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When you do, a window should appear that looks something like Image 2 where the two animated rectangles move from left to rightacross the screen.

Output from the cars sketch.

Output from the Cars program..
Output from the Cars sketch.

Run in JavaScript mode

Although it isn't easy to see, there is a button in the upper-right corner of the PDE in Image 1 that allows you to select an output mode. (The default output mode is Java.) Assuming that your default browser supports the canvas element in HTML 5, selecting the JavaScript output mode and clicking the run button will cause the sketch output to appear inyour browser as shown in Image 3 . (See the complication involving images.)

Image 3. javascript output mode.

JavaScript output mode.
Image 3. JavaScript output mode.

A folder named web-export

That will also cause a folder named web-export to be created in your Processing sketchbook folder. The web-export folder will contain a file named index.html . Opening that file in your HTML 5 compatible browser will produce the output shown in Image 3 , which is the same output that you should see by clicking here .

A caution regarding JavaScript mode

Not all sketches that can be written in Processing can be successfully run in JavaScript mode. For example, there are two tabs on the references page:

  • Standard Processing
  • JavaScript (Processing.js)

If you examine the contents of those two tabs, you will see that some of the items that appear on the Standard Processing tab are "grayed out" on theJavaScript tab. If you plan to run your sketch in JavaScript mode, you should probably restrict yourself to using only the items on the JavaScript tab.

In addition, the Processing.js Quick Start - Processing Developer Edition page explains a number of restrictions that apply to the JavaScript mode.

Export and run as an application

Finally, selecting Export Application on the File menu, checking the Windows box, and clicking the Export button will cause two additional folders to be created in your sketchbook folder. (Checking Mac OS X or Linux will cause different folders to be created.)

  • application.windows32
  • application.windows64

Those folders contain everything you need to run your sketch as a stand-alone application on the selected platform.

Dealing with image and sound files

Although the sketch in this module doesn't involve image files, sketches in future modules will involve image files and possibly sound files as well.

The PDE expects image files and sound files to be located in a folder named data that is a child of the folder containing the files with the .pde extension. You should make certain that they are located there.

However, (and this is unusual), when writing the Java code, you need to write it as though the image file is in the same folder as the pde file. Inother words, when referring to the file as a string, don't include the path to the data folder.

Summary

In this module, I showed you how to create an animated Processing sketch that can be run in any of three ways:

  • Run directly from the PDE.
  • Run in JavaScript mode.
  • Export and run as an application.

Click here to see a live demonstration of the sketch in your HTML 5 compatible browser.

What's next?

In the next module, I will dissect and explain the structural anatomy of the Processing framework.

Miscellaneous

This section contains a variety of miscellaneous information.

Housekeeping material
  • Module name: Pr0100-Getting Started with Processing
  • File: Pr0100.htm
  • Published: 02/25/13
Disclaimers:

Financial : Although the Connexions site makes it possible for you to download a PDF file for thismodule at no charge, and also makes it possible for you topurchase a pre-printed version of the PDF file, you should be aware that some of the HTML elements in this module may not translate well intoPDF.

I also want you to know that, I receive no financial compensation from the Connexions website even if you purchase the PDF version of the module.

In the past, unknown individuals have copied my modules from cnx.org, converted them to Kindle books, and placed them for sale on Amazon.com showing me as the author. Ineither receive compensation for those sales nor do I know who does receive compensation. If you purchase such a book, please beaware that it is a copy of a module that is freely available on cnx.org and that it was made and published withoutmy prior knowledge.

Affiliation : I am a professor of Computer Information Technology at Austin Community College in Austin, TX.

-end-

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Source:  OpenStax, The processing programming environment. OpenStax CNX. Feb 26, 2013 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11492/1.5
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