Welcome to your first AppBlocks lesson. Naturally, this is the "Hello, World" of AppBlocks.
Each AppBlocks project is presented on three tabs -- Hardware, Features, and AppBlocks.
The TPS configuration is defined on the Hardware Tab. To add Tibbits to the configuration, drag them onto the desired socket or click on the socket and select from the list of Tibbits available for that socket. Only a power supply and a power jack Tibbits will be needed for this simple project.
The AppBlocks tab shows the application flow as a block diagram. Blocks are added by dragging them from the left panel onto the application canvas. The flows proceed left-to-right and always start with an event block, in this case, the On Button Pressed event.
The "button" that causes the On Button Pressed event block to trigger is the MD button of your TPS device. Here is where the button is (and the button above it is Reset):
To run the application in debug mode, click the Run button at the top right corner of the screen:
In the debug mode, your application executes under AppBlock's supervision. There is also a release mode (often referred to as the "production mode"), in which the device runs unattended. You can only run this particular application in the debug mode because it uses the Debug Print block. Messages generated with Debug Print are shown in the **Debug Panel"", which is only available in the debug mode.
As soon as you click Run, a Device Explorer dialog will open. You have two choices here -- run the project on a CloudADK or your own Kit. This is selected in the dropdown on top of the dialog.
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CloudADKs are real Kits running in our lab. We have connected them to the cloud and enhanced them with circuitry allowing you to "push" the buttons remotely and emulate other inputs. Each CloudADK is also equipped with a front-facing camera enabling you to observe the LCD and LEDs of the Kit.
To Run your project on a CloudADK, click Run for any CloudADK marked Available—the Cloud ADK tab will appear and the project will be compiled and uploaded into the selected Cloud Kit. Click the MD button and the "Hello, World" message will appear in the debug console.
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Note: Since each Cloud Kit is a shared resource, we limit the duration for each session of the CloudADK use.If you have already obtained an ADK, connect it to your LAN (the same one your notebook is connected to) and select Local Network from the dropdown at the top of the dialog. At this point, you will most probably see this:
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Device discovery is performed by Tibbo Desktop Extension, a small executable file that needs to be installed on your PC. Click Download Extension or open the existing one if you had it installed before.
Important: Do not close the extension; allow it to run in the background.Once you have the extension running, you will see the list of Tibbo devices found on your LAN. Find the line corresponding to your ADK and click Run. The project will be compiled and uploaded into the selected device.
Now, press the MD button on your TPS. This will send the "Hello, World" message to the debug console:
Congratulations, you've just completed your first AppBlocks lesson!