picturebox.print Variable gives a new line

It works perfectly, but (for an A) can you tell me WHY this makes a difference?

Here is a redesigned version of the code:

Private Sub PrintLine(Text)
   Dim lngPos As Long
   Dim NextWord As String
   Dim lngLastPos As Long
   
   lngLastPos = 1
   lngPos = InStr(1, Text, Chr$(32))
   
   While lngPos > 0 'While there is a space
       NextWord = Left(Text, lngPos)
       If (CurrentX + TextWidth(NextWord)) > ScaleWidth Then
          NextWord = Left(Text, lngLastPos)
          Print NextWord
         
          Text = Mid(Text, lngLastPos)
          lngLastPos = 1
          lngPos = InStr(1, Text, Chr$(32))
       Else
          lngLastPos = lngPos
          lngPos = InStr(lngPos + 1, Text, Chr$(32))
       End If
  Wend
   
  If (CurrentX + TextWidth(Text)) > ScaleWidth Then
     NextWord = Left(Text, lngLastPos)
     Print NextWord
     Text = Mid(Text, lngLastPos)
  End If
       
   Print Text
End Sub

CHeers

To answer your question (but points above) the semicolon at the end of the print command is a "newline suppressor" character.  This dates back to the old print command which is part of the original BASIC language created in 1964.

BTW, printing to pictureboxes may not be supported in VB.Net.

Thanks, it now works and I have one more item on my list of "Things that annoy me about BASIC and Microsoft".

Well, this feature is not a Microsoft issue.  And although it is part of BASIC, I'm curious how *you* would address this problem from a design perspective...there are many alternatives, but I haven't really found any that are better; just different.

I'd use a new line character, add something to add a new line rather then add something to remove a new line.

>add a new line rather then add something to remove a new line.

That's fine for non-printed things, but I think that the original problem was that basic was run on teletypes, and if you didn't have the newline character, it just kept printing at the right margin and you'd eventually end up with a whole in the paper where the pritn head kept printing.

The answer, according to the BASIC group was, "let's keep it simply and default it to go to a new line whenever a line ends."  In other words, if you don't ask it to stay on the same line, you must want the next line, which is reinforced by the fact that you didn't put more text on the line with the print.

For example, should you put your address like this:

print John Smithson
print 123 Evergreen Rd.
print Smalltown, WZ

or should you do this

print John Smithson (next line)
print 123 Evergreen Rd. (next line)
print Smalltown, WZ (next line)

?

--
The problem you're having is the opposite, that you want the next line to be part of the same line, so the BASIC people felt that you should tell it that:

print firstword (same line)
print secondword (same line)
print thirdword (same line)

which becomes:

print "firstword";
print "secondword";
print "thirdword";

--
I see it as a 50-50 deal.  Either you think it's better to do a new line unless told otherwise, or you think it only do a new line when told.

It's kind of like using Do While versus Do Until.  Which should you use, if you were only ever allowed to use one?  The ansswer is probably use the one that's simplest most of the time for your own needs.

So maybe print shoudl be replaced with two new commands:

* PrintWithNewLine
* PrintWithoutNewLine

Now it becomes clear which one to use for your needs.  Hmmm...why didn't I think of that sooner?

rspahitz,

Thanks for filling in the explanation.  It is surprising how little is known about the origins of the BASIC langauge (especially when one tends to take this for granted).  And then perhaps not so surprising when you think that 90% (my guess) of VB programmers were not even born when BASIC was first "invented".  Even fewer know that not even Microsoft was around then (Gates would have been about 10 years old at the time), let alone know where or who created BASIC or what it stand for, for that matter.

This may explain the lack of understanding (and tolerance) at some of its quirks in the syntax.  Of course all of this is history in VB.NET ...

Anthony