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Using Turtle Art JS

Turtle Blocks Javascript is designed to run in a browser. Most of the development has been done in Chrome, but it should also work in Firefox. You can run it directly from index.html, from a server maintained by Sugar Labs, from the github repo, or by setting up a local server.

Once you've launched it in your browser, start by clicking on (or dragging) blocks from the Turtle palette. Use multiple blocks to create drawings; as the turtle moves under your control, colorful lines are drawn.

You add blocks to your program by clicking on or dragging them from the palette to the main area. You can delete a block by dragging it back onto the palette. Click anywhere on a "stack" of blocks to start executing that stack or by clicking on the rabbit (fast) or snail (slow) on the Main Toolbar. To maximize screen real estate, Turtle Blocks overlays the program elements (stacks of blocks) on top of the canvas. These blocks can be hidden at any time will running the program.

Toolbars

There are three toolbars: (1) the main toolbar across the top of the screen; (2) the secondary toolbar on the right side of the screen; and (3) the palette toolbar on the right side of the screen. An additional menu appears when a "long press" is applied to a stack of blocks. There is also a utility panel with additional controls.

The Main toolbar is used to run programs, erase the screen, and hide the palettes and blocks.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/fast-button.png'

Run the blocks fast.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/slow-button.png'

Run the blocks slowly. When running slowly, the values of parameter boxes are shown as an additional debugging aid.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/step-button.png'

Run the blocks step by step (one block is executed per turtle per click).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/stop-turtle-button.png'

Stop running the current project.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/clear-button.png'

Clear the screen and return the turtles to their initial positions in the center of the screen.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/palette-button.png'

Hide or show the block palettes.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/hide-blocks-button.png'

Hide or show the blocks and the block palettes.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/collapse-blocks-button.png'

Expand or collapse stacks of blocks (start and action stacks).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/help-button.png'

Show the help messages.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/menu-button.png'

Expand or collapse the auxillary toolbar.

The Auxillary toolbar, displayed on the right side of the screen, has buttons for various utilities such as accessing the planet for saving programs, overlaying grids, and accessing the utility panel. The Auxillary toolbar button on the Main toolbar (top right) is used to show/hide the Auxillary toolbar.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/planet-button.png'

Open a viewer for loading example projects.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/copy-button.png'

Copy blocks onto the clipboard. (This button appears at the top of a stack after a "long press".)

Also shown on after a long press is the Save Action-stack button. This will save an action stack on the custom palette for use in other projects.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/paste-button.png'

Paste blocks from the clipboard. (This button is highlighted only when there are blocks available on the clipboard to paste.)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/Cartesian-button.png'

Show or hide a Cartesian-coordinate grid.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/polar-button.png'

Show or hide a polar-coordinate grid.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/utility-button.svg'

Open utility panel to access controls for changing block size, loading plugins, looking at project statistics, and enabling/disabling scrolling.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/empty-trash-button.png'

Remove all blocks.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/restore-trash-button.png'

Restore blocks from the trash.

Utility panel

The utility panel has some useful but seldom used controls.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/smaller-button.svg'

Decrease the size of the blocks.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/bigger-button.svg'

Increase the size of the blocks.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/stats-button.svg'

Show project statistics.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/plugin-button.png'

Load new blocks from plugins (previously downloaded to the file system).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/scrolllock-button.svg'

Enable/disable scrolling.

Block Palettes

The block palettes are displayed on the left side of the screen. The palette button on the Main toolbar show and hide the block palettes. These palettes contain the blocks used to create programs. See the [Programming Guide] (http://github.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/tree/master/guide) for more details on how to use the blocks.

Turtle Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/clear.svg'

Clear the screen and reset the turtle.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/forward.svg'

Move turtle forward.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/right.svg'

Turn turtle clockwise (angle in degrees).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/back.svg'

Move turtle backward.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/left.svg'

Turn turtle counterclockwise (angle in degrees).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/arc.svg'

Move turtle along an arc.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_heading.svg'

Set the heading of the turtle (0 is towards the top of the screen).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/heading.svg'

The current heading of the turtle (can be used in place of a number block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/setxy.svg'

Move turtle to position xcor, ycor; (0, 0) is in the center of the screen.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/x.svg'

Current x-coordinate value of the turtle (can be used in place of a number block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/y.svg'

Current y-coordinate value of the turtle (can be used in place of a number block)

Pen Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_color.svg'

Set color of the line drawn by the turtle (hue, shade, and grey).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/color.svg'

Current pen color (can be used in place of a number block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_hue.svg'

Set hue of the line drawn by the turtle (hue is the spectral color, e.g., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, etc.).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_shade.svg'

Set shade of the line drawn by the turtle (shade is lightness, e.g., black, grey, white).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/shade.svg'

Current pen shade (can be used in place of a number block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_grey.svg'

Set grey level of the line drawn by the turtle (grey is vividness or saturation).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/grey.svg'

Current grey level (can be used in place of a number block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_pen_size.svg'

Set size of the line drawn by the turtle.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/pen_size.svg'

Current pen size (can be used in place of a number block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/pen_up.svg'

Turtle will not draw when moved.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/pen_down.svg'

Turtle will draw when moved.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/fill.svg'

Draw filled polygon.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/hollow.svg'

Set pen attribute to hollow line mode (useful for working with 3D printers).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_font.svg'

Set the font of the text drawn with Show Block.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/background.svg'

Set the background color.

Number Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/number.svg'

Use as numeric input in mathematic operators (click to change the value).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/random.svg'

Returns random number between minimum (top) and maximum (bottom) values

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/one-of.svg'

Returns one of two inputs as determined by a coin toss (random selection)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/plus.svg'

Adds two numeric inputs (also can be used to concatenate two strings)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/subtract.svg'

Subtracts bottom numeric input from top numeric input

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/multiply.svg'

Multiplies two numeric inputs

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/divide.svg'

Divides top numeric input (numerator) by bottom numeric input (denominator)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/sqrt.svg'

Calculates square root

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/int.svg'

Converts real numbers to integers

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/mod.svg'

Returns top input modular (remainder) bottom input.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/eval.svg'

A programmable block used to add advanced single-variable math equations, e.g., sin(x).

Boolean Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/greater_than.svg'

Logical greater-than operator

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/less_than.svg'

Logical less-than operator

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/equal.svg'

Logical equal-to operator

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/and.svg'

Logical AND operator

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/or.svg'

Logical OR operator

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/not.svg'

Logical NOT operator

Flow Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/repeat.svg'

Loops specified number of times through enclosed blocks

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/forever.svg'

Loops forever through enclosed blocks

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/stop.svg'

Stops current loop or action

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/if.svg'

If-then operator that uses boolean operators to determine whether or not to run encloded "flow"

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/until.svg'

Do-until-True operator that uses boolean operators to determine how long to run enclosed "flow"

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/wait_for.svg'

Waits for condition

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/while.svg'

Do-while-True operator that uses boolean operators to determine how long to run enclosed "flow"

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/if_else.svg'

If-then-else operator that uses boolean operators to determine which encloded "flow" to run

Boxes Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/storein.svg'

Stores value in named variable.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/box_value.svg'

Named variable

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/add_1_to.svg'

Adds 1 to named variable

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/add_to.svg'

Adds numeric value to named variable

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/box.svg'

Named variable (name is passed as input)

Action Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/action_flow.svg'

Top of nameable action stack

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/action.svg'

Invokes named action stack

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/do_arg.svg'

Invokes an action stack with arguments (To add more arguments, drag them into the clamp.)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/calc.svg'

Invokes an action stack that returns a value

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/calc_arg.svg'

Invokes an action stack with arguments that returns a value

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/return.svg'

Returns a value from an action stack

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/arg.svg'

An argument passed to an action stack

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/arg1.svg'

The first argument passed to an action stack

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/start.svg'

Connects action to toolbar run buttons (each Start Block invokes its own turtle)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/do.svg'

Invokes named action stack (name is passed as input)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/event_on_do.svg'

Connects an action with an event

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/broadcast.svg'

Broadcasts an event (event name is given as input)

Media Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/speak.svg'

Speaks text

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/show.svg'

Draws text or shows media (from the camera, the Web, or the file system).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/size_shell_image.svg'

Puts a custom "shell" on the turtle (used to turn a turtle into a "sprite")

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/text.svg'

Text (string) value

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/load-media.svg'

Opens a file-open dialog to load an image (used with Show Block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/camera.svg'

Accesses webcam (used with Show Block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/video.svg'

Opens a file-open dialog to load a video (used with Show Block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/open_file.svg'

Returns the selected file (used with Show Block)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/stop_media.svg'

Stops the media being played

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/tone.svg'

Plays a tone at frequency (Hz) and duration (in seconds)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/note_to_frequency.svg'

Converts notes to frequency, e.g., A4 --> 440 Hz.

Sensor Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/time.svg'

Elapsed time (in seconds) since program started

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/mouse_x.svg'

Returns mouse X coordinate

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/mouse_y.svg'

Returns mouse Y coordinate

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/mouse_button.svg'

Returns True if mouse button is pressed

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/keyboard.svg'

Holds results of query-keyboard block as ASCII

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/pixel_color.svg'

Returns pixel color under turtle

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/loudness.svg'

Microphone input volume

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/click.svg'

The "click" event associated with a turtle (used with Do Block)

Heap Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/push.svg'

Push a value onto the heap.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/pop.svg'

Pop a value off of the heap.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/index_heap.svg'

Reference an entry in the heap.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/set_heap_entry.svg'

Change an entry in the heap.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/show_heap.svg'

Display the contents of the heap.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/heap_length.svg'

The length of the heap.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/empty_heap.svg'

Empty the heap.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/heap_empty.svg'

True is the heap is empty.

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/save_heap.svg'

Save the heap to a file (JSON-encoded).

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/load_heap.svg'

Load the heap from a file (JSON-encoded).

Extras Palette

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/vspace.svg'

Used to layout blocks vertically

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/hspace.svg'

Used to layout blocks horizontally

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/wait.svg'

Pauses turtle a specified number of seconds

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/print.svg'

Prints value

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/save_svg.svg'

Saves turtle graphics as an SVG file

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/show_blocks.svg'

Shows blocks and runs slowly (used to isolate code during debugging)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/hide_blocks.svg'

Hides blocks and runs at full speed (used to isolate code during debugging)

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/play_back.svg'

Plays media

<img src='https://rawgithub.com/walterbender/turtleblocksjs/master/documentation/stop_play.svg'

Stops playing media

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