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| − | <sidebar>Sidebar: What Is a Macro?</sidebar>
| + | For an excellent introduction guide, we recommend [https://www.flowcode.co.uk/education/ Introduction to microcontroller programming] |
| − | Component macros are sections of code that have been written to support the components included with Flowcode 6.<br />
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| − | They take all the effort out of using these components.
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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 in a timer.
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| − | | |
| − | The first section looks at using [[Component Macro Icon Properties|Component Macros]] to create the core timing sequence. The second section looks at using it to turn on a lamp for ten seconds once a switch is pressed.
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| − | | |
| − | __TOC__
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| − | | |
| − | ==The core timing sequence==
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| − | At the core of the program is a section that sets up the LCD to display the time.<br />
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| − | The flowchart sequence for displaying the elapsed time will be:
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| − | ::::* Initialize the LCD using the 'Start' macro.
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| − | ::::* Set the cursor position in the LCD, using the 'Cursor' macro.
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| − | ::::* Display the text "Elapsed time", using the 'PrintString' macro.
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| − | ::::* Set the time to zero.
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| − | ::::* Change the cursor position, using the 'Cursor' macro.
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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 the process from the one second delay.
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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 a Flowchart|Creating a Flowchart]].
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| − | ===Create the core sequence===
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| − | ===Add the LCD===
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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 [[Exercise - Controlling the Camera]] for information on how to zoom in on the [[System Panel]].)
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| − | ===Initialise the LCD===
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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|border]]
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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 is shown below.
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| − | | |
| − | ===Set up the display===
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| − | The first task is to define where the text will be displayed.<br />
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| − | This involves another LCD 'Component Macro' called 'Cursor'.
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| − | This defines the LCD 'cell' where the text display starts. The LCD has a grid of 32 cells, arranged in 2 rows of 16.<br />
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| − | The upper row is given the value y=0, and the lower y=1. The sixteen horizontal cells are given values from x=0 to x=15.
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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 'Cursor' command.
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| − | ::* Rename the 'Display name' as "Move the cursor".
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| − | ::* In the 'Parameters' section, set the value of 'x' to 2, and 'y' to 0.
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | | |
| − | The next 'Component Macro' specifies the text to be printed, starting at this location.
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| − | :* Click and drag a third '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 below.
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| − | | |
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| − | [[File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Variable_Properties.png|250px|right]]
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| − | ===Display elapsed time===
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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 is shown below.
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| − | | |
| − | : The next Component Macro repositions the cursor, so that the elapsed time is shown below the "Elapsed time" label.<br />
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| − | : The y value is changed to y=1, and the x value to x=8.
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| − | :* Click and drag a fourth 'Component Macro' to follow the third one.
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| − | ::* Double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | ::* Scroll down to the 'Cursor' command.
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| − | ::* Rename the 'Display name' as "Move the cursor".
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| − | ::* In the 'Parameters' section, set the value of 'x' to 8, and 'y' to 1.
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | :* Click and drag a fifth 'Component macro' icon just below the fourth.
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| − | ::* Double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | ::* Scroll down to the 'PrintNumber' command and click on it.
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| − | ::* Rename the 'Display name' as "Display elapsed time".
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| − | ::* In the 'Expression' box, type the variable name "time".
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | ::* The fifth 'Component Macro' dialogue box is shown below.
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| − | <gallery widths=200px heights=200px perrow=5 caption="Component Macro Properties">
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Icon_Properties_01.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Icon_Properties_04.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Icon_Properties_02.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Icon_Properties_05.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Icon_Properties_03.png
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| − | </gallery>
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| − | | |
| − | ===Finishing touches===
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| − | :* Click and drag a 'Delay' icon to follow the fifth 'Component Macro'.
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| − | ::* Double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | ::* Rename it "Wait one second."
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| − | ::* Configure it to give a delay of one second.
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| − | ::: For help with 'Delay' icons, see [[Icon Properties]]
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | :* Click and drag a 'Calculation' icon to follow the 'Delay'.
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| − | ::* Double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | ::* Rename it "Add one second."
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| − | ::* In the 'Calculations:' section, type "time=time+1".
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| − | ::: The effect of this is to increase the number stored in the 'time' variable by one, (also called incrementing the 'time' variable.)
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| − | ::: For help with 'Calculation' icons, see [[Icon Properties]]
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| − | ::* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | ===Test the Core===
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| − | : The diagram below shows the flowchart at this stage.
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| − | [[File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Flowchart_01.png|350px|center]]
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| − | : At this point, the flowchart should be saved as 'Timer', and can be simulated to test it.
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| − | | |
| − | ==Extend the program==
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| − | The full program is designed to:
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| − | :::: wait until a switch is pressed momentarily;
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| − | :::: light a lamp ;
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| − | :::: time a ten second period;
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| − | :::: then switch it off.
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| − | To do this, the sequence is now modified, as follows:
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| − | :* Is the switch pressed?
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| − | ::* If not, branch back and test the switch again.
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| − | ::* If it has:
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| − | :::* light the lamp;
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| − | :::* run through the timing core ten times,
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| − | :::* switch off the lamp.
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| − | ===Add the switch===
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| − | * Locate the 'Push Round Panel' switch in the 'Inputs' toolbox in the [[Tools and Views#1) Icons Toolbar|Icons toolbar]].
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| − | :* Hover over the image to the left of the switch 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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| − | :* Click on the image of the switch on the System panel to select it and drag it to a suitable position.
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| − | :* On the Panel Properties, click on the 'Unconnected' label, next to 'Connection'.
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| − | :: A pinout of the microcontroller appears.
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| − | :* Click on the rectangle that represents the pin RA1/AN1, to connect the switch to Port A, bit 1 of the microcontroller.
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| − | | |
| − | ===Add the LED===
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| − | * Locate the 'Single LED' in 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 'Single LED' 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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| − | :* Select the LED on the System panel and drag it to a suitable position.
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| − | :* Look at the Panel Properties, the 'Connection' property shows that, by default, it is connected to Port A, bit 0.
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| − | :: Leave it like this.
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| − | | |
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| − | ===Modify the flowchart===
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| − | * Immediately after the 'Begin' icon, drag and drop a 'Connection Point (Declare Connection Point)' icon.[[File:Btn Connection Point.gif|border]]
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| − | * Next, add an 'Input' icon, and double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | * Change the 'Display name:' to "Read the switch".
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| − | * Create a new variable, called 'switch'. One way to do this is to click on the down arrow at the end of the 'Variable:' box.
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| − | :* Then click on the down arrow next to the 'Variables' label, and select 'Add new'.
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| − | :* The 'Create a New Variable' dialogue box opens. Type in "switch" as the name of the new variable. Leave the variable type as 'Byte'.
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| − | :* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | * In the 'Variable' box, type the name of the new variable "switch".
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| − | * In the 'Port:' box, select 'PORT A'. Configure the rest of the dialogue box to 'Input from:' 'Single Bit:' 1.
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| − | :* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | * Next, drag and drop a 'Decision' box, and double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | :* Rename it "Switch pressed?".
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| − | :* In the condition 'If' box, type "switch=1"
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| − | :* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | * In the 'No' branch, drag and drop a 'Connection Point (Jump to Connection Point)' icon.[[File:Btn Goto Connection Point.gif|border]]
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| − | * In the 'Yes' branch, drag and drop an 'Output' icon.
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| − | :* Double click on it to open the dialogue box.
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| − | :* Change the 'Display name:' to "Switch on the lamp".
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| − | :* In the 'Variable or value:' box, type "1".
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| − | :* Configure the rest of the box to output this to 'PORT A' 'Single Bit:' 0.
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| − | :* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | * Click and drag the 'Loop' icon to follow this in the 'Yes' branch.
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| − | :* Double click on the 'Loop' icon to configure it.
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| − | :* Leave the 'Display name:' as 'Loop', and the 'Loop while:' box checked.
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| − | :* In the other box, type the condition "time<10".
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| − | :* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | * After the end of the loop, drag and drop a second 'Output' icon.
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| − | :* Double click on it, rename it "Switch off the lamp" and configure it to output value 0 to Port A, bit 0.
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| − | :* Click on 'OK'.
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| − | The dialogue boxes for all these additions are shown below.
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| − | <gallery widths=200px heights=200px perrow=5 caption="Added Component Macro Properties">
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Input_Properties_01.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Decision_Properties_01.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Output_Properties_01.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Loop_Properties_01.png
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| − | File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Output_Properties_02.png
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| − | </gallery>
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| − | The final flowchart resembles the one below.
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| − | [[File:Exercise_Using_Component_Macros_Flowchart_02.png|350px|center]]
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| − | | |
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| − | ==Final testing==
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| − | * [[Saving a Flowchart|Save the flowchart]].
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| − | * [[Starting Flowchart Simulation|Run the simulation]] to test that it works.
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| − | ==Link==
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| − | To download the Flowcode program for this exercise, click on the following link [[File:xxx|xxx]]
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