Automatica: Programmable Battle Droids

Basic commands:

• MOVE: make one step ahead
• TURN LEFT / RIGHT: rotate 90 degrees
• DOWNLOAD: download 1 data packet from the terminal
• UPLOAD: upload 1 data packet to the databank
• WAIT: wait for a short while
• SHOOT: shoot ahead (enemy robots needs two shots to die)
• OPERATE: use the switch in front of the robot (to open the door etc.)

Conditions and loops:

• IF cond [ELSE]: executes only if true (IF enemy: SHOOT – shoots once if there is a target)
• WHILE cond: executes while condition is true (WHILE target: SHOOT – shoots till the target is destroyed or gone)
• Possible conditions (there is also a negative version of each):
  • WALL AHEAD: true, when the wall is on the adjacent field (WHILE not wall ahead: MOVE – moves to the end of the corridor)
  • ENEMY: true, when a target is visible, i.e. in the direct line of sight (WHILE target: SHOOT – shoot until the target is destroyed or out of sight)
  • ALIVE: always valid, always true (WHILE alive: MOVE – moves to the end of the world or beyond)
  • MARK PRESENT: true, when standing on the mark of given color (WHILE not red mark present: MOVE – move to the mark)
  • SIGNAL ACTIVE: true, when someone started the signal (WHILE not signal alpha active: TURN LEFT – turns left untill someone starts the signal)

Marking and signaling:

• PLACE MARK: places one mark (stamp, beeper) of a given color on the current field
• TURN signal ON / OFF: turns the signal on or off (once started, the signal will be active forever or until someone turns it off)
• SWITCH SIGNAL: turns off the signal that was turned on and vice versa
• WAIT FOR SIGNAL: waits and does nothing until someone starts the signal

WHILE cycle is meant to encapsulate a part of the code. At the beginning, the condition is checked; if it is true, the code will execute and once it's done, the condition is checked again. If it's false, the code is skipped.

The code editor itself is meant to work without any prior knowledge or skill in programming. The code can be easily edited by arrow keys or console controller, but the full keyboard support is included (and keyboard is recommended to use). The easiest way to control the editor is by simply writing:

1. Open the robot’s coding console by pressing number of the droid.
2. Press Enter to insert an empty line.
3. By pressing Enter again, you open a list of available commands.
   - or -
   
4. By starting to write, you can shorten the list to find the wanted command. So, if you want to move robot ahead, just press Enter and start to type MOVE

Copy & Paste works on block of codes: select IF or WHILE and press Ctrl+C or Ctrl+X (cut). Select opening INITIALIZE command to copy whole program.

Example code snippets:

while(NOT WALL)
  Move
end

while(NOT RED MARK)
  Move
end
TurnRight

while(NOT ENEMY)
end
while(ENEMY)
  Shoot
end