Moving shapes with arrows on keyboard.

[HELP !]

I am a beginner and I want to move a shape according to which arrow button I press. But I don't want to press it a lot of times, just once and that's it.

What I mean is , for example, if I press on the right arrow, the shape will move right by itself until it hits the extremity of the form.

Thanks in advance

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)

If KeyCode = 39 Then
Shape1.Left = Shape1.Left + 50
End If

If KeyCode = 38 Then
Shape1.Top = Shape1.Top - 50
End If

If KeyCode = 37 Then
Shape1.Left = Shape1.Left - 50
End If

If KeyCode = 40 Then
Shape1.Top = Shape1.Top + 50
End If
End Sub

The code shows what I did but it doesn't work like I want it to be.

[SteveCRM]

if keycode = vbkeyup then 
   do until shape1.top < 0
      shape1.top = shape1.top - 50
   loop
ElseIf keycode = vbkeydown then 
   do until shape1.top > me.scaleheight
      shape1.top = shape1.top + 50
   loop
ElseIf keycode = vbkeyleft then 
   do until shape1.left < 0
      shape1.left = shape1.left - 50
   loop
ElseIf keycode = vbkeyright then 
   do until shape1.left > me.scalewidth
      shape1.left = shape1.left + 50
   loop
End If

[HELP !]

Thanks, the code you wrote works. But now I would like to change the direction of the shape whenever I want. Because :

do until shape1.top > me.scaleheight

will make the shape go until the extremity before I can manage to change direction again.

Please help, thx

[Edited by HELP ! on 10-02-2000 at 09:54 PM]

[Fox]

Check out my animation demo or if that's too complex the DInput demo (really easy!).

[HELP !]

Hi Fox,

I checked out your DInput prog, it doesn't work

[PaulLewis]

I don't think you are in need of help to move a shape wound on the screen. I think you need a few quick hints as to how the VB handles Events and which part of your code is running at a given time.

If you want something to happen on the screen at a given rate then you can look at the Timer control.

If you want the program to react whenever you press a key then you can look at the Key_Down event (I see you know this one - cool)

If you put code into the Key_Down event, then each time you press a key AND when VB is listening, the code will run. VB might not be listening because it is too busy running the rest of your code. This would normally only happen if you are in an endless loop or a very long loop anyhow.

Now, you wanted your shape to change direction when a key is pressed right? And you want the shape to move in the last known direction right?

You will need to keep track of the current direction in that case. To do that, decalre a variable in your Form's Declarations area

Dim mDirection as Integer

Now, when the user presses a key, store this data in the mDirection variable:

Private Sub Form_KeyDown(KeyCode As Integer, Shift As Integer)
mDirection = KeyCode
End Sub

That was easy you say? Of course it was...

Now, in that Timer control's Timer event, you do the actual move. You might like to play around with the timer control's interval property to spped up or slow down the movement.

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
  Dim yMove As Integer
  Dim xMove As Integer

  Select Case mDirection
  Case KeyCodeConstants.vbKeyUp
    yMove = -50
    
  Case KeyCodeConstants.vbKeyLeft
    xMove = -50
    
  Case KeyCodeConstants.vbKeyDown
    yMove = 50
    
  Case KeyCodeConstants.vbKeyRight
  xMove = 50
  
  End Select
  
  ' now move the shape as long as it is not going to be outside the form area
  With Shape1
    If (.Left + xMove >= 0) And (.Left + xMove <= Me.ScaleWidth - .Width) Then
      .Left = .Left + xMove
    End If
    
    If (.Top + yMove >= 0) And (.Top + yMove <= Me.ScaleHeight - .Height) Then
      .Top = .Top + yMove
    End If
    
  End With
  
End Sub

You can see that all the "complex" stuff is in the timer event.

This is a deliberately simple example which I hope helps to guide you for your next project

Cheers

[HELP !]

THanks to all of you especially Paul ! You guys are so good !

I am only beginning to learn VB because I chose this course for my complementary. But we only learn really basic stuffs there. I find this program very interesting !

I'm hoping to learn more about it, and you guys help me to archieve this goal more rapidly , thx again !