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| − | Component macros are sections of code that have been written to support the components included with Flowcode 6.<br />
| + | For an excellent introduction guide, we recommend [https://www.flowcode.co.uk/education/ Introduction to microcontroller programming] |
| − | They take all the effort out of using these components.<br />
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| − | This exercise uses them to control a particularly complicated, but very common device, the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).<br />
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| − | In this case, it uses a LCD to display elapsed time.
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| − | __TOC__
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| − | ==The core sequence==
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| − | The flowchart sequence for the elapsed time will be:
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| − | : Check if the switch is pressed.
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| − | :: If it isn't, go back to the beginning.
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| − | :: If it is:
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| − | ::: initialize the LCD;
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| − | ::: display the text "Elapsed time";
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| − | ::: initialize the time;
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| − | ::: display the time
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| − | ::: wait for one second;
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| − | ::: increment the time;
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| − | ::: display the new time;
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| − | ::: loop back and repeat this process.
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| − | ==Set up the flowchart==
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| − | * Open Flowcode, and set up the new flowchart as described in [[Exercise - Creating Your First Flowchart|Creating Your First Flowchart]].
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| − | ==Create the core sequence==
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| − | * Locate the 'LCD' inside the 'Outputs' toolbox in the [[Tools and Views#1) Icons Toolbar|Icons toolbar]].
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| − | :* Hover over the image to the left of the 'LCD' label, and click on the down-arrow that appears.
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| − | :* Click on the 'Add to system panel' option to select it.
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| − | :* Zoom in until the LCD image is big enough to read.(See [[System Panel]] for information on how to zoom.)
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| − | [[File:gen_exerciseUsingCompMacros_compmacprops_01.png|300px|right]]
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| − | * Click and drag an infinite loop between the 'BEGIN' and 'END' icons.
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| − | * Inside the loop:
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| − | :* Click and drag a 'Component macro' icon.[[File:Btn_Component_Macro.gif|30px]]
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| − | ::* Double click on it to open the dialogue box, so that you can configure it.
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| − | ::: The program 'knows' which components you have added to the System or Dashboard panel, and modifies the list of available commands accordingly.
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| − | ::: Under 'Components', the LCD will be listed, and underneath it the list of commands.
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| − | ::* Scroll down to the bottom of the list and click on the 'Start' command.
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| − | ::* Rename the 'Display name' as "Start the LCD".
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | ::* The dialogue box resembles that shown opposite.
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| − | [[File:gen_exerciseUsingCompMacros_compmacprops2_01.png|300px|right]] | |
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| − | :* Click and drag a second 'Component macro' icon just below the first.
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| − | ::* Double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | ::* Scroll down to the 'PrintString' command and click on it.
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| − | ::* Rename the 'Display name' as "Elapsed time".
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| − | ::* In the 'Expression' box, type "Elapsed time" (making sure you include the quotation marks "".)
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | ::* The dialogue box is shown opposite.
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| − | [[File:gen_exerciseUsingCompMacros_timevarprops_01.png|250px|right]]
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| − | :* In the 'Edit' menu, on the main toolbar, click on 'Variables...' to open the 'Variable Manager' dialogue box.
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| − | ::* Hover just to the left of the 'Variables' label, and click on the down arrow that appears.
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| − | ::* Select 'Add new' and the 'Create a New Variable' dialogue box opens.
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| − | ::* Name the new variable "time", and give it an initial value of zero.
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| − | ::* Leave the variable type as 'Byte'.
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | ::* The dialogue box should resemble that opposite.
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