Microworlds Logo Help Guide

(www.microworlds.com)

Commands

FORWARD number FD number	Commands the active turtle to move forward a specific number of steps	BACK number BK number	Commands the active turtle to move backwards a specific number of turtle steps
RIGHT number RT number	Commands the active turtle to turn right a specific number of degrees	LEFT number LT number	Commands the active turtle to turn right a specific number of degrees
CG	Clears the graphics on the current page and returns the active turtle to the center (HOME) of the page with its heading set to 0	STOPALL	Makes all the turtles stop whatever they're doing. (This is handy!)
HOME	Instructs the active turtle to move to the center of the page, coordinates [0 0]	SHOW item	Prints out item in the command center.(This is also handy!) i.e. SHOW COLOR
SETH number	Commands the active turtle to set its heading to a specific compass heading (0-360)	SETSH number SETSH "shapename	Tells the active turtle to wear a specific costume (shape) i.e. SETSH "Bird1
SETC number SETC "colorname	Tells the active turtle to change its pen color to the specified color by specifying the number of a color or its name ie... SETC "RED	SETBG number SETBG "colorname	Tells the page to change its background color to the specified color by specifying the number of a color or its name i.e. SETBG "RED
PD	Instructs the active turtle to put its pen down so that it may draw while moving	PU	Instructs the active turtle to lift its pen up so that it does not draw while moving
SETX number	Tells the active turtle to slide (left/right) along the X-axis to a specified point	SETY number	Tells the active turtle to slide (up/down) along the Y-axis to a specified point
TALKTO "object TTO"object	Makes the specified turtle or text box current. This command has the same effect as typing the name of a turtle or text box followed by a comma. i.e. TTO "T2	TOWARDS"turtlename	Sets the heading of the current turtle to aim towards the one whose name is given as input. i.e. TOWARDS "T3
ASK [list of turtles ] [list of instructions ]	Asks a list of turtles to run a specific list of instructions	REPEAT number [list of instructions ]	Asks the turtle to repeat the list of instruction several times.

Reporters

HEADING	Reports the current heading of the active turtle	POS	Reports the current position of the active turtle as a list of two points
XCOR	Reports the active turtle's position on the X-axis	YCOR	Reports the active turtle's position on the Y-axis
DISTANCE "turtlename	Reports the distance, in turtle steps, from the active turtle to another specified turtle	WHO	Reports the name or number of the active turtle
SHAPE	Reports the name or number of the costume the active turtle is currently wearing	COLORUNDER	Reports the name or number of the color underneath the active turtle
COLOR	Reports the name or number of the active turtle's pen color	BG	Reports the name or number of the background color of the current page

Hatching a New Turtle

1) Click on the turtle tool in the tool palette
2) Put the cursor on the page where you want the turtle to appear
3) Click the mouse.

Remember that in MicroWorlds the turtle's pen is up unless you change it to PE or PD.

Putting a Costume (New Shape) on a Turtle

1) Open the shapes center by clicking on the dog in the command center
2) Click once on the shape you wish to have the turtle wear. Remember that you may scroll through the shapes.
3) Click the hand cursor on the turtle you wish to dress

You may also do this under program control by talking to a turtle or turtles (last one clicked on, created, or addressed via Talkto, Ask, or typing it's name followed by a comma.

1) Type SETSH the.shape.number or the.shape.name

SETSH 23
SETSH "Bird1

You may give SETSH a list of shapes to automatically flip between. For example:

SETSH [bird1 bird2]

will cause the current turtle to automatically change shapes over and over again in the order they appear in the list.

Resizing a Turtle

1) Click on the + magnifying glass or - magnifying glass depending if you wish to enlarge or reduce a shape
2) Click the magnifying glass on the turtle you wish to resize until you get the desired size
or use the SETSIZE # command to adjust the size of the current turtle

Stamping a Turtle's Shape

1) Put the desired size shape on a turtle and either:
a) Type Stamp
b) Click on the rubber stamp icon in the tool palette
Click the rubber stamp on the turtle
Repeat the process by dragging the turtle and clicking on it again

Giving a Turtle a Script or Editing an Existing One

1) Choose the turtle tool from the tool palette
2) Click on the turtle
3) Type the commands you wish the turtle to follow when clicked on into the instruction line
4) Decide whether you want the script to be run once or forever by clicking on one of the two buttons, Once or Many Times

If a turtle is running a script many times, you may stop it by clicking on it.

Programming a Color

MicroWorlds allows you to program a color to do something when a turtle is over it or the mouse is clicked on it.

1) Open the drawing center by clicking on the paintbrush in the tool palette
2) Choose the color you wish to program by double-clicking on it. All shades of that color will carry the same instructions.
3) Enter the instructions for the turtle and/or mouse click and press OK

Let's paint a picture with the turtle!

Click on the drawing centre to open the paint tools
Paint your picture
Hatch a turtle by clicking on the eye tool
Open the shapes centre to choose a "stamp"
Click once on the shape of your choice or double-click on a shape to edit it
Click on the turtle to change its shape
Choose the magnifying glass (+ or -) from the tool menu and then click on the turtle to change the size of the turtle
Choose the stamp icon from the tool menu and then click on the turtle to leave its fossil on the screen
Drag the turtle to another position and stamp it again (or change its shape)
Remember that there is still a "live" turtle on the screen so be sure to cut it with the scissors tool or hide it with HT

Turtle animation

Hatch a turtle
Turn it in the desired direction by clicking and dragging its nose
Open the shapes centre and select the shape you wish for the turtle to wear
Click on the turtle
Click the eye tool on the turtle to edit its instruction
Type the command, FD 5, in the Instruction: line
Select Many Times
Click on the turtle to make it go and repeat the process for additional turtles

Cooler turtle animation (flipbook animation)

Follow the same steps as above, but add a command such as, SETSH [bird1 bird2] FD 5, in the Instruction: line of the turtle.

All the text is gathered from Gary Stager's Logo pages at http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/~gstager/home.html.

Date Modified: 12/10/08

Andrew Begel abegel@cs.berkeley.edu