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Microbit Documentation

micro:bit Reference Sheet


More info at: https://makecode.microbit.org/docs

Basic Commands

basic.showString(“text”): scrolls text across the screen
  • text: a string of characters (must be included inside a set of quotation marks
basic.showNumber(number): scrolls a numerical value across the screen
  • number: a numerical value
basic.pause(duration): pauses the program for a set time before moving on to future commands
  • duration: Amount of time to pause program in milliseconds
basic.forever(function () {}): repeats all commands inside curly braces until the program is ended basic.clearScreen(): turns off all LEDs on the 5x5 grid

Music Commands

music.playTone(note, duration): plays a given note for a set duration through Pin 0
  • note: note to be played, written as Note.C, for example
  • duration: Amount of time the note is played in milliseconds

LED Commands

led.plot(xCoordinate, yCoordinate): turns on an LED at a given coordinate point
  • xCoordinate: horizontal location of the LED, between 0 (left) and 4 (right)
  • yCoordinate: vertical location of the LED, between 0 (top) and 4 (bottom)
led.unplot(xCoordinate, yCoordinate): turns off an LED at a given coordinate point
  • xCoordinate: horizontal location of the LED, between 0 (left) and 4 (right)
  • yCoordinate: vertical location of the LED, between 0 (top) and 4 (bottom)
led.plotBrightness(xCoordinate, yCoordinate, value): turns on LED at a coordinate point with a given brightness value
  • xCoordinate: horizontal location of the LED, between 0 (left) and 4 (right)
  • yCoordinate: vertical location of the LED, between 0 (top) and 4 (bottom)
  • value: brightness value of the LED between 0 (off) and 255 (full brightness)

Pin Commands

Read: Returns the value of a connected component pins.digitalReadPin(pin) pin: pin the component is connected to, either DigitalPin.P0, AnalogPin.P0, DigitalPin.P1, AnalogPin.P1, DigitalPin.P2,or AnalogPin.P2
pins.analogReadPin(pin)
Write: Sets the value of a connected component pins.digitalWritePin(pin, value) value: A number 0 (off) or 1 (on)
pins.analogWritePin(pin, value) value: A number 0-255

pins.servoWritePin(pin, angle): sets a connected servo motor to a certain angle between 0-180
  • pin: pin the component is connected to, either AnalogPin.P0, AnalogPin.P1, or AnalogPin.P2
  • angle: A number 0-180 which notes the angle to move the motor to

Variables

let variable = value: creates a variable and assigns it a value
  • variable: name of the variable written in camelCase
  • value: A number or string

Functions

function name() {}: defines a function as the commands found between the curly braces
  • name: name of the function, written in camelCase
  • To call the function, simply write the function name and a set of parentheses, ie. myFunction()
  • Parameters can be included in the parentheses as parameterName: type where type is number or string

Control Structures in the MakeCode Editor

For Loops: Repeat a set number of times Syntax: 
for (let initialization; condition; increment) {
    commands;
}
Example: 
for (let int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    led.plot(i, 0)
}
While Loops: Repeat while a condition remains true Syntax: 
while (condition) {
    commands;
}
Example: 
while (input.temperature() < 21) {
    pins.digitalWritePin(DigitalPin.P0, 0)
}
If/Else Statements: Choose actions to perform based on given conditions Syntax: 
if (condition) {
    commands;
} else if (condition) {
    commands;
} else {
    commands;
}
Example: 
if (input.buttonIsPressed(Button.A)) {
    pins.analogWritePin(AnalogPin.P0, 1000)
}
else {
    pins.analogWritePin(AnalogPin.P0, 500)
}

Sensor Conditions

input.buttonIsPressed(button): returns if a button is pressed
  • button: name of the button, either Button.A, Button.B, or Button.AB
input.lightLevel(): returns the level of the LED screen light sensor
  • Light level value is given from 0 (dark) to 255 (full brightness)
input.temperature(): returns the temperature in degrees Celsius
input.acceleration(dimension): returns the acceleration value in milli-gravitys
  • dimension: dimension to measure acceleration, either Dimension.X, Dimension.Y, or Dimension.Z
  • When board is laying flat with LED screen up, Dimension.X = 0, Dimension.Y = 0, and Dimension.Z = -1024

Sensor Functions

Run commands when button is pressed input.onButtonPressed(button, function () {})

  • button: name of the button, either Button.A, Button.B, or Button.AB
Run commands when pin is pressed or released input.onPinPressed(pin, function () {})
input.onPinReleased(pin, function () {})

  • pin: pin that component is connected to, either TouchPin.P0, TouchPin.P1, or TouchPin.P2
Run commands when chosen gesture is made input.onGesture(Gesture.gesture, function () {})

  • gesture: EightG, FreeFall, LogoDown, LogoUp, ScreenDown, ScreenUp, Shake, SixG, ThreeG, TiltLeft, TiltRight
Run commands if the screen is vertically facing the ceiling (up) or the ground (down) input.onLogoUp(function () {})
input.onLogoDown(function () {})
Run commands if the screen is horizontally facing the ceiling (up) or the ground (down) input.onScreenUp(function () {})
input.onScreenDown(function () {})
Run commands when device is shaken input.onShake(function () {})