Advanced

The Advanced Category is provided to extend the capability of KookaBlockly by allowing the definition of additional blocks using Python programming statements. See Fig. 72.

Fig. 72 The Advanced block palette

This category is available to the more advanced user as a way of transitioning from KookaBlockly to Python scripts, and also to add extended functionality such as using special sensors and actuators and other Kookaberry peripherals, or using Python module libraries.

Important

When typing in the Python statement, please do not use the single quotation mark ' as this will cause the saved script to not be loaded back in from file correctly. Always use the double quotes " character, as in the example shown at the end of this section.

Python Value

This value block allows the result of any Python statement to be passed to KookaBlockly block input sockets.

The Python statement is typed into the text box in the block. In the default block, the statement 1+1 results in the output value of 2.

Python Action

This action block permits any Python statement to be inserted into a KookaBlockly script. The statement is typed into the text box in the block.

Typical usage might be to import a library module, for example “import math”, or “import mymodule" where a customised module has been developed, or anything else that is permitted in Python syntax.

It can also be used to insert comments into the script by prefixing the inserted text with a # character, designating that the following text is a comment.

Advanced Example

KookaBlockly does not, at this stage, provide any blocks to read a text file.

This example reads a plain text file using the Advanced blocks and prints each line that is read on the display.

This script uses two Python Action blocks to insert in-line comments in the KookaBlockly and the resulting MicroPython script.

Three variables need to be created:

1. filename which is set to a string containing the files’ name "my_file.txt"

2. f which is used to store a List of lines coming from the text file

3. line which temporarily stores each line from the file as they are read in the loop.

Only one Python Value block is needed that sets the variable f to a List of lines created by opening the text file using a Python statement.

The MicroPython code that the KookaBlockly script generates is shown below.

import machine, kooka
import fonts

filename = None
f = None
line = None

# On-start code, run once at start-up.
if True:
  # Open the text file for reading
  filename = 'my_file.txt'
  kooka.display.setfont(fonts.mono6x7)
  kooka.display.print('Printing', filename, show=0)
  f = open(filename,'rt')
   # Loop that reads and prints each line of the file
  for line in f:
    kooka.display.print(line, show=0)
  kooka.display.print('End', show=0)

# Main loop code, run continuously.
while True:
  kooka.display.show()
  machine.idle()

To run the above script, a text file called my_file.txt should be stored on the Kookaberry’s file system in its root folder. The file contains the following:

This is line 1
Line 2
This is line 3
Line 4
The last line

When the script is run, the appearance of the Kookaberry display is as below: