Using blokdots & ProtoPie Connect

Available in both Pro and Enterprise plans.

blokdots is a code-free software used to build interactive hardware prototypes with Arduino.

The blokdots & ProtoPie integration is available to all users, regardless of their plan. However, when used with ProtoPie Connect, it unlocks new possibilities such as the ability to create hardware-software interactions involving three or more devices.

The typical blokdots & ProtoPie Connect ecosystem involves:

• ProtoPie Studio, to create interactions.
• ProtoPie Connect and blokdots plugin, to enable communication between ProtoPie prototypes and blokdots app which connects to Arduino and sensors.

Getting Set Up

1. Open the Pie file in ProtoPie Connect.

2. Connect blokdots to ProtoPie Connect.

1. Open the blokdots application on your computer.
2. Click on Add Integration.
3. Select ProtoPie Connect.

Once blokdots is connected to ProtoPie Connect, the connection indicator at the bottom left of the ProtoPie icon (under Integrations) should turn green. You will see a Connected message in ProtoPie Connect as well.

3. Plug in the Arduino board.

Once you see that your board is ready in the Live View, you can start setting up your components.

4. Connect the components in the Live View.

This step is necessary for blokdots to know which components of the Arduino board to control.

a. Click on Connect A New Component and pick the ones you want to connect.

b. Click on Set Component.

5. Configure the components cards.

a. Click on the use button of each component to activate them.

b. Start configuring each component card.

*The blokdots app allows ProtoPie and Arduino to send messages from one to another. To make this happen, you will need to set up Send and Receive in ProtoPie Studio. To learn more about how messages are sent and received between ProtoPie and Arduino click here.

6. Run the project.

Click on the Run Project button in blokdots to run your project.

In ProtoPie Connect you’ll be able to see messages coming through the blokdots plugin as you control your Arduino board.

To learn more about the blokdots and ProtoPie Connect integration, click here.