Overlays wont appear

ID:264193
 
Sep 23 2008, 12:06 am
Code:
mob/Trans
    verb
        Host_Class()
            set category = "Trans Spells"
            switch(input("Which year will you be teaching for this lesson?")in list("1st","2nd","3rd","4th","5th","6th","7th"))
            if("1st")
                class="1st"
            if("2nd")
                class="2nd"
            if("3rd")
                class="3rd"
            if("4th")
                class="4th"
            if("5th")
                class="5th"
            if("6th")
                class="6th"
            if("7th")
                class="7th"
            for(var/turf/TransClass/T in world)
                T.overlays += 'bluealert.dmi'
                world<<"Attention all students in their [class] year! Proffessor [usr] is now hosting a [class] year Transfiguration class! The floor guidance is switched on, so follow it. You only have 5 minutes to get to class"
                sleep(3000)
                world<<"Proffessor [usr]'s [class] year Transfiguration class is now in session."
                T.overlays -= 'bluealert.dmi'


Problem description: Well, the above verb should 'cause the designated turf to have an overlay, however no image appears when I do click it and go through the switch(input). I've even got the turf set to layer=999.

And if it helps, on the line after the switch(input) command it comes up with this: Programming\Teacher(Trans).dm:104::warning: empty switch statement.
Sep 23 2008, 2:18 am
not exacly sure i understand it but i think overlays have to be under procs instead of verbs
Sep 23 2008, 2:31 am
In response to William1of89
The only difference between a verb and proc is that a proc can be called at anytime once programmed as a proc, but a verb can only be called when the verb is used.
Sep 23 2008, 2:51 am
Demon_F0rce wrote:
Code:
>               T.overlays -=
'bluealert.dmi'




T.overlays.Add(icon('Hair.dmi',"long"))

maybe that would work and like i said before i wasnt sure i have jus always used procs :/
Sep 23 2008, 2:58 am
In response to William1of89
Not working, but I appreaciate your effort.
Sep 23 2008, 3:04 am
In response to Demon_F0rce
:( i tried
Sep 23 2008, 3:36 am
The usage of switch() is like this:
switch(2)
  if(1)       world << "ONE"
  if(4)       world << "FOUR"
  if(2,3)     world << "TWO or THREE"
  if(5 to 10) world << "FIVE to TEN"
  else        world << "not ONE to TEN"

The if's and the else are indented inside the switch() proc.

You don't need the switch() proc anyway.
You could simply do this:
class = input("Which year will you be teaching for this lesson?")in list("1st","2nd","3rd","4th","5th","6th","7th")

Sep 23 2008, 9:34 pm
In response to Jemai1
It got rid of the warning, but the overlays still aren't appearing.
Sep 24 2008, 2:45 pm
You can't just add the DMI file directly to the overlays. You need to assign the DMI to an object first and assign that to the overlays.

mob/Trans
    verb
        Host_Class()
            set category = "Trans Spells"
            switch(input("Which year will you be teaching for this lesson?")in list("1st","2nd","3rd","4th","5th","6th","7th"))
            if("1st")
                class="1st"
            if("2nd")
                class="2nd"
            if("3rd")
                class="3rd"
            if("4th")
                class="4th"
            if("5th")
                class="5th"
            if("6th")
                class="6th"
            if("7th")
                class="7th"
            for(var/turf/TransClass/T in world)
                T.overlays += new/obj/BlueStuff
                world<<"Attention all students in their [class] year! Proffessor [usr] is now hosting a [class] year Transfiguration class! The floor guidance is switched on, so follow it. You only have 5 minutes to get to class"
                sleep(3000)
                world<<"Proffessor [usr]'s [class] year Transfiguration class is now in session."
                T.overlays -= new/obj/BlueStuff

obj
    BlueStuff  // <----- Made an Object that has the icon bluealert.dmi in it.
        icon = 'bluealert.dmi'
Sep 24 2008, 3:26 pm
In response to Zenglare
Ah, I see. This is the first time I've worked with overlays, so thanks for that.
Sep 24 2008, 4:05 pm
Your problem is...

                sleep(3000)


that. When you sleep, you stop the proc and wait. View a loop as a monster destroying all the cities in the world. It destroys each separately, and when it sleeps, it takes huge breaks between going to the other cities to destroy them. You want spawn, in this case; spawn is like a branching off segment of your code. It will still wait, but it will continue looping, as well.

And you can add icon directly to the overlays, Zenglare =]. It just isn't as flexible.
Sep 24 2008, 4:50 pm
In response to Jeff8500
I know the difference between spawn and sleep, I just always seem to use spawn in the wrong place and end up with what I want not happening so I tend to stray from using it. But thanks for telling me that.
Sep 24 2008, 4:52 pm
In response to Demon_F0rce
You should only use spawn() if you want the proc to continue doing its thing, and sleep() should be used if you want to stop it completely.
Sep 24 2008, 4:54 pm
In response to Jeff8500
Okay, thanks.