Introduction: Learn Programming With Mind+

By DFRobot
About: Empowering Creation for Future Innovators; Our mission is to form a community with easy access to whether hardware, software and ideas that allow makers and younger generation to achieve their goals and realiz…

Programming skills have never been more in-demand, but coding learning seems to be a daunting task for most of us. Actually, a good beginning is half done, when you get to know Mind+, you will find it much easier.
The first few projects of this series give detailed introductions about the graphical programming of Mind+, which helps you understand how to implement your idea in coding. Once getting familiar with the basic commands, you can try designing your unique program and typing it into Mind+ to see the results. After that, we will walk you away from graphical programming and start pure-code learning. Embark on a coding journey and enjoy the charm of programming, we will support you all the way!

Supplies

1. Mind+

2. DFRduino UNO R3 - Arduino Compatible

Step 1: Explore the Secret of Mind+

With a USB cable, we can easily connect an Arduino board with a computer physically, however, that’s not enough. Just like when we bought a new computer, without any software, we cannot make it start to work right away as soon as we installed all the hardware parts together. How to make the Arduino board communicate with your computer to begin your journey of creation?

Well, Mind+ can do that. Mind+ likes a bridge that connects microcontroller with PC, and then achieve the functions such as code downloading, serial port connection, and data transmission. First of all, welcome to the world of Mind+!

Step 2: Download Mind+ Desktop

1. Download Mind+ at http://mindplus.cc.

Mind+ is a Scratch3.0-based graphical programming platform that supports all kinds of open source hardware like micro:bit, Arduino, and mPython. Users can drag and snap code blocks to make programs or use advanced language, such as python/c/c++ to code. It could be very easy to find the joy of creating.

If you encounter problems in downloading or using Mind+, please visit our Mind+ official website to find the related solutions. If there is no suitable solution for your problem, please feed us back on our forum at https://www.dfrobot .com/forum/, our technique support group will help you as soon as possible.

Step 3: Install the Driver

After you downloaded and installed the software, open and click ”Learning” to learn how to install the driver.

Step 4: Switch to “Offline” Mode (combine Hardware).

  • Click the “Offline” icon to switch mode
  • Switched to Offline mode

Step 5: Introduction to Mind+ Interface

  • Mind+ has following several function sections in Offline mode:

Step 6: ​Click the Mind+ Icon to Open the Software, and Switch to “Offline” Mode.

3. Click the “Extension” at the lower-left corner, select “Board”->”Arduino UNO”.

Step 7: Connect the Arduino Board and Your Computer Via a USB Cable, Then Click”Connect Device”->”COM3-UNO”.

  • The number“3" in“COM3” may change according to different devices, and it has no real impact on your usage process.
  • If there is no COM port appearing on Mind+, please confirm the USB connection, check whether the power indicator on the Arduino board is on, or the driver is installed. Feel free to contact us if you still can't fix the problem after trying all of this.

Step 8: Click the “Extension” at the Lower-left Corner, Select “Board”->”Arduino UNO”.

Click “Back”, then you can see the Arduino Uno Blocks.

  • Don't forget to load the Arduino Uno board in Extension every time you open this software. Otherwise, you can't find the related Arduino blocks.

Step 9: Load Programs Into Mind+.

Click “Learning”-> “Example Programs”.

Click to select the first program “Blink”.

Then the program has been preset in Mind+, now click “Upload “ to burn the codes into the Arduino board.

Step 10: Click “Upload “ to Burn the Codes Into Arduino Board.

Now we will find that the LED marked with “L” on the Arduino board begins blinking.