Component Creation

In Flowcode IDE, a component is a predefined module or building block that represents a physical or logical element, which can be added to your project to simplify the process of designing and simulating embedded systems. These components can range from hardware elements like sensors, actuators, and communication devices, to software elements like variables, timers, or logic gates.

Each component typically comes with its own properties, methods, and events, which allow users to configure and interact with the component in a graphical way. For example:

Hardware components: These include microcontrollers, LEDs, motors, displays, or communication interfaces like I2C, SPI, and UART. Software components: These are functional blocks such as delays, counters, or decision-making constructs like conditionals or loops. Flowcode simplifies embedded programming by allowing you to drag and drop these components into your design, and then connect and configure them without the need to write low-level code manually. However, it still offers the flexibility to add custom code when needed.

Each component can also be simulated, allowing you to test and debug your design before deploying it to the actual hardware.

Component Creation Steps

• Creating a Property - How to create a property
• IO Properties - How to create and use IO properties
• Component Configuration - Overview of the component creation panel managers
• Customising A Component - Creating a new customised version of a component
• Assigning Code to an Existing Component - Complementing or overriding an existing components functionality
• Base Components - The base components and their function
• Using CAL Components - Creating a component using CAL functionality (I2C / SPI / UART etc)
• Using A Base Component - Creating a new component using a base component
• New Component Features - Additional component creation features added in Flowcode

Examples

• Exercises - Worked exercises including creating components
• Example - Simple Switch - Creating a simple momentary or latching switch using images to represent switch state
• Example - Number Conversions - Creating a helper component to help convert between number systems Decimal, Hexadecimal and Binary
• Example - Creating a two-wheeled robot - Creating a 2 wheeled robot from scratch (simulation & downloadable)

Exercises

• Create an LED Component - Creating a flowchart revolving around an LED component driven by simulation macros and functions.
• Exporting the LED Component - Exporting and saving the component, including simulation macros and properties and variables.
• Importing the LED Component - Importing the component into a new flowchart and preparing it for testing in simulation.
• Testing an Imported Component - Testing the imported LED by creating a flowchart program to run in simulation to test the component.
• Building a Complex Component - The Traffic Cone - Building and programming a component by grouping multiple elements on the System Panel.
• Exporting the Traffic Cone - Exporting and saving the component, including simulation macros and properties to prepare for testing.
• Importing and Testing the Traffic Cone - Import the component and test it in simulation by calling the previously programmed simulation macro.