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Flowcode Overview

<^< What is Flowcode? | Course Index | Start a New Flowchart >^>

The Flowcode environment consists of a main work area in which the flowchart windows are displayed, several toolbars that allow Icons and Components to be added to the flowchart application, the System and Dashboard panels that displays the attached components and also provides basic drawing capabilities, Project Explorer panel that shows project Variables, Macros and Component Macros, Icon List panel that shows Bookmarks, Breakpoints and Search Results, windows that allow the status of the microcontroller to be viewed and display Variables and Macro Calls when the flowchart is being simulated. Here you can see a screen of an automotive project:

There are three toolbars you will use:

Icons toolbar

Drag and drop icons from this toolbar onto the main flowchart window to create your flowchart application. Normally this is positioned on the left hand side of the screen but the toolbar looks like this when it is undocked:

Components toolbar

This toolbar displays the external components that can be connected to a microcontroller and basic panel drawing commands. The components are grouped in different categories that appear as drop down menus. Click on a component and it will be added to the microcontroller and appear on the panel. The pin connections and properties of the component can then be edited. Normally this toolbar is positioned on the top left hand side of the screen next to the Icons toolbar but the toolbar looks like this when it is undocked:

Menu and simulation toolbar

The buttons on this toolbar allow you to open and save files, undo and redo actions, print out your flowchart and also allow you to control the simulation and download functions. The functions on this toolbar are also available on the standard Windows menu at the top of the screen:

Dashboard & System Panel

All components that you connect to the microcontroller will be displayed on either of these panels where you can interact with them in Simulation. The panels also provides some basic drawing features like lines, shapes, and images etc., which can be used to build advanced professional looking panels.

The Dashboard Panel is primarily for 2D use although offers a 3D view for affect, this panel is generally used as an interface where the buttons and switches are kept to accompony interactive components, and sometimes for basic components.

The System Panel is the main 3D panel which offers many more features and options, with full camera control and editible background environments with default 'Sky Dome' and 'World Dome' views as well as the option to use an image as the background, it also offers 'Shadow mode' which offers both 'Tabletop' and 'Object' shadow options.

Properties pane

All items on the panel including the panel itself have there associated properties that are displayed in the properties pane when an item or panel is selected. Some of them are read-only while others can be manipulated. Some properties like size/position change as you interact with the item. Others allow you to access more advanced features of the selected item. The properties pane typically docks to the right hand side of the screen but looks like this when undocked:

Project Explorer

The buttons along the top of this panel allow you to select Ports, Globals, Macros and Components. The ports view shows the variable names for the ports on the Microcontroller. The Globals view show any constants and variable that have been defined for use in the current project. Macros view shows any user created macros in the current program and allows the user to drag them into the current flowchart. The components view is very similar to the macros view except listing components that are present in the panel.

Icon List

All the bookmarks, breakpoints and disabled icons as well as search and error results appear as a list in this panel.

Web Access

This panel displays links to introductory articles, support and other Matrix Multimedia products.

Docking and undocking the toolbars and panes

The toolbars and panes can be undocked from the default position and either left free floating, or can be docked to the top, bottom or the sides of the Flowcode window. Here is an example of floating toolbars:

To undock a toolbar simply click and hold on the toolbar 'grab bars' (the top of the toolbar) if docked, or the caption bar if undocked and drag the toolbar to its new position.

Chip window

The current chip, or microcontroller, is displayed in this window. When the flowchart is being simulated, the state of the microcontroller I/O ports are shown on the microcontroller as red and blue for high and low outputs respectively as you can see here:

Flowchart window

The icons that make up the flowchart are displayed in this main space. In addition, the icons that make up a macro are shown in their own separate tab which takes up/replaces this space. The Main flowchart tab is always visible and the macro tabs can be shown and hidden as needed.

Simulation Debugger window

When simulating a flowchart, the values of any variables used can be seen in this window. The values of the variables are updated for every command simulated but the window is not updated when the simulation is running at full speed('As fast as possible'). If you simulate a flowchart and press the pause button then you can click on variables in this window to change their value. This allows you to test your flowchart under known conditions. This window also shows the current macro being simulated under the 'Macro Calls' section. This is useful when one macro calls another during the simulation process.

Controlling windows, toolbars and panes

If you select the 'View' menu you will see a list of options and check boxes which can be used to activate and deactivate windows, toolbars and panes.

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