obj/var/value = 0
mob
    verb
        accessInventoryValues()
            for(var/obj/K in src.contents)
                src << "[K]: [K.value]"

2. How exactly to make my procs all nice and neat, and more importantly, how to get these procs to work right instead of giving me a thousand seperate errors to the point where I just double back on using the original, which is so incredibly limited I get even MORE errors trying to implement it the way I want before I realize it won't work. Rinse and repeat until I have no hair left to lather.

• Define variables correctly and in the right place for what you want - for example, don't expect for a variable defined in a loop to be usable outside the loop.
• Avoid the use of the usr operator in procs.
• Since you come from C++ (As do I, and I'll do this), check to be sure you aren't substituting C++ code for DM code. (You have no idea how many times I accidentally define vars with int, bool and char)
  
  

  3. Ideas for making random generation systems. More importantly, how to modify the if proc to give me more than just a true/false, but let me identify a variable's exact value and then act if it's a certain number. For instance, if it's 10 I want a certain thing to be displayed, if it's 9 I want something different, if it's 8... you get the picture.

mob
    verb
        RollD6()
            var/Guess = input("What's your guess?", "Roll a die") as num 
            if(Guess > 6)
                usr << "Invalid guess."
                return
            var/Roll = rand(1,6)
            if(Roll == Guess)
                usr << "Good guess."
            else usr << "You have guessed poorly."

var/K = rand(1,50)
switch(K)
    if(1)
        // whatever you want to do if K is 1
    if(2 to 8)
        // whatever you want to do if K 2,3,4,5,6,7,8
    if(9)
        // whatever you want to do if K is 9
    // and so on    

area
    SpecialArea
        Entered(mob/M)
            M << "Welcome, [M], to a special area."

• If you haven't already read the DM Guide, it's be a good idea to at least take a look.
• Check the DM Reference entry on built in procs you are having trouble with. It's a hard read, but I find it's a good reference, especially with the magical Ctrl-F hotkey. Don't even think about trying to read it through, though.
• Watch these forums for problems you have, most problems encountered by newer programmers are repeated on the forums often.
• Don't be afraid to post some of your most frustratingly hard-to-fix code in "Code Problems", but try to keep the total amount of code per post down to a minimum - I'm sure I'm not the only one that skips over the really long code.
  
  
  --Vito

Learn how to program in Dream Maker, they said. It's fun and not too complicated, they said. I'm finding Dream Maker to be more complicated than C++ itself, which is saying something. A very, very big something.

I need tips. I need them badly. I need to find some way, first, to stop my code from becoming a mishmash of jumbled things all over the place as I set different procs and try to fumble my way through making the procs I need for certain situation, encountering 1238513831 seperate errors because of one thing or another.

I mean, it's amazingly picky - variables have to be defined within brackets within brackets within brackets within brackets within brackets,

and if you miss so much as one tab you [...]

What really frustrates me is the fact that the error messages are so vague. I have not gotten a single parse error that accurately stated itself as such

- just confusing sentence after sentence that gives me no real insight into the problem itself.

When I try to define vars, it gives me warnings about how I've defined them but not used them - and then later down in the code, when I'm USING THAT SAME VAR IN THE SAME SECTION OR IN A DIFFERENT SECTION WITH THE APPROPRIATE REFERENCE TO THE VAR'S SECTION, it says I haven't defined that variable. I have.

1. Understanding vars, what is the EXACT formulation for accessing a var in a different place (for instance, accessing an obj var from the mob section)

2. How exactly to make my procs all nice and neat

[...]

3. Ideas for making random generation systems.

More importantly, how to modify the if proc

to give me more than just a true/false

but let me identify a variable's exact value

4. How the heck do you make icons draggable?

5. I don't quite understand how to change the variables for a specific instance of an object, either. Whenever I try to do it it ends up changing the variables for _all_ the objects in existance,

6. No tutorial I have seen covers how to make an area. Could use some help on this.

7. I don't really understand how to order things in the proper... well, order. Can I have multiple obj, mob, etc tags all over the place, so I can define variables for one section, move on to another so I can use that part to set the variables in the PREVIOUS section, then go back to define more variables if something happens?

I might be so confused I'll need someone to walk me through, step by step, the basic tutorials once _again_ so that I can understand all the nuances, because my understanding of the system seems... flawed, at best.

I really want to code for BYOND, but alas... maybe it isn't for me...