Fixing the flicker in my program

[Darkmantis]

hey I have this pong that i made but the program seems to slow down alot when the paddles move and the ball constantly flickers. Some people suggest to put "offscreenonly" and View.Updates in my program but the problem is I dont know where to put them, here is my code.

code:

setscreen ("graphics:610;400,nocursor") var ballx, bally, paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty, direction1, direction2, c1, c2, c3, c4, o, q, t, r : int var score, score2, scorel : int var kp : array char of boolean var ch : string (1) var font1, font2, font3, font4, font5 : int randint (ballx, 40, 360) randint (bally, 40, 350) paddleleftx := 30 paddlelefty := 180 paddlerightx := 580 paddlerighty := 180 score := 0 score2 := 0 direction1 := 1 direction2 := 1 font1 := Font.New ("serif:28") font2 := Font.New ("serif:20") font3 := Font.New ("serif:40") font4 := Font.New ("serif:33") font5 := Font.New ("serif:75") procedure pong     Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 365, 610, 365, 5, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 40, 610, 40, 5, black)     loop         drawfilloval (ballx, bally, 3, 3, brightblue)         delay (3)         drawfilloval (ballx, bally, 3, 3, white)         if ballx = 0 then             score := score + 1         end if         if ballx = 610 then             score2 := score2 + 1         end if         locate (1, 30)         put "Paddle Right: ", score         locate (2, 30)         put "Paddle Left: ", score2         locate (20, 30)         c1 := whatdotcolor (ballx - 4, bally)         c2 := whatdotcolor (ballx + 4, bally)         c3 := whatdotcolor (ballx, bally + 4)         c4 := whatdotcolor (ballx, bally - 4)         if ballx > maxx and direction1 > 0 then             direction1 := -direction1         elsif ballx < 1 and direction1 < 0 then             direction1 := -direction1         elsif bally > maxy and direction2 > 0 then             direction2 := -direction2         elsif bally < 1 and direction2 < 0 then             direction2 := -direction2         end if         if c1 = black then             direction1 := -direction1         end if         if c2 = black then             direction1 := -direction1         end if         if c3 = black then             direction2 := -direction2         end if         if c4 = black then             direction2 := -direction2         end if         ballx := ballx + direction1         bally := bally + direction2         Input.KeyDown (kp)         if kp ('w') then             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)             delay (1)             paddlelefty := paddlelefty + 1             if paddlelefty > 325 then                 paddlelefty := paddlelefty - 1             end if         end if         if kp ('s') then             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)             delay (1)             paddlelefty := paddlelefty - 1             if paddlelefty < 50 then                 paddlelefty := paddlelefty + 1             end if         end if         if kp (KEY_UP_ARROW) then             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)             delay (1)             paddlerighty := paddlerighty + 1             if paddlerighty > 325 then                 paddlerighty := paddlerighty - 1             end if         end if         if kp (KEY_DOWN_ARROW) then             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)             delay (1)             paddlerighty := paddlerighty - 1             if paddlerighty < 50 then                 paddlerighty := paddlerighty + 1             end if         end if         if score = scorel then             cls             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)             delay (1)             Draw.Text ("Right Paddle Wins!!!", 150, 200, font3, green)             return         elsif score2 = scorel then             cls             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)             Draw.Text ("Left Paddle Wins!!!", 150, 200, font3, green)             return         end if     end loop end pong procedure mainmenu     Draw.Text ("Space Pong!", 155, 300, font3, green)     Draw.Text ("PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE", 125, 50, font2, green)     getch (ch)     cls     put "Choose the score limit"     get scorel     Draw.Text ("PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE", 125, 50, font2, green)     getch (ch)     cls     put "How many obstacle?"     get o     Draw.Text ("PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE", 125, 50, font2, green)     getch (ch)     cls     Draw.Text ("5", 280, 190, font5, green)     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("4", 280, 190, font5, green)     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("3", 280, 190, font5, green)     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("2", 280, 190, font5, green)     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("1", 280, 190, font5, green)     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 365, 610, 365, 5, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 40, 610, 40, 5, black)     Draw.Text ("GO!", 270, 200, font3, green)     delay (1000)     Draw.Text ("GO!", 270, 200, font3, white)     for p : 1 .. o         randint (q, 1, 25)         randint (t, 40, 590)         randint (r, 40, 350)         drawfilloval (t, r, q, q, black)     end for     pong end mainmenu setscreen ("position:truemiddle,centre") var clr : int := 218 var text1 : int := Font.New ("Times New Roman:38:Bold") drawfillbox (0, 0, 610, 400, black) for n : 0 .. 39     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("DarkMantis Productions", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("DarkMantis Productions", text1) div 2), (maxy div 1.5) - 9, text1, clr)     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("Presents...", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("Presents...", text1) div 2), (maxy div 2.5) - 9, text1, clr)     View.Update     delay (50) end for delay (1000) for decreasing n : 39 .. 0     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("DarkMantis Productions", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("DarkMantis Productions", text1) div 2), (maxy div 1.5) - 9, text1, clr)     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("Presents...", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("Presents...", text1) div 2), (maxy div 2.5) - 9, text1, clr)     View.Update     delay (50) end for mainmenu

[MysticVegeta]

the setscreen ("offscreenonly") goes above the drawing loop and your View.Update seems to be in the right place...

[Cervantes]

View.Set("offscreenonly") goes wherever you want to induce double buffering. The start of your program is a good place. You can inlcude offscreenonly with the other commands in your View.Set string.

View.Update goes wherever you want to flip the back buffer into view. This is probably after you've drawn everything in your main loop.

code:

loop     cls     %draw everything     View.Update     delay (5) end loop

[Darkmantis]

Thx guys the flickering is now gone but now I have to fix a bunch of bugs but I have no Idea where to start, my ball now eats the obstacles more then before and now my paddles arent erasing themselves, heres the code.

code:

setscreen ("graphics:610;400,nocursor") setscreen ("offscreenonly") var ballx, bally, paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty, direction1, direction2, c1, c2, c3, c4, o, q, t, r : int var score, score2, scorel : int var kp : array char of boolean var ch : string (1) var font1, font2, font3, font4, font5 : int randint (ballx, 40, 360) randint (bally, 40, 350) paddleleftx := 30 paddlelefty := 180 paddlerightx := 580 paddlerighty := 180 score := 0 score2 := 0 direction1 := 5 direction2 := 5 font1 := Font.New ("serif:28") font2 := Font.New ("serif:20") font3 := Font.New ("serif:40") font4 := Font.New ("serif:33") font5 := Font.New ("serif:75") procedure pong     Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 365, 610, 365, 5, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 40, 610, 40, 5, black)     loop         drawfilloval (ballx, bally, 3, 3, brightblue)         View.Update         delay (1)         drawfilloval (ballx, bally, 3, 3, white)         if ballx = 0 then             score := score + 1         end if         if ballx = 610 then             score2 := score2 + 1         end if         locate (1, 30)         put "Paddle Right: ", score         locate (2, 30)         put "Paddle Left: ", score2         locate (20, 30)         c1 := whatdotcolor (ballx - 4, bally)         c2 := whatdotcolor (ballx + 4, bally)         c3 := whatdotcolor (ballx, bally + 4)         c4 := whatdotcolor (ballx, bally - 4)         if ballx > maxx and direction1 > 0 then             direction1 := -direction1         elsif ballx < 1 and direction1 < 0 then             direction1 := -direction1         elsif bally > maxy and direction2 > 0 then             direction2 := -direction2         elsif bally < 1 and direction2 < 0 then             direction2 := -direction2         end if         if c1 = black then             direction1 := -direction1         end if         if c2 = black then             direction1 := -direction1         end if         if c3 = black then             direction2 := -direction2         end if         if c4 = black then             direction2 := -direction2         end if         ballx := ballx + direction1         bally := bally + direction2         Input.KeyDown (kp)         if kp ('w') then             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)             View.Update             delay (1)             paddlelefty := paddlelefty + 10             if paddlelefty > 325 then                 paddlelefty := paddlelefty - 10             end if         end if         if kp ('s') then             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)             View.Update             delay (1)             paddlelefty := paddlelefty - 10             if paddlelefty < 50 then                 paddlelefty := paddlelefty + 10             end if         end if         if kp (KEY_UP_ARROW) then             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)             View.Update             delay (1)             paddlerighty := paddlerighty + 10             if paddlerighty > 325 then                 paddlerighty := paddlerighty - 10             end if         end if         if kp (KEY_DOWN_ARROW) then             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 12, white)             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)             View.Update             delay (1)             paddlerighty := paddlerighty - 10             if paddlerighty < 50 then                 paddlerighty := paddlerighty + 10             end if         end if         if score = scorel then             cls             Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)             delay (1)             Draw.Text ("Right Paddle Wins!!!", 150, 200, font3, green)             return         elsif score2 = scorel then             cls             Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)             Draw.Text ("Left Paddle Wins!!!", 150, 200, font3, green)             return         end if     end loop end pong procedure mainmenu     Draw.Text ("Space Pong!", 155, 300, font3, green)     Draw.Text ("PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE", 125, 50, font2, green)     View.Update     getch (ch)     cls     put "Choose the score limit"     View.Update     get scorel     Draw.Text ("PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE", 125, 50, font2, green)     View.Update     getch (ch)     cls     put "How many obstacle?"     View.Update     get o     Draw.Text ("PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE", 125, 50, font2, green)     View.Update     getch (ch)     cls     Draw.Text ("5", 280, 190, font5, green)     View.Update     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("4", 280, 190, font5, green)     View.Update     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("3", 280, 190, font5, green)     View.Update     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("2", 280, 190, font5, green)     View.Update     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.Text ("1", 280, 190, font5, green)     View.Update     delay (1000)     cls     Draw.ThickLine (paddleleftx, paddlelefty, paddleleftx, paddlelefty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (paddlerightx, paddlerighty, paddlerightx, paddlerighty + 30, 10, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 365, 610, 365, 5, black)     Draw.ThickLine (0, 40, 610, 40, 5, black)     Draw.Text ("GO!", 270, 200, font3, green)     View.Update     delay (1000)     Draw.Text ("GO!", 270, 200, font3, white)     View.Update     for p : 1 .. o         randint (q, 1, 25)         randint (t, 40, 590)         randint (r, 40, 350)         drawfilloval (t, r, q, q, black)         View.Update     end for     pong end mainmenu setscreen ("position:truemiddle,centre") var clr : int := 218 var text1 : int := Font.New ("Times New Roman:38:Bold") drawfillbox (0, 0, 610, 400, black) View.Update for n : 0 .. 39     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("DarkMantis Productions", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("DarkMantis Productions", text1) div 2), (maxy div 1.5) - 9, text1, clr)     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("Presents...", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("Presents...", text1) div 2), (maxy div 2.5) - 9, text1, clr)     View.Update     delay (50) end for delay (1000) for decreasing n : 39 .. 0     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("DarkMantis Productions", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("DarkMantis Productions", text1) div 2), (maxy div 1.5) - 9, text1, clr)     RGB.SetColor (clr, 0, n / 39, 0)     Font.Draw ("Presents...", (maxx div 2) - (Font.Width ("Presents...", text1) div 2), (maxy div 2.5) - 9, text1, clr)     View.Update     delay (50) end for mainmenu

[Darkmantis]

Is there anyone who will help me out?

[Remm]

take off nocursor so it is possible to see what is typed. If you dont want it visible for your 'click to continue' stuff, you could always change it to a mouse click anywhere on screen to continue, or put nocruisor on then and take it off (though i tried that and it didint work for me but thats not saying much)

anyways, nice startup with the fade in/out, Although it leaves a bit of residue in the end. In game everythign seems to be going uber fast, so you might wannna add some delays in the ball and movement keys.

[Remm]

Uh, sorry to double post but i just tried out the first one you posted, and it works fine - on my computer anyways... how badly is it flickering for you? i only see minor flickers in the paddle and ball.

[Clayton]

actually for you to be able to see what you have typed you have to either take off 'offscreenonly' using 'nooffscreenonly', or you can View.Update after every letter you have typed (i wouldnt suggest doing that) check out my View.Set tutorial at : http://compsci.ca/v2/viewtopic.php?t=12533 to read all you need on View.Update

[Darkmantis]

I still dont see how to fix my program . In the second set of code in this thread my paddles dont erase themselves, why? I dont see whats wrong. If I can fix this then the flickering is gone and my paddles wont lag the program plz help and thx to everyone for helping me

[Clayton]

did you actually read my tut? you have to use Draw.Cls to clear the screen, not just draw over the items you want to move, also, you arent even getting rid of the paddles in question, resulting in the "smearing" of the paddles

[Darkmantis]

The problem is I dont want to clear the entire screen

[HellblazerX]

Then use Draw.FillBox. Just draw a white box over whatever portion of your picture you need to erase.

[Darkmantis]

Thats what I'm doing but it doesnt work when useing View.Update.

[HellblazerX]

Use View.UpdateArea. It only updates the one area you specify.

[Clayton]

the reason drawing over the objects you want to move doesnt work for you is..... you arent doing it! nowhere in your loop are you drawing over the paddles then redrawing them