Easy to use software for creating animations

Hi everybody,

recently I was thinking about a tutorial that shall show the basic principle of non-blocking timing and state machines.

A visualisation similar to a debugger that shows how program-execution proceeds from line to line would be a great thing for easy understanding how a loop is running fast and comes across if-conditions where the if-conditions become true after some time.

So can somebody recommend a software that is VERY easy to use where I can create a series of pictures and the software puts all the pictures together to an animation.

picture one: first line of code highlighted
picture two: second line of code highlighted
...

best regards Stefan

IMO, using animations is not necessary, it’s just eye candy and makes a very large file.

A simple screen capture, with HIGHLIGHTs, points the reader to what’s important.

Then repeat with the next frame.

Repeat as needed.

in this case the important thing is to understand the loop is looping at high speed
and if-conditions are executed at high speed and only after a greater amount of time the if-condition evaluates to true.

This is fundamental opposite to a "linear" execution-pattern like this
totally shitty blink with delay example code that leads almost any newcomer
to this "linear" execution-pattern

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                       // wait for a second
}

hence the animation to show the totally different nature of non-blocking-timing.

I could upload a video to youtube to save arduino.cc server-capacity
best regards Stefan

TechSmith offers a program call Camtasia that might be what you want.
It costs money :frowning:

I use their program Snagit for still frames.

There must be free versions of animation software available :thinking: .

I just did a search on youtube and found these

I haven't watched it in full length but what I have watched so far very good explanation

For most manuals I'm not a fan of video-explanations but in this case it makes sense.

best regards Stefan

I have seen those.

A still frame and a few words of explanation goes a long way.

A quick example:

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