why is it sooooo hard to make things right?!

Monkey Forums/Monkey Code/why is it sooooo hard to make things right?!

hardcoal(Posted 2011) [#1]
I am trying to learn mojo
and hell.. there is not even one example of code.
when mark made blitz3d it was soo easy to learn but not here.
for begginers like me its an agony.
Nothing on the website that is dedicated for mojo.
no examples....
and not even one example on the reference.

Ive also looked on the internet. nothing...

I dont know how you guys are learning here but I cant.

did i miss something? is there after all a mojo section here?


therevills(Posted 2011) [#2]
and not even one example on the reference.


Most (all?) of the examples use Mojo, just check the Import statement in the file.


hardcoal(Posted 2011) [#3]
tnx ill check it out


matty(Posted 2011) [#4]
Hi hardcoal - I'm a beginner for monkey/mojo too, but have been coding in other languages for many many years. At first I thought the documentation was lacking but after a short time I feel I have a much better grasp of it.

Some suggestions, things that I found useful:

Play around with the language for a little while to get started first. Look through the sample programs.
Don't try and make a useful app to start with, instead make some simple html5 apps that simply print text to the console, testing out basic functionality to get used to the syntax for things like lists and the like.
Create functions and methods for actions that you think you will need, and then test them out using the "Print" statement to act as a simple kind of debugger.

One of the hard things is that the error messages can be difficult to pin down where the error is coming from..and even when you know the line it fails on it is sometimes difficult to see how it could cause it. Once again - keep playing with simple programs and learning the language.

The language reference is useful as is the module reference. Also - make a backup copy of your mojo and monkey module folders and look through the code in there - will help get a better idea of how the various methods and functions are called.

Hope this is of some assistance.

from Matt


hardcoal(Posted 2011) [#5]
thankx matty

still. i dont think i need to go threw all this mess in order to find
a simple explanation to a command.

for example..
I see 'Class TestApp Extends App' line and i dont know what extends means
and what App means.

im looking on the reference and find nothing specific about Extends.

In blitz3d you had online command reference and a search option.
it was easy to learn.

monkey was written to people who already know blitzmax and i dont.

so unless you start with blitzmax which is well documented for a change
you are lost.

This website is too basic. should be definitely improved to be more friendly to those who dont have any prior experience with blitzmax.

I would have made a Tutorial online. at least for the begginers faze.

I will break my head and hopefally i will find my way

also in my website i will do a really easy guide for begginers
when ill get this my self.


matty(Posted 2011) [#6]
Hi hardcoal, I have no experience with blitzmax and have already made a lot of progress with monkey..but I am an experienced coder, roughly 25 years worth. Like any skill practice helps. Read the language reference and that will help and have a look at any book or website on the basics of object oriented programming. Extends means that the new class has all the features of the original class plus what you define in the new class.

Eg. You could have a class for a human being. It may have fields gender height weight age. You may have a class called programmer who extends the human class with its own additional features. Or a class called footballer which also extends the human class. Hope that help a little. You could extend the footballer class to goal keeper as a new class.


c.k.(Posted 2011) [#7]
I've been a programmer for over 20 years now, rarely has it been OO, and never have I programmed in BlitzAnything. Despite that, picking up Monkey has been fairly easy. I've already made great strides and am about 60% done with my first project (an easy one so I could just get used to Monkey). I've been taking it slowly, giving myself time to learn. You have to do the same. Give yourself a couple of weeks (depending on your background), and don't give up. If your expectations are too high, you'll get frustrated too easily.

The steps to learning Monkey, at this point, is as follows:

1) read the "Getting Started" page (run Monk* and see Docs tab)
2) read the "Tutorials and articles" pages (run Monk and see Docs tab)
3) familiarize yourself with the "Modules reference" and the "Language reference" (run Monk and see Docs tab)
4) Determine what you want to do and find a sample program that does it. Study it. Duplicate it. (There are sample programs available from the Docs tab in Monk). See also: http://intermediaware.com/blog/a-html5-game-written-in-4-hours

*Monk is the editor supplied with Monkey. JungleIDE lets you see this page as well.

I'm also using third-party libs, which is a quick-fix, but eventually I'll study those to see how they work, following the "teach a man to fish" principle. :)

The docs do seem to be lacking, but they are sufficient for a language that is still in beta. I'm sure the web will blossom with Monkey resources within the next 6-12 months, and this forum is a goldmine of information.

Good luck!


hardcoal(Posted 2011) [#8]
Thanks
It does help... matty (Extends issue)

when youll see my help page on the website you will understand
what im expecting. (now its still under contruction offcourse)

you guys all have extended expiriance with programming.

but many does not.
If someone want to learn something, eventualy he will.
thats for sure.

im sure with time monkey website will improve