Function Parameter and Output Help

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Mr909

11

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Joined: 2nd Jun 2012

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Posted: 2nd Jun 2012 18:52

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Okay, I have a couple different questions on how to use function parameters.

(1) I want to develop a single function to average 2-5 numbers really quickly, but obviously the function would behave differently depending on how many numbers were averaged in. Is there an easy way to do it? I might have 0's in the averaged numbers, so I can't just input 0's where I don't want parameters.

(2) I want a function that removes everything after a set of parentheses, and another that takes everything before it. I also want it to ignore spaces.

For example, reading:

$string = Intelligence (20%)

Would return two different things if put through the functions

line_traitname($string) would return "Intelligence"
line_traitvalue($string) would return "20%"

(3) Related to 2, how do I reliably turn a percentage in the form of a string into a decimal for calculation? Not all traitvalue returns will be percentages, some will remain strings, some will be other types of values. Can someone link me to a page explaining the types of values and what numbers they can store?

(4) Also, I'm really confused as to how RGB values behave when input into functions, and I imagine what could easily be three to four hours of work being blown on not understanding what would otherwise be really easy, if I could get a little forewarning.

Basically, I have several functions in mind to fix or change colors. I want to have them in 3 seperate variables for processing, but from what I understand, functions only return one value.

So, like
FUNCTION color_redshift(R,G,B,shift,lower)

R= R+shift
G= G-lower
B= B-lower

ENDFUNCTION

(That's just pseudo-code to show you what I mean)

I can't make it return three separate values, right? I sort of need it to, as the variables are all stored separately. Unless I could get a traitvalue string (explained in 2) to be treated as an RGB value. Which I highly doubt that'll even work.

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zeroSlave

14

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Joined: 13th Jun 2009

Location: Springfield

Posted: 3rd Jun 2012 02:34 Edited at: 3rd Jun 2012 03:12

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(1) My suggestion would be to use array lists with a couple functions. There may be a better way to do this, but this is the first thing that came to mind. Here is some code to show an example of it in use:

+ Code Snippet

sync on
sync rate 60

Dim ValuesToAverage()

do
    AddNumber(5)
    AddNumber(24)
    AddNumber(77)
    AddNumber(457)
    AddNumber(242)
    set cursor 0,0: print AverageValues()
    clearNumbers()
    
    sync
loop
end

function AddNumber(i)
    array insert at bottom ValuesToAverage()
    array index to bottom ValuesToAverage()
    ValuesToAverage() = i
endfunction

function AverageValues()
    ValueCount = Array count( ValuesToAverage() ) + 1
    
    array index to top ValuesToAverage()
    
    while array index valid( ValuesToAverage() )
        ValueTotal = ValueTotal + ValuesToAverage()
        next array index ValuesToAverage()
    endwhile
    
    ValueAverage = ValueTotal / ValueCount
endfunction ValueAverage

function clearNumbers()
    empty array ValuesToAverage()
endfunction

(2) You should check out the left$(), right$(), len(), trim$, & mid$() functions. Here is some code:

sync on
sync rate 60

NewString$ = "Intelligence (56.56%)"
do
    TraitName$ = line_traitname(NewString$)
    TraitValue$ = line_traitvalue(NewString$)
    TraitValueDecimal# = line_traitvaluedecimal(TraitValue$)
    set cursor 0,0
    print TraitName$
    print TraitValue$
    print TraitValueDecimal#
    sync
loop

end

function line_traitname(s$)
    repeat
        inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) = "("
    s$ = trim$(left$(s$, cursor - 1))
endfunction s$

function line_traitvalue(s$)
    repeat
        inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) = "(" || cursor = 1000
    s$ = trim$(right$(s$, len(s$) - cursor))
    
    cursor = 0
    repeat
        inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) = ")" || cursor = 1000
    s$ = trim$(left$(s$, cursor - 1))    
endfunction s$

function line_traitvaluedecimal(s$)
    repeat
        inc cursor
        if mid$(s$, cursor) = "." then inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) < str$(0) || mid$(s$, cursor) > str$(9) || cursor = 1000
    s$ = trim$(left$(s$, cursor - 1))
    decValue# = val(s$) / 100.0
endfunction decValue#

+ Code Snippet

sync on
sync rate 60

NewString$ = "Intelligence (56.56%)"
do
    TraitName$ = line_traitname(NewString$)
    TraitValue$ = line_traitvalue(NewString$)
    TraitValueDecimal# = line_traitvaluedecimal(TraitValue$)
    set cursor 0,0
    print TraitName$
    print TraitValue$
    print TraitValueDecimal#
    sync
loop

end

function line_traitname(s$)
    repeat
        inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) = "("
    s$ = trim$(left$(s$, cursor - 1))
endfunction s$

function line_traitvalue(s$)
    repeat
        inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) = "(" || cursor = 1000
    s$ = trim$(right$(s$, len(s$) - cursor))
    
    cursor = 0
    repeat
        inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) = ")" || cursor = 1000
    s$ = trim$(left$(s$, cursor - 1))    
endfunction s$

function line_traitvaluedecimal(s$)
    repeat
        inc cursor
        if mid$(s$, cursor) = "." then inc cursor
    until mid$(s$, cursor) < str$(0) || mid$(s$, cursor) > str$(9) || cursor = 1000
    s$ = trim$(left$(s$, cursor - 1))
    decValue# = val(s$) / 100.0
endfunction decValue#

(3) I'm not sure about what you mean. If you need to turn a string into a number, you can use the val() function (used in the above code) to return a number instead of a string. You can also use the str$() function to return a string from a number.

(4) For the color part, you can send a dword to the function and return a dword from it for the color. i = rgb(100,56,34) would return a dword. Then you can use the rgbr(), rgbg(), & rgbb() functions to return the integer value of the respective color.
i = rgb(100,56,34)
rgbr(i) would return 100
rgbg(i) would return 56
rgbb(i) would return 34

Here is code to show it working:

+ Code Snippet

sync on
sync rate 60

do
    boxColor1 = rgb(100, 0, 100)
    boxColor2 = Color_RedShift(boxColor1, 150, 40) 
    box 0, 0, 100, 100, boxColor1
    box 100, 0, 200, 100, boxColor2
    sync
loop
End

function Color_RedShift(col, shiftVal, lowerVal)
    R = rgbr(col) + shiftVal
    G = rgbg(col) - lowerVal
    B = rgbb(col) - lowerVal
    
    if R > 255 then R = 255
    if G < 0 then G = 0
    if B < 0 then B = 0
    
    sendColor = rgb(R, G, B)
endfunction sendColor

Hope this helps and isn't to confusing.

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

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nonZero

12

Years of Service

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Joined: 10th Jul 2011

Location: Dark Empire HQ, Otherworld, Silent Hill

Posted: 3rd Jun 2012 10:54 Edited at: 3rd Jun 2012 10:56

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Quote: "(1) I want to develop a single function to average 2-5 numbers really quickly,"

This is a much quicker (easier, coding-wise method) but if you want more flexibility, stick with zeroSlave's example. It depends largely on the application.

+ Code Snippet

av45# = Average(0,4,0,0,5)

PRINT "The average of 4 and 5 is: " + STR$(av45#)
PRINT "The average of 1, 2, 3, 4 is: " + STR$(Average(1,2,3,4,0))
PRINT "The average of -10 and -20 is: " + STR$(Average(-10,-20,0,0,0))



PRINT "": PRINT "Press any key...": WAIT KEY: END

Function Average(n1#, n2#, n3#, n4#, n5#)
      avg# = 0.0        `DBPro needs decimals in a var to output decimals from a var. Think of this as the equivilent to "float avg" in C++
      ctr = 0           `Insurance. I always assign INCremented variables a zero value before use (prevents any possibility of unwanted behaviou).
      IF n1# <> 0: INC avg#, n1#: INC ctr: ENDIF
      IF n2# <> 0: INC avg#, n2#: INC ctr: ENDIF
      IF n3# <> 0: INC avg#, n3#: INC ctr: ENDIF
      IF n4# <> 0: INC avg#, n4#: INC ctr: ENDIF
      IF n5# <> 0: INC avg#, n5#: INC ctr: ENDIF
      IF avg# <> 0: avg# = avg# / ctr: ENDIF
EndFunction avg#

Quote: "(2) I want a function that removes everything after a set of parentheses, and another that takes everything before it. I also want it to ignore spaces."

Here's a basic example. It's not the best but you can customize it. Have a look at the string-manipulation function in the DBP help. If used correctly, you only ever need the LEFT$, RIGHT$ and LEN functions. However, the others like MID$ and FIND FIRST TOKEN$ make life a lot easier.

+ Code Snippet

mystat$ = "intelligence(30%)"

PRINT "Original Text: " + mystat$
PRINT GetString$(mystat$)
PRINT GetValue(mystat$)

PRINT "": PRINT "Press any key...": WAIT KEY: END

Function GetString$(txt$)
      ret$ = FIRST TOKEN$(txt$, "(")
EndFunction ret$


Function GetValue(txt$)
      tmp$ = FIRST TOKEN$(txt$, ")")
      ccount = FIND FIRST CHAR$(txt$, "(")
      tmp$ = RIGHT$(tmp$, LEN(tmp$) - ccount)
      ret# = VAL(tmp$)
EndFunction ret#

Quote: "Related to 2, how do I reliably turn a percentage in the form of a string into a decimal for calculation?"

What zeroSlave said

Quote: "Can someone link me to a page explaining the types of values and what numbers they can store?
"

Open a blank file in the editor, press F1. Click "Principles" then "Datatypes and variables". All you basically need to know.

Quote: "Also, I'm really confused as to how RGB values behave when input into functions,"

The other thing zeroSlave said.

Quote: "Hope this helps and isn't to confusing."

It shouldn't be. In fact you could be writing tutorials. That was very well put and a lot more coherent then many of the "|-|0\/\/ |-0 c0|)3 ||\| |-3|-| Darkbasicz"* floating about the web.

Translation:

+ Code Snippet

"|-|0\/\/ |-0 c0|)3 ||\| |-3|-| Darkbasicz"
"How to code in t3h Darkbasicz"

After countless volumes of Megatokyo, one gets to understand
some of this...err...language, scarily.

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