Mastering InForm: control arrays?

[Qwerkey]

Fellippe, another request (so simple to implement, I have no doubt) from your user:

See attached image of part of the Gravitational Simulation program (NB Positions on screen are not yet set).  The program will allow the user to input the starting masses, positions (x-,y-,z-) and velocities (x-,y-,z-) of up to 11 bodies (why 11 bodies, not quite sure - that's what I have used in the previous non-Inform version of the program).  This means that there are 77 controls, individually labelled and each of which has to have code to check input and move on.  I've only started the coding of the first seven and the number of program lines is becoming substantial.

In Visual Basic, they had Control Arrays which could be named with subscripts, and this makes coding very much easier.  (They removed Control Arrays in Visual Studio - that ghastly programming tool).  So, when will Control Arrays be coming?!!!

Richard

[bplus]

Fellippe, another request (so simple to implement, I have no doubt) from your user:

See attached image of part of the Gravitational Simulation program (NB Positions on screen are not yet set).  The program will allow the user to input the starting masses, positions (x-,y-,z-) and velocities (x-,y-,z-) of up to 11 bodies (why 11 bodies, not quite sure - that's what I have used in the previous non-Inform version of the program).  This means that there are 77 controls, individually labelled and each of which has to have code to check input and move on.  I've only started the coding of the first seven and the number of program lines is becoming substantial.

In Visual Basic, they had Control Arrays which could be named with subscripts, and this makes coding very much easier.  (They removed Control Arrays in Visual Studio - that ghastly programming tool).  So, when will Control Arrays be coming?!!!

Richard

You could put the 77 items in a list box, select the item to edit have that item load in an text box with two buttons one to change and one to cancel edit. They could be listed as key = value lines and you could label the text box with the key name.

Control arrays were cool!

PS You could put a whole line of data as one list item, then when selected, edit the whole line using a space or comma to seperate the numbers. This would make the List Box listing look like an 2D array.

[FellippeHeitor]

Sorry for the absence in this topic.

Control arrays have been considered in the past but for some reason I can't recall at the moment they were later scraped. If I can't remember what made me give up on them, I may reconsider adding them sometime in the future.

For now, what I have done when I needed to manipulate my controls with an array was to create it manually. Tedious, I know, but it has saved work later.

You'd DIM SHARED MyControlArray(totalControls) AS LONG (control IDs are stored as LONG) and then you'd assign each index in that array to the desired control as created with the editor.

When needed, you'd manipulate Control(MyControlArray(myIndex)).Property.

[Qwerkey]

Fellippe, you won't be surprised to hear that your method above works.  I now need to replace hundreds of lines of code with an indexed procedure.

Richard

[FellippeHeitor]

Fellippe, you won't be surprised to hear that your method above works.  I now need to replace hundreds of lines of code with an indexed procedure.

Richard

Glad to hear!

[Qwerkey]

So, after creating the array of controls (tedious, but now done), the first bit of code transforms as follows:

From:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1. IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) >= 2 AND VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) <= 11 THEN
2.     Control(BodyDataFR).Disabled = False
3.     Control(BodyDataFR).Hidden = False
4.     SetFocus BodyMass1TB
5.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 11 THEN
6.         Control(Body11LB).Disabled = True
7.         Control(Body11LB).Hidden = True
8.         Control(BodyMass11TB).Disabled = True
9.         Control(BodyMass11TB).Hidden = True
10.         Control(XPosition11TB).Disabled = True
11.         Control(XPosition11TB).Hidden = True
12.         Control(YPosition11TB).Disabled = True
13.         Control(YPosition11TB).Hidden = True
14.         Control(ZPosition11TB).Disabled = True
15.         Control(ZPosition11TB).Hidden = True
16.         Control(XVelocity11TB).Disabled = True
17.         Control(XVelocity11TB).Hidden = True
18.         Control(YVelocity11TB).Disabled = True
19.         Control(YVelocity11TB).Hidden = True
20.         Control(ZVelocity11TB).Disabled = True
21.         Control(ZVelocity11TB).Hidden = True
22.     END IF
23.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 10 THEN
24.         Control(Body10LB).Disabled = True
25.         Control(Body10LB).Hidden = True
26.         Control(BodyMass10TB).Disabled = True
27.         Control(BodyMass10TB).Hidden = True
28.         Control(XPosition10TB).Disabled = True
29.         Control(XPosition10TB).Hidden = True
30.         Control(YPosition10TB).Disabled = True
31.         Control(YPosition10TB).Hidden = True
32.         Control(ZPosition10TB).Disabled = True
33.         Control(ZPosition10TB).Hidden = True
34.         Control(XVelocity10TB).Disabled = True
35.         Control(XVelocity10TB).Hidden = True
36.         Control(YVelocity10TB).Disabled = True
37.         Control(YVelocity10TB).Hidden = True
38.         Control(ZVelocity10TB).Disabled = True
39.         Control(ZVelocity10TB).Hidden = True
40.     END IF
41.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 9 THEN
42.         Control(Body9LB).Disabled = True
43.         Control(Body9LB).Hidden = True
44.         Control(BodyMass9TB).Disabled = True
45.         Control(BodyMass9TB).Hidden = True
46.         Control(XPosition9TB).Disabled = True
47.         Control(XPosition9TB).Hidden = True
48.         Control(YPosition9TB).Disabled = True
49.         Control(YPosition9TB).Hidden = True
50.         Control(ZPosition9TB).Disabled = True
51.         Control(ZPosition9TB).Hidden = True
52.         Control(XVelocity9TB).Disabled = True
53.         Control(XVelocity9TB).Hidden = True
54.         Control(YVelocity9TB).Disabled = True
55.         Control(YVelocity9TB).Hidden = True
56.         Control(ZVelocity9TB).Disabled = True
57.         Control(ZVelocity9TB).Hidden = True
58.     END IF
59.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 8 THEN
60.         Control(Body8LB).Disabled = True
61.         Control(Body8LB).Hidden = True
62.         Control(BodyMass8TB).Disabled = True
63.         Control(BodyMass8TB).Hidden = True
64.         Control(XPosition8TB).Disabled = True
65.         Control(XPosition8TB).Hidden = True
66.         Control(YPosition8TB).Disabled = True
67.         Control(YPosition8TB).Hidden = True
68.         Control(ZPosition8TB).Disabled = True
69.         Control(ZPosition8TB).Hidden = True
70.         Control(XVelocity8TB).Disabled = True
71.         Control(XVelocity8TB).Hidden = True
72.         Control(YVelocity8TB).Disabled = True
73.         Control(YVelocity8TB).Hidden = True
74.         Control(ZVelocity8TB).Disabled = True
75.         Control(ZVelocity8TB).Hidden = True
76.     END IF
77.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 7 THEN
78.         Control(Body7LB).Disabled = True
79.         Control(Body7LB).Hidden = True
80.         NEXT Index%
81.         Control(BodyMass7TB).Disabled = True
82.         Control(BodyMass7TB).Hidden = True
83.         Control(XPosition7TB).Disabled = True
84.         Control(XPosition7TB).Hidden = True
85.         Control(YPosition7TB).Disabled = True
86.         Control(YPosition7TB).Hidden = True
87.         Control(ZPosition7TB).Disabled = True
88.         Control(ZPosition7TB).Hidden = True
89.         Control(XVelocity7TB).Disabled = True
90.         Control(XVelocity7TB).Hidden = True
91.         Control(YVelocity7TB).Disabled = True
92.         Control(YVelocity7TB).Hidden = True
93.         Control(ZVelocity7TB).Disabled = True
94.         Control(ZVelocity7TB).Hidden = True
95.     END IF
96.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 6 THEN
97.         Control(Body6LB).Disabled = True
98.         Control(Body6LB).Hidden = True
99.         Control(BodyMass6TB).Disabled = True
100.         Control(BodyMass6TB).Hidden = True
101.         Control(XPosition6TB).Disabled = True
102.         Control(XPosition6TB).Hidden = True
103.         Control(YPosition6TB).Disabled = True
104.         Control(YPosition6TB).Hidden = True
105.         Control(ZPosition6TB).Disabled = True
106.         Control(ZPosition6TB).Hidden = True
107.         Control(XVelocity6TB).Disabled = True
108.         Control(XVelocity6TB).Hidden = True
109.         Control(YVelocity6TB).Disabled = True
110.         Control(YVelocity6TB).Hidden = True
111.         Control(ZVelocity6TB).Disabled = True
112.         Control(ZVelocity6TB).Hidden = True
113.     END IF
114.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 5 THEN
115.         Control(Body5LB).Disabled = True
116.         Control(Body5LB).Hidden = True
117.         Control(BodyMass5TB).Disabled = True
118.         Control(BodyMass5TB).Hidden = True
119.         Control(XPosition5TB).Disabled = True
120.         Control(XPosition5TB).Hidden = True
121.         Control(YPosition5TB).Disabled = True
122.         Control(YPosition5TB).Hidden = True
123.         Control(ZPosition5TB).Disabled = True
124.         Control(ZPosition5TB).Hidden = True
125.         Control(XVelocity5TB).Disabled = True
126.         Control(XVelocity5TB).Hidden = True
127.         Control(YVelocity5TB).Disabled = True
128.         Control(YVelocity5TB).Hidden = True
129.         Control(ZVelocity5TB).Disabled = True
130.         Control(ZVelocity5TB).Hidden = True
131.     END IF
132.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 4 THEN
133.         Control(Body4LB).Disabled = True
134.         Control(Body4LB).Hidden = True
135.         Control(BodyMass4TB).Disabled = True
136.         Control(BodyMass4TB).Hidden = True
137.         Control(XPosition4TB).Disabled = True
138.         Control(XPosition4TB).Hidden = True
139.         Control(YPosition4TB).Disabled = True
140.         Control(YPosition4TB).Hidden = True
141.         Control(ZPosition4TB).Disabled = True
142.         Control(ZPosition4TB).Hidden = True
143.         Control(XVelocity4TB).Disabled = True
144.         Control(XVelocity4TB).Hidden = True
145.         Control(YVelocity4TB).Disabled = True
146.         Control(YVelocity4TB).Hidden = True
147.         Control(ZVelocity4TB).Disabled = True
148.         Control(ZVelocity4TB).Hidden = True
149.     END IF
150.     IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) < 3 THEN
151.         Control(Body3LB).Disabled = True
152.         Control(Body3LB).Hidden = True
153.         Control(BodyMass3TB).Disabled = True
154.         Control(BodyMass3TB).Hidden = True
155.         Control(XPosition3TB).Disabled = True
156.         Control(XPosition3TB).Hidden = True
157.         Control(YPosition3TB).Disabled = True
158.         Control(YPosition3TB).Hidden = True
159.         Control(ZPosition3TB).Disabled = True
160.         Control(ZPosition3TB).Hidden = True
161.         Control(XVelocity3TB).Disabled = True
162.         Control(XVelocity3TB).Hidden = True
163.         Control(YVelocity3TB).Disabled = True
164.         Control(YVelocity3TB).Hidden = True
165.         Control(ZVelocity3TB).Disabled = True
166.         Control(ZVelocity3TB).Hidden = True
167.     END IF
168. ELSE
169.     AA& = MessageBox("Value From 2 to 11 Required", "", 0)
170. END IF
171.  

To:

Code: QB64: [Select]

1.                 IF VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) >= 2 AND VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB)) <= 11 THEN
2.                     Control(BodyDataFR).Disabled = False
3.                     Control(BodyDataFR).Hidden = False
4.                     SetFocus BodyMass1TB
5.                     Index% = VAL(Text(HowManyBodiesTB))
6.                     FOR M% = 3 TO 11
7.                         IF Index% < M% THEN
8.                             FOR K% = 8 * M% - 7 TO 8 * M%
9.                                 Control(TheQwerkey(K%)).Disabled = True
10.                                 Control(TheQwerkey(K%)).Hidden = True
11.                             NEXT K%
12.                         ELSE
13.                             FOR K% = 8 * M% - 7 TO 8 * M%
14.                                 Control(TheQwerkey(K%)).Disabled = False
15.                                 Control(TheQwerkey(K%)).Hidden = False
16.                             NEXT K%
17.                         END IF
18.                     NEXT M%
19.                 ELSE
20.                     AA& = MessageBox("Value From 2 to 11 Required", "", 0)
21.                 END IF

And the original doesn't overwrite user's previous input (which would need dozens more lines).

TempodiBasic will be pleased.

Richard