Alice 3 Review (Code Editor and Object Selector)

Code Editor's Object Selector Box

Box on the left side of the screen in the code editor that you use to select the Object that you wish to work with.

Procedures and Functions tabs

Tabs in the code editor that contain tiles representing actions that the selected object can perform.

Code statement

A statement created by dragging a tile into the editor and supplying any information needed to perform the action.

Parameter

A piece of information required to perform a task.

Implementation

The process of translating a design algorithm into program code.

Keyword

A word that has a special meaning in a programming language.

Types of Methods

- Procedural : actions that can be performed by or on an object

- Functional : actions that compute or retrieve information about an object

Procedural methods

Actions that can be performed by or on an object.

Functional methods

Actions that compute or retrieve information about an object.

Code editor's method panel

Its immediately below the Object selector.

- has 2 tabs, Procedures (procedural methods) & Functions (functional methods)

Property

The declaration statements for the objects belonging to a scene.

Run button

Button used to test a program by creating a runtime window where the initial scene is displayed.

Do in order

A statement that appears at the beginning of myFirstMethod and tells Alice to execute code statements in sequence, one after the other.

Call a method

tell the computer at runtime to perform the action defined by that procedure

Syntax

The set of rules that govern the arrangement of words, phrases, and symbols in code statements.

- an Alice statement = name of an object + name of a method that is to be performed

Argument

A value sent to a parameter.

Scene Class

A blueprint that tells Alice what actions (procedures & functions) a scene can perform and what components (properties) it contains. Open it by clicking the Scene tab in the right window of the code editor. Always has 2 built-in properties; ground & camera. (When you add objects to the scene they become properties to the Scene)

Active class

The currently open class.

Active method

The code editor tab that displays on top of the other tabs, currently open for editing.

Detail parameter

Parameters with default values that are used if no other value is specified.

Duration

a detailed parameter with a default value of one second