Matrix Effect

I was browsing YouTube today and I came across this video that shows a sort of matrix effect made in a C# console application.

The link to the code is in the description, so I followed the link, copied and pasted the code it into an online C# to VB converter. I had to make a few changes, but I was able to get it to work in VB just fine and thought to share it with everyone.

Enjoy!

VB.NET Code:

Module Module1
    Sub Main()
        Console.Title = "Matrix Effect"
        Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.DarkGreen
        Console.WindowLeft = InlineAssignHelper(0, 0)
        Console.WindowHeight = InlineAssignHelper(Console.BufferHeight, Console.LargestWindowHeight)
        Console.WindowWidth = InlineAssignHelper(Console.BufferWidth, Console.LargestWindowWidth)
 
        Console.CursorVisible = False
        Dim width As Integer, height As Integer
        Dim y As Integer()
        Dim l As Integer()
        Initialize(width, height, y, l)
        Dim ms As Integer
        While True
            Dim t1 As DateTime = DateTime.Now
            MatrixStep(width, height, y, l)
            ms = 10 - CInt(Math.Truncate(CType(DateTime.Now - t1, TimeSpan).TotalMilliseconds))
            If ms > 0 Then
                System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(ms)
            End If
            If Console.KeyAvailable Then
                If Console.ReadKey().Key = ConsoleKey.F5 Then
                    Initialize(width, height, y, l)
                End If
            End If
        End While
    End Sub
 
    Dim thistime As Boolean = False
 
    Private Sub MatrixStep(ByVal width As Integer, ByVal height As Integer, ByVal y As Integer(), ByVal l As Integer())
        Dim x As Integer
        thistime = Not thistime
        For x = 0 To width - 1
            If x Mod 11 = 10 Then
                If Not thistime Then
                    Continue For
                End If
                Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White
            Else
                Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.DarkGreen
                Console.SetCursorPosition(x, inBoxY(y(x) - 2 - ((l(x) \ 40) * 2), height))
                Console.Write(R)
                Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Green
            End If
            Console.SetCursorPosition(x, y(x))
            Console.Write(R)
            y(x) = inBoxY(y(x) + 1, height)
            Console.SetCursorPosition(x, inBoxY(y(x) - l(x), height))
            Console.Write(" "c)
        Next
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Initialize(ByRef width As Integer, ByRef height As Integer, ByRef y As Integer(), ByRef l As Integer())
        Dim h1 As Integer
        Dim h2 As Integer = (InlineAssignHelper(h1, (InlineAssignHelper(height, Console.WindowHeight)) \ 2)) \ 2
        width = Console.WindowWidth - 1
        y = New Integer(width - 1) {}
        l = New Integer(width - 1) {}
        Dim x As Integer
        Console.Clear()
        For x = 0 To width - 1
            y(x) = m_r.[Next](height)
            l(x) = m_r.[Next](h2 * (If((x Mod 11 <> 10), 2, 1)), h1 * (If((x Mod 11 <> 10), 2, 1)))
        Next
    End Sub
 
    Dim m_r As New Random()
    Private ReadOnly Property R() As Char
        Get
            Dim t As Integer = m_r.[Next](10)
            If t <= 2 Then
                Return ChrW(CInt(AscW("0"c)) + m_r.[Next](10))
            ElseIf t <= 4 Then
                Return ChrW(CInt(AscW("a"c)) + m_r.[Next](27))
            ElseIf t <= 6 Then
                Return ChrW(CInt(AscW("A"c) + m_r.[Next](27)))
            Else
                Return ChrW(m_r.[Next](32, 255))
            End If
        End Get
    End Property
 
    Public Function inBoxY(ByVal n As Integer, ByVal height As Integer) As Integer
        n = n Mod height
        If n < 0 Then
            Return n + height
        Else
            Return n
        End If
    End Function
    Private Function InlineAssignHelper(Of T)(ByRef target As T, ByVal value As T) As T
        target = value
        Return value
    End Function
 
End Module

*Edit:

I forgot to mention that when the app is opened, it expands completely, but the top left is offset for some reason. Also, resizing the window to make it smaller or clicking the maximize button for the console screws it up.

Cool :thumb:

I like :)

interesting, but the location is annoying + the way it runs when you maximize the console window is not so good

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by .paul.

interesting, but the location is annoying + the way it runs when you maximize the console window is not so good

---

Yeah. I tried playing around with it, but I couldn't get it figured out immediately and I didn't want to spend a lot of time playing with it :P

Very like! I tried it on VB! It's cool! :D :cool:

you should probably post the link to the original one that you converted if you're going to use other peoples work :)

Great find btw...

Kris

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by i00

you should probably post the link to the original one that you converted if you're going to use other peoples work :)

Great find btw...

Kris

---

Read the original post again. There's a link to the YouTube page. You'll notice that the last time I edited that post, was May of last year =/

How do you get this to work? Where do you paste the code?
could you try uploading a zip file of it so that, I or other people can understand how it works?

Thanks,
Jonathan

If you have a Visual Basic .Net Development environment, simply choose to create a new project, and select Console Application.
You should see the template code generated (Module1 and Sub Main), as is in the first post.
Paste the code from the first post in place of the template code.
It says it is a console application on the first line of the first post.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by weirddemon

...
I forgot to mention that when the app is opened, it expands completely, but the top left is offset for some reason. Also, resizing the window to make it smaller or clicking the maximize button for the console screws it up.

---

Which is why you see the check for the f5 key in the loop.
If you resize the form, press f5 to recalculate the height and width, so the characters fall vertically again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by passel

If you have a Visual Basic .Net Development environment, simply choose to create a new project, and select Console Application.
You should see the template code generated (Module1 and Sub Main), as is in the first post.
Paste the code from the first post in place of the template code.
It says it is a console application on the first line of the first post.

---

Thank you,
This is an awesome app :)

Here's a way to have your forms in an app have falling snowflakes:

vb Code:

Option Explicit On
Option Strict On
Option Infer Off
 
Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.Drawing.Drawing2D
 
Public Class SnowBaseForm
 
    Private Shared ReadOnly Random As New Random()
 
    Private Shared ReadOnly m_SnowFlakes As New List(Of SnowFlake)
    Private WithEvents Timer1 As System.Windows.Forms.Timer
 
    Private m_Tick As Integer = 0I
    Private m_Snow As Bitmap
 
#Region " Constructor "
 
    Public Sub New()
 
        ' This call is required by the Windows Form Designer.
        Call InitializeComponent()
 
        ' Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call.
 
        'We paint our control ourself and need a double buffer to prevent flimmering
        Me.SetStyle(ControlStyles.UserPaint Or ControlStyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint Or ControlStyles.DoubleBuffer, True)
        Timer1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Timer
        Timer1.Interval = 20I
    End Sub
 
#End Region
#Region " BaseForm: Paint, Dispose "
 
    'Form overrides dispose to clean up the component list.
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCode()> _
    Protected Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        Try
            If disposing AndAlso components IsNot Nothing Then
                components.Dispose()
            End If
            If disposing Then
                Timer1.Enabled = False
                Timer1.Dispose()
            End If
        Finally
            MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
        End Try
    End Sub
 
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCode()> _
    Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.PaintEventArgs)
        MyBase.OnPaint(e)
        Dim g As Graphics = e.Graphics
        g.SmoothingMode = SmoothingMode.HighSpeed
        'other things may be to slow
        For Each s As SnowFlake In m_SnowFlakes
            g.ResetTransform()
            g.TranslateTransform(-16I, -16I, MatrixOrder.Append)
            'Align our flakes to the center
            g.ScaleTransform(s.Scale, s.Scale, MatrixOrder.Append)
            'Scale them..
            g.RotateTransform(s.Rotation, MatrixOrder.Append)
            'Rotate them..
            g.TranslateTransform(s.X, s.Y, MatrixOrder.Append)
            'Move them to their appropriate location
            'draw them
            g.DrawImage(Snow, 0I, 0I)
        Next s
    End Sub
 
#End Region
#Region " Properties "
 
    Private ReadOnly Property Snow() As Bitmap
        Get
            If m_Snow Is Nothing Then
                'First Time - Create Image
                m_Snow = New Bitmap(32I, 32I)
 
                Using g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(m_Snow)
                    g.SmoothingMode = SmoothingMode.AntiAlias
                    g.Clear(Color.Transparent)
 
                    g.TranslateTransform(16.0F, 16.0F, MatrixOrder.Append)
 
                    Dim black As Color = Color.FromArgb(1I, 1I, 1I)
                    Dim white As Color = Color.FromArgb(255I, 255I, 255I)
 
                    DrawSnow(g, New SolidBrush(black), New Pen(black, 3.0F))
                    DrawSnow(g, New SolidBrush(white), New Pen(white, 2.0F))
 
                    g.Save()
                End Using
            End If
 
            Return m_Snow
        End Get
    End Property
 
    <Category("Snow"), DefaultValue("True")> _
    Public Property Snowing() As Boolean
        Get
            Return Timer1.Enabled
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Boolean)
            If value <> Timer1.Enabled Then Timer1.Enabled = value
        End Set
    End Property
 
    <Category("Snow"), DefaultValue(20)> _
    Public Property SnowSpeed() As Integer
        Get
            Return IntervalToSnowSpeed(Timer1.Interval)
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Integer)
            Select Case value
                Case Is > 41I : value = 41I
                Case Is < 1I : value = 1I
            End Select
            Timer1.Interval = SnowSpeedToInterval(value)
        End Set
    End Property
 
#End Region
#Region " Methods "
 
    Public Sub StartSnow()
        Timer1.Start()
    End Sub
 
    Public Sub StopSnow()
        Timer1.Stop()
    End Sub
 
    Public Sub ClearSnow()
        m_SnowFlakes.Clear()
        m_Tick = 0I
        Me.Refresh()
    End Sub
 
#End Region
#Region " Conversion Functions "
 
    Private Function SnowSpeedToInterval(ByVal Speed As Integer) As Integer
        Dim output As Integer = 10I
        Select Case Speed
            Case 0I : output = 50I
            Case 1I : output = 49I
            Case 2I : output = 48I
            Case 3I : output = 47I
            Case 4I : output = 46I
            Case 5I : output = 45I
            Case 6I : output = 44I
            Case 7I : output = 43I
            Case 8I : output = 42I
            Case 9I : output = 41I
            Case 10I : output = 40I
            Case 11I : output = 39I
            Case 12I : output = 38I
            Case 13I : output = 37I
            Case 14I : output = 36I
            Case 15I : output = 35I
            Case 16I : output = 34I
            Case 17I : output = 33I
            Case 18I : output = 32I
            Case 19I : output = 31I
            Case 20I : output = 30I
            Case 21I : output = 29I
            Case 22I : output = 28I
            Case 23I : output = 27I
            Case 24I : output = 26I
            Case 25I : output = 25I
            Case 26I : output = 24I
            Case 27I : output = 23I
            Case 28I : output = 22I
            Case 29I : output = 21I
            Case 30I : output = 20I
            Case 31I : output = 19I
            Case 32I : output = 18I
            Case 33I : output = 17I
            Case 34I : output = 16I
            Case 35I : output = 15I
            Case 36I : output = 14I
            Case 37I : output = 13I
            Case 38I : output = 12I
            Case 39I : output = 11I
            Case 40I : output = 10I
        End Select
        Return output
    End Function
 
    Private Function IntervalToSnowSpeed(ByVal Interval As Integer) As Integer
        Dim output As Integer = 1I
        Select Case Interval
            Case 50I : output = 0I
            Case 49I : output = 1I
            Case 48I : output = 2I
            Case 47I : output = 3I
            Case 46I : output = 4I
            Case 45I : output = 5I
            Case 44I : output = 6I
            Case 43I : output = 7I
            Case 42I : output = 8I
            Case 41I : output = 9I
            Case 40I : output = 10I
            Case 39I : output = 11I
            Case 38I : output = 12I
            Case 37I : output = 13I
            Case 36I : output = 14I
            Case 35I : output = 15I
            Case 34I : output = 16I
            Case 33I : output = 17I
            Case 32I : output = 18I
            Case 31I : output = 19I
            Case 30I : output = 20I
            Case 29I : output = 21I
            Case 28I : output = 22I
            Case 27I : output = 23I
            Case 26I : output = 24I
            Case 25I : output = 25I
            Case 24I : output = 26I
            Case 23I : output = 27I
            Case 22I : output = 28I
            Case 21I : output = 29I
            Case 20I : output = 30I
            Case 19I : output = 31I
            Case 18I : output = 32I
            Case 17I : output = 33I
            Case 16I : output = 34I
            Case 15I : output = 35I
            Case 14I : output = 36I
            Case 13I : output = 37I
            Case 12I : output = 38I
            Case 11I : output = 39I
            Case 10I : output = 40I
        End Select
        Return output
    End Function
 
#End Region
#Region " Timer1_Tick "
 
    Private Sub Timer1_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Timer1.Tick
        'Tick..
        If m_Tick = Integer.MaxValue Then m_Tick = 0I
        m_Tick += 1I
 
        'Spawn new Flakes
        If m_Tick Mod 3I = 0I AndAlso Random.NextDouble() < 0.7R Then
            Dim s As New SnowFlake()
            s.X = Random.Next(-50I, Width + 50I)
            'All over the screen...
            s.Y = Random.Next(-20I, -7I)
            'Customize height further
            s.XVelocity = CSng((Random.NextDouble() - 0.5F)) * 2.0F
            s.YVelocity = CSng((Random.NextDouble() * 3.0F)) + 1.0F
            s.Rotation = Random.Next(0I, 359I)
            s.RotVelocity = Random.Next(-3I, 3I) * 2.0F
 
            If s.RotVelocity.Equals(0.0F) Then s.RotVelocity = 3.0F
 
            s.Scale = CSng((Random.NextDouble() / 2I)) + 0.75F
            m_SnowFlakes.Add(s)
        End If
 
        'Move current flakes (and add them to del list, if they exceed the screen)
        Dim del As New List(Of SnowFlake)
        For Each s As SnowFlake In m_SnowFlakes
            s.X += s.XVelocity
            s.Y += s.YVelocity
            s.Rotation += s.RotVelocity
 
            'Make them move snowflake like
            s.XVelocity += (CSng(Random.NextDouble()) - 0.5F) * 0.7F
            s.XVelocity = Math.Max(s.XVelocity, -2.0F)
            s.XVelocity = Math.Min(s.XVelocity, 2.0F)
 
            If s.YVelocity > Me.Height + 10I Then
                'Out of Screen
                del.Add(s)
            End If
        Next s
 
        'Delete them
        For Each s As SnowFlake In del
            m_SnowFlakes.Remove(s)
        Next s
 
        'Redraw our control
        Me.Refresh()
    End Sub
 
#End Region
#Region " Helpers "
 
    ''' <summary>
    '''     Draws a snow flake on the specified graphics object
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="g">Graphics object to draw on</param>
    ''' <param name="b">Brush (Color) of the middle part</param>
    ''' <param name="p">Pen (Color, Size) of the lines</param>
    Private Shared Sub DrawSnow(ByVal g As Graphics, ByVal b As Brush, ByVal p As Pen)
        Const a As Integer = 6I
        Const a2 As Integer = a + 2I
        Const r As Integer = 2I
 
        g.DrawLine(p, -a, -a, +a, +a)
        g.DrawLine(p, -a, +a, +a, -a)
 
        g.DrawLine(p, -a2, 0I, +a2, 0I)
        g.DrawLine(p, 0I, -a2, 0I, +a2)
 
        g.FillEllipse(b, -r, -r, r * 2I, r * 2I)
    End Sub
 
#End Region
#Region " Classes "
 
    ''' <summary>
    ''' This Container class represents the snowflake falling and rendered to the screen
    ''' </summary>
    Private Class SnowFlake
        Public Rotation As Single
        Public RotVelocity As Single
        Public Scale As Single
        Public X As Single
        Public XVelocity As Single
        Public Y As Single
        Public YVelocity As Single
    End Class
 
#End Region
 
End Class

Just have your forms inherit from SnowBaseForm instead of System.Windows.Forms.Form

awesome thanks!!

thanks op for code snippet...i want to give back by providing two alternative solutions: 1) re-initialize when height or width of console changed (instead of when F5 is pressed), 2) implement within a WPF application

alt solution 1: re-initialize when height or width of console changed (instead of when F5 is pressed)

1) declare a width and height variable before the whileloop
2) within while loop, save height and width of console
3) within while loop, modify if/then clause to initialize if current (new) console height/width is not the same as console's last height/width

Code:

---

                Dim lastConsoleWidth, lastConsoleHeight As Integer
                While True
                    lastConsoleWidth = Console.WindowWidth
                    lastConsoleHeight = Console.WindowHeight
                    Dim t1 As DateTime = DateTime.Now
                    MatrixStep(width, height, y, l)
                    ms = 10 - CInt(Math.Truncate(CType(DateTime.Now - t1, TimeSpan).TotalMilliseconds))
                    If ms > 0 Then
                        System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(ms)
                    End If
                    If Console.WindowHeight <> lastConsoleHeight Or Console.WindowWidth <> lastConsoleWidth Then
                        Initialize(width, height, y, l)
                    End If
                End While

---

alt solution 2: implement within a WPF application
1) create class Win32 (source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2...-console-in-vb)
2) don't forget to declare your global variables

Code:

---

    Dim thistime As Boolean = False
    Dim m_r As New Random()

---

2) call Win32.AllocConsole() wherever/whenever you want console to run

Code:

---

Win32.AllocConsole()

---

Code:

---

    Public Class Win32
        <DllImport("kernel32.dll")> Public Shared Function AllocConsole() As Boolean

        End Function
        <DllImport("kernel32.dll")> Public Shared Function FreeConsole() As Boolean

        End Function

    End Class

---