PolpeScratch, Scratch to control Arduino

Software and firmware to control Arduino with Scratch modified and integrated by Claudio Becchetti. Available Scratch blocks are analogread, analogwrite (pwm), digital read and digital write. Such blocks operate on any allowed arduino pin.

v1.5 2-2-2014

This package is used for primary school (9 years) and high school (15 years) to build and control robot cars starting from commercial cheap remote controlled cars and arduino boards. Children assemble their own cars to perform football matches among robots. Scratch controls

1. horn, lights, motors(brake, acceleration, direction), ultrasound to avoid walls

This package has been tested on Windows (XP, Vista 7) and MAC OS and it can be used for any easy programming and control of arduino boards through Scratch

The directory includes

1. firmware based on standard firmata for arduino
2. extension for scratch with blocks for digital-analog read-write pwm
3. a a4s modified java program to connect scratch to arduino
4. examples on scratch (pwm and blink of pin 11 13)
5. all the source code + compiling batch script

this software-firmware extends A4S project and adds

1. fully compilable java library (existing A4S missed a file for compilation and needed some modifications to compile)
2. pwm management
3. smarter serial management (partially added v1.4: arduino does not need to be plugged before as4 starting)
4. ultrasonic sensor managed by scratch (To be added)

Original A4S is an experimental extension for Scratch 2 that allows it to communicate with Arduino boards using Firmata. It consists of a Java server that Scratch connects to over HTTP and which communicates with an Arduino board over (USB) serial. Original A4S is being developed by David Mellis, based on documentation and code from the Scratch team.

Instructions to connect Scratch with Arduino

1. Install the Scratch 2.0 offline editor.

2. Install the Arduino software. Instructions: Windows, Mac OS X.

3. Upload the StandardFirmata firmware to your Arduino board. (It's in "Examples > Firmata".) (the standard firmata will be modified to include ultrasonic sensor management)

4. Download the A4S code from GitHub and unzip it.

5. Launch the A4S server using the "run.sh" script on the command line. Pass the name of the serial port corresponding to your Arduino board as the first argument to the script, e.g. "./run.sh /dev/tty.usbmodem411". for windows change the "runa4scom13 usb direct.bat" with the proper serial port and then launch it. You should see a message like:

    	************ PolpeScratch ***************
    	Scratch to control Arduino V. 1.3.1  23-12-2013
    	Experimental:  JNI_OnLoad called.
    	Stable Library
    	=========================================
    	Native lib Version = RXTX-2.1-7
    	Java lib Version   = RXTX-2.1-7
    	problems on finding port COM13
    	1 gnu.io.NoSuchPortException
    	problems on finding port COM13
    	2 gnu.io.NoSuchPortException
    	problems on finding port COM13
    	3 gnu.io.NoSuchPortException
    	problems on finding port COM13
    	...
   
   
    	************ PolpeScratch ***************
   
    	Arduino port COM13 working
   
    	PolpeScratch http server for Scratch started on Bumbo/192.168.1.134
   

the program connects to the Arduino as soon as it is plugged

6. Run the Scratch 2.0 offline editor.
7. While holding the shift key on your keyboard, click on the "File" menu in Scratch. You should see "Import Experimental Extension" at the bottom of the menu. Click on it.
8. Navigate to the directory containing A4S and select the A4S.s2e file.
9. You should see the A4S extension and blocks appear in the "More Blocks" category in the Scratch editor. If the A4S server is running, there will be a green dot next to the "A4S" title.
10. in the example directory you will find an example of pwm on pin 13 (file scratch to arduino blink wowo example.sb2)

Instructions to recompile a4s

the a4s is compiled in a jar file but if you like to change the source then you need to recompile as follows:

1. download and install java sdk (http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html) so that to have javac and jar executables 2)change the file "Compile_jar.bat" so that the java directory is correct
2. change a4s as needed and run "Compile_jar.bat"