Functions
Use the Function blocks to create functions that structure specific tasks.
Example 1: Simple function
Programmers use functions to store repeatable tasks and make code easier to read. In this example, a function named setRandomLED
sets the //code.Node RGB LED to a random color. By putting this code in a separate function, the main code block is easier to read.
Example 2: Passing variables into a function
Let's take Example 1 a step further by also creating a function to play a musical note. In order to play a note, we need to place a value in the function so the program knows which note to play. To accomplish this, select Properties on the function block and add the input name block to the function.
In the loop, the code stores the note frequency in the i
variable, which gets its value from the notesList
variable. The function called playNote
takes an input called noteFreq
. The code passes the i
variable into this function. The function turns off the speaker and plays each note in the list for 0.5 seconds.
Example 3: Returning values from a function
Functions can also return a value. In this example, a function called getNoteFrequency
looks up a character i
from the notesList
list and returns the note letter's frequency. This value is then set to noteFreq
, which the code passes to the playNote
function to play the note.