Some Feedback from friends

Robert Kani: I really like the use of color as it is very appealing and eye catching. The way you described a while loop really makes sense and is easy to understand. The music is cool.

Renee Warner: I think its good and has explained the term while loops very efficiently. I like the idea that you did a stop motion video, it makes it more interesting to watch. The colors are eye catching, and the music just goes with it. Overall I think it explains the term while loops really well!

Overall Outcome

I am pleased with the outcome of my final piece as its shows what a while loop is and what it does. I am also pleased with my time management and how well I didn't go over my budget. What i wish i could have improved would be maybe edit a few parts of my exhibition piece. But overall I am happy with the outcome

The write up

While Loops

What is a while loop?  That was my first question when I started coding. After researching, I then clearly understand what a while loop is.  It controls a sequence of repetitions. The while structure executes a series of statements continuously while the expression is true. The expression must be updated during the repetitions or the program will never escape out of while.  As the site, processing (www.processing .org) says that it can be very dangerous because the code inside the while loop will not finish until the expression inside while becomes true. So in a simpler way to explain a while loop is that it repeats an action until the statement becomes false. Meaning where it can’t repeat the code any more because there isn’t anything to repeat.

While (expression) {

Statement

}

In my project I have used nail polish bottles in order to teach what while loop does through a stop motion video. I have six colors of nail polish bottles continuously painting nails until there is no more nail polish left. The nail polish bottles disappear once a hand has been painted.  This is to show that  the nail polish bottles have been used and that there is no use keeping it on the screen.

So, while there are nail polish bottles there to paint a hand it will keep repeating nails but if there are no nail polish bottles left to paint nails then this statement turns false. How can the nails keep getting painted if there are no bottles of nail polish left to paint?  This is what a while loop is and this is what I have portrayed through my exhibition piece.

While (there are nail polish bottles to paint nails then this will continuously repeat) {but if there are no nail polish bottles to paint nails then no nails can be painted therefore this statement cannot work. It becomes false.

}

Exhibiton Piece

This is my final outcome explain what a while loop is and how it works. The nail polish bottles continuously keep painting the nails different colors until the bottles have each painted a hand.

Development

Here is the development towards my project to explain a while loop, Its showing the images that I took and the stages i went through to get my final exhibition piece.

Researching While Loops

 

This is part of my research on while loops and my exploration for my project. I have explored a wide range of code that now makes it easy for me to understand my coding term " while loops "

Ive also discoverered other terms that relate to while loops in order to develop a better concept.

Time Management Plan

This is my time managament plan for project three. I have worked out what I need to do within the time frame that I have. This is also part of my progress and development that I have achieved throughout this project.

Final Idea and Top Three Ideas

Chosen Idea
I have decided to go along with Idea one because I feel best that I will be able to explain a while loop through this idea much clearer than the others. This one is also the cheapest option. I will now explain my cost plan.

Cost and Equipment

Nail Polish - $20 max

Camera - Borrow from a friend or from uni

Computer - I have my own laptop

Programs

Imovie - I have

Photoshop - I have

Garage Band - I have

My top 3 ideas

1. Nail Polish
2. Popping a balloon
3. A bucket and balls game

Another Idea

Okay, so Ive thought of an idea which I really like and think that I will use for project three. I thought of using nail polish bottles and hands to portray the idea of a while loops.  So, what will happen is that the bottles will paint a  hand each repeatedly until all the bottle have been used/seen. The bottles are repeating painting the same hands but with different colours. So to display this I will do a stop motion video and use photoshop to edit. I will also use the programs Imovie and garage band to help develop my project.

Ideas for Project Three

Idea One: Blow up a balloon till the point where it pops. This would be showing a while loop more than if/else. So the balloon would be getting repeatedly blowing up with air until it pops which will make this statement false. I could make a stop motion movie to this or even a timeline. This could be a very good way in showing a while loop. I would need to get ballons and also a pump. I have a camera I can borrow froma friend or from uni, so Id only need money for printing and also the balloons and pump. I dont wanna spend more than $40

Idea Two:  Make a game. Have balls rolling around inside of a box that has holes in the bottom of it. So you would move it aroud to try get the balls in the holes. This will turn false when there are no more balls left. I would need to go and work in the workshop to complete some of this project. I would not spend more the $40 on this. I would only have to get would and some balls.

Idea Three: Have a bucket and a bunch of balls. This is showing a while loop. You will put the balls into the bucket until it becomes full that no more balls can fit which means this statement becomes false. I will need to buy a bucket and some balls. I could also present my model with a timeline behind it also showing the bucket filling up with balls. Spend no more than $40.

Project Three - Codes

 I have changed my coding term again and have decided to use while loops as I have a lot more ideas for it.

http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=8184

http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=5609




I have decided to use " if/else" as my coding term.
Definition: Extends the if() structure allowing the program to choose between two or more block of code. It specifies a block of code to execute when the expression in if() is false. (Processing)

My Programming Term

I have decided I will use "while loops". "While loops are the most fundamental form of a loop and are an easy way to achieve most repetitive task. There are two parts of a while loop. The condition and the body (the code contained by the loop)The condition of the loop is essentially what tells the loop when to stop running, if the loop never stops running your computer will crash".

Project Three

For project three we have to choose  a basic coding operation and by creating a metaphor and present it in a way spectators are able to understand it. So I can use variables, loops, arrays, if/else, function and loops. I will have to research more into these and find the best one I think I can achieve well in. I cannot use any text or words spoken. I dont have to use code. I can present it in the exhibition however I want.. but in a way the spectators can understand it. So can be a group of images, poster, a movie, a game or whatever.

Screen Shot of Final

Screen shot of Final sketch.

Progress over the holidays

Final Sketch: http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=27933

I have been having a bit of trouble with getting the balloons to fall down separately as them seem to fall down and bounce at the same time which doesn't look too effective. I found the code which has helped me in that situation.

Now, moving onto making the balloons "Pop!!"  I know this was going to be a challenge as I had no idea whats so ever. So I had to similar it own to how much I could understand. So I decided to just make the balloons disappear when they touch the bottom of the screen. When I did this, I realized that when the first balloon touched the bottom of the screen, all the balloons disappeared! So I had to rearrange the code so it would delete one balloon if it touch the bottom of the screen not if one touched the bottom of the screen it would delete all of them.

Then, I moved onto sound. This something I thought I was going to have trouble with. Turns out it was rather simple. I had to add some simple code that everyone uses for making sound. Then I went onto youtube and found heaps of popping balloon sounds. I then edited to suit me in garage band which was useful. I had trouble exporting it as wav. So then found a site "converter" to convert my mp4 to a .wav. I had recently tried putting in the sound but it didn't seem to find the file. So i converted the file again. This time it worked which I was really proud of.

So I had the ballons falling down and popping if they touched the bottom of the screen. I also has the sound of popping  happening. All I had to do then was to make my sketch interactive.

Adding interaction was something i thought was going to be difficult. I had a meeting with Ben and it was actually really simple. All I had to do was this (if(dist(mouseX,mouseY,x,y)<50){
      speedY = -abs(speedY);) This made my sketch interactive.

My Final Sketch: So I have created a balloon popping sketch which uses sound and which is also interactive. When I first had a play on the final, I found it quite entertaining because it was a bit of a challenge to keep the balloons up! Its a sketch you will definitely enjoy!