Lab 3

Ylu · **Lab 3 -** 07-25-2015, 02:09 PM

Oh....what can I say about this lab than I found it horrible.

It took me days to figure out how to make the counting mechanism worked. The example in the book about the cow was not really helpful. I had to do internet research to trying and get some level of understanding but I was still confused. Only by accident did my animation start picking up the ring amount. Then I had to modify the ringdrop method I had created because it was part of the problem. Here I am trying to be a bit creative and it is stopping my Lab from properly functioning. I am sooo over the rings but unfortunately there is another lab with the same rings.

My main problem is the book which does not do a good job explaining the things that it needs to. I feel like it assumes that I already know Alice aspects and that it asks me to do certain things that it did not go over. I need descriptive examples( each part broken down) and not only information on what the chapters cover but on programming project subject contents. I'm doing this without a programming background so I need details and the book totally lacks it.

CodeMan · 07-26-2015, 10:59 AM

If you ever need help just ask, im sure your not the only one with that question, and it will help others too.

shaolinkidd · **I feel you -** 07-27-2015, 05:24 PM

I am also finding the labs challenging due to no programming background. It looks like you are doing well though. I haven't gotten to Lab 3 yet so any insight you have will be appreciated.

smileysand · 07-27-2015, 11:01 PM

I am not sure what I did, but I got it to work. I am sure I will be counted off for something but I got the end result. lol

chickentree · 07-28-2015, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smileysand

I am not sure what I did, but I got it to work. I am sure I will be counted off for something but I got the end result. lol

It is imperative in Alice, Programming in general, most course work and life to figure out why something worked. If you assume you can't understand it or it's magic you will be correct. That is to say, you will not understand it and it will continue to be magic. (From one of Robert Heinlein's Characters: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.)
Alice gives you a couple of things to help you understand what is happening. One is at the bottom of the IDE window. Alice has a Print method. This is the oldest troubleshooting technique known to programmers. Using print you can, while running the program, display the value of variables. Everything from loop indexes to the position of an object's subparts or user created variables can be printed while the program is running. It is even possible to build strings so that you can add some context to the printout and to calculate things you are not necessarily using in the movie, like the distance from an Object's arm to the ball. The printing is done below the running movie so make sure the movie is not taking up the full screen or you will not see the print outs.

The other tool Alice gives you is the Watch window. Right clicking on an object's property or variable will present you with options, one of which is "Watch this property (or variable)." Watch creates a window to the right of the running movie showing the name of the variables or properties you have decided to watch as well as their current value.

Either of these tools can give you a view into what your program is doing thus aiding your understanding of why it behaves the way it does.

Mark

Petit Suisse · 07-28-2015, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickentree

It is imperative in Alice, Programming in general, most course work and life to figure out why something worked. If you assume you can't understand it or it's magic you will be correct. That is to say, you will not understand it and it will continue to be magic. (From one of Robert Heinlein's Characters: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.)
Alice gives you a couple of things to help you understand what is happening. One is at the bottom of the IDE window. Alice has a Print method. This is the oldest troubleshooting technique known to programmers. Using print you can, while running the program, display the value of variables. Everything from loop indexes to the position of an object's subparts or user created variables can be printed while the program is running. It is even possible to build strings so that you can add some context to the printout and to calculate things you are not necessarily using in the movie, like the distance from an Object's arm to the ball. The printing is done below the running movie so make sure the movie is not taking up the full screen or you will not see the print outs.

The other tool Alice gives you is the Watch window. Right clicking on an object's property or variable will present you with options, one of which is "Watch this property (or variable)." Watch creates a window to the right of the running movie showing the name of the variables or properties you have decided to watch as well as their current value.

Either of these tools can give you a view into what your program is doing thus aiding your understanding of why it behaves the way it does.

Mark

Don't you know a magician never tells!! Ts ts!

Thanks for this, I wasn't aware of the Watch Window tool. I have yet to do lab 3 but sounds like it might be challenging.

Ylu · 07-28-2015, 06:43 PM

Mark, I will lookup how to use the print method on youtube, might help me with my game. The watch variable function I am aware of and used in Lab 4.

You mentioned building strings. How is that done ?

MrMoke · 07-28-2015, 08:12 PM

Look for the "strings" group in the World functions.

1) ["a" joined with "b"] to concatenate two strings, or more strings if you drag one into the "b".

2) ["what" as a string] converts things like numbers into a sting. You can drag into a say or into part of a join.

Also check out my reply to the recent diving penguin thread.

Petit Suisse · 07-30-2015, 01:40 AM

Hey did you have to define a position somehow, or did you just put the rings close to the cone and use a proximity function? Just getting started on this now.

Petit Suisse · 07-30-2015, 03:24 AM

Another question. How did you guys make it so the ring would stay solid? Right now it sort of goes through the cone, instead of being caught on it as a solid object.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

	#1 (permalink)
Ylu Member Status: Offline Posts: 35 Join Date: Jul 2015	Lab 3 - 07-25-2015, 02:09 PM Oh....what can I say about this lab than I found it horrible. It took me days to figure out how to make the counting mechanism worked. The example in the book about the cow was not really helpful. I had to do internet research to trying and get some level of understanding but I was still confused. Only by accident did my animation start picking up the ring amount. Then I had to modify the ringdrop method I had created because it was part of the problem. Here I am trying to be a bit creative and it is stopping my Lab from properly functioning. I am sooo over the rings but unfortunately there is another lab with the same rings. My main problem is the book which does not do a good job explaining the things that it needs to. I feel like it assumes that I already know Alice aspects and that it asks me to do certain things that it did not go over. I need descriptive examples( each part broken down) and not only information on what the chapters cover but on programming project subject contents. I'm doing this without a programming background so I need details and the book totally lacks it.

	#2 (permalink)
CodeMan Member Status: Offline Posts: 36 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Northern Virginia	07-26-2015, 10:59 AM If you ever need help just ask, im sure your not the only one with that question, and it will help others too. Im really RavenOfCode... shhhh.... Currently work on my first app :)

	#3 (permalink)
shaolinkidd Member Status: Offline Posts: 17 Join Date: Jul 2015	I feel you - 07-27-2015, 05:24 PM I am also finding the labs challenging due to no programming background. It looks like you are doing well though. I haven't gotten to Lab 3 yet so any insight you have will be appreciated.

	#4 (permalink)
smileysand Junior Member Status: Offline Posts: 14 Join Date: Jul 2015	07-27-2015, 11:01 PM I am not sure what I did, but I got it to work. I am sure I will be counted off for something but I got the end result. lol

	#7 (permalink)
Ylu Member Status: Offline Posts: 35 Join Date: Jul 2015	07-28-2015, 06:43 PM Mark, I will lookup how to use the print method on youtube, might help me with my game. The watch variable function I am aware of and used in Lab 4. You mentioned building strings. How is that done ?

	#8 (permalink)
MrMoke Senior Member Status: Offline Posts: 501 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Austin, Texas	07-28-2015, 08:12 PM Look for the "strings" group in the World functions. 1) ["a" joined with "b"] to concatenate two strings, or more strings if you drag one into the "b". 2) ["what" as a string] converts things like numbers into a sting. You can drag into a say or into part of a join. Also check out my reply to the recent diving penguin thread.

	#9 (permalink)
Petit Suisse Member Status: Offline Posts: 46 Join Date: Jul 2015	07-30-2015, 01:40 AM Hey did you have to define a position somehow, or did you just put the rings close to the cone and use a proximity function? Just getting started on this now.

	#10 (permalink)
Petit Suisse Member Status: Offline Posts: 46 Join Date: Jul 2015	07-30-2015, 03:24 AM Another question. How did you guys make it so the ring would stay solid? Right now it sort of goes through the cone, instead of being caught on it as a solid object.