Arrays in a class

[Waseem Sadiq]

Hi, I'm writing a program that parses a text-file. That text-file is actually a file that contains values for creating your own bot (computer-controlled player) in the game Quake 3 Arena. The text-file has a structure like this:

skill 1
{
name "blabla"
accuracy "12"
viewfactor "5"
...
}

skill 4
{
name "blabla"
accuracy "20"
viewfactor "6"
...
}

skill 5
{
name "blabla"
accuracy "30"
viewfactor "10"
...
}



I want to create a class (called bot) so that I can write code that sais
dim mybot as new bot


I want that the class has properties like
mybot.skill1.name = "hello"
mybot.skill1.accuracy = 15
mybot.skill1.accuracy = 20
mybot.skill5.accuracy = 30


is it possible to do something like this in VB, is it possible to declare these properties of the bots as arrays in the class file or must I use some other method?

I have never worked with class files before if anybody could help me out, I would appreciate it greatly.

[Chris Eastwood]

Glad someones trying to improve the bot's in QuakeIII at least...

If you only have the 5 skill levels (and always have them in the file), then I'd suggest that you have two class modules - cBot and sSkill, you don't mention what else should be in the bot class, but here's what I made up :

I'm starting with the skill class because that will be referenced by the Bot Class :


(Class module called cSkill)

option Explicit
'
private msName as string
private miAccuracy as Integer
private miViewFactor as Integer
'
private Sub Class_Initialize()
'
' Initialise with some default values (lowest setting ?)
'
me.Name = "Default"
me.Accuracy = 12
me.ViewFactor = 5
End Sub
'
public property let Name(byval sNewName as string)
msName = sNewName
End property
'
public property get Name() as string
Name = msName
End property
'
public property let Accuracy(byval iAccuracy as Integer)
miAccuracy = iAccuracy
End property
'
public property get Accuracy() as Integer
Accuracy = miAccuracy
End property
'
public property let ViewFactor(byval iViewFactor as Integer)
miViewFactor = iViewFactor
End property
'
public property get ViewFactor() as Integer
ViewFactor = miViewFactor
End property




This code will initialise the skill object with default values (taken from your file for skill level 1)

Next the cBot Class :


option Explicit
'
private moSkill1 as cSkill
private moSkill2 as cSkill
private moSkill3 as cSkill
private moSkill4 as cSkill
private moSkill5 as cSkill
'
private Sub Class_Initialize()
'
' Create Skill Objects
'
set moSkill1 = new cSkill
set moSkill2 = new cSkill
set moSkill3 = new cSkill
set moSkill4 = new cSkill
set moSkill5 = new cSkill
End Sub
'
public property get Skill1() as cSkill
set Skill1 = moSkill1
End property
'
public property get Skill2() as cSkill
set Skill2 = moSkill2
End property
'
public property get Skill3() as cSkill
set Skill3 = moSkill3
End property
'
public property get Skill4() as cSkill
set Skill4 = moSkill4
End property
'
public property get Skill5() as cSkill
set Skill5 = moSkill5
End property




When created, the Bot object will create 5 internal skill objects (if this isn't a set number, then use a collection and pass the objects that way).

A calling program / form might use the Bot object as such :


Dim oBot as cBot

set oBot = new cBot

oBot.Skill1.Name = "Chris"
oBot.Skill1.Accuracy = 1
oBot.Skill1.ViewFactor = 2

oBot.Skill2.Name = "blah blah"
oBot.Skill2.Accuracy = 3




You might have noticed that I changed the values for accuracy and viewfactor to integers (just to be nice and easy) - you can always change them back to strings if you like.






Chris Eastwood

CodeGuru - the website for developers
http://codeguru.developer.com/vb

[Waseem Sadiq]

Thanks a lot, you helped me out a lot, you can't use integers for accuracy and aim (wich aren't the actual names, just made them op for simplicity) because they have to contain values between 0.0 and 2.0. Again, thanks a lot for the reply.