C# Discussion Boards - CodeProject

8-May-12 1:19

Been stuck with this for too long now and thought I ask for help. From reading a bunch of threads this seems trivial for you guys. I am not on some homework, just doing it out of self interest following a tutorial at csharpskolan.se

I do know how to make a windows form to generate a number using two numericUpDown boxes but I though I try make a dice program and pick the number of sides out of a comboBox. I have added 3 sided dice, 4 sided dice and so on using the design mode but I do not know how to put the value (1, 4) to the 3 sided dice selection for example.

Feels like I am getting stuck making the method, to call it depending on how many times I want to roll the 3 sided dice. I am going to have the output to a richTextBox.

What I am using is a comboBox(dice sides), textBox(number of times to roll), richTextBox(to diplay the value) and a button to generate it.

This is what I got after redoing it so many times.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace Dice
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            richTextBox1.Clear();
            // Initiate class
            var random = new RollDice();
            // Call method

        }
    }
    public class RollDice
    {
        public int RandomDice(Int32 numberOfSides, Int32 numberOfTimes)
        {
            Random rndGen = new Random();

            for (int i = 0; i < numberOfSides; i++);

            int randomT3;
            int randomT4;
            int randomT5;
            int randomT6;

            randomT3 = rndGen.Next(1, 4);
            randomT4 = rndGen.Next(1, 5);
            randomT5 = rndGen.Next(1, 6);
            randomT6 = rndGen.Next(1, 7);
        }
                
        
    }
}

modified 8-May-12 8:35am.

Jeremy Hutchinson8-May-12 3:01

Jeremy Hutchinson

8-May-12 3:01

Here you go.

public static int RandomDice(Int32 numberOfSides, Int32 numberOfTimes)
{
    int total = 0;

    Random rndGen = new Random();

    for (int i = 0; i < numberOfTimes; i++)
    {
        //Upperbound is exclusive so add 1 to the number of sides so we can roll highest number
        total = total + rndGen.Next(1, numberOfSides + 1);
    }
    return total;
}

My Blog[^]
Chess Tactics for WP7[^]

Angel_788-May-12 3:37

8-May-12 3:37

Thanks a bunch, now it makes sence. I have been staring myself blind at this. I added a piece of code to the random but I am unsure what it does.

Random rndGen = new Random((int)DateTime.Now.Ticks);

To keep the precision on "random"?

BobJanova8-May-12 4:38

BobJanova

8-May-12 4:38

I'm just guessing here but I think that's a seed value. And probably unnecessary since I guess the parameterless constructor does something similar anyway.

PIEBALDconsult8-May-12 3:12

8-May-12 3:12

You may want an enumeration.

private enum Dice
{
  Three = 3
,
  Four = 4
...
}

which you can then use to populate the ComboBox.

Using human readable enum values in a ComboBox[^]

Angel_788-May-12 3:50

8-May-12 3:50

I don't think I got that. I have a comboBox and added 3 sided dice, 4 sided dice etc. using, skipped the design mode and just put it into the form, the code now looks like this.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace Dice
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            comboBox1.Items.Add("3 sided die");
            comboBox1.Items.Add("4 sided die");
            comboBox1.Items.Add("5 sided die");
            comboBox1.Items.Add("6 sided die");
            comboBox1.DisplayMember = "Name";
            comboBox1.ValueMember = "Value";

        }

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            richTextBox1.Clear();
            // Initiate class
            var random = new RollDice();
            // Call method
            var dice =
            
            // Store value
            int result;
            // Call value
            result = ();
            // Numeric value to a textbox
            richTextBox1.Text = (result).ToString();
        }
    }
    public class RollDice
    {
        public static int RandomDice(Int32 numberOfSides, Int32 numberOfTimes)
        {
            int total = 0;
 
            Random rndGen = new Random((int)DateTime.Now.Ticks);
 
            for (int i = 0; i < numberOfTimes; i++)
            {
                // Upperbound is exclusive so add 1 to the number of sides
                total = total + rndGen.Next(1, numberOfSides + 1);
            }
            return total;
        }    
    }
}

I am unsure how to assign "3 sided die" the value of 3, on my button click take the selected value in the comboBox1 (numberOfSides) + (numberOfTimes) from my textBox1 and call the method.

Some code in here is incomplete, the call method part and comboBox items has 0 value

PIEBALDconsult8-May-12 18:39

8-May-12 18:39

Don't use the designer to set the values.

Angel_789-May-12 2:55

9-May-12 2:55

I did not use the designer, that first sentence looked a bit weird, remove "using". I ment I skipped the designer and made the code for the combobox in the form, the code I pasted above.

Don't really know how to do this, assign each dropdown a value, get the value depending on what is selected + the number of times of course that is typed to roll in the textBox1.

Never used a comboBox before.

modified 9-May-12 9:16am.

PIEBALDconsult9-May-12 3:20

9-May-12 3:20

Ah. Don't put string literals in the ComboBox; put enumerated values in.

Angel_789-May-12 5:53

9-May-12 5:53

Something like this?

public Form1()
{
    InitializeComponent();
    ComboBox combo = new ComboBox();
    combo.DataSource = Enum.GetValues(typeof(DiceValue));

    //comboBox1.Items.Add("3 sided die");
    //comboBox1.Items.Add("4 sided die");
    //comboBox1.Items.Add("5 sided die");
    //comboBox1.Items.Add("6 sided die");
    //comboBox1.DisplayMember = "Name";
    //comboBox1.ValueMember = "Value";
}

public enum DiceValue
{
    ("3 sided die") = 3,
    ("4 sided die") = 4,
    ("5 sided die") = 5,
    ("6 sided die") = 6,
}

Gives me an error in the enum "Identifier" expected.

Commented out my last population of the comboBox if I still need to use that. Not sure if I am on the right track here.

Then if I use a enum I need to change my button that is

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

to a private enum?

This comboBox really made me pull some hairs but you need to learn somewhere Smile | :)

PIEBALDconsult10-May-12 3:09

10-May-12 3:09

Well you can't write an enumeration that way, but that's the idea. Did you read the article I linked to?

Angel_7810-May-12 6:07

10-May-12 6:07

I'm sorry, I checked all your replys but I can't see a link. I really appreciate you trying to push me into the right direction though Smile | :)

PIEBALDconsult10-May-12 15:48

10-May-12 15:48

At the bottom of my first reply where it says Using human readable enum values in a ComboBox[^]

Angel_7811-May-12 15:57

11-May-12 15:57

Ok, reading that link you gave me I got the comboBox working but I am missing something here when I add things to my button Frown | :(

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace Dice
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            comboBox1.DataSource = Enum.GetValues(typeof(DiceValue));
        }

        public enum DiceValue
        {
            [Description("3 sided die")] Three = 3,
            [Description("3 sided die")] Four = 4,
            [Description("3 sided die")] Five = 5,
            [Description("3 sided die")] Six = 6,
        }
    public class RollDice
    {
        public static int RandomDice(Int32 numberOfSides, Int32 numberOfTimes)
        {
            int total = 0;

            Random rndGen = new Random((int)DateTime.Now.Ticks);

            for (int i = 0; i < numberOfTimes; i++)
            {
                // Upperbound is exclusive so add 1 to the number of sides
                total = total + rndGen.Next(1, numberOfSides + 1);
            }
            return total;
        }
        }

    private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        var dice = new RollDice();

        var numberOfSides = comboBox1.SelectedItem;

        var numberOfTimes = textBox1.Text;

        int result = dice(numberOfSides, numberOfTimes);

        result = (dice);

        richTextBox1.Text = (result).ToString();
    }    
    }
}

dice under my button is the problem, "is a 'variable' but used as a 'method'". I thought I could call that variable from the method above?

PIEBALDconsult12-May-12 6:23

12-May-12 6:23

Which exact line?

"Random rndGen = new Random"

Make rndGen a static field and instantiate it only once.

"(result)."

You don't need the parentheses.

Angel_7812-May-12 12:12

12-May-12 12:12

Ok so I moved my random out and made it a static but I still don't get how to call it all on my button. Complete code is

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;

namespace Dice
{
    public partial class Form1 : Form
    {
        public Form1()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
            comboBox1.DataSource = Enum.GetValues(typeof(DiceValue));
        }

        public enum DiceValue
        {
            [Description("3 sided die")] Three = 3,
            [Description("4 sided die")] Four = 4,
            [Description("5 sided die")] Five = 5,
            [Description("6 sided die")] Six = 6,
        }
    public class RollDice
    {
        public static Random rndGen = new Random((int) DateTime.Now.Ticks);
        
        public static int RandomDice(Int32 numberOfSides, Int32 numberOfTimes)
        {
            int total = 0;

            //Random rndGen = new Random((int)DateTime.Now.Ticks);

            for (int i = 0; i < numberOfTimes; i++)
            {
                // Upperbound is exclusive so add 1 to the number of sides
                total = total + rndGen.Next(1, numberOfSides + 1);
            }
            return total;
        }
        }

    private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        var dice = new RollDice();

        var numberOfSides = comboBox1.SelectedItem;

        var numberOfTimes = textBox1.Text;

        int result = dice(numberOfSides, numberOfTimes);

        richTextBox1.Text = result.ToString();
    }    
    }
}

Getting the feeling this should be easy but I just can't see it Frown | :(

PIEBALDconsult13-May-12 5:31

13-May-12 5:31

Why is RollDice a separate class?
Because RandomDice is static you call it as int result = RollDice.RandomDice(numberOfSides, numberOfTimes);

Angel_7813-May-12 10:09

13-May-12 10:09

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var numberOfSides = comboBox1.Text;

    var numberOfTimes = textBox1.Text;

    int result = RollDice.RandomDice(numberOfSides, numberOfTimes);
}

Gives me an error after the int result =

class Dice.Form1.RollDice

Error:
The best overloaded method match for 'Dice.Form1.RollDice.RandomDice(int, int)' has some invalid arguments

PIEBALDconsult13-May-12 16:34

13-May-12 16:34

Angel_78 wrote:
textBox1.Text

That's a string; you'll need to parse it. See Int32.TryParse

Or, better yet, don't use a TextBox, use a NumericUpDown.

Angel_7814-May-12 10:36

14-May-12 10:36

Ok so I changed my numberOfTimes textBox1 to a numericUpDown1 and I sort of got it to work but not the way I want it to.

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var numberOfSides = (int)comboBox1.SelectedValue;

    var numberOfTimes = (int)numericUpDown1.Value;

    int result = RollDice.RandomDice(numberOfSides, numberOfTimes);

    richTextBox1.Text = Convert.ToString(result);
}

All I get is the total random number displayed to my richTextBox1, I want it to display each roll separately.

What am I missing here?

modified 14-May-12 17:44pm.

PIEBALDconsult14-May-12 14:11