Trouble Getting Elements Into My Array Correctly

Hi All, I'm back with more novice questions.

In this case I'm trying to create a number analysis app. I'm required to declare an array and get the data for the array using ten text boxes. Why, because my instructor said so.

My problem is my event is returning zero. Therefore I believe my code is somehow flawed. Can somebody examine my code and let me know where I'm going wrong.

My approach is to create functions that calculate the required metrics. I have only tried to code one function to date. If I can get help making one function work, I will be able to do the others . Can someone pleas take a look at my code and help me identify where I'm off.

Thanks


Public Class Form1

Dim decScore0, decScore1, decScore2, decScore3, decScore4 As Decimal
Dim decScore5, decScore6, decScore7, decScore8, decScore9 As Decimal

Dim decObservationArray() As Decimal = {decScore0, decScore1, decScore2, decScore3, _
decScore4, decScore5, decScore6, decScore7, decScore8, decScore9}

Private Sub btnCalculateStatistics_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnCalculateStatistics.Click

lblMin.Text = Minimum().ToString

lblMax.Text = Maximum().ToString

lblSum.Text = Sum().ToString

lblAverage.Text = Average().ToString


End Sub

Public Function Minimum()

decScore0 = CDec(txtScore0.Text)
decScore1 = CDec(txtScore1.Text)
decScore2 = CDec(txtScore2.Text)
decScore3 = CDec(txtScore3.Text)
decScore4 = CDec(txtScore4.Text)
decScore5 = CDec(txtScore5.Text)
decScore6 = CDec(txtScore6.Text)
decScore7 = CDec(txtScore7.Text)
decScore8 = CDec(txtScore8.Text)
decScore9 = CDec(txtScore9.Text)

Dim intCount As Integer = 1
Dim decMinimum As Decimal = decObservationArray(0)


For intCount = 1 To decObservationArray.Length - 1

If decObservationArray(intCount) < decMinimum Then
decMinimum = decObservationArray(intCount)
End If
Next intCount

Return decMinimum

End Function

Public Function Maximum() As Decimal


End Function

Public Function Sum() As Decimal


End Function

Public Function Average() As Decimal


End Function


Public Function ClearBoxes() As Decimal

txtScore0.Clear()
txtScore1.Clear()
txtScore2.Clear()
txtScore3.Clear()
txtScore4.Clear()
txtScore5.Clear()
txtScore6.Clear()
txtScore7.Clear()
txtScore8.Clear()
txtScore9.Clear()

End Function


Private Sub btnClearAll_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnClearAll.Click

ClearBoxes()

End Sub
End Class

Please use the buttons provided to wrap your code snippets in CODE or VBCode tags.

Ok first off, in your Minimum function you never update the values in your Array.

This part of the code is useless

Code:

---

Dim decScore0, decScore1, decScore2, decScore3, decScore4 As Decimal
Dim decScore5, decScore6, decScore7, decScore8, decScore9 As Decimal

Dim decObservationArray() As Decimal = {decScore0, decScore1, decScore2, decScore3, _
decScore4, decScore5, decScore6, decScore7, decScore8, decScore9}

---

You just declared the decScore variables so they will all be 0. When you put all those variables in the array, it's not permanently making it so that when you update a Score variable it also updates the Array, no, you have to update the Array every time.

I suggest an UpdateArray Procedure

Code:

---

Private Sub UpdateArray()
decObservationArray(0) = CDec(txtScore0.Text)
decObservationArray(1) = CDec(txtScore1.Text)
'etc. for each textbox
End Sub

---

Then, before you use a math function, such as minimum, call your UpdateArray function and the numbers will update.

As for you minimum function, if you have .NET 3.5 I believe there is a .Min value that will return the minimum value, so only one line of code is needed to find the .Min.

If you don't have a .Min value on your decObservationArray then you can still use Array.Sort() to sort it and then decObservationArray(0) will be the lowest value.

What you are doing by declaring all the variables, then adding them to the array would actually work if Decimal were a reference type, but since it is a value type, it won't work, as the value of the variable is copied into the array rather than the reference to the variable.

CDec is a risky way to convert the text into a number, too, since it will throw an exception if the textbox is either empty, or contains something that cannot be converted completely into a decimal value. Decimal.TryParse is safe, as it will never throw an exception in this case, but you code would change a bit:

Code:

---

If not Decimal.TryParse(textbox1.Text,decObservationArray(0)) Then
 'It wasn't a number
End If

---

Though you don't really need the If statement if you don't actually want to do anything if the value was not a valid decimal.