AMAL animation string

[Predseda]

My program starts like this:

Setting up the screen and then:

Channel 3 to Bob 3
Shared A,B,C,D,E,F
A=Rnd(200): B=Rnd(100)
Set Bob 1,,,
Set Bob 2,,,
Set Bob 3,,,
Bob 1,A,B,1

Here Bob 1 is displayed on the random position on the screen.
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Then I have some condition inside the loop for a procedure, that is called when LMB is pressed

Do
If Mouse Key=1 Then MOVEMENT
Loop

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Now the program jumps to execute a procedure. Procedure looks like this:

Procedure MOVEMENT
C=X Mouse-128
D=Y Mouse-42
E=C-A
F=B-D
Bob 3, A, B, 2

(At this moment Bob 3 is displayed on the position of Bob 1. I would like it move to the position of the mouse cursor when I clicked LMB. Mouse position at this moment is C,D and the distance of the Bob 3 from the C,D is E horizontally, F vertically)

A$="S: Move E,F,100; Jump S"
Amal 3, A$
Amal On 3
End Proc

And now my problem. When I click LMB, Bob 3 is displayed where it should be, but the program is terminated with

Syntax Error in animation string
Amal 3, A$

My opinion is that Move in animation string doesn't accept variable values E,F and expects numbers instead. It works when I put some numerical constants instead of letters there, for example Move 50,30,100. What can I do?

[Epo]

It doesn't work that way, you can't use AMOS variable with AMAL just like that. In order to use it in AMAL you have to use Amreg command to 'pass' it there (or read from). Please read in the doc or look for an exaple code because it's not that simply as BASIC syntax.

Update: Alright, I wasn't going to do it because I'm moving to a new apartment and I don't have much time now but... it was a challenge I often take up ;-). Firstly, your solution simply can not work because you mistake X and Y coordinates with how many pixels command Move should move a Bob. What's more, Move will not move a Bob to a position you think, it will move it by X and Y pixels adding to its actual position. For example if a Bob is on X=300, Y=100 and you send to AMAL "Move X=(your X Mouse coordinates), Y=(your Y Mouse coordinates) it will add to 300 the value of your X Mouse and will do the same with Y. Simply your Bob will fly out of the screen in opposite to your desire direction.

Here is the working code (you may adapt it to your needs):

Curs Off 
Channel 3 To Bob 3

X=160 : Y=100
Bob 3,X,Y,2
Amreg(Asc("X")-65)=X : Rem // Pass the starting coordinate X to the Register X
Amreg(Asc("Y")-65)=Y : Rem // Pass the starting coordinate Y to the Register Y

Do 
   If Mouse Key=1 Then MOVEMENT
Loop 

Procedure MOVEMENT

   DESTX=X Mouse-128 : Rem       // Read the value where the mouse X clicked
   DESTY=Y Mouse-50 : Rem        // Read the value where the mouse Y clicked 
   ACTX=Amreg(Asc("X")-65) : Rem // Read the actual Bob position X
   ACTY=Amreg(Asc("Y")-65) : Rem // Read the actual Bob position Y

   XDIST=DESTX-ACTX : Rem        // Take the X distance between actual Bob coordinates and the destination 
   YDIST=DESTY-ACTY : Rem        // Take the Y distance between actual Bob coordinates and the destination 
   R#=Sqr(XDIST^2+YDIST^2) : Rem // Callculate stright line 

   For I=1 To R#

      '// You have to handle division by 0 in RX/RY by your own  
      RX=ACTX+(I/R#)*(XDIST) : Rem // Calculate next step X 
      RY=ACTY+(I/R#)*(YDIST) : Rem // Calculate next step Y 
      Amreg(Asc("X")-65)=RX : Rem  // Pass it to the Register X
      Amreg(Asc("Y")-65)=RY : Rem  // Pass it to the Register Y

      A$="Let X=RX; Let Y=RY"

      Amal 3,A$
      Amal On 3

      X=Amreg(Asc("X")-65)
      Y=Amreg(Asc("Y")-65)
      Locate 0,1 : Print "            "
      Locate 0,1 : Print X,Y

      Wait Vbl 

   Next I

   '// Because we operate on decimals the final coordinates are not always..
   '// ..the same as of the mouse click (DESTX, DESTY). In order to make..
   '// ..sure we get the Bob on its right position we send only once the..
   '// ..final coordinates (Rem those lines and click a destination and.. 
   '// ..do NOT move the mouse pointer to see what I mean)
   Amreg(Asc("X")-65)=DESTX : Rem // Pass the original mouse X value to the Register X   
   Amreg(Asc("Y")-65)=DESTY : Rem // Pass the original mouse X value to the Register Y   
   A$="Let X=RX; Let Y=RY"
   Amal 3,A$
   Amal On 3

End Proc

[Predseda]

No, I can't get it. There is an example for Amreg in AMOS Help, but it uses that for maintenance the speed of the game. I just want to read mouse coords to a variable and use it as a target point for a bob to move to. A routine where bob follows the clicked point on the screen. Seems AmReg is somehow able to gather the coords and store them in RA-RZ (R0-R25) register (variable)?

Like

Amreg(RA)=XM

?

EDIT:
A partial success. I adjusted my procedure to look as this:

Procedure MOVEMENT
Amreg(RB)=Y Mouse-42-B
Amreg(RA)=X Mouse-128-A
Bob 3,A,B,3
A$="S: Move RA,RB,100; Pause;"
Amal 3, A$
Amal On 3
End Proc

Bob now goes to coords of the mouse click and stops there, but only horizontally. Vertically it keeps its position. When I list RA and RB, both have the same values: RA, which is horizontal difference between Bob starting point and the pixel clicked (which is correct for X-movement, but what should I do to get RB, that would move Bob vertically?)

[Amiten]

Hi predseda , insert the Mouse Coordinates in the main Loop then you get what you are looking for the Amreg's need to be looped(udpdate) inside ThE Amal or outside but update al the time if you want to get the right coordinates of the mouse

[Amiten]

but I dont understand really what you want to do ... but here the way you need to use the Amal to make a object position are in the X & Y of the mouse when we press key and maybe is not what you are looking for, if you explain me better your Idea may I can help you , regards

Get Sprite Palette
Cls 0
Global A,B
A=Rnd(200) : B=Rnd(100)
Bob 1,A,B,1
Procedure MOVEMENT
Amreg(0)=X Mouse-128
Amreg(1)=Y Mouse-42
A$="A:Move RA,RB,100;Pause;"
Bob 3,Amreg(0),Amreg(1),2
Amal 3,A$
Amal On 3
End Proc
Do
If Mouse Key=1 Then MOVEMENT
Loop

this example red square are bob 1 and white bob 3

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NJ...dcTMh2IXpdc-CY


Example source code: https://drive.google.com/open?id=19f...JKqcDJTzxGkWsZ

[Epo]

Look at post #2. I provided a solution.

[Predseda]

Thank you guys. I am just examining your examples. It still doesnt do exactly what I want, but I am sure I will learn something from you and finally get into it. I will let you know.

EDIT: GOT IT!
I altered my original procedure from what you both suggested and now it looks like this:

Procedure MOVEMENT
Amreg(0)=X Mouse-128-A
Amreg(1)=Y Mouse-42-B
Bob 3,A,B,3
A$="S: RA, RB, 100; Pause;"
Amal 3,A$
Amal On 3
End Proc

It now does exactly what I wanted. Thank you Epo for pointing me to the Amreg command, that I didnt know and thank you Johnnny for getting me an idea how to use it.

[volvo_0ne]

Of course ..

If you are defining an animation string from basic at each turn, you could do ...

a$="Move "+str$(xmoves)+","+str$(ymoves)+","+str$(totalsteps)+"anything else"

where xmoves,ymoves & totalsteps are standard basic variables at runtime

Not ideal but it's easier to grasp (a bit like a virtual compiler)

Also, if you are using AMAL registers take a look at AMREG (channel,register) in the manual as these variables are local to the routine rather than the whole AMAL system.


In short, treat each AMAL channel as a self contained mini program UNLESS you need to share information between channels, only then use the global registers


One other thing....

In the examples above, what would happen if the mouse button was clicked again before the Move instruction had completed?

I assume it would re-calculate all the co-ordinates and try again, which would seem very slow (unless that is the idea)

Otherwise I'd suggest looking at the AU (AUtotest) function in AMAL