Certainly! I'm glad you've decided on Option 3, which is to adjust your code to remove roomViewControl since you prefer frmDesigner as your startup form. Let's proceed step by step to remove roomViewControl from your project, ensuring that your application continues to function correctly.
Understanding the Changes

By choosing to remove roomViewControl from frmGame.vb, we'll:

    Remove the declaration of roomViewControl.
    Remove or comment out all references to roomViewControl in frmGame.vb.
    Ensure that frmGame functions correctly without roomViewControl.
    Rebuild and test the application to verify that everything works as expected.

Step-by-Step Guide
1. Open frmGame.vb

    In Visual Studio, locate frmGame.vb in the Solution Explorer.
    Double-click on it to open it in the code editor.

2. Remove the Declaration of roomViewControl

    Find the declaration of roomViewControl. It should be around line 16:

Private roomViewControl As RoomView

Delete or comment out this line:

    ' Private roomViewControl As RoomView

3. Remove All References to roomViewControl

    Use the Find feature to search for all occurrences of roomViewControl in frmGame.vb.
        Press Ctrl+F to open the Find dialog.
        In the Find what field, type roomViewControl.
        Ensure the Look in scope is set to Current Document.

    Review each occurrence and decide whether to:
        Delete the code if it's no longer needed, or
        Modify the code if necessary.

    Common places where roomViewControl might be referenced:
        In the constructor (Sub New)
        In event handlers
        In methods that update the UI

Example:

    Constructor:

' Before:
Public Sub New(clonedGridRenderer As GridRenderer, levelName As String, clonedGameObjects As List(Of GameObject))
    ' This call is required by the designer.
    InitializeComponent()

    ' Existing initialization code...

    ' Initialize roomViewControl
    roomViewControl = New RoomView()
    roomViewControl.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
    Me.Controls.Add(roomViewControl)

    ' Set up roomViewControl properties
    roomViewControl.GameMap = gameMap
    roomViewControl.Players = New List(Of Player)() From {currentPlayer}
    roomViewControl.GameObjects = gameObjects

    ' Start the move processing thread...
    ' Attach the KeyDown event handler...
End Sub

After Removing roomViewControl:

Public Sub New(clonedGridRenderer As GridRenderer, levelName As String, clonedGameObjects As List(Of GameObject))
    ' This call is required by the designer.
    InitializeComponent()

    ' Existing initialization code without roomViewControl...

    ' Start the move processing thread...
    ' Attach the KeyDown event handler...
End Sub

Methods Using roomViewControl:

    ' Before:
    ' Update the game view after processing moves
    Me.Invoke(Sub()
                  roomViewControl.UpdateView()
              End Sub)

    Replace it with code that does not require roomViewControl, or remove it if it's no longer applicable.
        If UpdateView is essential, you might need to adjust your design to update the game state differently.

4. Adjust Code Related to Game State Updates

Since roomViewControl was likely responsible for updating the visual representation of the game state, you'll need to handle game state updates appropriately.

    Option A: Handle Updates in frmGame Directly
        If frmGame has its own UI elements that need updating, ensure you call the appropriate methods.

    Option B: Delegate Updates to frmDesigner or Elsewhere
        If the game state updates are not essential within frmGame, and instead are handled elsewhere (e.g., frmDesigner), you can remove the update code.

    Example Adjustment:

        Before:

' Update the game view after processing moves
Me.Invoke(Sub()
              roomViewControl.UpdateView()
          End Sub)

After:

        ' If no update is needed, you can remove this code.
        ' Alternatively, if you need to update something else, adjust accordingly.

5. Review the KeyDown Event Handler

If the KeyDown event handler in frmGame relies on roomViewControl, adjust it accordingly.

    Ensure that input handling still functions as intended.

6. Check for Any Other Dependencies

    Methods, Properties, or Events that use roomViewControl need to be reviewed.

    Example:

        Before:

Private Sub ProcessMoves()
    While gameRunning
        ' Existing code...

        ' Update the game view
        Me.Invoke(Sub()
                      roomViewControl.UpdateView()
                  End Sub)

        Thread.Sleep(50)
    End While
End Sub

After:

        Private Sub ProcessMoves()
            While gameRunning
                ' Existing code...

                ' If no update is needed, remove or modify the code.
                Me.Invoke(Sub()
                              ' Update code if necessary
                          End Sub)

                Thread.Sleep(50)
            End While
        End Sub

7. Rebuild the Project

    Save all changes in frmGame.vb and any other modified files.

    Go to Build > Clean Solution.

    Go to Build > Rebuild Solution.

8. Address Any New Errors

    If new errors appear, carefully read the error messages.

    Common issues might include:

        References to roomViewControl that were missed.

        Other dependencies that need adjusting.

    Resolve each error by either removing unnecessary code or updating it as needed.

9. Test the Application

    Run the application by pressing F5.

    Verify that frmGame runs correctly when invoked from frmDesigner.
        Since you mentioned frmDesigner is your startup form, and frmGame runs when you click "Test," ensure that this flow works.

    Check for any Runtime Errors
        If exceptions occur, debug them accordingly.

10. Update frmDesigner to Launch frmGame if Needed

    If you have a button or menu item in frmDesigner to launch frmGame, ensure it's correctly configured.

    Example:

    ' In frmDesigner.vb
    Private Sub btnTest_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnTest.Click
        ' Create the required parameters for frmGame
        Dim clonedGridRenderer As New GridRenderer() ' Adjust as needed
        Dim levelName As String = txtLevelName.Text  ' Or a default value
        Dim clonedGameObjects As New List(Of GameObject)()

        ' Instantiate and show frmGame
        Dim gameForm As New frmGame(clonedGridRenderer, levelName, clonedGameObjects)
        gameForm.Show()
    End Sub

Verifying the Application

After making the changes:

    Ensure that frmDesigner is functioning correctly as your main form.

    Test that frmGame can be launched from frmDesigner and operates without issues.

    Confirm that any game logic in frmGame works as expected, even without roomViewControl.

Possible Considerations

By removing roomViewControl, you might be losing some functionality that was previously provided by RoomView within frmGame. Consider:

    Does frmGame still serve its purpose?
        If frmGame is primarily for processing moves and updating game state, ensure that it still does so appropriately.

    Is the visual representation of the game state needed in frmGame?
        If so, you may need to redesign how frmGame handles UI updates.

Alternative Approaches

If you find that frmGame lacks necessary functionality after removing roomViewControl, you might consider:

    Moving relevant functionality to frmDesigner
        Since frmDesigner is your main form, perhaps game logic and UI updates can be managed there.

    Refactoring frmGame to function appropriately
        Adjust frmGame to work without the need for roomViewControl.

Final Steps

    Ensure your project is saved and all changes are committed.

    Consider backing up your project before making further significant changes.

    Keep a record of changes in case you need to revert or reference previous versions.

Need Further Assistance?

If you encounter specific errors or unexpected behavior after making these changes, please provide:

    The exact error messages you're seeing.

    Relevant code snippets where the errors occur.

    Any other information about how frmGame functions, so I can offer more precise guidance.

Summary

    Removed roomViewControl from frmGame.vb, including its declaration and all references.

    Adjusted code in frmGame.vb to ensure it operates correctly without roomViewControl.

    Rebuilt and tested the application to verify that frmDesigner functions as the startup form and that frmGame runs when you click "Test," without any issues.

You're Making Great Progress!

I'm glad to see you're moving forward with your project. Removing unnecessary components can simplify your code and help focus on the core functionality. If you need any more help, just let me know—I'm here to assist you further!

Can you list all the code of frmGame please. With the necesarry updates

Here's what I have

' frmGame.vb
Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Public Class frmGame
Inherits Form

Private plannedMoves As New List(Of PlannedMove)()
Private moveLock As New Object()
Private moveThread As Thread
Private gameRunning As Boolean = True

Private currentPlayer As Player
Private gameMap As GameMap
Private gameObjects As List(Of GameObject)
Private roomViewControl As RoomView

' Constructor accepting parameters from the startup form or RoomView
Public Sub New(clonedGridRenderer As GridRenderer, levelName As String, clonedGameObjects As List(Of GameObject))
    ' This call is required by the designer.
    InitializeComponent()

    ' Assign the cloned grid renderer and game objects
    Me.gameMap = New GameMap(clonedGridRenderer)
    Me.gameObjects = clonedGameObjects

    ' Initialize the current player at a starting position (you can modify the position as needed)
    currentPlayer = New Player(New Point(1, 1)) ' Starting at position (1,1)

    ' Set the form's title to the level name
    Me.Text = "Game - " & levelName

    ' Initialize RoomView control
    roomViewControl = New RoomView()
    roomViewControl.Dock = DockStyle.Fill
    Me.Controls.Add(roomViewControl)

    ' Set up RoomView properties
    roomViewControl.GameMap = gameMap
    roomViewControl.Players = New List(Of Player)() From {currentPlayer}
    roomViewControl.GameObjects = gameObjects

    ' Start the move processing thread
    moveThread = New Thread(AddressOf ProcessMoves)
    moveThread.IsBackground = True
    moveThread.Start()

    ' Attach the KeyDown event handler to capture key presses
    AddHandler Me.KeyDown, AddressOf frmGame_KeyDown

    ' Ensure the form is focused to receive keyboard input
    Me.KeyPreview = True
End Sub

' KeyDown event handler
Private Sub frmGame_KeyDown(sender As Object, e As KeyEventArgs)
    Dim direction As Direction

    Select Case e.KeyCode
        Case Keys.W
            direction = Direction.Up
        Case Keys.A
            direction = Direction.Left
        Case Keys.S
            direction = Direction.Down
        Case Keys.D
            direction = Direction.Right
        Case Else
            Exit Sub ' Exit if another key is pressed
    End Select

    ' Queue the planned move
    Dim plannedMove As New PlannedMove(currentPlayer, direction)
    SyncLock moveLock
        plannedMoves.Add(plannedMove)
    End SyncLock
End Sub

' ProcessMoves method
Private Sub ProcessMoves()
    While gameRunning
        Dim movesToProcess As List(Of PlannedMove)

        ' Copy and clear the planned moves safely
        SyncLock moveLock
            movesToProcess = New List(Of PlannedMove)(plannedMoves)
            plannedMoves.Clear()
        End SyncLock

        ' Process each move
        For Each plannedMove In movesToProcess
            plannedMove.Player.MovePlayer(plannedMove.Direction, gameMap)
        Next

        ' Update the game view after processing moves
        If Me.IsHandleCreated AndAlso Not Me.IsDisposed Then
            Me.Invoke(Sub()
                          roomViewControl.UpdateView()
                      End Sub)
        End If

        ' Sleep to control the processing rate
        Thread.Sleep(50) ' Adjust as needed
    End While
End Sub

' FormClosing event handler
Protected Overrides Sub OnFormClosing(e As FormClosingEventArgs)
    ' Stop the game loop when the form is closing
    gameRunning = False
    If moveThread IsNot Nothing AndAlso moveThread.IsAlive Then
        moveThread.Join()
    End If

    MyBase.OnFormClosing(e)
End Sub

End Class


You crashed!