Moving a shape across the screen and making it disappear

Question

this program that i have so far works but it freezes when it gets to the for loop. i have done something like this with another program but with shapes it doesnt like it.

GraphicsWindow.Height = 400
GraphicsWindow.Width = 600
GraphicsWindow.Title = "FairyTail"
GraphicsWindow.CanResize = "False"
animation()
Controls.ButtonClicked = action

Sub animation
GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Black"
Firstmove = Controls.AddButton("fireball", 300, 100)
Controls.Move(Firstmove, 0, 200)

endsub
 Sub action
If Controls.GetButtonCaption(Firstmove) = "fireball" Then
GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Red"
fireball = Shapes.AddEllipse(20, 20)
Shapes.Move(fireball, 135, 115)

For i = 135 To 465
if i <> 465 then 
  Shapes.animate(fireball, i, 115, 1000)
  i = i + 1
  Program.Delay(100)
Else 
    Shapes.Remove(fireball)
    endif 
   endfor 
endif

endsub

what im trying to do is move the fireball across the screen then remove it. but i dont know how to remove it after it animates.

Answer 1

There are a few problems with this program. The first one is this:

For i = 135 To 465
if i <> 465 then 
Shapes.animate(fireball, i, 115, 1000)
i = i + 1
Program.Delay(100)
Else 
Shapes.Remove(fireball)
endif 
endfor 

If you already have a For statement closing after "i" = 465, You don't really need the If statement.

The second problem, (And the reason its not running), is this:

Shapes.animate(fireball, i, 115, 1000)

What this command does, is it moves the shape to the set x and y coordinate over a set time. So this means that it will move the shape from its currant position, to i,115 after 1000 MS.

What you really need here is Shapes.Move.

Also, Its usually a good Idea to make all loop execute outside the subroutines. This is because if you click the button twice, It will try to call the subroutine while the subroutine i still running (Because its looping inside it) This will cause problems. Here is the way I would make this Program:

 GraphicsWindow.Height = 400
 GraphicsWindow.Width = 600
 GraphicsWindow.Title = "FairyTail"
 GraphicsWindow.CanResize = "False"
 animation()
 Controls.ButtonClicked = action

 While 1 = 1 
 Program.Delay(10)
 If CanMoveFireball Then
 i = i + 1 '<--- Increase the position and move it to that position
 Shapes.Move(fireball,i,115)
 EndIf

 If i > 465 Then '<--- If the fireball is past 465 then remove it and say its OK to add another
 Shapes.Remove(fireball)
 CanMoveFireball = "False"
 EndIf
 EndWhile

 Sub animation
 GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Black"
 Firstmove = Controls.AddButton("fireball", 300, 100)
 Controls.Move(Firstmove, 0, 200)
 endsub

 Sub action
 If Controls.LastClickedButton = Firstmove Then
 If CanMoveFireball <> "True" Then '<--- Make sure you don't add another      fireball while the first one is moving
 GraphicsWindow.BrushColor = "Red"
 fireball = Shapes.AddEllipse(20, 20)
 Shapes.Move(fireball, 135, 115)
 i = 135
 CanMoveFireball = "True" '<--- Tell it it's OK to move Fireball
 EndIf

Endif
Endsub

I hope this helps!!

--Zock