Thread: File I/O with arrays

...well, in just a few short lines you've pretty much done what it's taken me nearly 500 to do. Currently, all my location-relevant things are tied up in one class - like so

Code:

class location
{
public:
location();                  //constructor
~location();                 //deconstructor
void set_terrain(int x, int y, int terrtype);  //sets the terrain type at location x,y to type terrtype
void set_itemno(int x, int y, int number);   //sets the number of items at location x,y
void set_item(int x, int y, int stack); //sets the item type at location x,y in part 'stack' of the pile there
void set_monst(int x, int y);   //sets any monsters at location  x,y
void set_build(int x, int y);   //sets any buildings at location x,y
void set_char(int x, int y);    //sets the character at position x,y
void printloc(int x1, int y1, int x, int y);  //prints location x1,y1 at cursor location x,y
int checkpass(int x, int y);    //checks if there is a wall/door at location x,y
void set_move(char x);          //moves the character in direction x (78946123 inputs)
int set_closedoor(char x);      //closes a door in direction x (78946123 inputs)
int fileread(char filename[50]); //reads a file from file 'filename'
int terrain[600][600];
int itemno[600][600];
int item[600][600][5];
int monst[600][600];
int build[600][600];
};

At the moment, there's an overlay of 4 other maps containing information about items, monsters, buildings (I'm not quite sure where I'm going with that one), etc. I'm thinking of making a global array and defining types via enum - something like

Code:

enum{ TERRAIN,
            ITEM,
            MONST,
            TYPES}

int map [600][600][TYPES];

Which would make things a lot easier.... Your movement code is so simple. Mine involves checking for keypress, then turning the keypress into a direction, then checking if there's anything in that direction, then moving or not moving. However, what makes it a lot more complex is that not all of the map is displayed on the screen - as you can see, there's the possibility for a map of up to 600x600 tiles (which I'll probably figure out a little better in the future when I get an idea for what a standard map size should be), but the map display will only be 100x30 (if I can ever figure out how to lock the console into those proportions), so I have to deal with four variables, the displayed x and y, and the actual x and y. Still, at the moment I can read a map and run around bumping into things and opening and closing doors. No time, monsters, or objects yet, but first I need to figure out a scrolling method and a look command, and maybe a save command too.

The thing about using a vector of strings is that while your method can have a map of 600x600 tiles mine can have a map of ... what's the value of n_pos again ... it's pretty big regardless? And what's even better about it is that the whole file io is so easy with strings. You don't have to set the max of anything! You could also pretty easily make it so that (with the strings), that the print() function will print only a grid of a custom display size, copying a section of the map to a temp vector of strings section, then printing that instead of the full one. Also, it should be pretty easy to change that display size every x movements accross, say 10 or 20 from the center so that the map isn't moving all the time, up down, or the other across. Aside - If you want the ability to go diagonally, I'd recommend using the num pad as opposed to the direction one.

I like the look of this map project. I may do something further with the code that I wrote last night (surprisingly productive for 4 AM!), but not for a day or so.