# Getting started Are you ready to build cool BBC micro:bit programs? Here are some challenges for you. Unscramble the blocks in the editor to make real programs that work! ### Happy face There are three blocks in the editor (the area to the left). They should look like this: ```blocks basic.forever(() => { basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . # . . . # . # # # . `) basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . `) }); ``` When you run this program, you will see a smiley face, then a blank screen, then a smiley again -- it never stops! (That's because of the ``forever`` block.) To move your program from your computer to the BBC micro:bit: * Connect your micro:bit to the computer with the USB cable. * Click **Compile**. * Drag and drop the new file whose name ends in **.hex** into the **MICROBIT** window. * Wait until the yellow light stops blinking! ### Happy unhappy face Draw an unhappy face instead of the blank screen. Click on the dots in the second ``show leds`` block until it matches the blocks below. Now you have an **animation** (cartoon) that shows a happy face, then an unhappy one, then a happy one again, forever (or until you turn off your micro:bit)! ```blocks basic.forever(() => { basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . # . . . # . # # # . `) basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . . # # # . # . . . # `) }); ``` To move your program from your computer to the BBC micro:bit: * Connect your micro:bit to the computer with the USB cable. * Click **Compile**. * Drag and drop the new file whose name ends in **.hex** into the **MICROBIT** window. * Wait until the yellow light stops blinking! ### Your turn! Pile up more ``show leds`` blocks to create your animation! Create an animation with at least 5 pictures. What does this animation show? ```blocks basic.forever(() => { basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . # . . . # . # # # . `) basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . # # # # # . . . . . `) basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . . # # # . # . . . # `) basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . # # # # # . . . # # `) basic.showLeds(` . . . . . # . # . . . . . . . # . . . # . # # # . `) basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . . # . # . . . . . # . . . # . # # # . `) }); ``` To move your program from your computer to the BBC micro:bit: * Connect your micro:bit to the computer with the USB cable. * Click **Compile**. * Drag and drop the new file whose name ends in **.hex** into the **MICROBIT** window. * Wait until the yellow light stops blinking! #### ~hint You can find the ``show leds`` block in the **Basic** part of the editor. #### ~ ### Button A and button B This program will show the word **anteater** on the LED screen when you press button `A`. ```blocks input.onButtonPressed(Button.A, () => { basic.showString("anteater"); }); ``` #### ~hint The ``showString`` block can show letters, numbers, and punctuation on the micro:bit screen. #### ~ Now try to unscramble these blocks in the editor so that the micro:bit shows **banana** when you press button `B`. ```shuffle input.onButtonPressed(Button.B, () => { basic.showString("banana"); }); ``` #### ~hint You can find the letter `B` by clicking the letter `A` on the ``onButtonPressed`` block. #### ~ #### Your turn! Can you combine these blocks so your program shows your real name instead of **anteater** when you press `A`, but _your secret agent name_ instead of **banana** when you press `B`? ### Shake You can find when someone is shaking the BBC micro:bit by checking its **accelerometer** (it finds whether the micro:bit is speeding up or slowing down). Unscramble these blocks in the editor to show a frownie when someone shakes the micro:bit. (Ouch!) ```shuffle input.onGesture(Gesture.Shake, () => { basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . . # # # . # . . . #`); }); ``` ### Tilting with gestures You can also find when someone is tilting the micro:bit left or right, face up or face down, and logo up or logo down (the logo is the yellow oval picture at the top of the board). Tilting a micro:bit like this is called a **gesture**. Try to build a Rock Paper Scissors game where you tilt the micro:bit left to show paper, right to show scissors, and down to show rock. Unscramble these blocks in the editor and try this program on a real micro:bit! ```shuffle input.onGesture(Gesture.TiltLeft, () => { basic.showLeds(` # # # # # # . . . # # . . . # # . . . # # # # # #`); }); input.onGesture(Gesture.LogoDown, () => { basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # # # . . # # # . . # # # . . . . . .`); }); input.onGesture(Gesture.TiltRight, () => { basic.showLeds(` # # . . # # # . # . . . # . . # # . # . # # . . #`); }); ``` ### Pins You can also use the pins as buttons. (The pins are the holes in the metal stripe at the bottom of the micro:bit board.) For example, hold the ``GND`` button with one hand and touch the ``0`` pin (called ``P0``) with your other hand to tell the micro:bit you're pressing it. Unscramble the blocks in the editor to show a smiley when you press pin ``P0``. ```shuffle input.onPinPressed(TouchPin.P0, () => { basic.showLeds(` . . . . . . # . # . . . . . . # . . . # . # # # .`); }); ``` ### Your turn! Use the screen, buttons, gestures, and pins to make your own fun game with the BBC micro:bit! What about some of these? * A backpack burglar alarm * Daily news broadcaster for your class * Animated jewelry * A _complete_ animated cartoon * A calculator * A music box These are all things you can make with the BBC micro:bit by itself. Just think what you can do if you connect the micro:bit's pins to extra parts like microphones and other **sensors**!