BlocklyProp Solo is a visual online programming tool for programming the SumoBot robot. The robot's brain is a Parallax Propeller 1 microcontroller, located on the underside of the FLiP module. In addition to controlling robots, the FLiP module can be the brain of many other electronic inventions. Likewise, the Propeller microcontroller is built into many electronic products, prototyping tools, and robots.
BlocklyProp lets you build Propeller programs graphically, piece by piece. BlocklyProp has all the essential blocks found in normal programs that display, decide, calculate, and repeat. You can find examples of those kind of blocks in many Hour of Code beginner example programs, but they are also in advanced ones like tablet and cell phone apps.
BlocklyProp also has special blocks for reading sensors, controlling motors and displays, and communicating with other devices. This combination of essential and special blocks makes it much easier to learn to program your robots, inventions, and even electronic product designs.
In School? Students on school computers, ask your teacher for help installing BlocklyProp Launcher if it's not there already. Teachers, share this with your IT team:
BlocklyProp Solo, Launcher, and FAQ for Schools [2]
The BlocklyProp Launcher is a small app mainly for loading programs from your computer into the Propeller chip. After it’s installed, you can use it to launch the BlocklyProp Solo app for writing programs. Or, after running the BlocklyProp Launcher, you can start writing programs in your Chrome browser at solo.parallax.com.
The BlocklyProp Solo, Launcher, and FAQ for Schools page has resources for different operating systems. If you have Windows or Mac, you’ll download and run an installer and follow the prompts. Chromebooks will go to the Chrome Web Store and add a Chrome Extension.
BlocklyProp Launcher Downloads [2]
When your BlocklyProp Launcher App opens, it should resemble the image below.
BlocklyProp programming starts by creating a project. Each project you make needs a name, and also needs to know which type of Propeller board is going to run the program. For the SumoBot WX, that’s the Propeller FLiP module. Let's try it.
BlocklyProp programs are built by placing one or more blocks in the white canvas area of the Edit Pane. For a first program, let’s try making the Propeller FLiP send the text “Hello, I’m a SumoBot” BlocklyProp's terminal.
To program the SumoBot, the Propeller FLiP must be connected to the computer with a USB cable (or optionally with a WX WiFi module) and powered on. Let's go through the steps.
To load the program, the Propeller FLiP must be connected to the computer with a USB cable. Then, BlocklyProp Solo needs to see the connection. The connection is called a communication port, and BlocklyProp should automatically detect and display the port.
The SumoBot WX board has a POWER switch with three settings:
For this example, we are running a program that sends a “Hello” message to BlocklyProp Solo’s terminal. We are not trying to move the servo motors. So, POWER can be set to 1.
If you accidentally set POWER to 2, that’s okay. Just be ready to catch your SumoBot before it rolls off the table if someone using it before you loaded a program that makes it move.
The code will load into the Propeller chip RAM (Random Access Memory). The Propeller chip executes the code, and sends the message back to the BlocklyProp Terminal.
Blank Terminal? — If the "Hello, I'm a SumoBot!" message does not appear, wait a moment and click the Run once button again. Some computer COM ports need a moment! Alternatively, you can add a Pause block from the Control category at the beginning of your programs.
There is a round piezospeaker built into the SumoBot WX board, right in front of the Propeller FLiP socket. It is connected to Propeller I/O pin P20. You can make the speaker beep by using the Audio category's frequency out block. Let's update the program to beep the piezospeaker, and print two messages.
If there is a sticker on the speaker, you can remove it now!
This time, you will save your program in the Propeller FLiP EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory).
Did you hear the beep again? The code is now stored in the FLiP module and it will run every time you press the reset button.
Now that you know how to connect your Propeller FliP to BlocklyProp, and how to create and run a BlocklyProp program, it is time to learn more programming basics.
Simple BlocklyProp Programs for Propeller Boards [3]
BlocklyProp Functions and Multicore [4]
Piezo Beep [5]
Links
[1] https://www.parallax.com/product/32134
[2] https://www.parallax.com/downloads/blocklyprop-solo-launcher-and-faq-schools
[3] https://learn.parallax.com/tutorials/language/blocklyprop/simple-blocklyprop-programs-propeller-boards
[4] https://learn.parallax.com/tutorials/language/blocklyprop/blocklyprop-functions-and-multicore
[5] https://learn.parallax.com/tutorials/language/blocklyprop/circuit-practice-blocklyprop/piezo-beep