Random Procedures in App Inventor 2

[Sebastian Pichler]

Hey guys!

I just can't figure out how to create a code where I have multiple procedures and i want a random one to start working.

My biggest issue is that I can't create a list filled with "call procedure"- commands.

Thanks in advance!

[Abraham Getzler]

You could create Clock components to execute each different procedure,

all of them disabled non-repeating, and make a list of them at

run time.

Then pick a random list item from that list, and use an Any Clock block

to enable that Clock.

At the end of each Clock.Timer event, disable that Clock

to ready it for the next time.

The Any Blocks are in a separate branch of the Blocks Editor

palette.

ABG

[Sebastian Pichler]

But that would be about 500 clocks....do you know if the AI can handle that?

[SteveJG]

There are certainly other ways but you can try using nested conditional statements  ...chapter 18 in the Inventor's Manual. for a very 

simple method provide you do not have hundreds of Procedures.

We want you to have fun with App Inventor so here are some resources to help you learn to use the AI2 tools  A very good way to learn App Inventor is to read the free Inventor's Manual here in the AI2 free online eBook   http://www.appinventor.org/book2 ... the links are at the bottom of the Web page.  The book 'teaches' users how to program with AI2 blocks.

There is a free programming course here http://www.appinventor.org/content/CourseInABox/Intro  and the aia files for the projects in the book are here:  http://www.appinventor.org/bookFiles  

How to do a lot of basic things with App Inventor are described here:  http://www.appinventor.org/content/howDoYou/eventHandling  .

Regards,

Steve

[Taifun]

I have multiple procedures and i want a random one to start working

what is the difference in these procedures? can you provide some examples of 2 or 3 example procedures?

Taifun

[Sebastian Pichler]

I do have hundreds of procedures...but if there is no better solution I might have to deal with this one, thanks:)

[Abraham Getzler]

You are confusing procedures with data.

Learn to work with files and lists, along with procedure parameters.

otherwise you will soon paint yourself into a corner.

Here is an example of a table-driven app ...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S8eZBKBvtFzafH51a3bKnw_iBVHRnjHaEY1Zbjzscb0/edit?usp=sharing

ABG

[Sebastian Pichler]

I The procedures only include messages.

For example:

One precedure:

Hello.

(wait 3 sec)

How are you?

Another procedure:

Hey:)

(wait 2 sec)

How are you doing?

Just to give you an idea:) So i have multiple messages that need to be together and with a delay. 

[Taifun]

One precedure:
Hello.
(wait 3 sec)
How are you?
Another procedure:
Hey:)
(wait 2 sec)
How are you doing?

which could easily made in only one procedure like this:

pick a random list item from a greetings list and display it

wait a random number of seconds

pick a random list item from a questions list and display it

How to pick a random item from a list without picking duplicates?

Why is a wait procedure generally a bad idea?

Please Wait method by Scott

Taifun

[Sebastian Pichler]

Yes, but this was just an example. What if one special greeting needs a special Question?

[Abraham Getzler]

Yes, but this was just an example. What if one special greeting needs a special Question?

It's still just data, only it needs a bit more structure  to it.

Here's another example, structuring a 20 Questions type

of dialog ...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ra-jP4pMSdcXLQ1TFcJseF8zsA5nYTEhmdhJ7QSEo8M/edit?usp=sharing

ABG

[Abraham Getzler]

Regarding your waiting requirements, 

you can encode your delay amounts along with the test fragments, in a two column

tabular file, delimited by commas, with the text in column 1,

and the post-delay amount (seconds) in column 2.

Or you could change the Clock Timer delay between announcements

based on the text length of the pronouncements.

See the attached sample for Clock driven output.

ABG

[Sebastian Pichler]

Okay, thank you so much for your effort!

I guess I need to improve my knowledge about AI a little bit more but now I think I can do this:)

[Abraham Getzler]

For a multi-column table example with speech,

see this sample ...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zQt7H_bsXX0Y0zmwQ1wIEESyH1YyWyYbE1HR2KYW0CI/edit?usp=sharing

ABG