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These haven't really been documented very well and I'm yet to see any tutorials about them and what they can do. It'd be appreciated if someone could explain some of the advantages of using some of these commands (in particular the vector commands) and how to use them. Thanks

Edit: Should also mention that I know what a vector is but I don't know how the commands can be used.

hmmmmm in DBPro?
cause in DB i dont even see a "vector" command.....

Yes, in DBP

...Anyone?

There are many commands that have not been documented very well. I think it is a great shame that a program as good and well used as Dark Basic Professional has such a bad reference manual.

Just earlier today I looked up the reference to SET OBJECT CULL. Here is a direct quote from the reference manual:

SET OBJECT CULL
This command will set the cull state of the specified object. Setting the cull to one will ensure the object is culled so that away-facing polygons are not drawn.

SYNTAX
SET OBJECT CULL Object Number, Flag

The user is left to assume that the flag has other settings that will perform other functions but you will never find out by reading the manual.

This is just one example of many. All of the 3D maths commands seem to suffer this problem also.

I have several suggestions:

1) Purchase the 'Beginners guide to Darkbasic game programming' book. It is expensive and aimed primarily at beginners (hence the name) but it does have a reference section which is slightly more detailed than the darkbasic reference manual. Unfortunately it is for DBC only so there are no references for the DBP commands.

2) Follow this link http://www.realgametools.net/glossary/index.php3?theme=1&level=2&document_id_select=3 It is an online reference site and some of the commands are in some detail others, however, seem to be just a direct quote for the reference manual.

3) Set up a web site so that all Dark basic users may submit there own command references ultimately resulting in an online reference web site. I would do it myself but have no idea how to.

4) Finally what I would really like to see is a fully detailed reference manual available for download on the DBP website preferabley in PDF format that is updated every time a new patch is released.


To close. I am sorry if this sounds like a rant but I just feel it is necessary. As for your 3D maths problem - sorry I have no idea! But if items 3 or 4 are addressed then maybe we can both get some answers - fingers crossed eh?

I agree with Scraggle about the documentation. It is really abysmal, and it makes it hard for even experienced programmers to understand this dialect of basic.

All experienced programmers know how to create algorithms for particular tasks. They know how to employ those algorithms in core basic, the basic that doesn't change between dialects. But then comes the snag that Basic Dialects vary so much that knowledge in one dialect does not ensure that anything can be done effectively in another dialect.

I can speak for me and say that I could write an application in Visual Basic without any problems, and I have written several. But keen insight into Visual Basic doesn't help me much in Dark Basic, except with the basics.

To fascilitate the transition between Dark Basic and Visual Basic there should have been good guides and good reference-material, but there isn't -- and then the going just get so much harder because you're used to doing things a certain way in Visual Basic, and you get no cues about the differences until you try and compile a program, and it crashes. When you try to look up the numerical error message, there isn't even that much help.

I agree that the documentation is shocking.

Now then, more to the point why is it that these forums seem to take ages for my browser to read? No other website is this slow.