diy-blinky-bot

Documentation for [re]creating the build instructions

This describes the steps to create the online Blinky Bot build instructions from base documentation, which is stored offline as a word processor document. The printable instructions are generated by exporting that document to a pdf file. Creating the online instructions is a bit more complex. Most of the full size printable images need to be resized smaller for use on the web page. In addition, the source images are named “Pic 1.png”, “Pic 2.png”, etc. With that same file names for each type of Blinky Bot. So the raw numbered files need to be resized, renamed, and stored in the pictures folder. Here are the details for creating the current round of instruction pages.

Bat Badge

This was the first set of instructions converted for web use. Several of the pictures are common to (almost) all Blinky Bots. Processing of those can be skipped for the other Blinky Bots. Unless we end up with a better source picture of course. Many of the common pictures are only different for the Lady Bug, which has 3 LEDs, and needs an extra black wire on the switch, and an extra red wire on the battery holder.

Standard gimp png export settings for these pictures, unless otherwise specified:

• no save background color
• save resolution
• save creation time
• no save colour values from transparent pixels
• compression level 9 (maximum)

Pictures

• Pic 1.png » pictures/BatBadge-finished.png 607x456
• Pic 2.png » pictures/BatBadge-supplies.png) 1224x1632
  • crop blank edges; rescale to 500px width
• Pic 3.png » pictures/level1-tools.png (common to most Bots) 902x977
  • rescale to 500px width
• Pic 4.png » pictures/BatBadge-body.png 484x394
  • crop blank edges
• Pic 5.png » pictures/BatBadge-with-leds.png 587x441
  • crop blank edges; rescale to 500px width
• Pic 6.png » pictures/level1-switch-assembly.png (common) 1224x1632
  • crop blank edges; rescale to 400px width
• Pic 7.png » pictures/level1-twisted-wires.png (common) 1224x1632
  • crop blank edges; rotate 90° CCW; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 8.png » pictures/level1-twisted-loop.png (common)
  • aggressive crop edges; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 9.png » pictures/level1-twisted-to-switch.png (common) 1224x1632
  • crop blank edges; rotate 90° CCW; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 10.png » pictures/level1-soldered-switch.png (common)
  • crop blank edges; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 11.png » pictures/level1-battery-holder-plus.png (common)
  • crop blank edges; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 12.png » pictures/level1-holder-with-switch.png (common)
  • crop blank edges; rotate 90° CCW; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 13.png » pictures/BatBadge-wired-leds.png
  • crop blank edges; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 14.png » pictures/BatBadge-first-test.png
  • crop blank edges; rotate 90° CCW; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 15.png » pictures/BatBadge-trimmed-wires.png
  • aggressive crop blank edges; rotate 90° CW; rescale to 350px width
• Pic 16.png » pictures/BatBadge-switch-on-back.png
  • aggressive crop blank edges; rescale to 350px width
• WCRS Business Card.png

Monkey

Monkey Template.pdf » Monkey-template.pdf

Pictures

• Monkey Pic 1.png » pictures/Monkey-finished.png 1,224 × 1,632px
  • rescale to width 600px
• Monkey Pic 2.png » pictures/Monkey-supplies.png 489 × 462px
• Monkey Pic 4.png » pictures/Monkey-assembled-body.png 1224 x 1632px
  • crop blank space and rescale to width 400px
• Monkey Pic 5.png » pictures/Monkey-on-branch.png 460 x 544px
  • rescale to width 400px
• Monkey Pic 6.png » pictures/Monkey-with-leds.png 1224 x 1632px
  • aggressive crop and rescale to width 500px
• Monkey Pic 7.png » pictures/Monkey-wired-leds.png 1224 x 1632px
  • aggressive crop and rescale to width 350px
• Monkey Pic 8.jpg » pictures/Monkey-first-test.png 1224 x 1632px
  • aggressive crop edges; rescale to 350px width; convert to png
• Monkey Pic 9.png » pictures/Monkey-trimmed-wires.png 1224 x 1632px
  • aggressive crop edges; rescale to 350px width
• Monkey Pic 10.png » pictures/Monkey-switch-on-back.png 608 x 665px
  • rescale to 350px width
• Pic «nn».png ¦ unused (duplicates of generic level 1 images)

Witch (level 2)

Considerable simplification from source markdown, got rid of mixed html and markdown code. They do not play nice together.

Witch Template.pdf » Witch-template.pdf

Pictures

• WCRS Business Card.png ¦ unused duplicate
• Witch Blink-bot Picture.jpg ¦ unused
• Witch Pic 1.png » pictures/Witch-finished.png
• Witch Pic 2.png » pictures/Witch-head-parts.png
• Witch Pic 3.png » pictures/level2-tools.png
• Witch Pic 4.png » pictures/level2-blink-schematic.png
• Witch Pic 5.png » pictures/level2-resistor-parts.png
• Witch Pic 6.png » pictures/level2-schematic-resistor.png
• Witch Pic 7.png » pictures/level2-capacitor-parts.png
• Witch Pic 8.png » pictures/level2-schematic-capacitor.png
• Witch Pic 9.png » pictures/level2-diode-parts.png
• Witch Pic 10.png » pictures/level2-schematic-diode.png
• Witch Pic 11.png » pictures/level2-transistor-parts.png
• Witch Pic 12.png » pictures/level2-schematic-transistor.png
• Witch Pic 13.png » pictures/level2-breadboard-part.png
• Witch Pic 14.png » pictures/level2-npn-astable-multivibrator.png
• Witch Pic 15.png » pictures/level2-schematic-npn-transistor-.png
• Witch Pic 16.png » pictures/level2-npn-pinout.png
• Witch Pic 17.png » pictures/Witch-head-parts.png
• Witch Pic 18.png » pictures/Witch-assembled-head.png
• Witch Pic 19.png » pictures/Witch-wire-pieces.png
• Witch Pic 20.png » pictures/Witch-with-leds.png
• Witch Pic 21.png » pictures/Witch-soldered-leds.png
• Witch Pic 22.png » pictures/Witch-mounted-capacitors.png
• Witch Pic 23.png » pictures/Witch-wired-capacitors.png
• Witch Pic 24.png » pictures/Witch-mounted-transistors.png
• Witch Pic 25.png » pictures/Witch-wired-transistors.png
• Witch Pic 26.png » pictures/Witch-wired-emitters.png
• Witch Pic 27.png » pictures/Witch-mounted-resistors.png
• Witch Pic 28.png » pictures/Witch-wired-resistors.png
• Witch Pic 29.png ¦ unused; replaced by generic level 1 image
• Witch Pic 30.png » pictures/level2-wired-switch.png
• Witch Pic 31.png » pictures/level2-switch-with-battery-holder.png
• Witch Pic 32.png » pictures/Witch-wired-switch.png
• Witch Pic 33.png » pictures/Witch-mounted-switch.png

Template files (for Blinky-bot bodies)

• LibreOffice Writer » Export as PDF » Lossless compression; «uncheck» Reduce image resolution; Archive PDF/A-1a (ISO 19005-1); Submit format: PDF

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