How to Start Learning JASS

[ArmyOfFrogs]

I've recently started teaching myself JASS, and have gone through the tutorials and been looking at some spell codes here & over in the spells category but it still doesn't stick with me quite as well as actually doing it myself. First hand experience is always better, however only making random JASS triggers and converting ones from GUI to JASS in order to look at the natives and whatnot isn't really my ideal of learning. I was wondering what you guys learned best from. Was it making a certain map, the GUI method i posted above, making spells for the contests.. etc. I'm not trying to find the quickest way to teach me JASS or any shortcuts, just wondering what you've found to teach you & keep it with you.

Thanks for any help, it's greatly appreciated

 

[Andrewgosu]

You should start with really simple things and gradually obtain new knowledge - like building a pyramid, the "simple things" being the foundation.

For example, a good start would be getting yourself familiar with some of the basics things like operators, loops, conditionals - the syntax.

JASS CRASH COURSE:
http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php?t=116495

The next logical step would be learning the API, the function names of the natives and etc.

There is no uniform and "right" method to learn API, it just depends on how well and fast you can remember them.
Though, in the beginning, converting GUI to JASS has proved quite useful.

I suggest you to download a JASS editor, such as JASSCraft, and anatomise the BJ functions - just enter the BJ
to the search field and see what it is composed of.

Eventually, you'll memorise most of the basics natives that way.

JASSCRAFT:
http://www.wc3c.net/showthread.php?t=80105

The things is, practise makes perfect.

It's difficult to graspse new concepts in the beginning, but if you have enough time and are persistent enough,
you'll sooner or later find yourself writing from writing more complex code.

 

[ArmyOfFrogs]

I have JassCraft and NewGen downloaded and have been using them to mess around a little and ran through all the tutorials I could find on this site ^^ Don't think I have looked at the crashcourse yet though, so thanks for that link

 

[Andrewgosu]

You might want to take a glimpe at AceHart's GUI to JASS fairytale tutorial.

He teaches something practical in a nice and explained way.

http://www.thehelper.net/forums/showthread.php?t=105146

Essentially, don't demand and expect too much from yourself in the beginning.

You should take it slow and learn the basics thoroughly instead expecting fast results and writing bad code.

I'll kill you if you write bad code.

With my bamboo stick.

 

[Gtam]

How its it hes fault if he writes bad code if your new to it. When i started my ability check condition was 5 lines then someone show me that it only needs 2 lines.

 

[ArmyOfFrogs]

Another thank-you for the link Also; I'm not in any rush, as stated by the first post

>I'm not trying to find the quickest way to teach me JASS or any shortcuts, just wondering what you've found to teach you & keep it with you.

^^

 

[Andrewgosu]

How its it hes fault if he writes bad code if your new to it. When i started my ability check condition was 5 lines then someone show me that it only needs 2 lines.

I'll kill you, too.

Because I'm Pandaren.



Watch out.

 

[Gtam]

But your a helper not a killer pandaren

 

[asipo]

But your a helper not a killer pandaren

Help ease the suffering by killing it

Btw,
good thread since im going to start learn JASS

 

[Zaraf]

How its it hes fault if he writes bad code if your new to it. When i started my ability check condition was 5 lines then someone show me that it only needs 2 lines.

Actually, you only need 1 line if you aren't counting the function delcaration and endfunction.

    private function SpellCondition takes nothing returns boolean
        return GetSpellAbilityId() == SPELL_ID
endfunction

The way I learned is just by going through my map and converting all of my old GUI triggers into proper vJass. In fact, I didn't even learn Jass, I just jumped straight into vJass. It was later that I discovered how cumbersome and annoying pure Jass actually is.

I'm willing to give you a one on one crash course if you'd like. Just send me a message on any of my IM contacts.

 

[ArmyOfFrogs]

Sent an inventation on MSN Thanks a ton

 

[Gtam]

Zaraf. I though that is 2 lines but any way then i meant 1