Introduction to Scratch Programming in PictoBlox
Introduction
Having a companion to help you on your quest always make it seem easy, small, and achievable. Guess what! You’ll be having one such companion on your quest to learn ‘the art’ of programming. Ready to find out who it is?
Meet PictoBlox (Scratch): a visual programming language that helps budding programmers, like you, to learn how to write a program in a fun, educational, and easy way of using blocks. This makes learning coding nothing but a jigsaw game that helps develop problem-solving and decomposition skills.
Installing the Software
To get to know your companion up close, and embark on your journey together, you have to, obviously, meet up. Let us do the honors of arranging a meeting; all you have to do is follow our instructions. Follow’em carefully!
STEP 1: Download the Pictoblox Installer (.exe) for Windows 7 and above (Release Notes).
STEP 2: Run the .exe file.
Some of the device gives the warning popup. You don’t have to worry, this software is harmless. Click on More info and then click on Run anyway.
STEP 3: Rest of the installation is straight forward, you can follow the popup and check on the option appropriate for your need.
Your software is now installed!
STEP 1: Download the Pictoblox Installer (.dmg).
STEP 2: Run the .dmg file.
STEP 1: Open Google Play Store on your Smartphone and and search for PictoBlox or visit the link here to head over to the Google Play Store. You can even scan the QR Code below from your Smartphone to head to the PictoBlox App.
STEP 2: Install the PictoBlox App.
EXPLORING ‘THE RESTAURANT’
Whenever you select a new restaurant or any other meeting place, it is natural that you explore the place, and check out how it looks, the different things it has, the services it provides, etc. So why be any different with PictoBlox? It’s no less than a newly opened restaurant in your locality!
As you enter PictoBlox, you’ll see the following areas:
- STAGE (near the top right corner)
- STAGE PALETTE (bottom right)
- SPRITE PALETTE (to the right of the Stage Palette)
- BLOCK PALETTE (in the left)
- SCRIPTING AREA (in the center)
- MENUBAR (at the top)
Let’s have a look at them one by one along with other concepts as well.