BP Blockly User Guide

BP Blockly User Guide

Introduction

BP is implemented in Google Blockly by introducing new programming blocks, and by using the co-routines (generators) facility of JavaScript. Behavioral programs written in Blockly are translated into and executed as JavaScript programs.

Installation / Getting started

• Install Firefox browser version 15.0.1 or later.
• For online use: open with FireFox the designated Blockly link
• For offline/local use on your computer:
  • Download the zip file containing the Blockly and JavaScript package from the download screen;
  • Extract the zip file, preserving directory structure;
  • Open with Firefox the file BP_Code\apps\BP\index.html;
• Look at example projects in the examples drop down, additional examples linked from this site, and the tutorial

User Interface

Tabs

The BP Blockly interface introduces four tabs:

• Blocks: In this tab, on the left is the 'pallet' or menu of Blockly blocks to choose from, and on the right is the canvas where the application is developed.
• HTML: In this tab you program the HTML interfaces of your application, especially sensors and actuators.
• Project Blocks: In this tab you can define new application-specific blocks. For example, application specific events.
• JavaScript: This tab, shown in "debug" mode, shows the executable JavaScript generated from the Blockly code
• XML: This tab, shown in "debug" mode, shows the text file where the entire application is stored.

Navigation

• To scroll click and drag the canvas up or down, or use the scroll bar.
• Note that at initial loading parts of an application may be hidden and you may need to scroll up.
• Actions: Right click offers a popup menu

Programming

• To create an application drag blocks onto the canvas
• To create sensors and actuators, see [http://ww.b-prog.org/pres/agere2012 - Author Version.pdf class="btn primary">AGERE!2012 paper »</a></p>pres/agere2012 - Author Version.pdf" class="btn primary">AGERE!2012 paper »</a></p>
• Your application is not required to have its own GUI and HTML – you can experiment with creating interwoven behavioral flow just with events
• B-thread priority:
  • Round robin: All b-threads have same priority. Events that are requested and not blocked are chosen from the different b-threads in turn.
  • Strict priority: All b-threads are ordered, as determined by their top down and left-to-right placement on the canvas.

• To create