make it smaller. It's in spanish, sorry =/

'Tragamonedas de consola por Rodrigo Bellusci 2008

'Hecho en Microsoft SmallBasic©

dinero = 500

TextWindow.WriteLine("Introduzca su nombre:")

name = TextWindow.Read()

TextWindow.WriteLine("Bien Sr/a." + name + ". Su cantidad de dinero es:$" + dinero)

apuestaStart:

TextWindow.Write("¿Cuánto quiere apostar?:")

apuesta = TextWindow.Read()

If (apuesta > dinero) Then

TextWindow.WriteLine("No puedes apostar más de lo que tienes.")

Goto apuestaStart

EndIf

TextWindow.WriteLine("Apuesta hecha")

nro1 = Math.GetRandomNumber(2)

nro2 = Math.GetRandomNumber(1)

TextWindow.Write("| ")

TextWindow.Write(nro1)

TextWindow.Write(" |")

TextWindow.Write(" ")

TextWindow.Write("| ")

TextWindow.Write(nro2)

TextWindow.Write(" |")

TextWindow.Write(" ")

If (nro1 = nro2) Then

dinerodinero = dinero - apuesta + (apuesta * 2)

TextWindow.Write("Ha ganado, su dinero es:$")

TextWindow.Write(dinero)

TextWindow.WriteLine(" ")

Else

dinerodinero = dinero - apuesta

TextWindow.Write("Ha perdido. Su dinero es:$")

TextWindow.Write(dinero)

TextWindow.WriteLine(" ")

EndIf

If (dinero = 0) Then

TextWindow.WriteLine("Gracias por jugar.")

Goto goodbye

EndIf

TextWindow.WriteLine("Quiere jugar otra vez?:")

replay = TextWindow.Read()

If (replay = "Si") Then

Goto apuestaStart

EndIf

goodbye:

TextWindow.WriteLine("Vuelva pronto.")

Pic

P.S: My english isn't so good, sorry. I'm from Argentina

Answer 40

This is fun! Thanks!

This program performs two sorts on colored cubes in a window - a bubble sort and a selection sort.

'Globals

xlimit = 10

ylimit = 10

cs = 64

cellcnt = xlimit * ylimit

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Khaki"

GraphicsWindow.Title = "bsort"

GraphicsWindow.Width = (xlimit * cs)

GraphicsWindow.Height = (ylimit * cs)

GraphicsWindow.Show()

InitParr()

GraphicsWindow.Title = "bsort, click in window to start bubble sort"

Pause()

BubbleSort()

wtitle = GraphicsWindow.Title

GraphicsWindow.Title = GraphicsWindow.Title + " ; click in window to start selection sort"

Pause()

SelectionSort()

wtitle = GraphicsWindow.Title

GraphicsWindow.Title = GraphicsWindow.Title + " ; click in window to exit"

Pause()

Program.End()

Sub BubbleSort

DrawSarr()

stopSort = 0

GraphicsWindow.Title = "bubble+shaker sort, " + cellcnt + " cells, sorting ... press any key to stop"

GraphicsWindow.KeyDown = onKey

base = 1

slimit = cellcnt - 1

swap = 1

While (swap > 0)

swap = 0

For ai = base To slimit

If (stopSort = 1) Then

Goto stopBubble

EndIf

bubbleCmpSwp()

EndFor

' plus shaker, turn turtles to rabits

If (swap = 0) Then

Goto stopBubble

EndIf

' For i = (slimit - 1) To 1 Step -1 -- bug, for won't count down

ai = slimit - 1

While (ai >= base)

If (stopSort = 1) Then

Goto stopBubble

EndIf

bubbleCmpSwp()

ai = ai - 1

EndWhile

base = base + 1

slimit = slimit - 1

EndWhile

stopBubble:

GraphicsWindow.Title = "bubble sort, " + cellcnt + " cells, " + cmpCnt + " cmp " + swpCnt + " swp"

EndSub

Sub SelectionSort

DrawSarr()

stopSort = 0

GraphicsWindow.Title = "selection sort, " + cellcnt + " cells, sorting ... press any key to stop"

GraphicsWindow.KeyDown = onKey

For ai = 1 To cellcnt - 1

a = Array.GetValue("sarr",ai)

minbi = ai

For i = (ai + 1) To cellcnt

If (stopSort = 1) Then

Goto stopSelection

EndIf

b = Array.GetValue("sarr",i)

cmpCnt = cmpCnt + 1

If (b < a) Then

minbi = i

a = b

EndIf

EndFor

If (ai <> minbi) Then

bi = minbi

SwapAB()

EndIf

EndFor

stopSelection:

GraphicsWindow.Title = "selection sort, " + cellcnt + " cells, " + cmpCnt + " cmp " + swpCnt + " swp"

EndSub

Sub Pause

wait = 1

GraphicsWindow.MouseDown = Unwait

While (wait = 1)

Program.Delay(250)

EndWhile

EndSub

Sub Unwait

wait = 0

EndSub

sub onKey

stopSort = 1

EndSub

sub getXY

lindex = index - 1

x = Math.Remainder(lindex,xlimit) * cs

y = Math.Floor((lindex/xlimit)) * cs

EndSub

Sub bubbleCmpSwp

a = Array.GetValue("sarr",ai)

b = Array.GetValue("sarr",(ai+1))

cmpCnt = cmpCnt + 1

If (b < a) Then

bi = ai + 1

SwapAB()

swap = 1

EndIf

EndSub

Sub SwapAB

'ai, bi are indexes into sarr

la = array.GetValue("sarr",ai)

lb = array.GetValue("sarr",bi)

index = ai

getXY()

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = Array.GetValue("carr",lb)

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle(x,y,cs,cs)

index = bi

getXY()

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = Array.GetValue("carr",la)

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle(x,y,cs,cs)

Array.SetValue("sarr",ai,lb)

Array.SetValue("sarr",bi,la)

swpCnt = swpCnt + 1

EndSub

Sub DrawSarr

GraphicsWindow.Title = "bsort, initializing sort table"

For index = 1 To cellcnt

a = Array.GetValue("parr",index)

Array.SetValue("sarr",index,a)

getXY()

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = Array.GetValue("carr",a)

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle(x,y,cs,cs)

EndFor

cmpCnt = 0

swpCnt = 0

EndSub

Sub InitParr

' Global array of sortable colors

Array.SetValue("carr",1,"White")

Array.SetValue("carr",2,"Blue")

Array.SetValue("carr",3,"Cyan")

Array.SetValue("carr",4,"Gray")

Array.SetValue("carr",5,"Green")

Array.SetValue("carr",6,"Magenta")

Array.SetValue("carr",7,"Red")

Array.SetValue("carr",8,"Yellow")

Array.SetValue("carr",9,"Black")

Array.SetValue("carr",10,"DarkBlue")

Array.SetValue("carr",11,"CadetBlue")

Array.SetValue("carr",12,"DimGray")

Array.SetValue("carr",13,"DarkGreen")

Array.SetValue("carr",14,"DarkMagenta")

Array.SetValue("carr",15,"DarkRed")

Array.SetValue("carr",16,"DarkOrange")

' build array to sort

For i = 1 To cellcnt

cell = Math.GetRandomNumber(16) + 1

Array.SetValue("parr",i,cell)

EndFor

EndSub

Sub DumpSarr

j = 0

For i = 1 To cellcnt

j = j +1

TextWindow.Write(Array.GetValue("sarr",i) + " ")

If ( j = 25 ) Then

TextWindow.WriteLine(" ")

j = 0

EndIf

EndFor

EndSub

Answer 41

Very slow...

' Draws the mandelbrot & julia set on the graphics window

' See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelbrot_set#For_programmers and

' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_set

'

' Author: Matthias Loeu

' Date: 24 November 2008

GraphicsWindow.Show()

' Size of the window (make it >= resolution)

GraphicsWindow.Width = 800

GraphicsWindow.Height = 800

' Resolution of the rendering, higher = better & slower

resolutionx = 300

resolutiony = 300

' The section of the complex plane we are interested in (x + y*i)

minx = -1.5

miny = -1.3

maxx = 1.5

maxy = 1.3

' The complex parameter (for the julia set)

cx = -0.4

cy = 0.6

' Draw the mandelbrot (1) or julia (0)

draw_mandelbrot = 0

' Max number of iterations, higher = more accurate & slower

max_iter = 500

If (minx > maxx) Then

t = minx

minx = maxx

maxx = t

EndIf

If (miny > maxy) Then

t = miny

miny = maxy

maxy = t

EndIf

'TextWindow.WriteLine("min (" + minx + ", " + miny + ")")

'TextWindow.WriteLine("max (" + maxx + ", " + maxy + ")")

' Step size, in the complex plane

stepx = (maxx - minx)/resolutionx

stepy = (maxy - miny)/resolutiony

' Size of a "pixel"

sizex = GraphicsWindow.Width / resolutionx

sizey = GraphicsWindow.Height / resolutiony

' The colors

Array.SetValue("color", 0, "white")

Array.SetValue("color", 1, "lavender")

Array.SetValue("color", 2, "thistle")

Array.SetValue("color", 3, "plum")

Array.SetValue("color", 4, "violet")

Array.SetValue("color", 5, "orchid")

Array.SetValue("color", 6, "fuchsia")

Array.SetValue("color", 7, "mediumorchid")

Array.SetValue("color", 8, "mediumpurple")

Array.SetValue("color", 9, "blueviolet")

Array.SetValue("color", 10, "darkviolet")

Array.SetValue("color", 11, "darkorchid")

Array.SetValue("color", 12, "purple")

Array.SetValue("color", 13, "indigo")

count_colors = 13

' The actual computations

start = Clock.Hour*3600 + 60*Clock.Minute + Clock.Second

' loop trough every "pixel"

For i=1 To resolutionx

For j=1 To resolutiony

' point in the complex plane

x = minx + i * stepx

y = miny + j * stepy

iter = 0

If (draw_mandelbrot = 1) Then

cx = x

cy = y

EndIf

' iterate...

While (x * x + y * y <= 4 And iter < max_iter)

' compute z = z^2 + c

t = x * x - y * y + cx

y = 2 * x * y + cy

x = t

iter = iter + 1

EndWhile

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = Array.GetValue("color", Math.Floor(count_colors * iter / max_iter))

' Draw a "pixel"

GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle((i-1)*sizex, (j-1)*sizey, sizex, sizey)

EndFor

'TextWindow.Write(i + " ")

EndFor

' Running this program during midnight is bad...

end = 3600*Clock.Hour + 60*Clock.Minute + Clock.Second

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "black"

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(0, 0, "Finished in " + (end-start) + " seconds")

Image Image 2

Answer 42

The following is code to search a specific text file for specific text and return the entire line it appears in.

filepath = "C:\testfilepath.txt"

searchtext = "text to find"

line = 1

While (File.ReadLine(filepath, line) <> "")

filetext = File.ReadLine(filepath, line)

If (Text.IsSubText(filetext,searchtext)) Then

TextWindow.WriteLine(filetext)

EndIf

line = line + 1

EndWhile

Answer 43

OK, I finally put one together that I can post.
It's super simple but it's pretty.  :-)

Randomize a color.
Then just draw line from top-left to bottom-right of graphic screen, increase the X at top and decrease bottom X by an random number.
When X reaches top-right and bottom-left, choose another random color and start increaseing the right-hand Y and decreasing the left-hand Y by a different random number.
Start over again.

It would have taken less time if I would have left it at that, but noooo.  I had to add instructions and the ability to Exit out.
...and while I was reading keyboard commands, why not add the ability to slow down the spin of the spoke?

I call it Random Spoke.

*Problem Corrected - small problem with program locking-up.  Random step was finding a number between 0 and 99.  When the step was zero, the program would lock-up.  So added 1 to each of the two "S =" lines.*

'Setup graphics window.

GraphicsWindow.Height=600

GraphicsWindow.Width=600  GraphicsWindow.Height=600

GraphicsWindow.Show()

'Show instructions

GraphicsWindow.Title="Random Spoke instructions"

GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(10,20,"Simple instructions...")

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(30,40,"Down arrow to decrease speed.")

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(30,60,"Up arrow to increase speed.")

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(30,75,"(Spoke starts at fastest speed.)")

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(30,95,"Escape to end program.")

GraphicsWindow.DrawText(10,120,"Press Space Bar to start.")

While (GraphicsWindow.LastKey <> "Space")

EndWhile

'Init

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor=0

GraphicsWindow.Title="What does up, must come down.  Spinning wheel, got to go round..."

'Run game until

While (EndProgram<>"yes")

Start()

EndWhile

Program.End()

Sub Start

' spoke turn left/right

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

S = Math.GetRandomNumber(100) + 1

For X = 0 To 600 Step S

GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(X,0,600-X,600)

Program.Delay(delay)

'   check keypress

If (GraphicsWindow.LastKey = "Escape") Then

EndProgram = "yes"

EndIf

If (GraphicsWindow.LastKey = "Down") Then

delay = delay + 1

EndIf

If (GraphicsWindow.LastKey = "Up") Then

delay = delay - 1

If (delay < 0) Then

delay = 0

EndIf

EndIf

EndFor

' spoke turn up/down

GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

S = Math.GetRandomNumber(100) + 1

For Y = 0 To 600 Step S

GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(600,Y,0,600-y)

Program.Delay(delay)

'   check keypress

If (GraphicsWindow.LastKey = "Escape") Then

EndProgram = "yes"

EndIf

If (GraphicsWindow.LastKey = "Down") Then

delay = delay + 1

EndIf

If (GraphicsWindow.LastKey = "Up") Then

delay = delay - 1

If (delay < 0) Then

delay = 0

EndIf

EndIf

EndFor

EndSub

Answer 44

Nice DRC. Although the program quickly freezes on my PC. 

Answer 45

I didn't have a problem on my work PC, but on my home PC (which is much faster) the graphics window keeps the correct width but the height is almost double the size and, like you Dink, it locks up after just a few passes.

I know it is not a simple mistake, like the program is running but the lines are not drawing, because the Esc key doesn't work.
I'm going to post this as new thread and see if anyone has any ideas.

Answer 46

index = 0
NeedToDraw = 1
GraphicsWindow.KeyDown = OnKeyDown
InitMatrix()
Play()

Sub InitMatrix
    GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "#000000"
    Array.SetValue("color", 00, "#003300")
    Array.SetValue("color", 01, "#004400")
    Array.SetValue("color", 02, "#005500")
    Array.SetValue("color", 03, "#006600")
    Array.SetValue("color", 04, "#007700")
    Array.SetValue("color", 05, "#008800")
    Array.SetValue("color", 06, "#009900")
    Array.SetValue("color", 17, "#00AA00")
    Array.SetValue("color", 18, "#00BB00")
    Array.SetValue("color", 19, "#00CC00")
    Array.SetValue("color", 10, "#00DD00")
    Array.SetValue("color", 11, "#00EE00")
    Array.SetValue("color", 12, "#00FF00")
    For x = 0 To GraphicsWindow.Width Step 13
        index = index + 1
        Array.SetValue("x", index, x)
        Array.SetValue("y", index, Math.GetRandomNumber(GraphicsWindow.Height))
        Array.SetValue("dy", index, 5 + Math.GetRandomNumber(7))
        
        Array.SetValue("colors", index, Array.GetValue("color", Math.GetRandomNumber(13)))
        If(Math.GetRandomNumber(2) = 0) Then
            Array.SetValue("ch", index, "0")
        Else
            Array.SetValue("ch", index, "1")
        EndIf
    EndFor
EndSub

Sub DrawMatrix
    For i = 0 To index
        x = Array.GetValue("x", i)
        y = Array.GetValue("y", i)
        GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor
        GraphicsWindow.FillRectangle(x, y, 20, 20)
        y = y + Array.GetValue("dy", i)
        GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = Array.GetValue("colors", i)
        GraphicsWindow.DrawText(x, y, Array.GetValue("ch", i))
        If(y > GraphicsWindow.Height) Then
            y = -20
            Array.SetValue("colors", i, Array.GetValue("color", Math.GetRandomNumber(13)))
        EndIf
        Array.SetValue("y", i, y)
    EndFor
EndSub

Sub Play
    While(NeedToDraw = 1)
        DrawMatrix()
    EndWhile
    Program.End()
EndSub

Sub OnKeyDown
    key = GraphicsWindow.LastKey
    If(key = "Escape") Then
        NeedToDraw = 0
    EndIf
EndSub

Answer 47

Can you please post the code without the line numbering so we can copy and paste it and run the code. 

Answer 48

I developed an example program that converts decimal numbers into their hexadecimal equivalent.
It initially sounded like a rather simple endeavor, a little text manipulation, and a bit of recursion using the stack to pass values to subroutines.
Two things to keep in mind:
Firstly, all variables seem to be global, when recursing, push everything you may need onto the stack as it will most
likely get trashed.
Secondly, sometimes text will get treated as a number and concatenating two such strings results in them getting added rather than appended.

The first one is the most important to remember in general, but the second one chewed up the most of my time to find out.
The Text.Append that is planned for Xmas release will be gladly welcomed :)

I am aware that the recursion is totally unnecessary and extremely inefficient but thought it a good way to demonstrate the concept.
I'll re-write this to do away with the recursion and use something simpler to demo that, maybe Newton's square root approximation or factorials.

'Demonstration code to convert decimal numbers in hexadecimal

'By tekgno , Wednesday 3 December 2008

'This example demonstrates recursion and some text manipulation

'Initialise our array of decimal to hex characters

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",0,"0")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",1,"1")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",2,"2")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",3,"3")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",4,"4")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",5,"5")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",6,"6")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",7,"7")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",8,"8")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",9,"9")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",10,"A")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",11,"B")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",12,"C")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",13,"D")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",14,"E")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",15,"F")

TextWindow.Show()

'Loop through a range of numbers to demonstrate

For i = 1 To 255

'In order to pass values to our subroutine, we use the stack

'Push on here

Stack.PushValue("hex",i)

'Call the sub

toHex()

'Pop our answer off the top of the stack

txt = Stack.PopValue("hex")

TextWindow.WriteLine(i+"     "+txt)

endfor

Sub toHex

'Get the value passed to the sub

h = Stack.PopValue("hex")

t = ""

'If 'h' is greater than 15, then we cannot use our lookup table

If (h > 15) Then

'Push everything we need onto the stack

'We need to do this otherwise everything seems to get trashed

Stack.PushValue("hex",h)

'Take the modulus of the value we wish to convert, we convert this with our lookup table

r = Math.Remainder(h,16)

Stack.PushValue("hex",r)

'Divide the value by 16 and recurse to convert it

j = (h - r) / 16

Stack.PushValue("hex",j)

toHex()

'Retrieve the answer and all our other variables

t = Stack.PopValue("hex")

r = Stack.PopValue("hex")

h = Stack.PopValue("hex")

EndIf

'If h < 16 we can use our lookup table

If (h < 16) Then

r = h

EndIf

'We convert for a single character

c = Array.GetValue("dec2hex",r)

'Append our converted character to the rest of the string if applicable

'The extra space and the line to remove it again are needed as

'       smallbasic will treat the text as numbers if it can

'       Christmas release will allow us to use Text.Append and clean this up

t = " " + t  + c

t = Text.GetSubText(t,1,text.GetLength(t)-1)

'Finally Push our answer onto the stack

Stack.PushValue("hex",t)

EndSub

Answer 49

OK, this version lacks recursion, but still uses the stack to pass values to/from the sub.

'Demonstration code to convert decimal numbers in hexadecimal

' Version 2.0

'By tekgno , Wednesday 3 December 2008

'Demonstrates use of the stack to pass values to/from a sub

'Initialise our array of decimal to hex characters

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",0,"0")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",1,"1")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",2,"2")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",3,"3")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",4,"4")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",5,"5")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",6,"6")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",7,"7")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",8,"8")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",9,"9")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",10,"A")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",11,"B")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",12,"C")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",13,"D")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",14,"E")

Array.SetValue("dec2hex",15,"F")

TextWindow.Show()

'Loop through a range of numbers to demonstrate

For i = 1 To 255

'In order to pass values to our subroutine, we use the stack

'Push on here

Stack.PushValue("hex",i)

'Call the sub

toHex()

'Pop our answer off the top of the stack

txt = Stack.PopValue("hex")

TextWindow.WriteLine(i+"     "+txt)

endfor

Sub toHex

'Get the value passed to the sub

h = Stack.PopValue("hex")

t = ""

While (h > 0)

'Take the modulus of the value we wish to convert, we convert this with our lookup table

r = Math.Remainder(h,16)

'The extra space and the line to remove it again are needed as

'       smallbasic will treat the text as numbers if it can

'       Christmas release will allow us to use Text.Append and clean this up

t = " " + Array.GetValue("dec2hex",r) + t

t = Text.GetSubText(t,1,text.GetLength(t)-1)

'Divide the value by 16

h = (h - r) / 16

EndWhile

'Finally Push our answer onto the stack

Stack.PushValue("hex",t)

EndSub

Answer 50

Here is a much easier to understand recursion demo for calculating factorials:

'Factorials!

'By Tekgno, Wednesday 3 December 2008

'A demo in recursion

TextWindow.Show()

'Show the factorials for all numbers up to 27, any higher and it crashes :(

For i = 0 To 27

'Use the push/pop for value passing

Stack.PushValue("fact",i )

factorial()

a = Stack.PopValue("fact")

TextWindow.WriteLine(i+":    "+a)

EndFor

Sub factorial

'Grab the number we wish to find the factorial for from the stack

f = Stack.PopValue("fact")

r = 1

'Since n! = n * (n-1)!

'If n > 1 then we find what (n-1)! is

If (f > 1) Then

Stack.PushValue("fact",f)

Stack.PushValue("fact",f-1)

factorial()

r = Stack.PopValue("fact")

f = Stack.PopValue("fact")

EndIf

'At this point, r will either still be initialised at 1, or will contain (n-1)!

r = f * r

'The factorial for 0 is 1

If (f = 0) Then

r = 1

EndIf

'The factorial for negative numbers is undefined

If (f < 0) Then

r = "Undefined"

EndIf

Stack.PushValue("fact",r)

EndSub

Answer 51

Really nice, Tekgno.  I really like the recursion demonstration with factorials!

Answer 52

Since there's a Stack object, how come SmallBasic doesn't support function parameters? Wouldn't be hard to generate code internally to push all params to stack and then at the function pop them at the reverse order into local variables

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 53

could also try porting some of the demos from the other SmallBASIC (see screenshots at http://smallbasic.sourceforge.net/?q=node/835)

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 54

The reason we don't have function parameters is because there isn't a notion of scopes in Small Basic (just like QBasic).  In order for function parameters to work, they should be made applicable only inside of sub body, which contradicts the "all variables are global" principle.

Answer 55

The problem with the lack of scope is that you can't expect schools to use this for teaching programming, except for very young kids (primary school maybe, although many would use visual programming [see Scratch or Boku for example] at that age). You shouldn't use GWBasic/QBasic as example in my opinion, should use QuickBasic/TurboBasic/PowerBasic instead as example in my opinion.

Also, as I've written elsewhere on the forum, it's contradictory/inconsistent that object (library) methods that you provide take params whereas the end-user's own methods (for "libraries" the end-user [educator or child] wants to make in SmallBasic code) don't take params. That way you have two classes of calls, with the user's defined stuff being inferior to the ones you've defined (or that others have defined as SmallBasic extensions in low-level C# etc. code)


For example Logo uses the concept of "local" and "global" with commands like "localmake" (for locals) and "make" (for globals). First-time users will use "make" and later on will get introduced to "localmake" (also it has say local "x command which is remembered and if followed by make "x 10 later on it does a localmake for "x)

---

Microsoft MVP J# 2004-2007, Borland Spirit of Delphi 2001

Answer 56

Still working on the 3D maze thing but wanted to complete something (getting a bit of coder's block) to get my mind off it.

 I call this one Random Bouncing Points.

Enter the number of points, from 2 to 20.

Those points bounce around the screen in random directions and in random increments, drawing a line from point 1 to point 2 to point 3... depending on number of points entered, and then from last point to first point.
The color of lines are random and change to a random color every time any point bounces off a wall.

While points are bouncing, you can press keys to do the following:

End Program  = Escape key

Increase delay (up to 200 ms)
(slow down the time between points replotting) = Up arrow

Decrease delay (to zero)
(speeds up time between points replotting) = Down arrow

'Random Bouncing Points

'created for Microsoft Small Basic

'by David R. Crutchfield on 12/11/2008

correctkey = "False"

While (correctkey = "False")

TextWindow.Show()

TextWindow.WriteLine("Type number of points to bounce (from 2 to 20, or 0 to exit)")

TextWindow.Write("and press the Enter key: ")

numofpoints = TextWindow.ReadNumber()

If (numofpoints>1 And numofpoints<21) Then

correctkey = "True"

Else

If (numofpoints = 0) Then

correctkey = "True"

Program.End()

Else

TextWindow.WriteLine("")

TextWindow.WriteLine("Number can be no less than 2 and no larger than 20,")

TextWindow.WriteLine("or 0 (zero) to exit.")

TextWindow.WriteLine("")

Sound.PlayBellRingAndWait()

EndIf

EndIf

EndWhile

TextWindow.Hide()

'ranomize X, Y starting coordinates , direction, and point movement amount

For pointnum = 1 To numofpoints

Array.SetValue("X",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(801))

Array.SetValue("Y",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(800))

'   randomize X axis start direction

direction = Math.GetRandomNumber(2)

If (direction = 0) Then

Array.SetValue("directionX",pointnum,-1)

Else

Array.SetValue("directionX",pointnum,1)

EndIf

'   randomize Y axis start direction

direction = Math.GetRandomNumber(2)

If (direction = 0) Then

Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,-1)

Else

Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,1)

EndIf

'   randomize start move amount for X and Y axis

Array.SetValue("moveX",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(50)+1)

Array.SetValue("moveY",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(50)+1)

EndFor

'initialize graphics window

GraphicsWindow.Height = 800

GraphicsWindow.Width = 800

GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Black"

GraphicsWindow.Title = "Random Bouncing Points"

GraphicsWindow.Show()

GraphicsWindowGraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

GraphicsWindow.KeyDown = ReadKey

repeat = "True"

While (repeat)

Program.Delay(pause)

For pointnum = 1 To numofpoints

If (pointnum<numofpoints) Then

GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(Array.GetValue("X",pointnum), Array.GetValue("Y",pointnum), Array.GetValue("X",pointnum+1), Array.GetValue("Y",pointnum+1))

Else

GraphicsWindow.DrawLine(Array.GetValue("X",pointnum), Array.GetValue("Y",pointnum), Array.GetValue("X",1), Array.GetValue("Y",1))

EndIf

'   move X axis

newX = Array.GetValue("X",pointnum)+Array.GetValue("moveX",pointnum)*Array.GetValue("directionX",pointnum)

If (newX<0 Or newX>800) Then

If (newX>800) Then

newX = 800 - (newX - 800)

Array.SetValue("directionX",pointnum,-1)

Else

newX = newX * -1

Array.SetValue("directionX",pointnum,1)

EndIf

' randomize X axis move amount after hitting wall.

Array.SetValue("moveX",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(50)+1)

'get random color when point hits wall

GraphicsWindow.GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

EndIf

Array.SetValue("X",pointnum,newX)

' move Y axis

newY = Array.GetValue("Y",pointnum)+Array.GetValue("moveY",pointnum)*Array.GetValue("directionY",pointnum)

If (newY<0 Or newY>800) Then

If (newY>800) Then

newY = 800 - (newY - 800)

Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,-1)

Else

newYnewY = newY * -1

Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,1)

EndIf

' randomize Y axis move amount after hitting wall.

Array.SetValue("moveY",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(50)+1)

'get randome color when point hits wall

GraphicsWindowGraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()

EndIf

Array.SetValue("Y",pointnum,newY)

EndFor

EndWhile

Program.End()

Sub ReadKey

key = GraphicsWindow.LastKey

If (key = "Escape") Then

repeat = "False"

EndIf

If (key = "Up") Then

pausepause = pause + 1

If (pause > 200) Then

pause = 200

EndIf

EndIf

If (key = "Down") Then

pausepause = pause - 1

If (pause < 0) Then

pause = 0

EndIf

EndIf

GraphicsWindow.Title = "Random Bouncing Points   Delay = "+pause+" milliseconds"

EndSub

Lines of code = 103
Remark lines = 14
Blank lines = 23
Total lines = 140

Executable file size = 6 KB

By the way.
I sent the executable file to a friend in the office here.
He has the same office computer that I have, but when he runs it, it immediately crashes and wants to send a report to Microsoft.
If I want to share the programs I create do the recipients have to have something special to run the exe's?

Answer 57

Path_drc,
The code you provided seems to have some typos in it,
 GraphicsWindow GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()  

To send to a friend you must include your .exe file and SmallBasicLibrary.dll, plus any other libraries(.dll) you used to create your program.  They must also have the .Net Framework Runtime installed on their computer

Answer 58

I don't know how that happened.  I copied straight from the editor after a few succesfull runs.

I'll correct it tomorrow.

THNX!

Answer 59

Love it, DRC.  Here's DRC's program with the typos fixed.

'Random Bouncing Points   
'created for Microsoft Small Basic   
'by David R. Crutchfield on 12/11/2008   
  
correctkey = "False"  
While (correctkey = "False")   
    TextWindow.Show()   
    TextWindow.WriteLine("Type number of points to bounce (from 2 to 20, or 0 to exit)")   
    TextWindow.Write("and press the Enter key: ")   
    numofpoints = TextWindow.ReadNumber()   
  
    If (numofpoints>1 And numofpoints<21) Then   
        correctkey = "True"  
    Else   
        If (numofpoints = 0) Then   
            correctkey = "True"     
            Program.End()   
        Else   
            TextWindow.WriteLine("")   
            TextWindow.WriteLine("Number can be no less than 2 and no larger than 20,")   
            TextWindow.WriteLine("or 0 (zero) to exit.")   
            TextWindow.WriteLine("")   
            Sound.PlayBellRingAndWait()   
        EndIf   
           
    EndIf   
EndWhile   
  
TextWindow.Hide()   
  
'ranomize X, Y starting coordinates , direction, and point movement amount   
For pointnum = 1 To numofpoints   
    Array.SetValue("X",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(801))   
    Array.SetValue("Y",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(800))   
       
    '   randomize X axis start direction   
    direction = Math.GetRandomNumber(2)   
    If (direction = 0) Then   
        Array.SetValue("directionX",pointnum,-1)   
    Else   
        Array.SetValue("directionX",pointnum,1)   
    EndIf   
       
    '   randomize Y axis start direction   
    direction = Math.GetRandomNumber(2)   
    If (direction = 0) Then   
        Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,-1)   
    Else   
        Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,1)   
    EndIf   
  
    '   randomize start move amount for X and Y axis   
    Array.SetValue("moveX",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(50)+1)   
    Array.SetValue("moveY",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(50)+1)   
EndFor   
  
'initialize graphics window   
GraphicsWindow.Height = 800  
GraphicsWindow.Width = 800  
GraphicsWindow.BackgroundColor = "Black"  
GraphicsWindow.Title = "Random Bouncing Points"  
GraphicsWindow.Show()   
GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()   
  
GraphicsWindow.KeyDown = ReadKey  
  
repeat = "True"  
  
While (repeat)   
    Program.Delay(pause)   
    For pointnum = 1 To numofpoints   
        If (pointnum800) Then   
            If (newY>800) Then   
                newY = 800 - (newY - 800)   
                Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,-1)   
            Else   
                newYnewY = newY * -1   
                Array.SetValue("directionY",pointnum,1)   
            EndIf   
  
            ' randomize Y axis move amount after hitting wall.   
            Array.SetValue("moveY",pointnum,Math.GetRandomNumber(50)+1)   
            'get randome color when point hits wall   
            GraphicsWindow.PenColor = GraphicsWindow.GetRandomColor()   
        EndIf   
           
        Array.SetValue("Y",pointnum,newY)   
           
    EndFor   
EndWhile   
  
Program.End()   
  
  
Sub ReadKey   
    key = GraphicsWindow.LastKey   
    If (key = "Escape") Then   
        repeat = "False"  
    EndIf   
    If (key = "Up") Then   
        pause = pause + 1  
        If (pause > 200) Then   
            pause = 200  
        EndIf   
    EndIf   
    If (key = "Down") Then   
        pause = pause - 1  
        If (pause < 0) Then   
            pause = 0  
        EndIf   
    EndIf   
    GraphicsWindow.Title = "Random Bouncing Points   Delay = "+pause+" milliseconds"   
EndSub