On Jul 21, 2009, at 7:39 PM, Stu Cram wrote:

> Wow - Have you finished the last program (Adventure Creator)?
> If you figured out how to do the drawing and save it, more power to  
> you.
> If not, maybe it's time to work on learning more basics - arrays,  
> files, user interactions, etc.
> KISS, set small goals, develop your skills step by step.
> Maybe find an older BASIC programming manual and convert/update its  
> examples to FB5.
> Just a suggestion to develop your programming skills, not just  
> making an interface layout.
> - Stu

Stu's suggestions are right on, particularly the one about setting  
small goals. When I first started coding on the Mac, it was a struggle  
even though I was a professional programmer for years prior to that.  
My Mac programming began writing small programs for my own personal  
use and evolved as my knowledge/skills improved. Maybe start with a  
simple program that collects some information from the user and then  
immediately provides answers ( after the user presses an OK button -  
or maybe try console mode ). Later the program can be enhanced to  
( for example ) maybe save prior user input/results and edit what they  
type ( and this could be done in stages too - first time maybe respond  
with an alert to bad input and later upgrade it to interactively edit  
as the user types ).

One last thought: there is very little instant gratification in  
programming. Like many things in life,  most results worth seeking  
involve hard work and hours( often weeks, months and more )  of  
struggle.

Brian S