MACUL 2012 Video Abstract - Simple Game Programming for Android

Below is a video abstract for my Hands on Workshop for MACUL 2012. I will be covering how to create simple games using Processing for Android devices. As a bonus, I'll also cover how use the same content as interactive elements in Apple's new iBooks 2.0. You'll be able to find everything I'll be talking about on a site I'm creating for the workshop. It's a bit spare right now, but that will be changing over the next week or two as we get closer to MACUL. processing.flosscience.com

Use Processing to Create Interactive Widgets for iBooks

Warning, this post is a bit nerdy.

So, I already blogged bout iBooks Author and how I might use it. I was thinking about how I might be able to create my own interactive elements. So I did a bit of research. If I knew html5 and Java Script I'd be all set. Unfortunately I don't. However, I do know some Processing. I use Processing in my electronics class sometimes (it's very similar to Arduino) and the programming club at my school uses Processing.

It turns out there is this great project called Processing.js that will run Processing programs as Java Script. A little more researching on the net and I now have the ability to create my own interactive elements for iBooks 2.0.

This is really cool. Our school has a cart of iPads. With iBooks Author it is possible for our teachers to easily create compelling custom content for our students. More importantly, when they decide they want interactive elements we can have our own students create that content, turning the content creation into a collaboration between the students and the "content exerts".

So, how do you do it? Start with the tutorial and demo files over at the Tulmult Inc blog. Be sure to watch the video and download the demo files. You'll also have to download the latest version of processing.js just drop it into your working folder.

Create a file titled index.html to be something like:

Be sure to edit the plist file so that the size matches your Processing sketch. Your default image also has to have the same dimensions as your sketch. I discovered this the hard way. Just trust me on this. You can check out what I've been working on if your interested. I've put my latest version in my Public Dropbox. It includes a simple color mixing interactive in section 1.3. If you're on an iPad when you click the link to my book the screen goes white while the file is downloading (it's about 80 MB). Just wait and you'll eventually be able to "Open in iBooks".

My file is for the ICCARS project and it's only a partial rough draft, but you're free to download it. Spectrum Guide.ibooks

Arduino - eeePC Nightmare!!!

So, I decided to totally change the way I teach my electronics class. It will now center around the Arduino microcontroller, a platform that uses an Atmel ATmega 64/128 microcontorller. Anyway, I don't really have enough laptops to go around, so I scrounged some funds together and bought two of the Asus eeePC 2G Surfs. I figured these would be just about perfect.

Problem #1: Java, which is needed for Arduino doesn't come on the 2G Surf. So, after searching for a way to get it on the 2G Surf for a few hours I find it. It installs and all is good.

Problem #2: To really make the Arduino sing I also need Processing. Unfortunately there's not enough room left to fit it.

Problem #3: After a bit more searching I find a way to delete stuff I'm never going to need (like Chinese language support) from the eeePC. Unfortunately this makes no space available to me.

Apparently there are two main partitions on the eeePC. One for the user to do whatever they want and one that the user really can't touch. All the programs come installed in the one the user really can't touch.

Solution? After maybe 10 hours yesterday and another 7 hours today I think I may have this licked. I'll write up process and post it to FLOSScience for those interested. If I'm right I should be able to capture am image of my one working one and put it on the other one. This would take less than 5 minutes, otherwise I'll be looking at at least another 2-3 hours to get the other one set.

Better Solution? Get the 4G version ($50 more).