BLOCKLY & DOBOT

Programming Commands
Blockly Commands for the Dobot Magician
Blockly Definition
A programming language used to
program the Dobot Magician. Lines of
complex code are represented by
simple “blocks” that fit together to
form a program. Blockly is a graphical
programming method rather than text
based.
Blockly Commands for the Dobot Magician
Types of Commands in Blockly
In DobotStudio, Blockly commands are
broken up into nine different categories with
one category, DobotAPI, broken up into 5
subcategories.
Each of these have similar commands
grouped together, and this presentation will
describe and define some of the most
common blocks that are used in
programming the Dobot Magician.
Blockly Commands: Logic
Logic
Logic commands allow you to use Boolean
operands to make your robot complete
complex operations.
Some of the important tasks that these
blocks will allow you to do are:
– If Else statements
– Set two programming elements to <, >, =
– Use AND, OR, and NOT
– Set something to TRUE or FALSE
Blockly Commands: Logic
Logic
In this example an If Else statement is used
to make a color sensor print the color of the
part being sensed. Notice that there are
actually three different conditions.
Blockly Commands: Loops
Loops
Logic commands that will allow you to repeat
actions within a program.
Some of the important tasks that these
blocks will allow you to do are:
– Repeat a number of times
– Repeat while something is happening
– Repeat forever
Blockly Commands: Loops
Repeat forever
Blockly logic commands that allows you to
use TRUE with the repeat command to
continually complete an action or set of
actions.
In this example you can use this block with a
TRUE block and make a block, or group of
blocks run continuously. This could be used
when you want to continuously look for an
input.
Blockly Commands: Math
Math
Logic commands that allow you to use
mathematics on numbers in your program.
These are all very self explanatory.
Some of the important tasks that these
blocks will allow you to do are:
– Return a number of your choice
– Return a SUM of two numbers
– Return the sine/cosine/tangent of a number
– Return the square root of a number
Blockly Commands: Text
Text
Logic commands that will allow you to
“Print” text and other programming elements
to the running log so that you can see what
is happening in your program in real time.
This is a great way to troubleshoot a
complex program.
Blockly Commands: Text
Text
In this example, it will print “going home” in
the running log while the robot is moving to a
home position and then “pick up block”
when going to the pick position.
Blockly Commands: Text
Text
The Running Log appears to
the right of the programming
window in Dobot Studio and
runs constantly.
Blockly Commands: Lists
Lists
Logic commands that will allow you to build
and deal with lists. A list is an ordered set of
items that can be used by the rest of your
program.
One of the important tasks that these blocks
will allow you to do is to build a list when
sorting colors with a color sensor.
Blockly Commands: Lists
Lists
In this example program a list is used when
a color sensor checks to see what color a
block is. It then prints to to the running log
the value: Red, Green, or Blue.
Blockly Commands: Variables
Variables
Logic commands that will allow you to set
variables in a program and call them out for
use when needed.
In this example, you can click on “item”,
make a new variable, then use that variable
in multiple places in the program. This
makes it easy to make a change in a
program. Change the variable once, and it
changes it everywhere.
Blockly Commands: Variables
Variables
In this example program you
can can see that variables
were used to set the Pick X, Y,
and Z values as well as the
Place X, Y, and Z values.
Blockly Commands: Functions
Functions
Logic commands that allow you to name a
section of a program and then use it
repeatedly, simplifying it for the programmer
and end user. Functions can also be called
voids.
Click on “do something”, name your
function, then drag what you want it to do
into the block.
Blockly Commands: Functions
Functions
In this example program, the
Function is on the left, and the
program where it is called out
is on the right.
Blockly Commands: Basic
Dobot API - Basic
The most important command in this section
is the Delaytime command.
This allows you to set a delay time within a
program between steps when timing is
critical. It is measured in seconds and
decimal seconds can be used.
Blockly Commands: Basic
Dobot API - Basic
In this example program a robot is sending a
signal to another device to test the
connection. It is set to do this 500 times.
The Delaytime after the output is turned off
must be greater than 1 second otherwise the
other machine does not have time to
complete its process.
Blockly Commands: Config
Dobot API - Config
Logic commands that allow to configure
certain items in the program.
The two most important tasks are the
– ChooseEndTools - allows you to choose your
end effector
– SetJumpHeight - allows you to choose the
height of a jump move
Blockly Commands: Motion
Dobot API - Motion
Logic commands that control the motion of
the robot arm.
Some of the important tasks that these will
allow you to do are:
– JumpTo a cartesian coordinate
– MoveTo a cartesian coordinate
– Turn the Suction Cup on or off
– Open and close the gripper
Blockly Commands: Motion
Dobot API - Motion
This example program completes a pick and
place of an object in a workcell.
Notice how MoveTo was used to move the
robot between points.
Blockly Commands: I/O
Dobot API – I/O
Logic commands that deal with inputs and
outputs.
Some of the important ones are:
– Set an input type and choose the port
– Check the level of an input
– Set a 3.3, 5, or 12v output
Blockly Commands: I/O
Dobot API – SetLevelOutput
This example program was written to test an
output by turning it on and off 100 times.
Notice how the value of the output was set at
0 to start, then in the loop it uses a “1” to
turn it on and “0” to turn it off.
Blockly Commands: Additional
Dobot API – Additional
Logic commands that deal mainly with
sensors and outputs built specifically for the
Magician.
Some of the important ones are:
– SetPhotoSensor, GetPhotoSensor
– SetColorSensor
– IdentifyColor
– SetConveyor Motor port & Speed
Blockly Commands: Additional
Dobot API – Additional
In this example program SetColorSensor tells
the program to turn it on and that you are
using a V1 color sensor on port GP2.
The IdentifyColor block is then used to
identify the color of an object in front of the
sensor where variables are used to name the
values “Red”, “Blue”, and “Green”, then the
names are printed to the Running Log.
Resources
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