NXT Connection Status Indicators

Blueprint on LaunchPad

Enchanting makes the following connections:

• it connects to the back end

And, via the back end, it connects to:

• an NXT
• Scratch

Users need to be alerted if there is no connection made to the back end. (Perhaps it crashed, their firewall blocked the socket connection, of they started the Front End directly without a launcher program, and the Back End was never started.) This is important, for, without the Back End in place, all a user can do is code and save; they can try out their programs.

I think a dialog box should come up alerting the user if this condition is detected.


Now, NXTs come and go, especially if they have to be plugged in via USB. I'd like an indicator — probably in the upper-right hand corner of the Front End window (near the green flag) to show if an NXT is connected. Perhaps better, the green flag should change into a green flag with a image of an NXT covered with a red circle with a slash through it, indicating that no NXT is present.

It would also be nice to indicate when Scratch is connected, especially as connecting it required turning on remote sensor connections. The intention is to allow Scratch and the NXT to communicate with each other, and it'll be frustrating to users if they don't know why they are or are not talking. Hmm... If this is a scratch cat with a red slash, clicking on it could bring up instructions on how to make the connection.

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