[RESOLVED] Random Number

[Taem]

Having trouble figuring out how to make this code work. I want a random number between 1-3, then depending on the outcome, I want it to select one of three radio buttons. This is the code I have so far minus the random number:

For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
                        If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = "RadioGroup1".ToLower Then
                            ele.InvokeMember("click")
                        End If
                    Next

Firstly, is there an easier way to code that? Second, I'm using that code over and over. Is there a way to turn that into a function and input the name where I need it, like WEBELEMENT(RadioGroup_02)?

Third, so I'm using this code to get a random number between 1-3:

Dim rando As String = CInt(Int((3 - 1 + 1) * Rnd() + 1))

First, is there a shorter way to code that? Second, how might I combine the two codes so when rando = 1, the program does RadioGroup1, rando = 2, RadioGroup2, rando = 3, RadioGroup3? I'm sure there are so many ways to do this, but I'm having difficulty thinking of a way to make this work - just having that overwhelmed feeling and I don't know why. Sorry, that was a bit ot. Any ideas welcome.

[Taem]

Actually, I'm going to try this. But I'm sure there is a cleaner way to code this that I'm missing.

Dim rando As String = CInt(Int((3 - 1 + 1) * Rnd() + 1))

                If rando = 1 Then

                    For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
                        If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = "RadioGroup0".ToLower Then
                            ele.InvokeMember("click")
                        End If
                    Next
                End If

                If rando = 2 Then

                    For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
                        If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = "RadioGroup1".ToLower Then
                            ele.InvokeMember("click")
                        End If
                    Next
                End If

                If rando = 3 Then

                    For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
                        If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = "RadioGroup2".ToLower Then
                            ele.InvokeMember("click")
                        End If
                    Next
                End If

[IanRyder]

Hi,

To begin with you should be using the Random Class in .NET rather than the legacy Rnd function that was introduced with earlier versions of VB. Using this calss, here is a streamlined version of your code:-

Dim myRandom As New Random
 
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
  Dim strSelectedGroup As String = "radiogroup" & myRandom.Next(0, 3).ToString
 
  For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
    If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = strSelectedGroup Then
      ele.InvokeMember("click")
    End If
  Next
End Sub

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Ian

[Taem]

See, I knew there was an easier way! To do both of what I wanted! I thank you sir! That's just what I needed.

[MetalInquisitor]

Also, keep in mind that the first number you provide to Random.Next is inclusive, but the second one is not; so if you want a random number between 1 and 3, you should generate it like this:

myRandom.Next(1, 4)

[Taem]

EDIT: Should I have started a new post for this, since I had already marked this one as Resolved? Bummer I can't Unresolve it.

Alright, I finally get everything flowing smoothly and my code is about 2/3 smaller, so I'm feeling good, however slight hiccup. In my old code, I had it so that there was a 3/4th chance of selecting RadioButton0 and a 1/4th chance of selecting RadioButton1. By itself, this code gives a 50% chance:

Dim stSuper As String = "radiogroup_2" & rand.Next(0, 2).ToString

                For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
                    If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = stSuper Then
                        ele.InvokeMember("click")
                    End If
                Next

So I tried this:

 Dim OneInFour As String = rand.Next(1, 5).ToString
                If OneInFour = 1 Then Dim stSuper As String = "radiogroup_20".ToString Else 
                If OneInFour <> 1 Then Dim stSuper As String = "radiogroup_2" & rand.Next(0, 2).ToString
                For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
                    If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = stSuper Then
                        ele.InvokeMember("click")
                    End If
                Next

Which is giving me the error:

Variable stSuper hides a variable in an enclosing block

Any idea's how to resolve this? And one more thing while it's on my mind; if I turn OneInFour into a Sub, will it randomize every time I call it, or would I have basically just Dim a new OneInFour for every iteration I want?

[IanRyder]

Hi,

Variable stSuper hides a variable in an enclosing block

To specifically answer your question, the reason you are getting this error is due to fact that you are declaring the variable within the If statements and therefore the scope of this variable is only visible within the If blocks and not outside. To solve this you would declare the variable outside of the If block. i.e:-

Dim OneInFour As String = rand.Next(1, 5).ToString
Dim stSuper As String
 
If OneInFour = "1" Then
  stSuper = "radiogroup_20"
Else
  stSuper = "radiogroup_2" & rand.Next(0, 2).ToString
End If
 
For Each ele As HtmlElement In WebWindow.WebBrowser1.Document.All
  If ele.GetAttribute("id").ToLower = stSuper Then
    ele.InvokeMember("click")
  End If
Next

That said, and if I understand your comments correctly, this is not going to do what you want since you want 1 in 4 chances of picking RadionButton20 and 3 in 4 chances of picking RadioButton21. If I am correct then you would want to say:-

Dim OneInFour As String = rand.Next(1, 5).ToString
Dim stSuper As String

If OneInFour = "1" Then
  stSuper = "radiogroup_20"
Else
  stSuper = "radiogroup_21"
End If

And one more thing while it's on my mind; if I turn OneInFour into a Sub, will it randomize every time I call it, or would I have basically just Dim a new OneInFour for every iteration I want?

If you put this into a Sub then you would still need to call rand.Next to get any random number in the range that you want.

In addition to this, turn Option Strict On and keep it on. It will help you to eradicate type errors in the future. I have fixed these in the examples shown above.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Ian