Logic Blog - updated 2011/02/06

[rtm223]

Yes indeed! Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Ladies and Gentlemen, Now that CC has fixed up the blogs, let me proudly present...

The SwitchGeek Sessions
rtm223's World Famous Logic Blog
(name subject to chage, when I thinks of a better one)

Most logic tutorials / blogs / whatever focus on two things:

1. How to make a variety of switches, with giveaway prizes
2. How to use those generic switches to create something cool and complex

There’s nothing wrong with this approach, but it’s very much my intention to take things in a different direction. It’s unlikely the focus will ever be “How to Make a <Insert Complex Contraption>” tutorial, although who knows? I am very fickle after all… Instead, the focus will largely be on logic skills and techniques; with a strong emphasis on theory and leading towards some advanced stuff. Certainly nothing here for the feint of heart: hic sunt dracones.

List of Blog Posts

[2009/12/02] Welcome to the Wonderful World of Wenches
[2009/12/09] Waste Not, Want Not [Part 1]: Basic Thermo Optimisation
[2009/12/13] Mini Blog: Logical Notation
[2009/12/16] Waste not, Want Not [Part 2]: Input Sharing
[2010/01/19] Waste not, Want Not [Part 3]: Implied Logic

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[2010/02/23] Emitter Blocking Theory

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[2010/10/05] LBP2: Analogue Logic [Part 1]: Concepts and Fundamentals
[2010/10/10] Analogue Logic (supplemental) - Notation
[2010/10/12] Analogue Logic 2: Sorting and Addition
[2010/10/26] Analogue Logic 3: Analogue - Digital Conversion (ADC) & Digital to Analogue Conversion (DAC)

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Conventions Used
General stuff, so I don’t have to keep repeating it in every blog I do. I’ll add to this as I add more technical stuff – just think of this section as a cheat sheet and glossery for the blogs. If I end up using any terminology you aren’t familiar with, then just ask and I’ll add it in.

Tweaking
Unless I explicitly state otherwise, all connectors and switches will be left at their default settings, with the following exception:

• Pistons are considered stiff by default

Terminology
For the sake of clarity I would attempt to use consistent terms throughout my tutorials. However, I have a tendency to get distracted and my mind flits between electronics, software, mathematical analogies and LBP terms. Plus it’s sometimes easier to use certain terms in certain contexts. So, for switches and signals the following terms can be used interchangeably:

• TRUE = 1 = Switch On = Active = Outwards Direction
• FALSE = 0 = Switch Off = Inactive = Inwards Direction

Another terminology issue we may face is the terms "switches" and "gates". In LBP everything from a humble Perm all the way up to a complex logic network gets referred to as a "switch". I'm liable to talk about certain switches as "gates", it's just natural to me. I'm sorry.

geekNotes
What with this being a relatively advanced course, I thought I would dot spoilers around the place, like this:

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[comphermc]

Wow, truly looking forward to it. Too bad about the spoiler bits. Didn't want to make it a thread, huh? Either way, I don't think there's anyone better suited for the job. Good luck to you, sir.

*waits patiently for first entry*

...

*chirp*


(want me to make you some fancy header when you decide on the permanent name? Nah, of course you don't.)

[rtm223]

You can if you want. I was considering doing a community contest and giving out muchos XP though... Maybe hold back until I decide how to go about that.

I decided not to make it a thread because I would have to make the decision between having multiple threads, which would break the ordering, or dumping each topic pages into a single thread. I think blog entries for each topic, keeping them separate and organised and allowing people to respond to specific posts, is the best way to go. This thread is more of an index and place to keep the cheatsheet, along with general chat on the blogs themselves.

Hopefully that's how it'll work, anyway.

[rtm223]

Right, CC got the blogs fixed up so here is a bump to announce blog post #1, the stupidly long opening entitled:

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Wenches

Enjoy.

[Luos_83]

you know rtm, the more I read about you/from you the more I think you and I think alike.
well.. not on the geek-part, I was failry good at pascal, but all of a sudden... one day.. I just lost it while I was half-way creating a small platformer-pixel game in pascal.
from that point on, I never touched code-related stuff again.

I am happy enough that I understand most lbp logic without having to think twice.

[Incinerator22•]

You really have a knack of overcomplicating things ...

TRUE and FALSE? Why not inverted and regular, like the stupid people say it!

[comphermc]

TRUE and FALSE? Why not inverted and regular, like the stupid people say it!

Because...

True = On = Out = Fire (one-shot) = Whatever you call speed.

It's a term that can be used regardless of the type of switch output.

[rtm223]

You really have a knack of overcomplicating things ...

TRUE and FALSE? Why not inverted and regular, like the stupid people say it!

To continue what comphermc said: Inverted is the term used for statically defining the tweak settings of a magnetic switch. TRUE/FALSE are used here to represent run-time values of signals.

What you are suggesting is that I use inverted to refer to the tweak settings of a switch and also the value of the signal it is outputting. Using the same term for two things that are completely different in the same text is never going to work.

[srgt_poptart]

I'm a big user of logic, and like this blog. I am using the randomizer from the logic pack, but I'm using six different ones. In the first set of two, there will be a 1/6 chance of it emmiting a certain block. Then after about a minute of that, it will go to a 1/3, and then a 1/2. It may require tweaking, I'll have to see how difficult it is.

[rtm223]

Just to reiterate: Although links between my logic blog and the logic pack are going to happen, I really would like to keep a well defined line between the two as it benefits both the the Logic Pack and this blog to do so. The logic pack is official LBPC content: shiny and polished, with high production values and very accessible content with a hands-on approach. This is somewhat less so, so has no place with the logic pack. On the other hand, having no stamp of LBPC approval of my blog means that I can do whatever I feel like doing, which suits me just fine

With regards to your randomiser, depending what you are trying to achieve (I'm not 100% sure), you should be able to do it with 2 randomisers, maybe just one. Just have the outputs linked via ANDs and activate the other inputs of the ANDs when you want that output to be valid.


I'm currently in a bit of a dilema about blog #2 - it's growing too large and I can't decide whether to split it or hold back until the whole thing is done. I'd rather do the former if I can find a logical split (which I think I have now) so hopefully more logics tomorrow or Thursday

[rtm223]

*Bump*

New blog released today. Get it here.

[rtm223]

Mini blog to give an overview of logic notation. This will come in handy moving forwards. It's largely for my benefit, but I'm sure it can help you out when planning your logics in future.

Mini Blog: Logical Notation

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[rtm223]

Proper Blog Today:

Waste Not, Want Not, Pt 2

Covering input sharing between multiple logic gates.

I'm unlikely to get the next installment out before Christmas, but you can certainly expect it before 2010

[Rogar]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

[rtm223]

Rogar, I'm pretty sure you mentioned that you are already using these techniques anyway, but there still might be something in there for you