Table Of ContentTECHNOLOGY IN ACTION™
BBC micro:bit
Recipes
Learn Programming with Microsoft
MakeCode Blocks
—
Pradeeka Seneviratne
BBC micro:bit
Recipes
Learn Programming with
Microsoft MakeCode Blocks
Pradeeka Seneviratne
BBC micro:bit Recipes: Learn Programming with Microsoft MakeCode
Blocks
Pradeeka Seneviratne
Udumulla, Mulleriyawa, Sri Lanka
ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4842-4912-3 ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4842-4913-0
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-4913-0
Copyright © 2019 by Pradeeka Seneviratne
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Table of Contents
About the Author �����������������������������������������������������������������������������xxiii
Chapter 1: MakeCode Setup Fundamentals ������������������������������������������1
1 -1. Starting Microsoft MakeCode for BBC micro:bit ............................................1
Problem ...........................................................................................................1
Solution ...........................................................................................................1
How It Works ...................................................................................................4
1 -2. Saving a Project to a File ...............................................................................7
Problem ...........................................................................................................7
Solution ...........................................................................................................7
How It Works ...................................................................................................8
1-3. Downloading a Project ...................................................................................9
Problem ...........................................................................................................9
Solution ...........................................................................................................9
How It Works .................................................................................................10
1 -4. Flashing a Hex File to the micro:bit .............................................................10
Problem .........................................................................................................10
Solution .........................................................................................................10
How It Works .................................................................................................12
1 -5. Changing the Download Location to micro:bit Drive with
Google Chrome ..................................................................................................13
Problem .........................................................................................................13
Solution .........................................................................................................13
How It Works .................................................................................................14
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1 -6. Sharing a Project .........................................................................................14
Problem .........................................................................................................14
Solution .........................................................................................................14
How It Works .................................................................................................20
1 -7. Opening a File from the Computer ..............................................................20
Problem .........................................................................................................20
Solution .........................................................................................................20
How It Works .................................................................................................23
1 -8. Opening a Shared Project ............................................................................23
Problem .........................................................................................................23
Solution .........................................................................................................23
How It Works .................................................................................................24
1 -9. Deleting a Project ........................................................................................24
Problem .........................................................................................................24
Solution .........................................................................................................24
How It Works .................................................................................................26
1 -10. Deleting All Projects ..................................................................................26
Problem .........................................................................................................26
Solution .........................................................................................................26
How It Works .................................................................................................28
Chapter 2: MakeCode Extended Features �������������������������������������������29
2 -1. Adding an Extension from the Extension Page ............................................29
Problem .........................................................................................................29
Solution .........................................................................................................29
How It Works .................................................................................................33
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2 -2. Adding Extension from the Project URL .......................................................34
Problem .........................................................................................................34
Solution .........................................................................................................34
How It Works .................................................................................................36
2 -3. Removing an Extension from the Project ....................................................39
Problem .........................................................................................................39
Solution .........................................................................................................39
How It Works .................................................................................................41
2 -4. Pairing micro:bit for One-Click Download Using WebUSB ...........................41
Problem .........................................................................................................41
Solution .........................................................................................................41
How It Works .................................................................................................43
Chapter 3: MakeCode Programming Basics ���������������������������������������47
3 -1. Adding Blocks onto Coding Area ..................................................................47
Problem .........................................................................................................47
Solution .........................................................................................................47
How It Works .................................................................................................50
3 -2. Deleting a Block...........................................................................................51
Problem .........................................................................................................51
Solution .........................................................................................................51
How It Works .................................................................................................53
3 -3. Duplicating a Block ......................................................................................53
Problem .........................................................................................................53
Solution .........................................................................................................54
How It Works .................................................................................................54
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3 -4. Adding a Comment ......................................................................................54
Problem .........................................................................................................54
Solution .........................................................................................................55
How It Works .................................................................................................55
3 -5. Displaying Text .............................................................................................56
Problem .........................................................................................................56
Solution .........................................................................................................56
How It Works .................................................................................................58
3 -6. Displaying Numbers ....................................................................................59
Problem .........................................................................................................59
Solution .........................................................................................................59
How It Works .................................................................................................60
3 -7. Displaying Text Repeatedly ..........................................................................60
Problem .........................................................................................................60
Solution .........................................................................................................61
How It Works .................................................................................................61
3 -8. Displaying a Number Repeatedly ................................................................61
Problem .........................................................................................................61
Solution .........................................................................................................62
How It Works .................................................................................................62
3 -9. Turning on LEDs ...........................................................................................62
Problem .........................................................................................................62
Solution .........................................................................................................63
How It Works .................................................................................................64
3 -10. Displaying Icons ........................................................................................64
Problem .........................................................................................................64
Solution .........................................................................................................65
How It Works .................................................................................................66
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3 -11. Displaying Arrows ......................................................................................69
Problem .........................................................................................................69
Solution .........................................................................................................69
How It Works .................................................................................................69
3 -12. Pausing a Program ....................................................................................70
Problem .........................................................................................................70
Solution .........................................................................................................70
How It Works .................................................................................................72
3 -13. Clearing the Screen ...................................................................................72
Problem .........................................................................................................72
Solution .........................................................................................................72
How It Works .................................................................................................73
Chapter 4: Working with Text �������������������������������������������������������������75
4 -1. Finding the Length of a Text ........................................................................75
Problem .........................................................................................................75
Solution .........................................................................................................75
How It Works .................................................................................................76
4 -2. Joining Strings ............................................................................................77
Problem .........................................................................................................77
Solution .........................................................................................................77
How It Works .................................................................................................79
4 -3. Comparing Two Strings ................................................................................79
Problem .........................................................................................................79
Solution .........................................................................................................79
How It Works .................................................................................................81
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4 -4. Making Substrings .......................................................................................82
Problem .........................................................................................................82
Solution .........................................................................................................83
How It Works .................................................................................................84
4 -5. Getting a Character at a Position .................................................................86
Problem .........................................................................................................86
Solution .........................................................................................................87
How It Works .................................................................................................88
4 -6. Converting a String to a Number .................................................................89
Problem .........................................................................................................89
Solution .........................................................................................................89
How It Works .................................................................................................91
Chapter 5: Displaying Images �������������������������������������������������������������93
5 -1. Displaying Built-in Images ...........................................................................93
Problem .........................................................................................................93
Solution .........................................................................................................93
How It Works .................................................................................................96
5 -2. Image Offsetting ..........................................................................................96
Problem .........................................................................................................96
Solution .........................................................................................................96
How It Works .................................................................................................99
5 -3. Scrolling Images ..........................................................................................99
Problem .........................................................................................................99
Solution .........................................................................................................99
How It Works ...............................................................................................101
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5 -4. Creating Your Own Images ........................................................................101
Problem .......................................................................................................101
Solution .......................................................................................................101
How It Works ...............................................................................................104
5 -5. Creating a Double-Sized Image .................................................................104
Problem .......................................................................................................104
Solution .......................................................................................................104
How It Works ...............................................................................................107
5 -6. Displaying Arrows ......................................................................................108
Problem .......................................................................................................108
Solution .......................................................................................................109
How It Works ...............................................................................................111
5 -7. Using Variable to Hold an Image ................................................................112
Problem .......................................................................................................112
Solution .......................................................................................................112
How It Works ...............................................................................................116
Chapter 6: Inputs and Outputs ����������������������������������������������������������117
6 -1. Using Edge Connector ...............................................................................117
Problem .......................................................................................................117
Solution .......................................................................................................117
How It Works ...............................................................................................118
6 -2. Using Edge Connector Breakout ................................................................120
Problem .......................................................................................................120
Solution .......................................................................................................120
How It Works ...............................................................................................121
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