do something for 10 seconds

I am trying to make the wheels rotate for 10 seconds AND SHOW THE ROTATION... I have this code.

If KeyHit(208)=True Then ; ########   WHACK THE DOWNARROW

jumbo = MilliSecs()
	For turnage = 1 To 10000
		If jumbo = MilliSecs()+1000 Then
			wheel1=Rnd(0,9)
			wheel2=Rnd(0,9)
			wheel3=Rnd(0,9)
			wheel4=Rnd(0,9)
	RotateEntity mesh,pit(wheel1),rol(wheel1),ya(wheel1)
	RotateEntity mesh2,pit(wheel2),rol(wheel2),ya(wheel2)
	RotateEntity mesh3,pit(wheel3),rol(wheel3),ya(wheel3)
	RotateEntity mesh4,pit(wheel4),rol(wheel4),ya(wheel4)
		EndIf
		jumbo=jumbo+1000
	Next

EndIf 

BUT nothing shows... I have an radeon 7000 so I know the card is not too fast... why does this not look like what happens when I do a keydown(57) and jsut random...

You're using RotateEntity instead of TurnEntity.

yeah... to set the numbers on the wheel on screen. Have to to track them.

{{EDIT}} I changed it to turnentity and still just jumped to the final set of numbers.

I can't get it.

You need to post more code. Also, this condition will always be false in that code:

If jumbo = MilliSecs()+1000 Then

So nothing between the If/EndIf will ever get executed.

[edit] couple of other points from a closer look at that code.

First, are you assuming that a For/Next loop with 10,000 iterations will run for exactly ten seconds? It won't. It'll do it in a matter of milliseconds.

Second, jumbo=jumbo+1000 should probably go INSIDE the If/EndIf - not outside.

I'm really not quite sure what it is you're trying to achieve here...

I would code that like this...

while not keyhit(1)


if keyhit(208) then time=millisecs()+10000 ;time = 10 seconds later than now


if time>millisecs() then updatewheels()

renderworld
flip

wend

function UpdateWheels()
wheel1=Rnd(0,9)
wheel2=Rnd(0,9)
wheel3=Rnd(0,9)
wheel4=Rnd(0,9)

RotateEntity mesh,pitch(wheel1),yaw(wheel1),roll(wheel1)
RotateEntity mesh2,pitch(wheel2),yaw(wheel2),roll(wheel2)
RotateEntity mesh3,pitch(wheel3),yaw(wheel3),roll(wheel3)
RotateEntity mesh4,pitch(wheel4),yaw(wheel4),roll(wheel4)

end function

spin wheels for some time, slowing
from an initial speed to zero over time.

dim TurnRate#(4)
;set the initial turnrate for the wheels randomly:
TurnRate#(1)=10.0+rnd(-3.0,3.0) ;degrees per frame to turn higher number mean faster initial spin.
;do the same for indexes 2-4
dim WheelMesh(4)
WheelMesh(1)=mesh
WheelMesh(2)=mesh2 ;this is using your already defined mesh/mesh2/mesh3/mesh4 entities but storing their handles in an array instead, easier to manipulate
WheelMesh(3)=mesh3
WheelMesh(4)=mesh4

Decay#=0.995  ;adjust to any value between 0.0 and 1.0 to change the rate at which they slow down, and therefore changing the amount of time taken for the wheels to come to rest.
repeat

HaveWheelsStopped=true
for i=1 to 4
turnentity WheelMesh(i),TurnRate#(i),0,0 ;only need to alter the pitch why bother altering the yaw and roll unless you are doing something totally different to what I am thinking you are
TurnRate#(i)=TurnRate#(i)*Decay
if TurnRate#(i)<0.1 then TurnRate#(i)=0
if TurnRate#(i)<>0 then HaveWheelsStopped=false
next

renderworld
updateworld
flip
until HaveWheelsStopped=true or keydown(1)

Oh Matty that looks fantastic! Shambler... Thanks! BOTH of you have helped... let me tweak that into the code and I will post it if it works (or even if it doesn't!) : )

{{ CODE NOW INCLUDED }}

Graphics3D 800,600,32,1
SetBuffer BackBuffer()
Cls
SeedRnd MilliSecs()
; ########   SETUP PLACE HOLDERS FOR EULER ANGLES
Dim pit(10) ; PITCH
Dim rol(10) ; ROLL
Dim ya(10) ; YAW
Dim TurnRate#(4)

Global stillspinning
Global turns
; ########   LOAD THE ACCORDING EULER ANGLES FOR EACH NUMBER 0 - 9
pit(0)=72
pit(1)=71
pit(2)=38
pit(3)=0
pit(4)=-40
pit(5)=-70
pit(6)=-69
pit(7)=-39
pit(8)=0
pit(9)=39

rol(0)=180
rol(1)=0
rol(2)=0
rol(3)=0
rol(4)=0
rol(5)=0
rol(6)=180
rol(7)=180
rol(8)=180
rol(9)=-180

ya(0)=-180
ya(1)=0
ya(2)=0
ya(3)=0
ya(4)=0
ya(5)=0
ya(6)=-180
ya(7)=-180
ya(8)=-180
ya(9)=180
; ########   Create a camera so we can see it
camera=CreateCamera()
PositionEntity camera,21,0,-60
; ########   add some lightage
sun = CreateLight()
PositionEntity sun,835,1456,502
RotateEntity sun,80,0,-900
; ########   Load and position the meshes for the wheels already covered in Ult. Unwrap
Global mesh=LoadMesh( "wheel1.b3d" )
Global mesh2=CopyEntity(mesh)
Global mesh3=CopyEntity (mesh)
Global mesh4=CopyEntity (mesh)
PositionEntity mesh,0,0,0
PositionEntity mesh2,11,0,0
PositionEntity mesh3,22,0,0
PositionEntity mesh4,33,0,0
Dim WheelMesh(4)
WheelMesh(1)=mesh
WheelMesh(2)=mesh2 ;this is using your already defined mesh/mesh2/mesh3/mesh4 entities but storing their handles in an array instead, easier to manipulate
WheelMesh(3)=mesh3
WheelMesh(4)=mesh4
; ########  Randomly position the wheel
wheel1=Rnd(0,9)
wheel2=Rnd(0,9)
wheel3=Rnd(0,9)
wheel4=Rnd(0,9)
	RotateEntity mesh,pit(wheel1),rol(wheel1),ya(wheel1)
	RotateEntity mesh2,pit(wheel2),rol(wheel2),ya(wheel2)
	RotateEntity mesh3,pit(wheel3),rol(wheel3),ya(wheel3)
	RotateEntity mesh4,pit(wheel4),rol(wheel4),ya(wheel4)
; ########  degrees per frame to turn higher number mean faster initial spin.
TurnRate#(1)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0) ;do the same for indexes 2-4
TurnRate#(2)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)
TurnRate#(3)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)
TurnRate#(4)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)

Decay#=0.995  ;adjust to any value between 0.0 and 1.0 to change the rate at which they slow down, and therefore changing the amount of time taken for the wheels to come to rest.

; ################################################## START OF GAME LOOP
; While Not KeyHit(1)
Repeat

HaveWheelsStopped=True
For i=1 To 4
TurnEntity WheelMesh(i),TurnRate#(i),0,0

; only need to alter the pitch why bother altering the yaw and roll 
; unless you are doing something totally different To what I am thinking you are...
;
; <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
;
; I AM... I am altering the pitch to make the faces (NUMBERS) selected by the random number 
; generator true... that way wheel1,wheel2,wheel3,wheel4 are also values that actually
; represent the values I hope to achieve at final spin time...

TurnRate#(i)=TurnRate#(i)*Decay
If TurnRate#(i)<0.1 Then TurnRate#(i)=0
If TurnRate#(i)<>0 Then HaveWheelsStopped=False
Next

If KeyDown(57)=True Then ; ########   WHACK THE SPACEBAR

wheel1=Rnd(0,9)
wheel2=Rnd(0,9)
wheel3=Rnd(0,9)
wheel4=Rnd(0,9)
	RotateEntity mesh,pit(wheel1),rol(wheel1),ya(wheel1)
	RotateEntity mesh2,pit(wheel2),rol(wheel2),ya(wheel2)
	RotateEntity mesh3,pit(wheel3),rol(wheel3),ya(wheel3)
	RotateEntity mesh4,pit(wheel4),rol(wheel4),ya(wheel4)
EndIf


UpdateWorld()
RenderWorld()

;Text 0,0,"TrisRendered "+TrisRendered()
Text 0,10,"RUMBLE: "+wheel1+ " " +wheel2+" "+wheel3+" "+wheel4
Text 0,30,"Wheel1: "+EntityRoll(mesh)
Text 0,42,"Wheel2: "+EntityRoll(mesh2)
Text 0,54,"Wheel3: "+EntityRoll(mesh3)
Text 0,66,"Wheel4: "+EntityRoll(mesh4)

Flip

Until KeyDown(1)
; Wend
End
; ########

I am trying to do something slightly different. When the wheel spins I need to know (at the very least) what numbers end up showing... Thats why I had the euler angles (of a sort) plotted for every number on the face of the wheel. I could generate a random number and it would be the number displayed on the wheel.

If you slapped the spacebar it would (of course) keep generating NEW random numbers and the wheel would give the appearace of spinning.

Thats kind of what I was shooting for. BIG PLUS is the gradual slowdown... that helps for a lot of things. But the computer has NO WAY of knowing wht number is showing. Hard to program a check for a win! : )
-RZ

If you go to: http://www.silverimports.com/web3ds/ you can see a fil called slots.zip or slotz.zip.. The wheel and texture is in there as well as my source code. Post me a note when you have downloaded it because I will only keep it there for a short time. : ]

Shambler... I modified your code to do what I want to do... I just wish I could get it to slow down like Mattys... : )
-RZ

You can never = Millisecs()+1000

because Millisecs is always the current counter.

Have a quick look at this code:

http://www.blitzbasic.com/logs/userlog.php?user=2370&log=435

For the movement, I wanted to do step-by-step walking and turning, but not "jump", but show the turning etc gradually (I did this on the poo pc at work, so might be very quick on most newish PCs.)

Although I haven't specifically linked it to time, it could be simply modified to be time-based instead.

(replacing the ForNext loops with incrementing Timers and checks against Millisecs()

The important note is the calls to the rendering function DURING the movement.

Yep Malice I see that now. I should have seen that earlier but I get into the programming fog and can't see clear. It does call DURING movement... one could also increase the interval between turning to make it seem to slow down... :)
-RZ

Rook - modifying the code I posted earlier it should stop now on the correct numbers although might look a little odd. There are many many ways of doing what you are after, it is possible to pre calculate how fast to spin the wheels initially, how much to decelerate them each frame and how long to do so for based on the numbers they start on and where you want them to end. But if you are after a quick and dirty solution perhaps what is below will help:

pit(0)=72
pit(1)=71
pit(2)=38
pit(3)=0
pit(4)=-40
pit(5)=-70
pit(6)=-69
pit(7)=-39
pit(8)=0
pit(9)=39

rol(0)=180
rol(1)=0
rol(2)=0
rol(3)=0
rol(4)=0
rol(5)=0
rol(6)=180
rol(7)=180
rol(8)=180
rol(9)=-180

ya(0)=-180
ya(1)=0
ya(2)=0
ya(3)=0
ya(4)=0
ya(5)=0
ya(6)=-180
ya(7)=-180
ya(8)=-180
ya(9)=180

dim wheelnumbertoendon(4)

wheelnumbertoendon(1)=Rnd(0,9)
wheelnumbertoendon(2)=Rnd(0,9)
wheelnumbertoendon(3)=Rnd(0,9)
wheelnumbertoendon(4)=Rnd(0,9)

dim TurnRate#(4)
;set the initial turnrate for the wheels randomly:
TurnRate#(1)=10.0+rnd(-3.0,3.0) ;degrees per frame to turn higher number mean faster initial spin.
;do the same for indexes 2-4
dim WheelMesh(4)
WheelMesh(1)=mesh
WheelMesh(2)=mesh2 ;this is using your already defined mesh/mesh2/mesh3/mesh4 entities but storing their handles in an array instead, easier to manipulate
WheelMesh(3)=mesh3
WheelMesh(4)=mesh4



Decay#=0.995  ;adjust to any value between 0.0 and 1.0 to change the rate at which they slow down, and therefore changing the amount of time taken for the wheels to come to rest.
repeat

HaveWheelsStopped=true
for i=1 to 4
turnentity WheelMesh(i),TurnRate#(i),0,0 ;only need to alter the pitch why bother altering the yaw and roll unless you are doing something totally different to what I am thinking you are
If TurnRate#(i)>=0.1 then TurnRate#(i)=TurnRate#(i)*Decay
if TurnRate#(i)<0.1 then 
;
;
;
;TurnRate#(i)=0
Tolerance#=2.0 ;degrees to allow either side of.
if entitypitch(WheelMesh(i))>pit(wheelnumbertoendon(i))-tolerance and entitypitch(wheelmesh(i))<pit(WheelNumbertoEndOn(i))+tolerance and entityyaw(wheelmesh(i))>ya(wheelnumbertoendon(i))-tolerance and entityyaw(wheelmesh(i))<ya(Wheelnumbertoendon(i))+tolerance and entityroll(wheelmesh(i))>rol(wheelnumbertoendon(i))-tolerance and entityroll(wheelmesh(i))<rol(wheelnumbertoendon(i))+tolerance then 
;perhaps check if the entityroll and yaw values are equal to 180 or 0 rather than use a tolerance if they are always 'exactly +-180 or exactly 0...
TurnRate#(i)=0 
;you could put a few lines in here that now actually set the yaw, pitch and roll of the wheel to the values in your arrays for pit(),ya() and rol() which will make the wheels jump those final few degrees to their correct position, as if they click into place, although it may look a little artificial.
endif 
;
;
endif 
if TurnRate#(i)<>0 then HaveWheelsStopped=false
next

renderworld
updateworld
flip
until HaveWheelsStopped=true or keydown(1)

There is an alternative way of doing this

Matty: This is what I had done... after the initial spinage you hit the spacebar and it does it again...

Graphics3D 800,600,32,1
SetBuffer BackBuffer()
Cls
SeedRnd MilliSecs()
; ########   SETUP PLACE HOLDERS FOR EULER ANGLES
Dim pit(10) ; PITCH
Dim rol(10) ; ROLL
Dim ya(10) ; YAW
Dim TurnRate#(4)
Dim WheelMesh(4)

Global stillspinning
Global turns
Global wheelnumber
; ########   LOAD THE ACCORDING EULER ANGLES FOR EACH NUMBER 0 - 9
pit(0)=72
pit(1)=71
pit(2)=38
pit(3)=0
pit(4)=-40
pit(5)=-70
pit(6)=-69
pit(7)=-39
pit(8)=0
pit(9)=39

rol(0)=180
rol(1)=0
rol(2)=0
rol(3)=0
rol(4)=0
rol(5)=0
rol(6)=180
rol(7)=180
rol(8)=180
rol(9)=-180

ya(0)=-180
ya(1)=0
ya(2)=0
ya(3)=0
ya(4)=0
ya(5)=0
ya(6)=-180
ya(7)=-180
ya(8)=-180
ya(9)=180
; ########   Create a camera so we can see it
camera=CreateCamera()
PositionEntity camera,21,0,-60
; ########   add some lightage
sun = CreateLight()
PositionEntity sun,835,1456,502
RotateEntity sun,80,0,-900
; ########   Load and position the meshes for the wheels already covered in Ult. Unwrap
Global mesh=LoadMesh( "wheel2.b3d" )
Global mesh2=CopyEntity(mesh)
Global mesh3=CopyEntity (mesh)
Global mesh4=CopyEntity (mesh)
PositionEntity mesh,0,0,0
PositionEntity mesh2,11,0,0
PositionEntity mesh3,22,0,0
PositionEntity mesh4,33,0,0
frame=LoadMesh("frame.b3d")
ScaleEntity frame,1.4,1,1
PositionEntity frame,21.5,1,-32

WheelMesh(1)=mesh
WheelMesh(2)=mesh2 ;this is using your already defined mesh/mesh2/mesh3/mesh4 entities but storing their handles in an array instead, easier to manipulate
WheelMesh(3)=mesh3
WheelMesh(4)=mesh4
; ########  Randomly position the wheel
wheel1=Rnd(0,9)
wheel2=Rnd(0,9)
wheel3=Rnd(0,9)
wheel4=Rnd(0,9)
	RotateEntity mesh,pit(wheel1),rol(wheel1),ya(wheel1)
	RotateEntity mesh2,pit(wheel2),rol(wheel2),ya(wheel2)
	RotateEntity mesh3,pit(wheel3),rol(wheel3),ya(wheel3)
	RotateEntity mesh4,pit(wheel4),rol(wheel4),ya(wheel4)
; ########  degrees per frame to turn higher number mean faster initial spin.
TurnRate#(1)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0) ;do the same for indexes 2-4
TurnRate#(2)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)
TurnRate#(3)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)
TurnRate#(4)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)

Decay#=0.995  ;adjust to any value between 0.0 and 1.0 to change the rate at which they slow down, and therefore changing the amount of time taken for the wheels to come to rest.

; ################################################## START OF GAME LOOP
; While Not KeyHit(1)

Repeat


If HaveWheelsStopped = False Then
	For i=1 To 4
		TurnEntity WheelMesh(i),TurnRate#(i),0,0
			TurnRate#(i)=TurnRate#(i)*Decay
			If TurnRate#(i)<0.1 Then TurnRate#(i)=0
		If TurnRate#(i)<>0 Then HaveWheelsStopped=False
	Next
EndIf

If KeyHit(57)=True Then ; ########   WHACK THE SPACEBAR
TurnRate#(1)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0) ;do the same for indexes 2-4
TurnRate#(2)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)
TurnRate#(3)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)
TurnRate#(4)=10.0+Rnd(-3.0,3.0)

HaveWheelsStopped=False


	
EndIf

UpdateWorld()
RenderWorld()



numbershow=EntityPitch(mesh)
numberroll=EntityRoll(mesh)
numberyaw=EntityYaw(mesh)

If numberroll = 0 Then
   Select True
          Case ( numbershow > -17 And numbershow < 17)
               wheelnumber = 3
          Case ( numbershow > 18 And numbershow < 53)
               wheelnumber = 2

          End Select
EndIf

;wheelnumber = numbershow + numberroll + numberyaw / 90 + 90
;Text 0,0,"TrisRendered "+TrisRendered()
Text 0,10,"RUMBLE: "+wheel1+ " " +wheel2+" "+wheel3+" "+wheel4
Text 0,30,"Wheel1: "+EntityPitch#(mesh,True)
Text 0,42,"Wheel2: "+EntityRoll#(mesh,True)
Text 0,54,"Wheel3: "+EntityYaw#(mesh,True)
Text 0,66,"Wheel: "+wheelnumber



Flip

Until KeyDown(1)
; Wend     HaveWheelsStopped=True
End
; ############################################################ FUNCTIONS START

I like you new idea but you have to wait until the wheel slows down to almost 0 to get the number to pop up. I am going to work onm that. Have to read how you did it.

Looks FANTASTIC!!! Thank you.

{{ EDIT}} I did it by setting the turnrate like this:

For i=1 To 4
TurnEntity WheelMesh(i),TurnRate#(i),0,0 
If TurnRate#(i)>=0.1 Then TurnRate#(i)=TurnRate#(i)*Decay
yohoo = turnrate(1)
If TurnRate#(i)<2 Then 

That way it stops a little faster and results in much less heart attack causing stress waiting for your number to come up. : )
-RZ