2004/02/05 Download GetCodeFromArchive. Grab Code from this Area or the Blitz-CodeArchive or Blitz-Forums. Wherever you have Problems to grab formatted Code this program changes a Htm-File with Code into a pure directly usable bb-File. In InternetExplorer save the file from CodeArchive to your Harddrive. You'll get a File and a Folder with same name. In that Folder should be a file called codearcs.htm. GetCodeFromArchive.exe adds a file named codearcs.bb 2004/02/28 Some useful Routines that handle dynamic String Arrays and something to make the use of Buttons in Apps very easy and give it a cool look. FileList FileList(Filename$,Sorted,Lowcase) Attention: The Command looks in every Subdirectory - so it can be quite a long time if it comes back after sorting and converting to lowercase. Default Sorted=False Default Lowcase=True Examples: MyFilelist=FileList("C:\MyPrograms") ImageFiles=FileList(f$,True) MyFiles=FileList(f$,True,False) !!! Very important - When the Filelist is not used anymore you must use FreeDynamicStringArray(MyFilelist) to release the used Memory. CreateDynamicStringArray MyStringArray=CreateDynamicStringArray() No Parameters. Creates a Bank and initializes a dynamic StringArray. You can have as much StringArrays as your memory allows. !!! Very important - When the Array is not used anymore - in most cases at the end of the Program - you must use FreeDynamicStringArray(MyStringArray) to release the used Memorybank. FreeDynamicStringArray FreeDynamicStringArray(StringList) Parameter is the Name you used with CreateDynamicStringArray Note: Use this sort of Arrays if you need Strings temporary and want to free the used Memory immediately. Or when you do not know at programtime how many Strings you or the user of the program may need (for instance: Filelists - see above). PutDynamicStringArray PutDynamicStringArray(ArrayName,Index,TheString$) Arrayname is the Name you used to Create... Index is an Integer that represents the number at which place the String shall appear. You can not make gaps - so you have to put in one String after the other. Or if the number is smaller than the amount of used Strings, then the String repesenting that Number will be replaced. TheString$ is a String of any Size. The Function needs the Function PokeLongString to function. This is automatic done by the Precompiler in case you use it. GetDynamicStringArray MyString$=GetDynamicStringArray$(ArrayName,Index) Arrayname is the Name you used to Create... Index is an Integer that represents the number at which place the String comes from. You can not make gaps - and the system does not check if your program works okay. So you have to care for the error checking or better produce no error in your code. This Function needs PeekLongString (see below) DynamicArrayCounter Number=DynamicArrayCounter(ArrayName) Arrayname is the Name you used to Create... Returns the number of Strings that have been placed in Memory in that Array. CompareDynamicStringArray Result=CompareDynamicStringArray(ArrayName,Index1,Index2) Arrayname is the Name you used to Create the Array ... Index1 is the Number of the first String, Index 2 the Number of the second String. Result is -1 if the first String is lower; 1 if the first String is higher and 0 if both Strings are equal. SwapDynamicStringArray SwapDynamicStringArray(ArrayName,Index1,Index2) Arrayname is the Name you used to Create the Array ... Index1 is the Number of the first String, Index 2 the Number of the second String. As you can imagine, not the Strings will be swapped but the Pointers to the Banklocations. PeekLongString MyString$=PeekLongString$(BankHandle,Position) For the DynamicStringArrays you do not know anything about that Function, because its called with the right parameters. But you can use it to Peek for Strings in a Bank you created. And in this case its obvious how to use it anyway. Position is a Number from 0 to Banksize-1 PokeLongString PokeLongString(BankHandle,Position,TheString$) As mentioned above - this Function is called by DynamicStringArrays. But you can use it to Poke Strings into a bank, too. If you have to create a bank for the String keep in mind that the bank must be 4 bytes longer than the String because the Function puts the Stringlength as Integer at position 0 and the String will be poked starting from Position 4 to the end. InitW3DButtons InitW3DButtons() No Parameters. Place this right after the Graphics3D - Command: Example: Global W3DButton_Bank,W3DButton,W3DButtonFlag Graphics3D 1024,768,32,2 W3DButton=Loadimage("Images/W3DButton.bmp") ;always after Graphics3D InitW3DButtons() CreateW3DButton(Number,XPos,YPos,ButtonText$[,HCentered[,VCentered]]) BTW: The PreCompiler would manage this for you in case you use it. CreateW3DButton CreateW3DButton(Number,XPos,YPos,ButtonText$[,HCentered[,VCentered]]) Each - Button gets a number starting from 1 to infinity. XPos - Position on Screen either right edge or centerX if HCentered is True YPos - Position on Screen either upper edge or centerY if VCentered is True ButtonText$ - What is displayed on the Buttonface. Any length - but should fit into the screen. HCentered - default is False - changes the horizontal displayhotspot of the Button. VCentered - default is False - changes the vertical diaplayhotspot of the Button. Needs PokeShortString Download W3DButton.zip (2 Bitmaps: WindowsXP-Style and Windows98-Style) or make your own Bitmap 480x23 Pixel - that's 240x23 normal View and 240x23 for Mouseover View. ShowAllW3DButtons ShowAllW3DButtons() No Parameters must be placed in the Loop between repeat / Flip() / Until or so SetBuffer BackBuffer() should be active when the Function is called. This Function calls ShowW3DButton(ButtonNumber) ShowW3DButton ShowW3DButton(ButtonNumber) Instead of ShowAllButtons you may display the Buttons you need for special situations. It is recommended that you better use EmptyW3DButton(ButtonNumber) (see there for further explanations) in connection with ShowAllW3DButtons(). TestAllW3DButtons Result=TestAllW3DButtons() Returns the selected Buttonnumber or Zero if none is selected. This Function calls TestW3DButton(ButtonNumber) TestW3DButton result=TestW3DButton(ButtonNumber) Instead of TestAllButtons you may test only the Buttons you need for special situations. It is recommended that you better use EmptyW3DButton(ButtonNumber) (see there for further explanations) in connection with ShowAllW3DButtons() and TestAllW3DButtons(). Use it as you need it. EmptyW3DButton EmptyW3DButton(ButtonNumber) This Function is useful for several reasons. When you're working on Program you may change your screenlayout or certain functions that were connected to a Button will never be used. Instead of changing all ButtonNumbers and Positions you can make the Button empty and later change it to CreateButton again. Another reason is that you want to disable buttons in a special situation and create them later again. If ButtonNumber is 1 higher than the last created Button then an Empty Button will be created. If its lower or equal, then the Button will be made empty and the FreeBank is called. So enabling it later, you must use CreateW3DButton again. RightW3DButtonPos XPosition=RightW3DButtonPos(ButtonNumber) Returns the Position of the right edge of the requested Button. Very useful, because depending on which font is used and how long the ButtonText is, this Position varies. To make your design look clean you give the resulting XPosition plus an always equal space to the following CreateW3DButton Command. Example: CreateW3DButton(16,RightW3DButtonPos(15)+3,"I am 3 Pixels away from Button 15") FreeAllW3DButtons FreeAllW3DButtons() Give the Memory back to the Owner when you do not need it anymore. Makes sure that no unwanted reactions occur when you closed your program. Calls FreeW3DButton(ButtonNumber) FreeW3DButton FreeW3DButton(ButtonNumber) Does what is says. You should let the Command FreeAllW3DButtons() do the job. PeekShortString MyString$=PeekShortString$(BankHandle,Position) For the Button-Commands you do not know anything about that Function, because its called with the right parameters. But you can use it to Peek for Strings in a Bank you created. And in this case its obvious how to use it anyway. Position is a Number from 0 to Banksize-1 PokeShortString PokeShortString(BankHandle,Position,TheString$) As mentioned above - this Function is called by Button-Commands. But you can use it to Poke Strings that are shorter than 65535 Bytes into a bank, too. If you have to create a bank for the String keep in mind that the bank must be 4 bytes longer than the String because the Function puts the Stringlength as ShortInt at position 0 and the String will be poked starting from Position 2 to the end.