pxt-calliope/docs/getting-started.md

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!

Show LEDs

Draw something in the editor with this block. You can draw another smiley face, or try something else.

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!

Show animation forever

Show one picture after another by snapping blocks together to create an animation (like a cartoon)!

    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!

Repeat Forever

Make an animation that never stops with the forever block.

Unscramble these blocks in the editor to make an animation that first shows a happy face, then an unhappy face, then a happy face, and never stops.

basic.forever(() => {
    basic.showLeds(`
        . . . . .
        . # . # .
        . . . . .
        # . . . #
        . # # # .
        `)
    basic.showLeds(`
        . . . . .
        . # . # .
        . . . . .
        . # # # .
        # . . . #
        `)
});

Your turn!

You can also change the pictures to make your own animation. Make your own awesome animation with the show leds and forever blocks.

~hint

You can make your animation longer if you use more than two pictures.

~

Button A and B

This program will show the word banana on the LED screen when you press button B.

input.onButtonPressed(Button.B, () => {
    basic.showString("banana");
});

Now try to unscramble these blocks in the editor so that the micro:bit shows YES when you press button A and NO when when you press button B. All of the blocks under on button A pressed or on button B pressed should run when you press that button.

input.onButtonPressed(Button.A, () => {
    basic.showString("YES");
});
input.onButtonPressed(Button.B, () => {
    basic.showString("NO");
});

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.

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).

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 the micro:bit itself!

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 bar 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.

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!