getting rid of timers...

[vshammas]

hello all, i was wondering what alternative there was to using a timer to keep my tiles redrawing in an rpg im working on? when i use a timer it flickers all the time and is very annoying...is there a way to prevent it from flickering (this has to do with the timer right?) without using directx and backbuffers? thanks

[YoungBuck]

Use a DoEvents Loop

Private Sub Form_Load()
 
Me.Show
 
Do Until DoEvents = 0 
 
  ' code in timer goes here
 
Loop
 
End Sub

The code within the loop will run until the user closes the form.

[Zaei]

Not cool. There is every posibility that you will want to do some kind of cleanup after your game loop. Use a global (probably the only place I endorse this) boolean. Then, in your initialization, if success, set the variable to true, and continue. Otherwise, set it to true:

'Initialization
bRunning = True

...

While bRunning
      
     ...

      DoEvents
Wend

'Cleanup

Then, when you want to exit, just set this variable to False, and the next run of the loop will drop through, and exit.

Z.

[YoungBuck]

Can't you do the same thing with a DoEvents Loop?

While DoEvents 
 
   ' game body
 
 Wend
 
 ' clean up

[Jotaf98]

Hey here's the "FPS Slowdown" code I have always used:

'Slow down the FPS...
        Do Until GetTickCount() >= LastTick + TicksPerFrame
            DoEvents
        Loop
        LastTick = GetTickCount()

You'll have to declare TicksPerFrame and LastTick as Long, and declare GetTickCount() of course. You'll also have to make TicksPerFrame = the number of miliseconds each frame lasts (I have always used 30, it gives you a smooth animation without going too fast).

Hope it helps

[vshammas]

thanks everyone!

[Zaei]

Using my code gives you a bit more control over where you exit the loop.

Z.

[PsychoMark]

Originally posted by vshammas
when i use a timer it flickers all the time and is very annoying...

The flicker has nothing to do with the timer, a slow or jumping (don't know what else to call it) animation does. Using the loop will only speed things up (you should use a loop, yes), but the flicker probably won't go away... I think the problem is in your drawing code

[Zaei]

To get rid of flicker, use AutoRedraw = True, or a back buffer.

Z.