Graphics

Good morning,
I have a map of the US, and I was trying to figure out an easy way for the user to choose which states to highlight. My thought was to enter the desired state abbreviations into a text object (ie: MA, TX, SC) and have a script put those into an array that could then identify which objects to be visible. I'm open to suggestions and/or script ideas.

Thanks!
Brian

After messing around with this, and with some help I have a workable solution... using the "split" function, a for loop and naming my elements properly I came up with the following:

dim states(49) as string
dim hilite as xpBaseObject
dim i as integer

states = split(text)

for i = 0 to UBound(states)
if states(i) <> "" then
scene.GetObjectByName("Hilite-" & states(i), hilite)
hilite.visible = true
end if
next

This version uses a space as a delimiter, and the script debugger won't throw an error for a space or incomplete state code. All the user needs to do is enter in the codes of the states they want to display (by default the highlights are off). When no text is entered, the highlights are also off.

My individual highlight elements are named Hilite-AL, Hilite-CA etc.

Please let me know if you have a better solution or can improve upon mine. Thanks!
-Brian
#XPression

Your solution is fine. As a programmer, there are a few nit-picky things I might do, but nothing major. The way you did it, I think, also is pretty clear and simple if you pass on your project to another person.

For the record, though, you don't have to give the number of possible states....

Dim states() As String = split(text)

And something to remember is that GetObjectByName() method returns true or false, depending on whether or not it was successful:

if scene.GetObjectByName("Hilite-" & states(i), hilite) then
hilite.visible = True
end if

That way an error won't stop your script... but then it might be harder to detect the error, also.

#XPression