
bobalston
1)Can anyone help me understand how the capabilities in the ez builder scripting language compare with those available in robots which can be programmed with SNAP 4.0 (aka Build your own blocks). I have looked up the scripting capabilities of ez builder and it seems very rudimentary, at least as compared to SNAP 4.0. Of course I may be missing something or even a lot.
So far I have opened the EZ builder script window. On the right I see the various commands in script HELP. T the upper left I see where I can type in the various commands to form my script.
I see that there are a LOT of script commands. These include
GOTO
IF then
If then elseif
Repeat
Repeat until
Repeat while
compass turn
Compass forward
various file read and file write commands
various built in functions
Clearly there is a lot of functionality in the scripting commands available. I am just trying to get an idea of the power and ease of use of this capability vs. SNAP 4.0
2) Are there any plans to implement graphical control capabilities such as SNAP, miniblog, scratch or similar?
If you give an example of something you will require EZ-Script to do I'll be able to tell you if the capability isn't there (I'd say it is there).
Graphical control as in how? There are commands which can control all controls and can send instructions to draw graphics on LCDs etc. As stated I haven't used snap so don't know exactly what you are looking for though.
http://snap.berkeley.edu/
Bob
The disadvantage of course is that you need a computer within WiFi range (Bluetooth on the older v3 board - no longer available except used), although there are certainly ways to extend that (computer on-board, Smartphone or Mobile Hotspot on board, etc...).
Alan
Can more than one script be active at a time? For example can you have the robot wander around, avoiding obstacles and if it encounters specific objects, such as a red ball, to take specific actions such as moving it? Perhaps you could do this example in a single integrated script. but what I am trying to determine is if you can build event processing capabilities, such as building a set of actions/reactions to certain conditions?
thanks
bob
The scripting control is not limited to itself... Meaning your scripts can communicate and control other scripts with ControlCommand() or Variables. To understand the power of ControlCommand(), there is a tab labeled "Cheat Sheet" next to the Script manual when editing any script in any control. I would recommend adding a few controls first, such as Camera, speech recognition and maybe a servo auto position. Finally, add a script and edit it - click the Cheat Sheet tab and the ARC Compiler will generate some suggested code for you
EZ-Script is really really powerful! You'll see...
Bob
Each procedure is a sepsrate Script Control, or to make it easier use the Script Manager - which allows more than one script. You can execute each proecedural script with ControlCommand() and use the Start or StartWait parameter
There are a whole load of examples which come in ARC which cover pretty much every command available and there are more script examples in the forums which cover and detail more commands.
While it's mainly taylored towards IR sensors, GetADC, IF, ElseIF, Goto and Return (and probably has old syntax) I did write an introduction to scripting a while back which may be worth a read. Also if you check out some of my other scripts I've written and explained they may help you see how powerful yet simple EZ-Script is, they are all commented throughout explaining what each section does and why it is there.
Best advice is to download ARC and try it out. You don't need an EZ-B to try it, you can write simple scripts that Print() and Say() things depending on a bunch of variables which don't rely on the EZ-B such as $date, $time, $hour, $minute, $second, math functions and GetRandom(), you could even hook up a usb camera and use the camera control and script commands if you wanted to.