Develop Reference

stop a function from being called every frame c#

I am trying to create a list of buttons using information collected from www forms in my program. The problem I am having is that when I create the buttons, it infinitely creates them, and thusly unity crashes. I have two theories as to why this is happening, the first being that the function is being called each frame and is therefore creating too many buttons and the second is that for some reason when I check the length of a multidimensional array it has a length of 33 when it should only have a length of 3 (it should have 3 arrays of arrays). The whole script is below.
using Boo.Lang;
using System.Collections;
using SCG = System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.SceneManagement;
using System;
public class MeetingRequestViewer : MonoBehaviour
{
//This script contains the code on how to display information about the students to the staff
//it displays each student in a different row
private Rect windowRect = new Rect(0, 0, Screen.width, Screen.height);
public Vector2 scrollPosition = Vector2.zero;
private int BSpace;
public string[,] SortedStudentArray;
private int j;
private string[][] MeetRequests;
private string[] temp;
private SCG.List<string> H_Priority = new SCG.List<string>();
private SCG.List<string> M_Priority = new SCG.List<string>();
private SCG.List<string> L_Priority = new SCG.List<string>();
private SCG.List<string> FullList = new SCG.List<string>();
private SCG.List<string> UAList;
private SCG.List<object> StudentButtonList = new SCG.List<object>();
private string[] Holding = new string[5];
private string[] SearchTerms;
public int ButtonSpacing = 10;
public int ButtonWidth = 80;
public int ButtonHeight = 30;
public void OnGUI()
{
//create a window
GUI.Window(0, windowRect, WindowFunction, "Meeting Request Viewer");
}
public void WindowFunction(int windowID)
{
//Fetches all user Data
string[][] userArray = GetComponent<Userdata>().CallDetail();
string[][] StudentArray = GetComponent<Userdata>().UserSorting(userArray);
//Calls the SortStudentArray method
string[,] SortedStudentArray = SortStudentList();
//Creates a box with a scrolling bar to taverse the y axis
scrollPosition = GUI.BeginScrollView(new Rect(Screen.width / 6, Screen.height / 6, 350, 250), scrollPosition, new Rect(0, 0, 300, 40 * SortedStudentArray.Length));
//for each row in the sorted student array
for (int x = 0; x < SortedStudentArray.Length - 1; x++)
{
//This keeps the gap between each button consistent
var y = ButtonSpacing + ButtonHeight;
//Regular Meeting Request
if (SortedStudentArray[x, 7] == "1")
{
//Urgent Meeting Request
if (SortedStudentArray[x, 8] == "1")
{
Debug.Log("Even Here");
//Create Button coloured red
GUI.backgroundColor = Color.red;
}
//Regular Meeting Request
else
{
//Create Button coloured yellow
GUI.backgroundColor = Color.yellow;
}
}
//No Meeting Request
else
{
//Create Button coloured green
GUI.backgroundColor = Color.green;
}
GUI.Button(new Rect(ButtonSpacing, ButtonSpacing + x * y, ButtonWidth, ButtonHeight), SortedStudentArray[x, 6]);
}
GUI.EndScrollView();
ButtonsCreated = true;
}
private string[,] SortStudentList()
{
//This method is used to fetch the meeting request data, split it into a jagged array and then again so that each
//row is a new user and each item in the row is a different peice of information relating to the user
//The Jagged array is then sorted using the bubble sort algorithm so that the students that require urgent meetings
//appear at the topo of the request table
//call website with the data store
WWW MeetReqData = new WWW("http://localhost/Wellbeing/meetingrequest.php");
//until WWW is finished do nothing
while (MeetReqData.isDone == false)
{
}
//convert the returned value into a string
string MeetReqString = MeetReqData.text;
//split the text into a string list
string[] mrq = MeetReqString.Split(';');
//convert the string list into a jagged array
MeetRequests = new string[mrq.Length][];
int i = 0;
//for each item in the list
foreach (string s in mrq)
{
//split it into its individual peice of information
string[] g = s.Split('|');
//store the information about a user on a new line
MeetRequests[i] = g;
++i;
}
for (int n = 0; n < MeetRequests.Length - 1; n++)
{
if (MeetRequests[n][1] == "1" && MeetRequests[n][2] == "1")
{
H_Priority.Add(MeetRequests[n][0]);
}
else if (MeetRequests[n][1] == "1" && MeetRequests[n][2] == "0")
{
M_Priority.Add(MeetRequests[n][0]);
}
else
{
L_Priority.Add(MeetRequests[n][0]);
}
}
//Combines all lists into a larger list of priorities
FullList.AddRange(H_Priority);
FullList.AddRange(M_Priority);
FullList.AddRange(L_Priority);
//convertFullList into an array for easier mainpulation and comparisons
string[][] feelingsArray = GetComponent<Userdata>().CallFeelings();
//FullList only contains 3 values
Debug.Log(FullList.Count);
//Info array about each user
string[,] SortedStudentArray = new string[FullList.Count, 11];
//SortedStudentArray contains 33 rows
Debug.Log("This thing Here");
Debug.Log(SortedStudentArray.Length);
//Line Counter
int SSAPos = 0;
// For every element in FullList
foreach (var item in FullList)
{
Debug.Log(FullList.Count);
//For each user in userArray
for (int y = 0; y < Userdata.userArray.Length; y++)
{
if (Userdata.userArray[y][0] == item)
{
for (int n = 0; n < Userdata.userArray; n++)
SortedStudentArray[SSAPos, n] = Userdata.userArray[y][n];
break;
}
}
Debug.Log(SortedStudentArray.Length);
//For each user in userArray
for (int y = 0; y < MeetRequests.Length; y++)
{
if (MeetRequests[y][0] == item)
{
SortedStudentArray[SSAPos, 7] = MeetRequests[y][1];
SortedStudentArray[SSAPos, 8] = MeetRequests[y][2];
break;
}
}
Debug.Log(SortedStudentArray.Length);
SSAPos += 1;
}
return SortedStudentArray;
}
// Update is called once per frame
void Update ()
{
//if (GUI.Button(new Rect(Screen.width / 4, Screen.height / 7, Screen.width / 2, Screen.height / 8), "Log Out"))
//{
// Debug.Log("Logged Out");
// SceneManager.LoadScene("Login");
//}
}
I did try to use a while loop around the section of code however it made no difference to the creation of buttons, they were still created more times than were needed

FullList is continually being populated which will eventually lead to a crash.
Call SortStudentList in Awake, such as;
string[,] SortedStudentArray;
void Awake ()
{
//Calls the SortStudentArray method
SortedStudentArray = SortStudentList();
}
Then;
public void WindowFunction(int windowID)
{
// Prevent further execution until SortedStudentArray is ready
if (SortedStudentArray == null) return;
...
}

From the documentation:
OnGUI is called for rendering and handling GUI events.
This means that your OnGUI implementation might be called several
times per frame (one call per event). For more information on GUI
events see the Event reference. If the MonoBehaviour's enabled
property is set to false, OnGUI() will not be called.
You need to reevaluate how you're doing your GUI. As mentioned in their GUI scripting guide you should probably use their UI system.
You especially don't want to be making one or more WWW calls per frame, or doing a bunch of sorting every frame.

https://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/MonoBehaviour.OnGUI.html
OnGUI is called for rendering and handling GUI events.
This means that your OnGUI implementation might be called several times per frame (one call per event). For more information on GUI events see the Event reference. If the MonoBehaviour's enabled property is set to false, OnGUI() will not be called.
You should probably use another way to call your method, or use a boolean value to check whether or not it has already been called.
Please refer to the image below to better understand the Unity lifecycle methods.
More information about Unity's Lifecycle can be found at: https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/ExecutionOrder.html

Connect 4 in C# windows form application

I've been trying to create connect 4 (the game) in windows forms applications in C# but I'm kinda struggling to create a method so the coins actually drop and not stay were the user clicks. Also I don't know where should I place the win condition method. Here is my code so far:
namespace ConnectFour
{
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
Button[] gameButtons = new Button[42]; //array of buttons for markers(red and blue)
bool blue = true; //blue is set to true if the next marker is to be a blue
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
this.Text = "Connect 4";
this.BackColor = Color.BlanchedAlmond;
this.Width = 500;
this.Height = 500;
for (int i = 0; i < gameButtons.Length; i++)
{
int index = i;
this.gameButtons[i] = new Button();
int x = 50 + (i % 7) * 50;
int y = 50 + (i / 7) * 50;
this.gameButtons[i].Location = new System.Drawing.Point(x, y);
this.gameButtons[i].Name = "btn" + (index + 1);
this.gameButtons[i].Size = new System.Drawing.Size(50, 50);
this.gameButtons[i].TabIndex = i;
//this.gameButtons[i].Text = Convert.ToString(index);
this.gameButtons[i].UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
this.gameButtons[i].Visible = true;
gameButtons[i].Click += (sender1, ex) => this.buttonHasBeenPressed(sender1, index);
this.Controls.Add(gameButtons[i]);
}
}
private void buttonHasBeenPressed(object sender, int i)
{
if (((Button)sender).BackColor == Color.BlanchedAlmond)
{
if (blue == true)
{
((Button)sender).BackColor = Color.Red;
}
else
{
((Button)sender).BackColor = Color.Blue;
}
blue = !blue;
}
}
private void fourInARow(int a, int b, int c,int d)
{
if (gameButtons[a].BackColor == gameButtons[b].BackColor && gameButtons[a].BackColor == gameButtons[c].BackColor && gameButtons[a].BackColor==gameButtons[d].BackColor)
{
if (gameButtons[a].BackColor == Color.Blue)
{
MessageBox.Show("the winner is player 1");
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("the winner is player 2");
}
}
}
}
}

You've probably figured it out by now, but what I would do is take a look at the BackColor of each Button below the one the user pressed until we either hit the bottom row or we find a Button that doesn't have a "BlanchedAlmond" BackColor, and then that's the one we change.
To find a Button directly below another one, we just look at the Button with an Index of 7 more than the current Index. And since we pass the Button object's index in the index argument to our function, we can use that.
Here's a commented code example:
private void ButtonHasBeenPressed(object sender, int index)
{
// Get the button that the user pressed
var pressedButton = (Button)sender;
// Only do something if they clicked a "neutral" button
if (pressedButton.BackColor == Color.BlanchedAlmond)
{
// The backcolor will be set based on whether or not blue is true or false
var newBackColor = blue ? Color.Red : Color.Blue;
// Get the index of the button that the user clicked
var buttonToChangeIndex = index;
// From where the user clicked, look down at each button below (index + 7)
// until we find the last button that has a BlanchedAlmond backcolor
while (buttonToChangeIndex + 7 < gameButtons.Count() &&
gameButtons[buttonToChangeIndex + 7].BackColor == Color.BlanchedAlmond)
{
buttonToChangeIndex += 7; // Set to the index to point to this button
}
// Now we set that button's backcolor
gameButtons[buttonToChangeIndex].BackColor = newBackColor;
// Flip our blue flag
blue = !blue;
}
}

The fact that you use a one-dimensional array to hold the buttons makes things a little more difficult. Since the layout of this “connect four” game is two-dimensional, it would seem logical to make a two-dimensional array. This will help facilitate the “Drop” in a column. Your current code will need to translate which cells in the one-dimensional array make up a column, namely the one the user clicked.
The code below solves this “Dropping” issue by using a two-dimensional array with a method that gets the ROW index of the next available space in a given column. This method returns the next available open slot index in the given column starting at the bottom and going up or returns -1 if the column is full.
You should seriously consider making a class of tokens/markers/buttons, then another Class that is a game board for these tokens. The logic to see if there are 4 consecutive colors horizontally, vertically and diagonally could possibly be complex. However, this logic would fit perfectly towards a GameBoard Object. In addition, the “GameBoard” object could keep track of all the moves etc…
This will greatly free up your code to focus on the visual aspects of the form and not worry about the logic of the game. I hope this makes sense.
Button[,] gameButtons = new Button[7,6]; //array of buttons for markers(red and blue)
bool blue = true; //blue is set to true if the next marker is to be a blue
public Form1() {
InitializeComponent();
}
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) {
this.Text = "Connect 4";
this.BackColor = Color.BlanchedAlmond;
this.Width = 500;
this.Height = 500;
int x;
int y;
for (int row = 0; row < gameButtons.GetLength(0); row++) {
x = 50 + (row % 7) * 50;
for (int col = 0; col < gameButtons.GetLength(1); col++) {
y = 50*col + 50;
Button newButton = new Button();
newButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(x, y);
newButton.Name = "btn" + (row + col + 1);
newButton.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(50, 50);
newButton.TabIndex = row + col;
newButton.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
newButton.Visible = true;
newButton.Click += (sender1, ex) => this.buttonHasBeenPressed(sender1);
gameButtons[row, col] = newButton;
Controls.Add(gameButtons[row,col]);
}
}
}
private void buttonHasBeenPressed(object sender) {
Button buttonClicked = (Button)sender;
int col = buttonClicked.Location.X / 50 - 1;
int targetRow = GetButtonRow(col);
if (targetRow >= 0) {
if (blue == true) {
gameButtons[col, targetRow].BackColor = Color.Red;
} else {
gameButtons[col, targetRow].BackColor = Color.Blue;
}
blue = !blue;
}
}
public int GetButtonRow(int colIndex) {
Button curButton;
for (int row = gameButtons.GetLength(1) - 1; row >= 0; row--) {
curButton = gameButtons[arrayColIndex, row];
if (curButton.BackColor != Color.Red && curButton.BackColor != Color.Blue) {
return row;
}
}
return -1;
}

How to move label's text right to left,when a character hides in left it shows on right?

Here is my key code:
using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace Scroller
{
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
int i, j;
bool k = false;
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
label1.Text = "Time:"+ System.DateTime.Now.ToString();
i--;
j = i + this.Width;
if (i < this.Width && i > 0)
{
label1.Left = i;
}
else
if (i < 0 && k == false)
{
label1.Left = i;
k = true;
}
else
if (i < 0 && k == true)
{
label1.Left = j;
k = false;
}
if (i < 0 - label1.Width)
{
i = this.Width - label1.Width;
}
}
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
label1.Text = "Time:"+ System.DateTime.Now.ToString();
i = this.Width - label1.Width;
label1.Left = i;
}
}
}
The effect that I want to make is the whole time string move right to left. When a pixel of the text disappear on the left side (because it is out of the form's left border),the pixel will shows on the right side.
In other words, the effect can't be make by delete the first character of string and append it to the last.
I knew that it will be easier to use two label to do it. Set one's location in the form and hide the other right by the form. Move them in the same time.
When the first label hit the left border of the form, the second hit the right border of the form. And the first one move out, the second move in. Until the second totally move in, reset their x location.
But I just want to use one label. So I chose to quickly switch the label's location, and try to "cheat" user's eye. The problem is when the label switch between left and right, it flash very obviously. Even though I set timer's interval below 20,the problem still exist.
Could you help me dissolve the flash problem or enlighten me other ways which can just use one label and one timer to make the effect I need?
Thanks. If I didn't describer my problem clear enough or need more code, please let me know.

I don't think you can work out the flashing problem changing the label's location in a windows form.
Another solution would be to set the label width the same size as the form width, make the label text fill all the width using spaces and make the timer always get the last character and put it on the beginning of the string.
Sample code below.
private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
label1.Text = label1.Text.Substring(label1.Text.Length - 1) + label1.Text.Remove(label1.Text.Length - 1);
}
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// The total spaces required to fill the form vary from form.width and the initial label.text.width
// Width | Spaces
// 177 | 13
// 228 | 30
// 297 | 53
// 318 | 60
// The spacesEnd = 60 work for a form with width 319
int spacesBegin = 0, spacesEnd = 60;
label1.Text = "Time:" + System.DateTime.Now.ToString();
label1.AutoSize = false;
label1.Left = -3;
label1.Width = this.Width - 1;
label1.Height = 15;
label1.BorderStyle = BorderStyle.FixedSingle;
for (int i = 0; i < spacesBegin; i++)
label1.Text = " " + label1.Text;
for (int i = 0; i < spacesEnd; i++)
label1.Text += " ";
Timer timer = new Timer();
timer.Tick += timer1_Tick;
timer.Interval = 50;
timer.Start();
}

Shift listView tiles?

I have been attempting to understand the tiled listView in c#.net for weeks now with no succession.
I have shrunk my form's height/width (154x154) to the same tile size as the picture(s) (items with pictures) in my listView (which is docked in the form2); when my form2 is shown, you see item[0] in the listView...that is it! (which I want so far, so good!)
I have set the scrollable property to false to do away with both scrollbars (works perfectly fine so far...)
I have hooked both the left and right arrow keys GLOBALLY (which works as it has been thoroughly debugged) and when clicking the RIGHT arrow key, it should VERTICALLY bring up item[1], and so fourth.
The LEFT arrow key would bring up the previous item till it hits 0.
I have tried the following, but it does NOTHING.
private void HotkeyHandler(int i)
{
{
if (this.listView1.InvokeRequired)
{
SetHotkeyCallback p = new SetHotkeyCallback(HotkeyHandler);
this.Invoke(p, new object[] { i });
}
else
{
switch (i)
{
case 1:
listView1.View = View.List;
if (listView1.TopItem.Index > 0)
{
listView1.TopItem = listView1.Items[listView1.TopItem.Index - 1];
}
listView1.View = View.Tile;
break;
case 2:
listView1.View = View.List;
if (listView1.TopItem.Index < listView1.Items.Count)
{
listView1.TopItem = listView1.Items[listView1.TopItem.Index + 1];
}
listView1.View = View.Tile;
break;
}
}
}
}
Please help me, I been loosing my mind for weeks now.
EDIT: The switch within the function above does go off, I have debugged it; therefore, it is not the invoking that is the problem...

I don't think you can do it directly.
The way to get rid of the ScrollBars is indeed to set Scrollable = false;.
But that means what it says: Now the ListView will not scroll.
Here is a common workaround for many scrolling issues:
Place the Listview in a Panel and make it as large as needed to show all Items.
Then in order to scroll simply move the LV up and down:
private void prepare_Click_1(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// we sit inside a Panel
listView1.Parent = panel1;
// initially they have the same size
listView1.Size = panel1.Size;
listView1.Location = Point.Empty;
// a few test items
for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
listView1.Items.Add("Item " + i);
// now grow the height to display all items:
int cols = listView1.Width / listView1.TileSize.Width;
listView1.Height = (listView1.Items.Count / cols) * listView1.TileSize.Height;
}
// moving the LV up looks like scrolling down..
private void scrollDown_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
listView1.Top -= listView1.TileSize.Height;
if (listView1.Bottom < panel1.Height)
listView1.Top = -listView1.Height + panel1.Height;
}
// moving the LV down looks like scrolling up..
private void scrollUp_Click_1(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
listView1.Top += listView1.TileSize.Height;
if (listView1.Top > 0) listView1.Top = 0;
}

Why isn't my picturebox animation working as expected (C# Windows Form Application)?

I'm making a simple memory game for school, using c# and a windows form application. The cards are created as pictureboxes and I'm trying to animate the flipping of cards, by reducing and increasing the width of the pictureboxes. Using a for loop I managed to make somewhat of an animation which works as I would expect, the card slowly shrinks in width. However when I try to reverse the code it seems to wait the full duration of the animation after which the card just pops to full width.
I call the following function from a click event, passing the picturebox that was clicked:
private void AnimateCard(PictureBox picture)
{
//part working as I would expect:
Size defaultSize = picture.Size;
Size temp = defaultSize;
for (int w = defaultSize.Width; w != 0; w -= 2)
{
temp.Width = w;
picture.Size = temp;
Thread.Sleep(10);
}
//here would be where I change the images inside the picturesboxes
//the part not working as I would expect:
for (int w = temp.Width; w != defaultSize.Width; w += 2)
{
temp.Width = w;
picture.Size = temp;
Thread.Sleep(10);
}
}
I'll be happy with any suggestion to either fix my error or animate my 'card flip' some other way (within a windows form application!)

Three problems with your code:
Never compare for equality lightly; use defensive style programming and write < or <=. In this case testing for inequality actually does amount to a test for equality! Your code will fail if the Picturebox's Width is an odd number!
Don't use for unless you have a counter or have an enumerator; if you want to use a condition use while. This is about readability.
The (other) real hard problem is that the PictureBox needs a Refresh for the growing part. Best include it in the shrinking part as well..
Size defaultSize = pictureBox1.Size;
Size temp = defaultSize;
for (int w = defaultSize.Width; w > 0; w -= 2)
{
temp.Width = w;
pictureBox1.Size = temp;
pictureBox1.Refresh(); // may be optional
Thread.Sleep(10);
}
for (int w = temp.Width; w < defaultSize.Width; w += 2)
{
temp.Width = w;
pictureBox1.Size = temp;
pictureBox1.Refresh(); // is necessary
Thread.Sleep(10);
}
I'll leave the conversion to a do while loop to you..

You have unknowingly entered the realm of threading and locking up the user interface.
If you just want to make it work then after your Thread.Sleep(10)s put (the much dreaded):
Application.DoEvents();
Doing that will allow the form to process events and update and paint the user interface.
You could also use a timer with a count down form scope variable to make it seem like its happening that would be less hokey (yet still a bit hokey) heres how.
bool postHiding;
private int defaultsize = picture.size;
private void AnimateCard(PictureBox picture)
{
postHiding = false;
Timer1.Interval(12);
Timer1.Start();
}
private void Timer1_Tick(object obj, Eventargs e)
{
Size temp = defaultSize;
if (!postHiding)
{
picture.Size.Width -=2;
//This indicates the shrinking process is over
if (picture.Size <= 0)
{
postHiding = true;
}
} else // We are now revealing the other side of the card
{
picture.Size.Width += 2;
if (picture.Size >= defaultsize)
{
//Animation is Over
Timer1.Stop();
}
}
}