# Actor-Lab

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor-Lab
> Source revision: 1263231959
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

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'''Actor-Lab''' is a program that visualizes the [Lego Mindstorms](/source/Lego_Mindstorms) [internal logic](/source/internal_logic) through visual [flowchart](/source/flowchart)s. The ideas underlying actor-lab are derived from the event-driven, message-passing [computer language](/source/computer_language)s that began with the actor based languages devised by Hewit. Actor-lab requires constant communication with a programmable brick (e.g. the RCX) via an [infra-red](/source/infra-red) link. This means that the user has to mount the programmable brick vertically for models that move about, and hold the tower in some form of [gantry crane](/source/gantry_crane). Actor-lab shows the user in real-time what is happening on the programmable brick, including simulation of motors, sensors, lights, and sounds. One can also add controls at the bottom of the screen to give oneself real-time control of your program/model. There is a similar program from Lego called [Robolab](/source/Robolab), where one can actually download programs to the Lego programmable brick.

==Controls within==

*Alt+Mouse Drag on an [actor](/source/actor) will move him to any location specified.
*Double Click on an actor will edit his current messages.
*Alt+Click on a control will edit the current actions that the control sends to actors.

thumb|right
''Notice that there is one control that cannot be edited. This control is Power OFF or Stop.''

==References==
*{{cite book |author=Whalley, P. |title=Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC'06) |chapter=Representing Parallelism in a Control Language Designed for Young Children |date=2006 |pages=173–176 |doi=10.1109/VLHCC.2006.41|isbn=0-7695-2586-5 |s2cid=2259117 |chapter-url=http://oro.open.ac.uk/6396/2/01698781.pdf }}
*{{cite journal |title=Modifying the metaphor in order to improve understanding of control languages—the little-person becomes a cast of actors |author=Peter Whalley |journal=British Journal of Educational Technology |date=July 2007 |volume=38 |issue=4 |pages=715–726 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00642.x}}

==External links==
*[http://actor-lab.open.ac.uk/ Actor Lab Home]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101118101756/http://www.robolabonline.com/ Robolab Online]
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Category:Lego Mindstorms
Category:Simulation programming languages
Category:Pedagogic integrated development environments

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Actor-Lab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor-Lab) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actor-Lab?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.