Hand In

This is my final stop motion movie that I made explaining a 2d array

These are the stills shots of the movie

This here is the explanation of what my movie is about and how 2D arrays work, I wrote what I thought was Pseudo code, which actually turned out to be real code and would work if I put it into processing.:

An array is a vending machine.

My stop motion movie of a vending machine in use depicts a metaphorical 2d array and how they work.

An array is a storage unit for a linear ordered list of data; a vending machine is a storage unit for things, in this case, drinks. Each storage unit has an index number, just like the drinks in this vending machine have an index number. An array only becomes interactive when an index number is referenced in the code, which is the same as a vending machine; the drink will just stay in the refrigerated air doing nothing, unless you put the correct change in and press the right buttons, then you will get the drink you ask for! A vending machine however, is a 2d array, therefore, is a little more complex than just a linear list of data.

Some example code better shows what makes this a 2d array:

//normal array

int [ ][ ] vendingmachine = {drink1, drink2,drink3,drink4}; //one shelf

But because there is more than one shelf (more than one list of data), it creates a 2d array, so would look like this:

//2d array

int [ ][ ]  vendingmachine =

{ {drinkA1, drinkA2 ,drinkA3, drinkA4}, // shelf one

                                         {drinkB1 ,drinkB2, drinkB3, drinkB4}, // shelf two

                                        {drinkC1, drinkC2 ,drinkC3, drinkC4},   //shelf three

                                        {drinkD1, drinkD2, drinkD3, drinkD4}}; // shelf four

Lets say we want drinkC2, an array works like a grid, and drinkC2 is 3 down and two across on the grid named ‘vendingmachine’, in code this is written like this:

vendingmachine[3][2];

This works the same in the real life situation of a vending machine, when you press A3, it will go to shelf A, and get the third drink on that shelf.

Research into arrays..

I had to do some extra research into arrays, as I had done all my research on variables, I found that the processing help site really helped, this is there explanation:

	An array is a list of data. It is possible to have an array of any type of data. Each piece of data in an array is identified by an index number representing its position in the array. The first element in the array is [0], the second element is [1], and so on. Arrays are similar to objects, so they must be created with the keyword new. Every array has a variable length which is an integer value for the total number of elements in the array. (People are often confused by the use of length() to get the size of a String and length to get the size of an array. Notice the absence of the parentheses when working with arrays.) After trying to apply this to my metaphor 'Arrays are vending machines", I found that a vending machine is actually fits a 2d array, so I did some more research into 2d arrays and this example of how they work on Processing help website was really helpful and key into my understanding An array keeps track of multiple pieces of information in linear order, a one-dimensional list. However, the data associated with certain systems (a digital image, a board game, etc.) lives in two dimensions. To visualize this data, we need a multi-dimensional data structure, that is, a multi-dimensional array. A two-dimensional array is really nothing more than an array of arrays (a three-dimensional array is an array of arrays of arrays). Think of your dinner. You could have a one-dimensional list of everything you eat: (lettuce, tomatoes, salad dressing, steak, mashed potatoes, string beans, cake, ice cream, coffee) Or you could have a two-dimensional list of three courses, each containing three things you eat: (lettuce, tomatoes, salad dressing) and (steak, mashed potatoes, string beans) and (cake, ice cream, coffee) In the case of an array, our old-fashioned one-dimensional array looks like this: int[] myArray = {0,1,2,3}; And a two-dimensional array looks like this: int[][] myArray = { {0,1,2,3}, {3,2,1,0}, {3,5,6,1}, {3,8,3,4} };

Presentation

Idea one:

I started my research with looking at youtube videos of kinetic sculptures; I really liked the ones by David C. Roy,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FRlOhmE0Nw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RJNg2KV6aQ&feature=related

Idea two:

My first idea is basically building a kinetic sculpture that can show how variables work, but I couldn’t really think of a way to define it and explain the variables enough, so I found this Marble track example, I think it would  work if the marbles were the variables and there were different tracks and what not for them to follow. The cost of this would be buying marbles, and buying a material to build the track with, I know I have plywood available for free and I have left over glue and things that would take the price of things down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMsH-LaC7Bk&feature=fvwrel

Idea three:

My final idea was to do with paper dolls and naming the clothes so that they were variables and giving the people instructions to put them on the dolls.

After listening to peoples idea on Friday, I have reconsidered some of mine, I have come up with two new metaphors, 

1. A variable is a vending machine

2. A variable is a box of chocolates.

I really like the first idea, but I think instead of variable, an array would work better.


Pseudo Code
void setup (){
  (200,200):
 
}

void draw (){
  put dollars in
    2 dollar coin and one dollar coin
    insert into coin place
   
  decide which one I want
    choose letter and number
    a1, a2,a3,a4,a5
    ,b1,b2,b3,b4,b5
  machine will finds it
 
 food or drink drops out the bottom

}

I wrote a time management plan above, I will be able to add to it when i know exactly what it is I'm making. Cost wise, it depends on how I want to portray the vending machine, a series of posters perhaps, and in this case I would cost would be in the printing.

Project Three - Coding Exhibition

At this stage I have chosen the term 'variable'.  I understand this one well because I have used it a lot in both of the previous projects.
On the Learning Processing web help site, I found this very simple definition:

Variables.

'Variables are used for storing values.'

I think that this is the first and obvious thing that comes to mind when talking about variables, but variables are also useful for saving time, they can change a code a lot - by only changing a number.

A good example of the use of variables is actually from my wallpaper

http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=24713

This link shows the first wallpaper in the series, everything is in order and symmetrical.

http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=24708

The link above shows how by adding variables, the end result changes completely.

A really simple example of a variable changing the way code works is this one :
http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=7724

Final Hand - in

This is a screen shot of my final app,http://www.openprocessing.org/visuals/?visualID=27919

I'm really pleased with the way it has turned out, it took me a long time to work out how to get the eyes to follow and I had to learn about constraints. I prefer the black on white, rather than the white on black as I think it stands out more. For the little bug I learnt about the Pmouse variables whick meant it looked like it was darting around and made it more alive. I had originally wanted to use one of the monsters from the example Angela gave us, but I found making my own was a better thing to do as I could make him how I wanted and get the noise to play at the right time. I have changed my ideas a lot from my very first story board, I think this was the right move as this is more fun to play with and more interactive. I am very happy with this and enjoy playing with it myself, I have expanded my knowledge on coding by so much.