Adding high score Post-It note support to older EM tables?

[DBrown67]

How easy is this to do? Is is a case of copying some code from another table that already has it? Or is it a much more complicated affair? I can edit a script with no problem, but I lack any VPX programming skills.

 

I noticed that all my EM tables have this facility except one... Miss-O which I believe was done by Hauntfreaks with help from others including BorgDog.

It's one of my fave EM tables and just lacks that little touch.  Hope I'm not asking too much.

[CactusDude]

There's a useful post at VPForums I've referred to in the past. (You can find it here: https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?app=tutorials&article=140 ).

 

It's basically adding in some code and importing a few objects & images into the table in question. The hardest part is just making sure the existing script and the post-it note code you add communicate with each other (matching variables, making the table use the post-it code at the correct times, etc.).

 

A quick tip, the VPT table that is linked in the tutorial is nice to refer to, but you can also look at EM tables that already have a functioning post-it note. It personally helps me to see a working example to better understand where the code for certain things actually has to go.

 

So, basically, it's not *too* hard. If you understand code, adding in the required objects and images should be fairly simple. If you run into any specific issues while trying, someone might be able to help. But at this point, the best I can say is to give it a shot!

[JamieP]

This was also one of the first tasks I tried with VPX code

 

I'd start with one of the EM tables where you like the look of the postit or score tape as there are several different scripts about. Some simpler than others. In the script the postit code is normally pretty well commented so should be easy for you to spot. Other than that it is mostly a copy paste task from one table to another.

 

It gets a little more complicated for ROM based games as you have to decode the score from the LEDs but there are examples in a few tables that again can be copy / pasted

[DBrown67]

Thanks for that guys. I had a go at adding a script from one of BorgDog's later tables. There are hints in the green text as to what to add in various places so I tried copying those lines over to Miss-O, but I couldn't get it to work. I know I have to import the post-it-note image.

[BorgDog]

Did you import all the letter/number images as well?

 

Some of those can be a bit tough to figure out where to put. Especially these two things as they often require a bit of rejiggering to make it work:

 

'TO SHOW THE SCORE ON POST-IT ADD LINE AT RELEVENT LOCATION THAT HAS:  UpdatePostIt
'TO INITIATE ADDING INITIALS ADD LINE AT RELEVENT LOCATION THAT HAS:  HighScoreEntryInit()

 

I went ahead and added it to Miss-O quickly, I'll send it to @HauntFreaks and he can update if he likes.

[DBrown67]

On 5/6/2021 at 4:50 PM, BorgDog said:

Did you import all the letter/number images as well?

 

Some of those can be a bit tough to figure out where to put. Especially these two things as they often require a bit of rejiggering to make it work:

 

'TO SHOW THE SCORE ON POST-IT ADD LINE AT RELEVENT LOCATION THAT HAS:  UpdatePostIt
'TO INITIATE ADDING INITIALS ADD LINE AT RELEVENT LOCATION THAT HAS:  HighScoreEntryInit()

 

I went ahead and added it to Miss-O quickly, I'll send it to @HauntFreaks and he can update if he likes.

No I didn't get those images I'm afraid. It seems to be a bit beyond my capabilities for a quick fix. I've come so far in this hobby since I started 12 months ago. This would take me more time to crack. Thanks for the time taken to update. I hope Hauntfreaks uploads it 

 

EDIT:  I just checked the download section and he's uploaded it already.  Thank you both... very much appreciated!   <^.^>

Edited May 7, 2021 by DBrown67

[Thalamus]

@DBrown67 Don't give up on learning how to edit these things yourself. It is rewarding when you set yourself a goal and manage to achieve it. If you're smart about it. Why not download both versions of Miss-O and then compare them, and use the info provided. That should make it easier to understand and re-use for other games.

[DBrown67]

6 hours ago, Thalamus said:

@DBrown67 Don't give up on learning how to edit these things yourself. It is rewarding when you set yourself a goal and manage to achieve it. If you're smart about it. Why not download both versions of Miss-O and then compare them, and use the info provided. That should make it easier to understand and re-use for other games.

 

Very good idea. I used to do some programming many years ago. Had a couple of titles released commercially for the ZX Spectrum back in the 80s (showing my age now) so I could grasp this if I put more effort in.