vb 2010 unbalanced stack

[jimpie]

Hi,

Im getting an error if i try to read the file with 'GetVar' when I click on opentoolstripmenu item.

How to I fix this?

this is my error:

A call to PInvoke function 'Map Editor!Map_Editor.SaveMap::GetPrivateProfileString' has unbalanced the stack. This is likely because the managed PInvoke signature does not match the unmanaged target signature. Check that the calling convention and parameters of the PInvoke signature match the target unmanaged signature.

this is the code:

    Private Sub OpenToolStripMenuItem_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles OpenToolStripMenuItem.Click

        'LoadMap(InputBox("Please enter the path you want to open.", "Load Map", "\Maps\map1.map"))

        Call PutVar("Test.ini", "TEST", "what", "hell5o")

        MsgBox(GetVar(Windows.Forms.Application.StartupPath & "/test.ini", "TEST", "what"))

    End Sub

this is the sub:

    

 ' Text API
    Private Declare Function WritePrivateProfileString Lib "kernel32" Alias "WritePrivateProfileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationname As String, ByVal lpKeyname As String, ByVal lpString As String, ByVal lpfilename As String) As Long
    Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfileString Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetPrivateProfileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationname As String, ByVal lpKeyname As String, ByVal lpdefault As String, ByVal lpreturnedstring As String, ByVal nsize As Long, ByVal lpfilename As String) As Long

Public Function GetVar(File As String, Header As String, Var As String) As String
        Dim sSpaces As String   ' Max string length
        Dim szReturn As String  ' Return default value if not found
        szReturn = vbNullString
        sSpaces = Space$(5000)
        Call GetPrivateProfileString((Header), Var, szReturn, sSpaces, Len(sSpaces), File)
        GetVar = RTrim$(sSpaces)
        GetVar = Left$(GetVar, Len(GetVar) - 1)
    End Function

    ' writes a variable to a text file
    Public Sub PutVar(File As String, Header As String, Var As String, Value As String)
        Call WritePrivateProfileString((Header), Var, Value, Windows.Forms.Application.StartupPath & "/" & File)
    End Sub

[jmcilhinney]

You look like you're trying to write VB6 code in VB.NET. I suggest that you forget VB6 and start using VB.NET "properly". Your specific issue in this case is the fact that you're using API declarations intended for VB6. API functions almost always use 32-bit numbers, which was type Long in VB6 but is type Integer in VB.NET.

[jimpie]

You look like you're trying to write VB6 code in VB.NET. I suggest that you forget VB6 and start using VB.NET "properly". Your specific issue in this case is the fact that you're using API declarations intended for VB6. API functions almost always use 32-bit numbers, which was type Long in VB6 but is type Integer in VB.NET.

How can I make something like this in vb 2010?
with the streamwriters I can't make something clear as I can with this functions in vb6 because I can arrange my files with headers.

my files will look like this:

[MAP]
name=testmap
x=20
y=20

[1]
default=true

[2]
default=true

[3]
default=true

[jmcilhinney]

You're using a ridiculously outdated method of storing settings. This is from the documentation for the WritePrivateProfileString function:

This function is provided only for compatibility with 16-bit versions of Windows. Applications should store initialization information in the registry.

Even using the registry has been outdated for several years now, so using something designed for 16-bit Windows is positively archaic.

If you must retain that file structure then use StreamReaders and StreamWriters. Read the whole lot in, process it, then write the whole lot out. I'd sooner use XML or simply My.Settings though.

[Niya]

What kind of information do you intend to store ? Its it configuration settings ? Data records ?

Before suggesting an modern alternative, I'd like to know the nature of the data.

[jimpie]

What kind of information do you intend to store ? Its it configuration settings ? Data records ?

Before suggesting an modern alternative, I'd like to know the nature of the data.

i want to store map information (for my 2D-game) in the files.

[Niya]

Ah....ok, so does the data you intend to save come from objects ? Or an array ? How do you store the information in memory ?

[jimpie]

With structures;

Public const max_layers = 4
Public const max_x = 200
Public const max_y = 200
Public tile(max_layers, max_x, max_y) as tilerec

Public structure tilerec

Public x as integer
Public y as integer
Public data as integer
Public name as string

End structure

The data Should be saved for each tile
so you'll have loads of information in the file.
Do you understand?

[Niya]

Well my friend the solution is far more simple than you realize:-

Public Class MapInfo
 
    Private _colTiles As New Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of tilerec)
 
    Public Property Tiles() As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of tilerec)
        Get
            Return _colTiles
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of tilerec))
            _colTiles = value
        End Set
    End Property
 
 
End Class

You can create a class like the above and use XML serialization to save and load:-

'
    Public Function LoadMapInfo(ByVal fileName As String) As MapInfo
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open)
        Dim ret As MapInfo
 
        ret = ser.Deserialize(fs)
 
        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()
 
        Return ret
 
    End Function
 
    Public Sub SaveMapInfo(ByVal map As MapInfo, ByVal fileName As String)
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Create)
 
        ser.Serialize(fs, map)
 
        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()
    End Sub

The above functions can load and save the class to a file and load it back. Here is an example of their use:-

'
        Dim mi As New MapInfo
 
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 12, .name = "Unknown", .x = 11, .y = 0})
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 11, .name = "Bing", .x = 12, .y = 4})
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 122, .name = "True", .x = 40, .y = 155})
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 3000, .name = "GRRR...!!", .x = 30, .y = 122})
 
        SaveMapInfo(mi, "c:\MI.TXT")
 
 
        Dim mi2 As MapInfo = LoadMapInfo("C:\MI.TXT")

The saved data would look like this:-

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<MapInfo xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <Tiles>
    <tilerec>
      <x>11</x>
      <y>0</y>
      <data>12</data>
      <name>Unknown</name>
    </tilerec>
    <tilerec>
      <x>12</x>
      <y>4</y>
      <data>11</data>
      <name>Bing</name>
    </tilerec>
    <tilerec>
      <x>40</x>
      <y>155</y>
      <data>122</data>
      <name>True</name>
    </tilerec>
    <tilerec>
      <x>30</x>
      <y>122</y>
      <data>3000</data>
      <name>GRRR...!!</name>
    </tilerec>
  </Tiles>
</MapInfo>

However, games generally don't save their map data in a text format like Xml. A binary version of the same data would be far smaller in size and much faster in IO operations. You should consider that, its not absolutely necessary, its just more efficient. It should only take a mild alteration to the above code to make it serialize as a binary file instead of Xml.

[.paul.]

Well my friend the solution is far more simple than you realize:-

Public Class MapInfo
 
    Private _colTiles As New Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of tilerec)
 
    Public Property Tiles() As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of tilerec)
        Get
            Return _colTiles
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of tilerec))
            _colTiles = value
        End Set
    End Property
 
 
End Class

You can create a class like the above and use XML serialization to save and load:-

'
    Public Function LoadMapInfo(ByVal fileName As String) As MapInfo
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open)
        Dim ret As MapInfo
 
        ret = ser.Deserialize(fs)
 
        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()
 
        Return ret
 
    End Function
 
    Public Sub SaveMapInfo(ByVal map As MapInfo, ByVal fileName As String)
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Create)
 
        ser.Serialize(fs, map)
 
        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()
    End Sub

The above functions can load and save the class to a file and load it back. Here is an example of their use:-

'
        Dim mi As New MapInfo
 
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 12, .name = "Unknown", .x = 11, .y = 0})
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 11, .name = "Bing", .x = 12, .y = 4})
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 122, .name = "True", .x = 40, .y = 155})
        mi.Tiles.Add(New tilerec With {.data = 3000, .name = "GRRR...!!", .x = 30, .y = 122})
 
        SaveMapInfo(mi, "c:\MI.TXT")
 
 
        Dim mi2 As MapInfo = LoadMapInfo("C:\MI.TXT")

The saved data would look like this:-

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<MapInfo xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <Tiles>
    <tilerec>
      <x>11</x>
      <y>0</y>
      <data>12</data>
      <name>Unknown</name>
    </tilerec>
    <tilerec>
      <x>12</x>
      <y>4</y>
      <data>11</data>
      <name>Bing</name>
    </tilerec>
    <tilerec>
      <x>40</x>
      <y>155</y>
      <data>122</data>
      <name>True</name>
    </tilerec>
    <tilerec>
      <x>30</x>
      <y>122</y>
      <data>3000</data>
      <name>GRRR...!!</name>
    </tilerec>
  </Tiles>
</MapInfo>

However, games generally don't save their map data in a text format like Xml. A binary version of the same data would be far smaller in size and much faster in IO operations. You should consider that, its not absolutely necessary, its just more efficient. It should only take a mild alteration to the above code to make it serialize as a binary file instead of Xml.

Tiles should be a readonly property

[Niya]

The XmlSerializer doesn't save read only properties. It only saves public read/write properties. The BinaryFormatter can though. It serializes private fields unlike the XmlSerializer.

[formlesstree4]

If you really have to use INI files (which is archaic and outdated when there is XML, binary serialization, and the settings file to store information (which is technically an XML file anyway)), then use a managed library that already handles the work for you.

I highly suggest you use Niya's code; it's simple, efficient, and does exactly what you need.

[jimpie]

I will get an error and an implicit conversion

[.paul.]

1/ where is the TileRec structure? it's a scope error
2/ try: directcast(ser.deserialize(fs), MapInfo)

[.paul.]

1/ where is the TileRec structure? it's a scope error
2/ try: directcast(ser.deserialize(fs), MapInfo)

[jimpie]

1/ where is the TileRec structure? it's a scope error
2/ try: directcast(ser.deserialize(fs), MapInfo)

my tilerec structure is in the 'module structures' so I can access it from everywhere.

  Private Sub picMap_MouseMove(sender As Object, e As System.Windows.Forms.MouseEventArgs) Handles picMap.MouseMove

        Dim X As Integer = CInt(Math.Floor(e.X / 32))
        Dim Y As Integer = CInt(Math.Floor(e.Y / 32))

        If X < 0 Or Y < 0 Then Exit Sub

        Select Case GetEditMode()

            Case EditMode.Paint

                If e.Button = Windows.Forms.MouseButtons.Left Then

                    With Tile(GetLayer, X, Y)
                        .TileSet = CInt(Me.nudTileset.Value)
                        .X = Mouse.tX
                        .Y = Mouse.tY
                        .Draw = True
                    End With

                End If

                If e.Button = Windows.Forms.MouseButtons.Right Then

                    With Tile(GetLayer, X, Y)
                        .TileSet = 0
                        .X = 0
                        .Y = 0
                        .Draw = False
                    End With

                End If

            Case EditMode.Data

        End Select

    End Sub

If I put the TileRec structure in the MapInfo class Ill get other errors because the TileRec does not exist

[Niya]

The error you're getting about the type being exposed is a scope error as paul suggests. My guess is that you declared the TileRec structure as Friend and MapInfo as Public which would cause that error. Changing TileRec to a Public declaration would fix that problem.

Paul already told you how to fix the implicit conversion error.

EDIT

Actually, I just remembered that modules default to Friend access in VB.Net which means that anything declared in it cannot be exposed outside the assembly. Declare your module as Public.

[jimpie]

The error you're getting about the type being exposed is a scope error as paul suggests. My guess is that you declared the TileRec structure as Friend and MapInfo as Public which would cause that error. Changing TileRec to a Public declaration would fix that problem.

Paul already told you how to fix the implicit conversion error.

EDIT

Actually, I just remembered that modules default to Friend access in VB.Net which means that anything declared in it cannot be exposed outside the assembly. Declare your module as Public.

I'm sorry I didnt really get it.
this is my ClassMapinfo and my module structures. What do I need to change in the Module structures -> TileRec so it will work?

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Xml.Serialization

Public Class MapInfo

    Private _colTiles As New Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of TileRec)

    Public Property Tiles() As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of TileRec)
        Get
            Return _colTiles
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of TileRec))
            _colTiles = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Function LoadMapInfo(ByVal fileName As String) As MapInfo
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open)
        Dim ret As MapInfo

        ret = DirectCast(ser.Deserialize(fs), MapInfo)

        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()

        Return ret

    End Function

    Public Sub SaveMapInfo(ByVal map As MapInfo, ByVal fileName As String)
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Create)

        ser.Serialize(fs, map)

        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()
    End Sub

End Class

Module Structures

    Public MapEditor As MapEditorOptions

    Public IsRunning As Boolean = False

    Public Tile(MAX_LAYERS, 0 To 200, 0 To 200) As TileRec
    Public Map As MapRec

    Public Mouse As MouseRec

    Public View As ViewRec

    Public Structure ViewRec

        Public Ground As Boolean
        Public Mask As Boolean
        Public Mask2 As Boolean
        Public Fringe As Boolean
        Public Fringe2 As Boolean

        Public Data As Boolean

    End Structure

    Public Structure MouseRec

        'Mouse Down
        Public tX As Integer
        Public tY As Integer

        'Mouse Hover
        Public thX As Integer
        Public thY As Integer

        'Mouse Up
        Public tuX As Integer
        Public tuY As Integer

    End Structure

    Public Structure MapRec

        Public X As Integer
        Public Y As Integer

    End Structure

    Public Structure TileRec

        Public X As Integer
        Public Y As Integer
        Public TileSet As Integer

        Public Draw As Boolean

        Public Data As TileType

    End Structure

    Public Structure MapEditorOptions

        Public Map_Grid As Boolean
        Public Tile_Grid As Boolean

    End Structure

End Module

edit:

ah I need to change 'Module Structures' to 'Public Module Structures'

[Niya]

ah I need to change 'Module Structures' to 'Public Module Structures'

Yep.......

[jimpie]

I'm sorry I didnt really get it.
this is my ClassMapinfo and my module structures. What do I need to change in the Module structures -> TileRec so it will work?

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Xml.Serialization

Public Class MapInfo

    Private _colTiles As New Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of TileRec)

    Public Property Tiles() As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of TileRec)
        Get
            Return _colTiles
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of TileRec))
            _colTiles = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Function LoadMapInfo(ByVal fileName As String) As MapInfo
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Open)
        Dim ret As MapInfo

        ret = DirectCast(ser.Deserialize(fs), MapInfo)

        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()

        Return ret

    End Function

    Public Sub SaveMapInfo(ByVal map As MapInfo, ByVal fileName As String)
        Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(MapInfo))
        Dim fs As New FileStream(fileName, FileMode.Create)

        ser.Serialize(fs, map)

        fs.Close()
        fs.Dispose()
    End Sub

End Class

Module Structures

    Public MapEditor As MapEditorOptions

    Public IsRunning As Boolean = False

    Public Tile(MAX_LAYERS, 0 To 200, 0 To 200) As TileRec
    Public Map As MapRec

    Public Mouse As MouseRec

    Public View As ViewRec

    Public Structure ViewRec

        Public Ground As Boolean
        Public Mask As Boolean
        Public Mask2 As Boolean
        Public Fringe As Boolean
        Public Fringe2 As Boolean

        Public Data As Boolean

    End Structure

    Public Structure MouseRec

        'Mouse Down
        Public tX As Integer
        Public tY As Integer

        'Mouse Hover
        Public thX As Integer
        Public thY As Integer

        'Mouse Up
        Public tuX As Integer
        Public tuY As Integer

    End Structure

    Public Structure MapRec

        Public X As Integer
        Public Y As Integer

    End Structure

    Public Structure TileRec

        Public X As Integer
        Public Y As Integer
        Public TileSet As Integer

        Public Draw As Boolean

        Public Data As TileType

    End Structure

    Public Structure MapEditorOptions

        Public Map_Grid As Boolean
        Public Tile_Grid As Boolean

    End Structure

End Module

edit:

ah I need to change 'Module Structures' to 'Public Module Structures'

The code can save the tilerec now, that's right.. But it can't save the data for each diffrent tile. All my tiles will have the same data now

        For x = 0 To Map.X
            For y = 0 To Map.Y
                mi.Tiles.Add(New TileRec With {.X = 1, .Y = 1, .TileSet = 1, .Draw = True, .Data = 0})
            Next
        Next

it should specially save the Tile(Layer type, X of the map, Y of the map) variable. Now it just saves the same data for each layer type, X of the map and Y of the map.

        For x = 0 To Map.X
            For y = 0 To Map.Y
                Tile(LAYER_GROUND, x, y).X = 1
                Tile(LAYER_GROUND, x, y).Y = 1
                Tile(LAYER_GROUND, x, y).Data = 1
            Next
        Next

[Niya]

Ummm...I'm really confused now...could you simplify that explanation.

[jimpie]

Ummm...I'm really confused now...could you simplify that explanation.

Each map has a MapRec (Map Structure). Each map also have tile's.

A tile is the coordinate of the map (example tile x=5, y=5). Each Tile hold its own information (the X IN the image it should draw, the Y IN the image it should draw, Data with information about the tile e.g. is it a walkable tile or not).

The tile information is hold in the TileRec structure.

Public Map as MapRec
public Tile(0 To MAX_LAYERS, 0 To MAX_X, 0 to MAX_Y)

public CONST MAX_LAYERS = 1 'the ammount of layers
public const MAX_X = 200 'the maximum size of the map (each map can have its own size with a maximum of x = 200)
public const MAX_Y = 200 'the maximum size of the map (each map can have its own size with a maximum of y = 200)

public CONST LAYER_GROUND = 0 'the first layer
public const LAYER_MASK = 1 'the second layer

Public Structure MapRec

Public X as integer 'The max X of the map
public Y as itneger 'The max Y of the map
public Name as string 'The name of the map

End Structure

public structure TileRec

Public X as integer
public Y as integer
public Data as Integer

end structure

The Map AND Tile information should be saved to a file. Something like this

  
public sub SaveMap(Byval FileName as string)

'first it should save the map data for when loading the map back

Map.X 'here it should write the Map.X to the file
Map.Y 'here it should write  the Map.Y to the file
Map.Name 'here it should write  the Map.Name to the file


'here it should save the tiledata (the tilerec)
 For x = 0 To Map.X '0 to the max x of the map so it will save ALL tiles
            For y = 0 To Map.Y '0 to the max y of the map so it will save ALL tiles
For L = 0 to Max_Layers '0 to the max layers to save each layer

tile(L, X, Y).X 'here it should write the variable X of tile(<layer>, <x>, <y>).X to the file
tile(L, X, Y).Y 'here it should write the variable Y of tile(<layer>, <x>, <y>).Y to the file
tile(L, X, Y).Data 'here it should write the variable Data of tile(<layer>, <x>, <y>).Data to the file

Next
            Next
        Next

end sub

public sub LoadMap(Byval FileName as string)

'first it should read the Map.X and the Map.Y to know the size so:
Map.X = Read... 'read the file for the Map.X
Map.Y = Read... 'read the file for the Map.Y

'now it should load all tile data and put all the data in the correct tile
for x = 0 to map.x
for y = 0 to map.y
for l = 0 to max_layers

tile(l, x, y).X = read.. 'read the X variable of tile(<layer>, <x>, <y>).X
tile(l, x, y).Y = read.. 'read the Y variable of tile(<layer>, <x>, <y>).Y
tile(l, x, y).Data = read.. 'read the Data variable of tile(<layer>, <x>, <y>).Data

next
next
next

end sub

Do you understand it now?

[Niya]

Ok...so MapRec is meant to hold all the information about a map including the tiles that make it up ? If so then why isn't the TileRec array defined inside the MapRec structure ?

[jimpie]

Ok...so MapRec is meant to hold all the information about a map including the tiles that make it up ? If so then why isn't the TileRec array defined inside the MapRec structure ?

because structures can't have initial sizes

    Public Structure MapRec

        Public X As Integer
        Public Y As Integer

        Public Tile(MAX_LAYERS, max_x, Max_y) As TileRec

    End Structure

"Error 1 Arrays declared as structure members cannot be declared with an initial size."

[Niya]

The solution is simple then...make it a class. As a matter of fact, I would have never made it a structure in the first place.

[jimpie]

The solution is simple then...make it a class. As a matter of fact, I would have never made it a structure in the first place.

Can you give me an example of a class?

[.paul.]

here's a class:

Public Class MapRec
 
    Public X As Integer
    Public Y As Integer
 
    Public Tile(MAX_LAYERS, max_x, Max_y) As TileRec
 
End Class

[jimpie]

here's a class:

Public Class MapRec
 
    Public X As Integer
    Public Y As Integer
 
    Public Tile(MAX_LAYERS, max_x, Max_y) As TileRec
 
End Class

and how will I save/load the class now?

[Niya]

Use the save function I gave you. Adapt it to use the the MapRec type.