Two File Questions - GameCreators Forum

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Rwilson

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 01:38

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First question. Is there any way to search an open file? Specifically, if I were to ahve a text file like so:

mnstr1
Evil Thing
1
12
15
mnstr2
Scaryness
1
16
11

Is there a way I could go to a specific tag (mnstr1,mnstr2) and read the info below it, much in the same way one would use a RESTORE command to read specific DATA commands?

Question 2. As one can see above, one must put his string variables within a text file on seperate lines to seperate them. Is there any way one could go about it a different way, such as:

mnstr1,Evil Thing,12,15
mnstr2,Scaryness,16,11

Thanks in advance!

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Ian T

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 01:46

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Question one: Read String will give you the next string line from a file. From there's, it's up to you to do whatever you want with that data, that includes determining the beginning of a monster definition, setting a variable, etc

.

Question two: Using left$ and right$ to make your own search/locate function, yeah, it'd be possible.

So many file questions today... I think I might make a quick tutorial on this

--Mouse: Famous (Avatarless) Fighting Furball
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Learn It: http://www.angryflower.com/bobsqu.gif

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Rwilson

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 02:16

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I think you might have misunderstood question 1. Thus, I will provide a more detailed explanation. Right now, I'm storing my monster data within the DBPro code like so.

Monster1
data "Scaryness",1,250,12,16
Monster2
data "Nasty Thing",2,400,16,18

I randomly choose a monster like so

monsterchoose = rnd(1)+1
if monsterchoose = 1 then restore Monster1 else restore Monster2
read name$,level,exp,str,dex

What I'm wanting to do, in an attempt to create a modibility into the program, is to store these stats within a text file. My question, specificly, is whether there is a way to move to a certain spot within an open file, much in the same manner as the Restore command. In this way, one can insert monsters, items, even spells without DBPro.

Thanks on Question 2. I'll have to work on that one a bit. Search engines are a new thing to learn, obviously

.

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BatVink

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 02:39

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I use a file with a format like so:

M1Name=Scaryness
M1Id=2
M1size=200
M1Health=12

and I read it into a 2 dimensional array - variable name and value. I read the whole lot at the beginning of the program, and have a routine to locate the correct array element by name, and extract the value.

BatVink (formerly StevieVee)
http://facepaint.me.uk/catalog/default.php

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Ian T

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 03:18

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I just read up to the point in the file, but I suppose it's not optimal. In case you're wondering, though, I'm also using files for my monster data. I use different files for different monsters though... seems to work better for me.

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BillR

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 05:25

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Hi, I'm not an expert in DB yet, but I will tell you what I understand about file access.

Using data statements and labels in DB lets you have RANDOM access to your data, which is very nice.

File reading is SEQUENTIAL access only. That means you have to read from the beginning, through the file to get any data you need.

What most people seem to do, is either read the entire file, parsing it into arrays as needed, or store data in individual files for each item, or monster in this case.

So far, I have stored most of my data in one file, reading in the file, and parsing it into arrays. I like having fewer files to edit, and parsing fewer files inside my program is my preference. But, having multiple files will work just as well if that's what you prefer. The more complex your files and objects are, the more files you should probably have.

If you need help parsing data in a file let us know, lots of people can help with examples.

Hope this helps.

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Rwilson

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 07:31

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BillR: Reading your info, I realize that I might change my plans a bit. Perhaps keep the offical monsters and such within data commands, and find some way of accessing the text files for User-Made items. Nontheless, It would do me good to understand the nature of file parsing, so yes, some help in understanding how to parse a files would be nice. I'm guessing it involves the left$ and right$ commands. Below is my own guess at how this would work:

+ Code Snippet

MonName=Marth Vader

dim Monsterstats(1)

open to read 1,"Monster.txt"
read string 1,MonNamet$

firstelement$=LEFT$(MonNamet$,7)
secondelement$=RIGHT$(MonNamet2$,11)

if firstelement$="MonName" then MonsterStats(1)=secondelement$

The first sentance is the text file, the rest is the code. If this indeed the general idea as to how it would work, then I have one question. How would one going about ensuring that it reads an entire item? Several items, such as names and stats, can differ in length, thus making a hard coded number unusable.

Thanks all for the help so far. Hope I'm not being to much of a newb.

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CattleRustler

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 07:36

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(responding to original poster - all else unread)

...key...data...key...data...

INI files anyone?

look up win32api functions: GetPrivateProfileString(), WritePrivateProfileString()

-RUST-

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Rwilson

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Posted: 2nd Oct 2003 08:40

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Uh... what?

I think you kinda lost me there, CattleRustler. Is the win32api a dll for DBPro? If so, could you at least give me the the area to search in? Sounds interesting, but there's at least 3 different areas something of that nature could go, and I think the new forum search engine hates me, cause it never seems to work right.

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BillR

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Posted: 10th Oct 2003 07:40

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Gone for a few days..If you don't have the code yet, here is some very simple code.

+ Code Snippet

----------
MonName=Marth Vader

dim Monsterstats(1)

open to read 1,"Monster.txt"
read string 1,MonNamet$

ptr=0
ln=len(MonNamet$)          :` length of string to parse
for i=1 to ln              :` scans through each character in a string
   c$=mid$(MonNamet$,i)    :` one character at a time
   if c$="=" then ptr=i    :` looking for the "=" character, in your case it is char 8
next i                     :` wastes a little time scanning the rest of the string, but a simple fast routine

`if ptr>0 then this line in data file contains an "=", it is a monster header

firstelement$=LEFT$(MonNamet$,ptr-1)   :` since ptr=8 then 8-1=7 left$ chars
secondelement$=RIGHT$(MonNamet2$,ln-ptr)  :`19-8=11 right$ chars

if firstelement$="MonName" then MonsterStats(1)=secondelement$
----------

Hope this helps, just ask if you need more complex code.

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BillR

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Posted: 10th Oct 2003 08:16

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Went back and read your first post again, never did answer question#2, so here is that code.

`Here is an example for your second question with data like: Evil Thing,12,15

dim Monsterstats$(100,10)  :` 100 monsters with 10 attributes each, arrays are global already
                           :` array will be: monstername data data data data etc.
global MonNamet$           :` makes variable global for functions to read

open to read 1,"Monster.txt"

while (file end(1)=0)
   index=index+1           :` point to first slot in array, incrementing each time through loop

read string 1,MonNamet$
   parsemonsters(index)    :`this function will parse data like this: mnstr1,Evil Thing,12,15 into the array

endwhile
close file 1

function parsemonsters(index)
ln=len(MonNamet$)
a$=""
j=1
for i=1 to ln
   c$=mid$(n$,i)
   if c$=","                  :` scanning for "," this time
      Monsterstats$(index,j)=a$     :` all stored as strings, convert using val( ) when needed
      a$=""                         :` to get values later as you read monster data from array
      j=j+1
   else
      a$=a$+c$    :` concatenates chars into string
   endif
next i
endfunction

+ Code Snippet

`Here is an example for your second question with data like: Evil Thing,12,15

dim Monsterstats$(100,10)  :` 100 monsters with 10 attributes each, arrays are global already
                           :` array will be: monstername data data data data etc.
global MonNamet$           :` makes variable global for functions to read

open to read 1,"Monster.txt"

while (file end(1)=0)
   index=index+1           :` point to first slot in array, incrementing each time through loop

   read string 1,MonNamet$
   parsemonsters(index)    :`this function will parse data like this: mnstr1,Evil Thing,12,15 into the array

endwhile
close file 1

function parsemonsters(index)
ln=len(MonNamet$)
a$=""
j=1
for i=1 to ln
   c$=mid$(n$,i)
   if c$=","                  :` scanning for "," this time
      Monsterstats$(index,j)=a$     :` all stored as strings, convert using val( ) when needed
      a$=""                         :` to get values later as you read monster data from array
      j=j+1
   else
      a$=a$+c$    :` concatenates chars into string
   endif
next i
endfunction

I was getting tired, didn't test the code, if there is a problem let me know.

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Rwilson

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Posted: 10th Oct 2003 16:04

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Thanks BillR! Code is apprecicated!

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