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mental · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 8:49 pm Post subject: Help with the external command

Hi, first post and am a newb to VDS so bear with me please.

I have bought VDS5 and downloaded some dlls to use with it. I use the EXTERNAL command to include them in my script at the start of the program but when I try using the added functions provided by them I get told the commands or functions are un recognised.

I tried in particular the string.dll which adds some nice string functions. However even running the script included with it doesn`t work, giving the same errors.

The dll is called string.dll and is in my C:\automake\dlls folder and I was hoping someone would reply with the correct EXTERNAL command to include the dll as I have followed the files as far as I know and would appreciate seeing if I have missed something. As I understand it you should be able to do EXTERNAL C:\AUTOMAKE\DLLS\String.dll but being newbie I am possibly screwing it up somehow.

Love VDS - have had one problem with it, I`ll probably post another seperate post about that sometime if I still can`t figure out an answer.

Anyway, thanks for any help Smile

vdsalchemist · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 11:08 pm Post subject:

Hi Mental,
Welcome to VDS Smile

You have to use the #define directive to define the commands and functions for VDS5 to reconize which command and function your script uses.
You can get more information about the pre-compile directives that VDS5 uses from the help file.

mental · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:41 pm Post subject:

The documentation for the dll, as with others I have seen, just say that you use the EXTERNAL command and all the example scripts just used that so I assumed that was all I needed to add.

I have tried defining the commands but still it says INVALID COMMAND or INVALID FUNCTION which is puzzling me. it also does it with every dll no matter where I put the dll and associated files.

Clearly it is something simple but I cannot see what. I`ve followed the help files but as far as I can tell it should be fine. An example is the dll called MT.DLL which I also tried.

It has a command called
MT ScreenSaver
so I have the code:

EXTERNAL C:\automake\dlls\MT.dll
#DEFINE COMMAND MT ScreenSaver

and later the command called:

MT ScreenSaver,TimeOut,300

But still get the same errors. I think maybe I am not loading in the dll`s properly but can`t find out quite what I need to do to correct it.

The language is great though, switched over to this from FBSL. It`s suprising, the more I browse the forums the more I realise just what VDS can do Smile

I shall browse some more and see if I`m messing up the #DEFINE part now. It must be user error somehow as it works for everyone else Embarassed

SnarlingSheep · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:53 pm Post subject:

You would just use: #DEFINE COMMAND MT
MT is the command, ScreenSaver is a param sent to it.

Also the MT DLL was around before VDS 5, which is the first VDS version to need the #DEFINE's, because of the way it works now.
The DLL's you are using may not have VDS 5 examples.

mental · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:17 pm Post subject:

Thankyou both for helping Smile

Finally got dlls working, I read some other posts and tried a few examples which still failed but then realised that, newb as I am, I appear to have been defining commands instead of functions and vice versa but without the help given I`d have took ages figuring it out.

I really appreciate the help given, I can`t believe I made a real simple mistake like that Embarassed

SnarlingSheep · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject:

vtol · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 5:55 pm Post subject:

mental · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 9:17 pm Post subject:

I thought I was in a league of my own Wink

It does bug me (no pun intended) when it takes me a while to figure something out, usually I find the answer is something really simple and I spend so much time looking for a complex solution that I ignore the obvious!

SnarlingSheep · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 2:01 am Post subject:

mental · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:43 pm Post subject:

Doh!

I used to program in BASIC back when I was a kid and the ZX spectrum and C64 were out, learnt a bit of C++ but couldn`t get the hang of that but VDS is a lot easier for me Smile

I like video work so am using it to make an automated dvd creator then hopefully will be able to make a hdtv dvd creator!

vtol · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:00 am Post subject:

I kinda miss the ol' Commedore 64 Smile

Serge · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:06 am Post subject:

vtol · Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:15 am Post subject:

For 64k RAM the games even seemed better than comps now in relationship of speed ratio - etc..

Oh my favorite game was boulderdash Laughing

I still have my old programming on them old 5.25 floppys around here somewhere.

mental · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2005 12:10 am Post subject:

The C64 was great, and the Amiga. I still like some of the "classic" games like Bubble Bubble and Bombjack Smile