|
From the
|
The latest version of the Binary Patterns stack can be downloaded from the Lean About Binary: Pupil Resources page.
Binary
Patterns is a small program that shows how binary patterns can be used to define
simple black and white graphics.
The program was written by David Muir and is emailware. If you use this stack, please send an email (to d.d.muir@strath.ac.uk) telling me what you liked about it and how it could be improved. Remember: If you are under 18 years of age, check with your parents, guardians or teacher before sending an email to a stranger.
Binary Patterns is a stand alone application that was created using a package called MetaCard. Free demonstration version can be downloaded for the Macintosh, UNIX/Linux and Windows. Binary Patterns is available for download in both Macintosh and Windows versions. If you want the UNIX/Linux version, send an email and ask for it!
There are three versions of the program:
The Windows version has been compressed with WinZip and you will need to decompress it before it can be used. The two Macintosh versions are self extracting archives compressed with StuffIt. If you run the downloaded Macintosh files, the program will be automatically decompressed.
There are three exercises in the stack.
Click the "go next" arrow on the title screen to
go to the first exercise. All the exercise screen will have both a "go
next" and a "go previous" button to allow you to move between
exercises.
 The go next button looks like this |
 The go previous button looks like this |
Displaying
a characterIn the first exercise, you enter binary patterns in the eight boxes provided at the right hand side of the card.
In the centre of the card there is an eight by eight grid of squares. This represents an enlarged view of an eight by eight pixel section of screen. A character or simple graphic is shown in this grid. The graphic can be stored as a series of eight bit binary patterns - one for each line of the grid. A "0" in the bitmap represents an empty square in the grid and a "1" a filled square. For example the top line of a capital A could be represented as "00111100"
There are three buttons at the bottom of the card, Show A, Show @ and Show y. Click on one of these buttons to display a character and for each line of the character, complete a binary pattern in the box provided. Once you have entered all eight patterns, click the Check button to see if you are right. You will be told if if there is a problem with one of the binary patterns you have entered, but it not give any hints about where the problem lies! If all the patterns are correct, you will see a "Well done!" message.
Try all the characters before continuing.
Binary
to decimalIn the second exercise, you enter decimal numbers in the eight boxes provided at the right hand side of the card.
In the centre of the card there is an eight by eight grid of squares. A character or simple graphic is shown in this grid. The graphic can be stored as a series of eight bit binary patterns - one for each line of the grid. Work out the binary pattern that can be used to represent each line of the grid and then convert this binary pattern to a decimal number.
There are three buttons at the bottom of the card, Character 1, Character 2 and Character 3. Click on one of these buttons to display a character and for each line of the character, enter the appropriate decimal number in the box provided. Once you have entered all eight decimal numbers, click the Check button to see if you are right.
Try all the characters before continuing.
Decimal
to binaryIn the third exercise,you have to convert decimal numbers to binary and create the pattern in the character grid by clicking on the squares.
On this card you are shown a set of decimal numbers in the "Line" boxes. These numbers represent a binary pattern. First convert this number to binary and then try to recreate the pattern in the character grid.
If you click on a black square in the grid, it will turn white. If you click on a white square, it will turn black. (A white square represents a zero and a black square a one.) For example, if the decimal number is 255, make every square in the line black. If the decimal number is 0, make each square white.
There are three buttons at the bottom of the card, Character 1, Character 2 and Character 3. Click on one of these buttons to display a character and set up the equivalent pattern on the grid. Once you have created the character in the grid, click the Check button to see if you are right.
Try all the characters before continuing.
There are three menus in this program. The File menu has one item, Quit, which you can use to quit the program.
The Edit menu has Cut, Copy and Paste. These work as expected on text that can be selected. You could use these to copy a binary number from one entry box, tap the Tab key to move to the next entry box, and then paste the copied pattern.
The
About menu has only one option. Choose the About this stack...
option and a screen of credits, contact details etc. is displayed.
The email address and URLs (http links) in the current version of the stack are not active. Clicking on the blue underlined text on this card will copy the text to your machine's clipboard. You can then launch your email program or web browser and paste the copied text into the appropriate place. Future versions of the stack may address this limitation.
Click the Return arrow at the bottom right of the card to leave the "About this stack..." screen and return to the previous card.
The return button looks like this.
Go
back to the pupil resources
This page was first created on 24 March, 2001.
It was last updated on
9 June, 2003 12:05 PM
by David Muir
Please e-mail comments to d.d.muir@strath.ac.uk
Opinions expressed in this web page are not necessarily those of the University of Strathclyde. The use of any copyright terms or material is not a challenge to the ownership of those materials.
If you think any part of this web page contains discriminatory and/or offensive material, please e-mail d.d.muir@strath.ac.uk
Top