introduction to my blocks - ev3 lessons · introduction to my blocks. lesson objectives learn how...

BySanjayandArvindSeshan

INTERMEDIATEPROGRAMMINGLESSON

INTRODUCTIONTOMYBLOCKS

LessonObjectivesLearnhowtomakecustomblocksintheEV3Software(MyBlocks)

LearnwhyaMyBlockisuseful

LearntoconstructaMyBlockwithInputsandOutputs(Parameters)

Note:ThenewfeaturesmentionedinthislessonareavailableinV.1.3ofbothHomeEditionandEducationEdition.Updateyoursoftwareifyouarenotrunningthisversion.

©2015EV3LESSONS.COM(LASTEDIT9/25/2017) 2

WhatisaMyBlock?• AMyBlockisacombinationof

oneormoreblocksthatyoucreatethatcanbegroupedintoasingleblock

• MyBlocksarebasicallyyourowncustomblocks

• OnceaMyBlockiscreated,youcanuseitinmultipleprograms

• JustlikeanyotherblockinEV3,MyBlockscanhavebothinputsandoutputs(parameters)


ThetwoblocksaboveareexamplesofMyBlocks:• Move_Inches tellstherobotto

movethenumberofinchesweinput

• Turn_Degrees tellstherobottoturntheamountweinput

• TheseMyBlockswillbetaughtinseparatelessons.

CM

WhendoYouUseaMyBlock?• Whenevertherobotisgoingtorepeatanactioninside

yourprogram

• Whencodeisrepeatedinadifferentprogram

• Organizeandsimplifyyourcode


WhyShouldYouBother?BecauseofMyBlocks,yourmissionswilllooklikethis…


Insteadofthis….

Thismakesyourcodeeasiertoreadandeasiertomodify!!!

WhatMakesaUsefulMyBlockNote:MakingMyBlockswithinputsandoutputscanmakethemfarmoreuseful.However,youneedtobecarefulnottomaketheMyBlocktoocomplicated.

Question:LookatthelistofthreeMyBlocksbelow.Whichonesdoyouthinkareusefulfortouse?◦ Move5CM(Movestherobotfivecentimeters)◦ MoveCM withacentimeterandpowerinput◦ MoveCM withcentimeter,power,angle,coast/brake,etc.inputs

Answer:◦ Move5CMmaybeusedoften,butyouwillbeforcedtomakeotherMyBlocksforotherdistances.Thiswillnotbefixablelater.

◦ MoveCM withcentimetersandpowerasinputsisprobablythebestchoice.◦ MoveCM withcentimeters,power,angle,coast/brake,etc.mightbemostcustomizable,butsomeoftheinputsmightneverbeused.


Step1:HighlightBlocks


• Forthislesson,ourgoalistomoveadesiredamountofrotations atadesiredpowerandreturntheultrasonicvalue attheend

• Step1:SelectthetwoblocksinthecodethatyouwanttoturnintoaMyBlock

• Question:Whatwouldbetheinput(s)andoutput(s)forourMyBlock?

• Answer:Theinputsarepowerandrotations.TheOutputisdistancemeasuredbytheultrasonicsensor.

Step2:LaunchMyBlockBuilder


• A:GotoToolsàMyBlockBuilder- Ifyouencounteranerror,viewthenextslide

• B:PickaMyBlockName

• C.AddaDescription

• D.SelectanIconforthewholeMyBlock

MoveRotationsandoutputUltrasonic

A

B C

D

CommonErrorMessagesERROR1:

SOLUTION:YouneedtohighlighttheblocksbeforegoingintoMyBlockBuilder

ERROR2:

SOLUTION:Un-highlightthestartblockbeforegoingintoMyBlockBuilder

Ifyoucontinuetohavetroubleatthisstep,justselectasingleblockinyourprogramandcreateaMyBlockfromit.YoucaneditandaddmoreblockstoaMyBlockatanytime.Youcanevenchangetheinputsandoutputs* ofaMyBlockaftercreation.


*Newfor2017

Step3:AddInputs/Outputs

A.Weneedtoaddtwoinputsandoneoutputsowewillclickthe+buttonthreetimes

B.Gobacktothefirstparameter

C.GotoParameterSetup




A

B

C

Step4:SetupParameterforPower


B.SelectInputA.PickaName

D.Chooseadefaultvalue


Setmin&maxvalues(onlyavailablewithslider)

C.PowerisaNumber

E.ChoosebuttonStyle

ABCD

E

Step5:SetupParameterforRotation



Nowclickonthesecondparameter

ABCD

E

B.SelectInputA.PickaName

D.ChooseadefaultvalueC.RotationisaNumber

E.ChoosebuttonStyle

Step6:SetupParameterforUltrasonic



ABC

Nowclickonthethirdparameter

B.SelectOutput

A.PickaName

C.UltrasonicoutputisaNumber

Step7:SetupParameterIcons


Inthisstep,wewillchangetheiconsfortheparametersfrom“a”toanimageofyourchoice.

A. Clickonaparameter

B.ClickonthetabParameterIconsifnotalreadyonthistab,andchooseanicon

C.RepeatstepsAandBforeachparameter

D.PressFinishwhenyouaredone.

A

B

C

Step8:AddDataWiresA. WhenyouclickFinish(onprevious

slide)youwillseethis.

B. WireuptheMyBlockbydraggingadatawirefromeachparametertoitscorrespondingslotonthemovesteeringblockandsensorblock.


Thesegreyblocksareourinputs/outputs(parameters)thatweresetupautomaticallybytheMyBlockBuilder

WhereistheMyBlock?A. YourMyBlockwillappearinthe

turquoisetab.Youcannowusethisblockinanyprogram.

B. Below,thesameMyBlockisusedtwice.Oncetomoveforward2rotationsandthenbackwards5rotations.


Note:ThesameMyBlockcanbeusedwithdifferentinput

values.

EditingYourNewlyCreatedMyBlock


IfyouwanttochangeanythingintheMyBlockyoujustcreated,simplypressonthe“Edit”buttononthetopLeftcorneroftheMyBlock*

Youcanchangethename,addordeleteparameters,etc.

*Newfor2017

CreditsThistutorialwascreatedbySanjaySeshanandArvindSeshan

Morelessonsareavailableatwww.ev3lessons.com


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

introduction to my blocks - ev3 lessons · introduction to my blocks. lesson objectives learn how...

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