Lesson 30: Creating Animation in VB6

Learn to create engaging animations using image controls, position properties, and timing techniques

Key Takeaway

Visual Basic 6 offers multiple techniques for creating animations, including image visibility toggling, position manipulation, and size modification.

Welcome to Lesson 30 of our Visual Basic 6 Tutorial! In this lesson, you'll explore various techniques to create animations in VB6. While VB6 isn't primarily designed for complex animations, with creative approaches, you can program engaging visual effects.

Animation Techniques Overview

VB6 offers several approaches for creating animations:

Visibility Toggling

Show/hide different images to create the illusion of movement

Position Manipulation

Use Left and Top properties to move objects around the form

Size Modification

Change Height and Width properties to create zoom effects

30.1 Moving Jet Animation

This animation creates the illusion of a jet plane moving in four directions (North, South, East, West) by toggling the visibility of different image controls.

Figure 30.1: Moving Jet Animation Interface

Implementation Steps

1Setup Images

Place five images of a jet plane on the form in different positions

2Visibility Control

Set center image Visible=True, others Visible=False

3Movement Buttons

Create buttons to toggle visibility for each direction

Code Implementation

MoveNorth.frm

Private Sub cmdNorth_Click()
    Image1.Visible = False
    Image3.Visible = True
    Image2.Visible = False
    Image4.Visible = False
    Image5.Visible = False
End Sub

Animation Preview

30.2 Command-Based Animation

This approach allows users to control animation through text commands in a textbox.

Figure 30.2: Command-Based Animation Interface

Code Implementation

TextCommand.frm

Private Sub cmdExecute_Click()
    If Text1.Text = "n" Then
        Image1.Visible = False
        Image3.Visible = True
        '... (other directions similarly)
    ElseIf Text1.Text = "e" Then
        'East movement code
    End If
End Sub

30.3 Position-Based Animation

Manipulate the Left and Top properties of an object to create smooth movement animations.

Figure 30.3: Position Animation Interface

Understanding Twips

VB6 uses twips as the default measurement unit:

1 twip = 1/1440 inch
Image.Left: Distance from left border
Image.Top: Distance from top border

Movement Code

MoveObject.frm

Private Sub cmdDown_Click()
    Image1.Top = Image1.Top + 100  'Move down 100 twips
End Sub

Private Sub cmdUp_Click()
    Image1.Top = Image1.Top - 100  'Move up 100 twips
End Sub

Position Animation Demo

30.4 Size Modification Animation

Create zoom effects by changing Height and Width properties.

Figure 30.4: Size Modification Interface

Code Implementation

SizeModification.frm

Private Sub cmdEnlarge_Click()
    Image1.Height = Image1.Height + 100
    Image1.Width = Image1.Width + 100
End Sub

Private Sub cmdShrink_Click()
    Image1.Height = Image1.Height - 100
    Image1.Width = Image1.Width - 100
End Sub

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, you've learned several animation techniques in VB6:

Visibility Animation

Toggle image visibility to create movement illusions

Position Animation

Manipulate Left and Top properties for smooth movement

Size Animation

Change Height and Width for zoom effects

Command Control

Enable text-based animation control

Important Note

These techniques can be combined for more complex animations. In the next lessons, we'll explore timers for automated animations and more advanced techniques.

Next Lesson

Continue your VB6 journey with Lesson 31: Animation Techniques Part 2.

Related Resources

Graphics Creation

Learn graphics fundamentals from Lesson 18

View Lesson

Picture Viewer

Image manipulation techniques

View Lesson

Animation Part 2

Advanced animation techniques

View Lesson

VB6 Samples

Explore more VB6 code examples

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The comprehensive guide to mastering VB6 development, including animation techniques and graphics programming.

What You'll Learn:

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