SiMPLE For
Non-Programmers!

SiMPLE is a beginner-friendly programming language for kids (and adults) who are looking for a new way to have fun with their computers. And you can have some of that fun even if you don't want to write your own programs! That's because you can now find many SiMPLE programs that have already been written for you, and which are just waiting to be run! (For example, see The SiMPLE Program Gallery.)

A SiMPLE program is merely a text file containing a set of instructions that tell your computer what to do. (This text file is usually referred to as a "source listing".)

As an example of a SiMPLE program, look at the source listing shown below. (Don't worry if you don't understand anything in the listing -- You don't need to understand a program's source listing in order to run the program.)

Source Listing

The above program is a game in which the player uses the mouse to launch a rocket through a field of twinkling stars and tries to hit a UFO near the top of the screen.

To run the above example program (after you've installed SiMPLE), all you would have to do is perform the following three steps:

A. Copy the source listing into the Windows Clipboard,
B. Paste the Clipboard into a new text document,
C. Drop the text document onto the "runner" icon.

Let us now go through each of these three steps to see exactly how to do them.

A. How to copy the source listing into the Clipboard:

  1. Right-click anywhere on the source listing that you previously saw, and then choose "Select All".

  2. Right-click again, and select "Copy".

B. How to paste the Clipboard into a new text document:

  1. Open the Windows NOTEPAD text editor in your Accessories folder,
    (or by right-clicking anywhere on your desktop and then selecting "New" followed by "Text Document").

  2. Click on the word "Edit" in the menu bar of the NOTEPAD window, and then select "Paste".

  3. Click on the word "File" in the menu bar of the window, and then select "Exit". (Don't forget to select "Yes" when asked if you want to save your changes.)

C. How to drop the text document onto the "runner" icon:

Just use your mouse to drag the source listing text document onto the "SiMPLE" (toy block) icon.*


*(On some computers, you may have to use the "Drop
SiMPLE Listing Here" icon instead of the "S i M P L E" icon.)

A black window will open, and some words (""Starting Win-SiMPLE...", "Translating...", "Compiling...") will appear briefly. Then the game will begin.

Go ahead and play the game for as long as you like. When you're ready to to quit, just press the "Esc" key on your keyboard.

Let's Modify The EXAMPLE Program!

One of the advantages of having a program's source listing is that you are free to make whatever changes to it that you like! However to do so generally requires at least an elementary knowledge of computer programming. Nevertheless, let's go ahead and try something... just for the heck of it.

Reopen the source listing file with the NOTEPAD editor, and then look at the sixth line: 

                 rocketcolor=3; ufocolor=8
Let's change the "3" to a "4": 
                 rocketcolor=4; ufocolor=8
After you've made the change, save the file, and then run the program again. Notice that the game now uses a red rocket!

Try experimenting with other numbers besides "3" and "4" to see how they affect the color of the rocket. (And see if you can figure out how to change the color of the UFO too.)

Congratulations! You now know how to run any SiMPLE source listing. (Merely follow the same steps that you just went through: Copy! ... Paste! ... Drop! )

Give Me Some More Source Listings To Run!

Show Me How To Create My Own Computer Art

Tell Me About SiMPAINT

Have fun with SiMPLE, The Programming Language For Kids!Everyone!

Are you sure that your copy of SiMPLE is up-to-date?

Remember to Update it regularly!

(It's fast, and very easy to do!)

Site Index
The SiMPLE Entry Page The SiMPLE Homepage What Is SiMPLE? SiMPLE For Non-Programmers How To Download SiMPLE
Getting Started With SiMPLE The SiMPLE Tutorial How To Update SiMPLE The SiMPLE Program Gallery Using SiMPLE To Create Art
The SiMPLE Art Gallery "Digi-Doodles" The "SiMPAINT" Program Some SiMPLE Games The "Kaleidraw" Program
Some Programming Challenges Some Programming Tips The Module Library The Communications Center Using C++ with SiMPLE



  [ Webmaster | FAQ's | Home Page | Contact Us ]