how can I use scancode_to_ascii and check if the user is holding shift and if so enter a capitol letter (for high score name entry). I have the function done, but no caps.

when I build the static version of allegroMp3 and link it using almp3.lib and try to compile using MSVC6 I get: error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__play_audio_stream
almp3.lib(almp3.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__stop_audio_stream
almp3.lib(almp3.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__free_audio_stream_buffer
almp3.lib(almp3.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__get_audio_stream_buffer

and also, jpgAlleg 2.1 still wont compile for me (need MSVC6 version). I tried over and over with MingW32, but to no avail. I've been trying using MSVC's NMAKE program, but I only assumed that it would work. If anyone can help me out and tell me exactly how to compile the lib OR send me the files I need via email, that would be great: typosoft@hotmail.com

If (key[KEY_SHIFT]) isn't good enough?
Remember to check for caps state, though.

For the first question, you could do something like this.

char k = scancode_to_ascii(scancode);
if(key[KEY_RSHIFT] || key[KEY_LSHIFT)
  k = toupper(k);

// then deal with k.

[edit: beaten by the cookie, and toupper is in ctype.h btw]

Okay, got the highscores thing working, and for the most part the jpglib. I just included the files in my program. But because I included the jpeg.c and jpgalleg.h files all my calls to sin and cos are very jumpy now instead of smooth. Maybe I should use fixsin & fixcos? If so, how do you use them (because when I tried I didn't get the same results as sin and cos using a float for the value).

Aigh! Never include .c files!

then how should I do it?

Compile them and link with them, perhaps?

screw the jpglib. I have it working now and if I compress an image to the point where it makes a difference I lost my transparency for my game (because it makes the image lossy). But when I use the lowest compression for a jpg (which decreases the file size by half) and then run the allegro grabber, it saves the datafile to 130% the original file size! So I'll just use the bitmaps instead.

I still am having problems with allegroMp3. Anybody know what I need to do? I ran and compiled the static version and copied the lib to my vc98\lib\ directory. Then I included the .h file and added almp3.lib to my link tab. It doesn't spit out any errors when I don't use any functions from the lib, but when I add in the functions from the example program I get: almp3.lib(almp3.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__play_audio_stream
almp3.lib(almp3.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__stop_audio_stream
almp3.lib(almp3.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__free_audio_stream_buffer
almp3.lib(almp3.obj) : error LNK2001: unresolved external symbol __imp__get_audio_stream_buffer

sounds like the mp3 library is referencing another library that you don't have. Just my 2 pennies.

Mae

Why put jpg's into a datafile? Wanna keep others from using them?
Anyway, jpg is only good at "smooth" images like photographs or blurry backgrounds or the like. Games usually need sharp edges, and a single sprite seldom uses many colors. You might want to use gifs instead? (Plus they support mask colors)

Use PNGs. Good non-lossy compression and a higher bit-depth support.

PNG's are the way to go.
Personally, I just use BMP's until the size exceeds a couple megs.

You can also load the jpgs from a single datafile instead of having hundreds of jpg's... and it also offers more compression (although I don't know if jpgs would compress well with datafiles). Datafiles are excellent organizers.

I'm just not going to worry about anything other than bitmaps. I've been working on this game for about a month and it is pretty much done. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's a 6 meg download.

Anyways, here's a question: how can I change an executable's icon using an icon stored in the exe using MSVC?

and I think the mp3 library is trying to access the mp3123 lib or something?