Simulator for Buggy Model Kit MOD001

[Dr_John]

I have developed a simulation of the Buggy Kit which runs as Flash in a browser window.
It's in use at the School where I'm a helper. I would welcome some feedback from the Picaxe community or indeed other schools.

How could it be improved to teach systems and control to years 7,8,9?

Reminder about the MOD001: It has a PICaxe 18, 1 motor driver 2 motors and 2 microswitches, 2 LEDs.

The simulation has a limited subset of BASIC commands, and uses the "old" assignment of Inputs to microswitches.

There is a simulated pen, which is used to trace the path of the buggy (a bit like LOGO)

There is a feedback link in the bottom corner of the screen which you can use, or of course you can send comments via this forum.

(Maybe this should go into the Completed projects forum)

There are no written instructions - perhaps that's where I should start.

Have fun at http://moodle.ttcdtinternet.com/file.php/1/newsim/


John Fisher

 

[Andrew Cowan]

The operation timed out when attempting to contact moodle.ttcdtinternet.com.

My internet connection is OK.

A

 

[lanternfish]

Same issue with timeout

 

[SilentScreamer]

Appears the server is down as I can get a copy of the site from Google's cache but can't access the page without and even with Google's cache I can only view plain text.

 

[Dr_John]

Hmm. It works for me...
I'll look in to it
meanwhile try the same software at http://www.j-s-f.co.uk/buggy/newsim/

 

[hippy]

Still cannot get access ( 09:19 BST ), but the j-s-f site is accessible.

 

[SilentScreamer]

Now running at both sites.

 

[Dr_John]

Reply to Chis (who left feedback):

The basic commands covered are:
gosub, return, for, next, goto. let, =,
high,low,toggle,pause
if then else endif , select case else endselect,
inc dec, * + - / or and
stop
do (while / until) loop (until / while)

Not done:
symbol, wait

Outputs:
7 Right motor reverse
6 Right motor fwds
5 left motor reverse
4 Left motor fwds
2 Left LED
1 Right LED


Inputs:
pin1 = right microswitch
pin2 = left microswitch *ERROR should be pin0

Cheers JSF

 

[SilentScreamer]

Thanks for the reply, I was expecting to have to work it out for myself when I got a spare minute. The only other suggestion I have is to have a button for tab, or make it so tab inserts a tab rather than moving between objects on the page (I'm not sure if the latter is possible in ActionScript). I have found a work around though by having one copied and then pasting into the window.

 

[Dr_John]

Illl see about intercepting the TAB key in Actionscript, or at least shift in focus from the program text field, and providing a tab for programmers to use.

I could put a "Tab" button into the program window, or even an auto-formatting "prettify" button.

The Route planner is intended as a precursor to writing basic - to get the pupils to plan out what they want their program to do.
Can you think of a way to make it better?

 

[SilentScreamer]

I cant think of any others, I'm already shocked by what you've done, especially the save feature and the entire BASIC interpreter. I will be recommending it for use at my school when I go back in September. I assume it will remain available for the foreseeable future?

 

[Dr_John]

New version installed. . .
I have intercepted TAB and caused a tab to be inserted into the program. This is a bit quick and dirty and will doubtless have side-effects. The tab spacing in flash textfields is a bit weird.

A Ctl Z would be nice also.

The main place for pupils to edit their code was meant to be Programming Editor, with copy/paste into the simulator. I don't intend to try to match the PE editor...