RE: FLASH: Random Questions Without Repeating

[Damien Morton]

The trick is to use a string as a list, with each character in the string

representing one question, and removing that character from the string after

the question is asked. By picking a character position at random, and then

removing the charactre from that position, you are assured of never

repeating the same question twice.



question_A = "what is the flight velocity of a sparrow?"

question_B = "what is the areal size of equador?"

question_C = "what is your favorite colour?"

...

question_Z = "is this the last question?"

questions = "ABCD...Z"


loop while (length(questions) > 0)

	// pick a random position in the list

	r = random(length(questions))+1

	// figure out which question code is represented at that position in the

list/string

	q = substring(questions, r, 1)

	// get the question string corresponding to the question code

	current_question = eval("question_" & q)

	// do the asking thing

	call "ask_the_question"

	// remove the question from the list/string of available questions

	questions = substring(questions, 1, r-1) & substring(questions, r+1, 999)



If you have a lot of questions, ie. more than there are chracters and

numbers, then you can use pairs or triples of characters in a string. The

math for this is a little more tricky - let me have a go at it....


question_001 = "what is the flight velocity of a sparrow?"

question_002 = "what is the areal size of equador?"

question_003 = "what is your favorite colour?"

...

question_999 = "is this the last question?"

questions = "001002003004005...997998999"


loop while (length(questions) > 0)

	// pick a random position in the list - note: each group of 3 characters is

one position

	r = (random(length(questions)/3)*3)+1

	// figure out which question code is represented at that position in the

list/string

	q = substring(questions, r, 1)

	// get the question string corresponding to the question code

	current_question = eval("question_" & q)

	// do the asking thing

	call "ask_the_question"

	// remove the question from the list/string of available questions

	questions = substring(questions, 1, r-1) & substring(questions, r+3, 999)




> -----Original Message-----

>

From: ownerchinwag [dot] com [ownerchinwag [dot] com]On">mailto:ownerchinwag [dot] com]On Behalf Of Paul

> Steven

> Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 2:39 PM

>

To: flasherchinwag [dot] com

> Subject: FLASH: Random Questions Without Repeating

>

>

> Hi all

>

> I am making a quiz where there are 30 questions. I want to

> randomly choose a

> question and ask it then remove it from the question pool. I normally have

> no problem doing this sort of stuff in Director - I simply create

> a list of

> the question numbers and remove the question number from the list after

> asking the question - but I can't figure out how do do it in Flash - am I

> being really dumb?! The only way I can think of is have 30 variables i.e

> Question1_Asked=False, Question2_Asked=False etc and set the

> boolean to True

> if asked.

>

> Anyone suggest a better way please.

>

> Thanks In Advance

>

> Paul

>

>

> flasher is generously supported by...

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>      flashforward2000 and the Flash(tm) Film Festival

>  July 24-26, 2000, NEW YORK CITY, Hammerstein Ballroom

>                   www.flashforward2000.com

>    Produced by United Digital Artists and lynda.com

>  Sponsored by Macromedia, Adobe Systems, Fusion, Inc, AtomFilms,

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>



flasher is generously supported by...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     flashforward2000 and the Flash(tm) Film Festival

 July 24-26, 2000, NEW YORK CITY, Hammerstein Ballroom

                  www.flashforward2000.com

   Produced by United Digital Artists and lynda.com

 Sponsored by Macromedia, Adobe Systems, Fusion, Inc, AtomFilms,

           shockwave.com and Electric Rain.

 1.877.4.FLASH.4  or (1.805.640.6679 outside the US and Canada)

 Register before June 30 and save $200!!-- www.flashforward2000.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

helpchinwag [dot] com