This is actually a followup to a previous posting about the use of randomization/rnd() used to place mines in an array for minesweeper.  I was able to insert a dowhile loop which limits the placement to 10, but after a few game plays you get an error due to the array exceeding its limits/boundary.

I think I need to clear it out and how can I do this and will I clear it at the beginning of the mineplacement procedure
Im a novice at this language to bear with me.

Also looking for a good approach to track best score/time and player in a file for game winners??  Any good ideas on how to go about this?? I have a timer which displays time so could write this to the file and can use a dialog box to get the players name.  The big question is the sorting of best score ea. time.  Only need to keep the file for the term of the game session till exit the game.

Thanks for any tips or information

Mp

1)
ReDim arrayname(x) ' where x is any number, it'll erase all contents
'ReDim Preserve arrayname(x), Preserve keeps all values previously entered
- or -
Erase arrayname()

2) (scores)
easiest: text file
next easiest: registry or ini file
easiest for sorting: Access DB

as far as sorting, in a database, just run a query. For a text file or registry type of entries, any method would work, including storing the scores and names into a list box, with a sorted property=true.

Hello,

This is my MineSweep Example...Hope you like it...

Create a Form with a little PictureBox Control Named pctCell and index it (0)

Add this code to the form:

Option Explicit Dim XMaze As Long Dim YMaze As Long Dim Bomb As Long Dim CellsLeft As Long Private Sub InitMaze()     Dim i As Integer     Dim x As Long     Randomize Timer     For i = 0 To XMaze * YMaze - 1         With pctCell(i)             If .BorderStyle = 0 Then                 .BorderStyle = 1                 .Cls                 .Tag = ""             End If             If .BackColor <> vb3DLight Then                 .BackColor = vb3DLight             End If             .ZOrder 0         End With     Next     For i = 1 To Bomb         Do             x = CInt(Rnd * XMaze * YMaze)         Loop Until pctCell(x).Tag = ""         pctCell(x).Tag = "B"     Next     CellsLeft = (XMaze * YMaze) - Bomb End Sub Private Sub Form_Load()     Dim i As Integer     pctCell(0).AutoRedraw = True     pctCell(0).Font = "Verdana"     pctCell(0).FontSize = 8     pctCell(0).FontBold = True     XMaze = 15     YMaze = 15     Bomb = 45     For i = 1 To XMaze * YMaze - 1         Load pctCell(i)         pctCell(i).Move pctCell(0).Left + pctCell(0).Width * (i Mod XMaze), pctCell(0).Top + pctCell(0).Height * (i  XMaze), pctCell(0).Width, pctCell(0).Height         pctCell(i).Visible = True     Next     InitMaze End Sub Private Sub BombCount(ByVal Index As Long)     Dim x As Integer     Dim y As Integer     Dim Count As Integer          Count = 0     pctCell(Index).Tag = "X"     For x = (Index Mod XMaze) - 1 To (Index Mod XMaze) + 1         For y = (Index  XMaze) - 1 To (Index  XMaze) + 1             If x >= 0 And y >= 0 And x < XMaze And y < YMaze Then                 If pctCell(x + y * XMaze).Tag = "B" Then                     Count = Count + 1                 End If             End If         Next     Next     If Count = 0 Then         For x = (Index Mod XMaze) - 1 To (Index Mod XMaze) + 1             For y = (Index  XMaze) - 1 To (Index  XMaze) + 1                 If x >= 0 And y >= 0 And x < XMaze And y < YMaze Then                     If pctCell(x + y * XMaze).Tag = "" And pctCell(x + y * XMaze).BorderStyle = 1 Then                         BombCount x + y * XMaze                     End If                 End If             Next         Next     End If     pctCell(Index).ZOrder 1     pctCell(Index).BorderStyle = 0     pctCell(Index).BackColor = vb3DLight     If Count > 0 Then         pctCell(Index).CurrentX = 0         pctCell(Index).CurrentY = 0         pctCell(Index).ForeColor = QBColor(Count)         pctCell(Index).Print Count     End If     CellsLeft = CellsLeft - 1     If CellsLeft = 0 Then         ShowMaze         MsgBox "You Win!", vbInformation, "You Win"         InitMaze     End If End Sub Private Sub ClearXTag()     Dim i As Integer          For i = 0 To XMaze * YMaze - 1         If pctCell(i).Tag = "X" Then pctCell(i).Tag = ""     Next End Sub Private Sub ShowMaze()     Dim i As Integer          For i = 0 To XMaze * YMaze - 1         If pctCell(i).Tag = "B" Then             pctCell(i).BackColor = vbYellow             pctCell(i).BorderStyle = 0             pctCell(i).ForeColor = vbRed             pctCell(i).CurrentX = 0             pctCell(i).CurrentY = 0             pctCell(i).Print "B"         End If     Next End Sub Private Sub pctCell_MouseUp(Index As Integer, Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, x As Single, y As Single)     If pctCell(Index).BorderStyle = 1 Then         If Button = vbLeftButton Then             If pctCell(Index).Tag = "B" Then                 pctCell(Index).BackColor = vbYellow                 pctCell(Index).BorderStyle = 0                 pctCell(Index).ForeColor = vbRed                 pctCell(Index).CurrentX = 0                 pctCell(Index).CurrentY = 0                 pctCell(Index).Print "B"                 ShowMaze                 MsgBox "Bomb!", vbCritical, "Bomb"                 InitMaze             Else                 BombCount Index                 ClearXTag             End If         ElseIf Button = vbRightButton Then             If pctCell(Index).BackColor = vb3DLight Then                 pctCell(Index).BackColor = vbRed             ElseIf pctCell(Index).BackColor = vbRed Then                 pctCell(Index).BackColor = vbBlue             Else                 pctCell(Index).BackColor = vb3DLight             End If         End If     End If End Sub

Enjoy with it!!

Have a nice day!

____________________________
AndreaVB

Hello,

If you like, once your game is finished, I can post it in my AndreaVB's games section...

...if you want it to be open source...

good luck, anyway...    

____________________________
AndreaVB

Thanks to all for giving me some direction!!

Im a grad student, actually from biology/microbiology doing a cross into
computer sciences!!  & mangmt.  Worked 10 plus years in healthcare/pharmaceutical/biotech industry and wanted to take the cross into computers as worked with them so much anyway.

Lot of extra time since Im having to take all the undergrad and grad level at the same time!!

Appreciate all of your help and guidance on these problems.

MP