IvonneBenett:
What is good visual/graphical programming language for Arduino newbie?I wan't to do home automation type of stuff not animations or games. Sketch is mostly for animations/games?
mBlock - updated lately
Ardublock - old
Minibloq - old
S4A - don't work with many boards?
Visuino - don't work with Mac yetAny other worth to mention?
Only the mblock seems still current? I went there and it looks like it needs the PC to run. Maybe I'm wrong but on a quick look at the examples the Arduino is always a PC appendage.
If you take some time to learn basic C code and then an event-drive/real-time approach (idea is simpler than it sounds) shown here are on other sites then home automation will be in your reach, no maybe about it.
But... don't learn just a little C and write an opus unless you like to waste time. Learn about the variables, arrays and loops and logic structures (if-else, switch-case) just to save time and your typing fingers.
Do simple little code things to learn and practice/play to learn well what you can do and then think and dream and plan and discuss with understanding how to go from turning leds on and off to air conditioners, heaters, vents and all the things you want to include in your automation symphony.
Here you can get help on every step. Best thing at start is to identify what you know and figure out how big a step to take then work toward that. You can go from total beginner to dangerous in months of a few hours a week, just how many depends on how keen/interested you are about it.
OTOH if all you care about are results and learning is too much like work then you have a problem for sure.