167 lines
5.9 KiB
Markdown
167 lines
5.9 KiB
Markdown
# Run Scripts on your micro:bit
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How to compile, transfer, and run a script on your micro:bit.
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While you're writing and testing your scripts, you'll mostly be running scripts in your browser by clicking the `PLay` button
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(see [run code in your browser](/device/simulator) for info about this).
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Once your masterpiece is complete, you can compile your script and run it on your micro:bit.
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## Requirements
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You need the following things to transfer and run a script on your micro:bit:
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* A-Male to Micro USB cable to connect your computer to your micro:bit. This is the same cable that is commonly used to connect a smart phone to a computer.
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* a PC running Windows 7 of later, or a Mac running OS X 10.6 or later
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* access to the Internet
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## Step 1: Connect your micro:bit to your computer
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First, connect the micro:bit:
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1. Connect the small end of the USB cable to the micro USB port on your micro:bit.
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2. Connect the other end of the USB cable to a USB port on your computer.
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Your computer should recognise your micro:bit as a new drive. On computers running Windows, MICROBIT appears as a drive under Devices and drives. On a Mac it appears as a new drive under Devices.
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Windows
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Mac
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## Step 2: Compile your script
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Next, compile your script:
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1. Sign in to Touch Develop on your computer.
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2. Open your script (find the script in **My Scripts** and click `Edit`).
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3. Click **Download**. Your script is converted into a hex file that you can transfer and run on your micro:bit.
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4. When prompted, choose to save the compiled file on your computer (or anywhere other than the micro:bit). Depending on which browser you are using, the download will adopt the download behaviour of that particular browser.
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### Windows
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**Chrome**
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Your `.hex` file appears as a download at the bottom of the browser. Click on
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the arrow next to the name of the file and then click **Show in folder**.
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Drag and drop the hex file from the download folder onto the MICROBIT drive.
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**Firefox**
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A window will appear asking whether you want to save or open the `.hex` file.
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Select **Save File** and then select **OK**.
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The file will then appear in your downloads in the top right of your browser.
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Click the **folder icon** next to the filename to download it and open it in
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Windows Explorer.
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**Microsoft Edge**
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A message will appear at the bottom of the browser asking what you want to do
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with the file. Click **Save**:
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Then click **Open folder** and drag and drop the file from your Downloads to
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your `MICROBIT` drive.
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**Internet Explorer**
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A message will appear at the bottom of the browser asking what you want to do
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with the file. Click **Save**:
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Then click **Open folder** and drag and drop the file from your Downloads to
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your `MICROBIT` drive.
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### Mac
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**Safari**
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When you select **Download** in Safari a file called `Unknown` will be
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downloaded into your Downloads folder. Open your Downloads folder and drag and
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drop the file onto your `MICROBIT` drive, under Devices:
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**Firefox**
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A dialogue box will appear, asking whether you would like to open or save your
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hex file. Select **Save** and **OK** and the file will then appear in your
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downloads in the top right of your browser. Right click on the file and click on
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**Show in Finder** and the file will appear in your downloads folder. Select the
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file and drag and drop it onto your MICROBIT drive.
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**Chrome**
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When you select **Download** in Chrome, the file will be downloaded to the
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bottom of the browser in .hex format. Click on the small arrow and select **Show
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in Finder**. This will show the file in your download folder. Drag and drop the
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file onto your `MICROBIT` drive.
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## Step 3: Transfer the file to your micro:bit
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1. The file will transfer onto your micro:bit.
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2. If you're using Windows, you can use **Send to** as described below.
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3. The LED on the back of your micro:bit flashes during the transfer (which should only take a few seconds).
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4. Once transferred, the code will run automatically on your micro:bit. To rerun your program, press the reset button on the back of your micro:bit. The reset button automatically runs the newest file on the micro:bit.
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**Send to**: If you're using Windows you use *Send to* in File Explorer:
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- In File Explorer, right-click on the hex file (created in Step 2 above), choose **Send to**, and then **MICROBIT**.
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By copying the script onto the 'MICROBIT' drive, you have programmed it into the flash memory on the micro:bit, which means even after you unplug the micro:bit, your script will still run if the micro:bit is powered by battery.
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## Troubleshooting
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You can’t drag and drop more than one hex file at once onto your micro:bit. If you try to drag and drop a second hex file onto your micro:bit before the first file has finished downloading, then the second file may fail in different ways.
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When the first program has been written to the micro:bit, the drive will disengage. If you drag and drop a second file at this point it may not find the drive and the second write will fail.
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The errors may look like this:
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**Windows**
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**Mac**
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Or it may appear that there are two hex files on your micro:bit so the micro:bit won’t be able to run multiple files. To rectify this, unplug your micro:bit and plug it in again. Make sure that your micro:bit appears as MICROBIT and not MAINTENANCE.
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### See also
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[Run code in a browser](/device/simulator)
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