# Problem with reusing a function

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/problem-with-reusing-a-function/6966>\
**Category:** Coding Questions\
**Created:** [December 28, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/problem-with-reusing-a-function/6966 "2018-12-28T23:41:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JoseBri93](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a698b9/32.png) [@JoseBri93](https://discourse.processing.org/u/JoseBri93)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/problem-with-reusing-a-function/6966/1 "2018-12-28T23:41:44Z")

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Hi! Based on Daniel Shiffman’s sketch Bouncing Ball, im trying to display a secind ball on the screen unsuccessfully. However both balls appears, they dont move at all. Can someone explain me where i’m making mistakes? thanks.

```auto
float circleX;
float circleY;
float xspeed = 4;
float yspeed = 4;
float value = 0;

void setup() {
  size(640,360);
  circleX = 0; 
  circleY = 0; 
  background(51);
}

void draw() {
  displayBall(0,0);
  moveBall(0,0);
  checkEdges();
  displayBall(50,50);
  moveBall(50,50);
}

void displayBall(float circleX, float circleY) {
  fill(255);
  stroke(0);
  ellipse(circleX, circleY,32,32);
}

void moveBall(float circleX, float circleY) {
  circleX = circleX + xspeed;
  circleY = circleY + yspeed;
}

void checkEdges() {
    if(circleX > width || circleX < 0) {
    xspeed = xspeed * -1;
  }
  if(circleY > height || circleY < 0) {
    yspeed = yspeed * -1;
  }
}

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Architector\_4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/architector_4/32/813_2.png) [@Architector\_4](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Architector_4)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/problem-with-reusing-a-function/6966/2 "2018-12-29T00:05:51Z")

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Please, when pasting code, use the little \</\> icon to format it `with monospace and all that fancy stuff to make it more readable and stuff`.

You might want to keep in mind that I wrote this without looking at the example itself, as I can’t seem to find the exact sketch that looks like this one. The closest match is this one, but it’s called “Bouncing Ball with Vectors” and seems to be pretty different to what you have: [https://www.processing.org/examples/bouncingball.html](https://www.processing.org/examples/bouncingball.html)

The problem here is how you use these functions.  
`displayBall(...)` expects coordinates of the ball, and in `draw()` you use it as `displayBall(0,0);`, where both zeroes are constant and never change. So, `displayBall(...);` always draws the ball at `(0,0);` and never anywhere else.

Next, `moveBall(...)` also expects coordinates of a ball, and then uses `xspeed` and `yspeed` to add to them. Same problem.  
Moreso, _it creates its own values_ called `circleX` and `circleY`, which refer to the input that the function gets and not to the actual `circleX` and `circleY` values themselves, and adds speed values to them - which are then immediately discarded as soon as the function ends as they are not needed.  
The problem is that when you name arguments of a function with the same name as some variable, this function will always use its argument and not that variable, so real, global `circleX` and `circleY` variables get ignored by it.

Function `checkEdges()` is made properly and operates on global values, but since no other function changes `circleX` and `circleY` in any way, it’s practically doing the same calculations with same numbers every time its run.

And even if you were to fix all of that up, the code would still be faulty, as all 3 functions will still operate on same `circleX`, `circleY`, `xspeed` and `yspeed` variables, which only correspond to a single ball. So, at best, you would be calculating same math on one ball data twice.

For such a thing, I suggest to learn arrays, and how to make your own objects and put functions in them - this way, you can just create a new variable `Ball[]`, which is an array of any number of variables `Ball`, where each `Ball` will have its own `circleX`, `circleY`, `xspeed` and `yspeed` variables and functions that work on these variables.

Or, if you don’t want to do that yet, I suggest instead dialing it back to 1 ball, making sure that it works, and then create new `circleX2`, `circleY2`, `xspeed2` and `yspeed2` variables and copies of these functions that work on these variables, and then run them inside of `draw()` independently.

Sorry if I bombarded you with information and explanations, it’s 3:03 AM here in Russia and I drank too much coffee. 😃

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JoseBri93](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a698b9/32.png) [@JoseBri93](https://discourse.processing.org/u/JoseBri93)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2018, 4:44am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/problem-with-reusing-a-function/6966/3 "2018-12-29T04:44:34Z")

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thanks Architector! haha no worries! i’ll take my time to fully get all the concepts you have just told me. Thanks again!