asked on

Drawing an oval and making it smaller with code

I want to create a falling down (or up) tunnel effect.

I want to have a form with about 20 ovals on it .
The first oval starting from the size of a dot, with each of the other ovels getting bigger with the last ovel filling the screen.

I then want some code under a command button that will make the ovals get smaller until they are just a dot at the center of the form. I also need create new outer ovals to take the place of each oval that disapears creating a continous falling effect.

I have provided some code that will demonstrate the type of effect I'm after using a shape control

Place two oval shape controls on a form one bigger than the other and put the following code under a command botton

Private Sub Command1_Click()
For x = 1 To 6000
Shape1.Height = Shape1.Height - 1
Shape1.Width = Shape1.Width - 1
Shape2.Height = Shape2.Height - 1
Shape2.Width = Shape2.Width - 1
Next x
End Sub

craigewens

This sounds like a fun question to play with, but i really just dont have the time at the moment.
What you might like to investigate with though is the use of control arrays.
Generate your initial shape then copy + paste it. you'll be given the option of creating a control array of that object. You should select yes, you can then use code like this to reduce each object one at a time...

[code]
For x = 1780 To 0 Step -1 'Initial size of my object was 1780
For y = 0 To 19 ' I have 20 ovals that i wish to reduce within my control array
Shape1(y).Height = Shape1(y).Height - 1
Next i
Next x
[/code]

Hope this is of some help.
Craig.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

craigewens

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

jimbobmcgee

As craigewans suggests, a control array is the best method.

Instead of creating 20 Shape objects (Shape1, Shape2, Shape3, etc) create a Shape object (shpOval) and set its Index property to 0. Now create another Shape object (also called shpOval) and set its Index to 1. Do the same for 2 to 21 and set them up with the initial sizes that you want. You should now have 21 Shape objects (shpOval(0), shpOval(1), shpOval(2), etc.)

Now set shpOval(0) to be the biggest shape that you want and set it's Visible property to False (this is your template shape).

Add a command button (btnStartStop) and paste the following code into your Form:

Private Const gc_nShrink As Long = 10
Private Const gc_nDelay As Long = 100

Private g_bIsRunning As Boolean

Sub TunnelEffectLoop()

Dim nShape As Long
Dim nDelay As Long

Do

If g_bIsRunning And nDelay = gc_nDelay Then

nDelay = 0

For nShape = 1 To UBound(shpOval())

With shpOval(nShape)

If .Height > gc_nShrink And .Width > gc_nShrink Then
'SHRINK OVALS BY DESIRED AMOUNT
.Height = .Height - gc_nShrink
.Width = .Width - gc_nShrink
.Top = .Top + (gc_nShrink / 2)
.Left = .Left + (gc_nShrink / 2)
Else
'RESET OVAL TO TEMPLATE SIZE
.Height = shpOval(0).Height
.Width = shpOval(0).Width
.Top = shpOval(0).Top
.Left = shpOval(0).Left
End If

End With

Next nShape

End If

nDelay = nDelay + 1
DoEvents 'ALLOW WINDOWS TO PROCESS ANY MESSAGES

Loop

End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
TunnelEffectLoop() 'START EFFECT CHECK
End Sub

Private Sub btnStartStop_Click()

'TOGGLE EFFECT ON/OFF
If g_bIsRunning Then
btnStartStop.Caption = "Start"
g_bIsRunning = False
Else
btnStartStop.Caption = "Stop"
g_bIsRunning = True
End If

End Sub

Run the program and click the button. It should start to cycle and recycle the ovals. You should also be able to click the button again to stop it.

Fiddle with the values of gc_nDelay and gc_nShrink to affect the speed/magnitude of the effect...

HTH

J.

jimbobmcgee

One small amendment; change the following:

nDelay = nDelay + 1

to:

If g_bIsRunning Then nDelay = nDelay + 1

Rgds.

J.

backflash

ASKER

Sorry about the delay in following up on your answers.

School Hollidays and a computer crash saw me out of action for a little while. (Dam I wish I was rich)

craigewens I got your little demo working ok

jimbob I couldn't get your code to work.
have you tried it out and had it working? (not a critisism, it just the I'm not an advanced user Your code looke ok on the serface so perhaps I haven't transferred the code into my program properly)

kind regards

backflash

backflash

ASKER

Thanks for the help people

Much appreciated

backflash