More Vloggy Goodness!

So here we are, another week going by and more new stuff coming! I have so much to share with you. Right now I have 4(!) vlog videos just waiting to air. And not only that, but I've still got many more I have to put together.
One hits tomorrow, it's something special, possibly a one-time thing, but I'm kinda proud of it. It could become something more depending on how well it is received. If there's enough interest I might even make my first weekly series, who knows?
I've also got another video in the Inheritance series up and waiting to be released. This one will be a little different than the others. Plus I've got at least enough footage that I have to put together for another video about some of the cool things I've found in the house. There's still so much more work to do too!
I've got two (!) videos up and waiting for release now from my vacation to Nova Scotia not long ago. The ContentID hold on the one has finally been released so I think next Friday those two will be going live.
Then there's the videos I've still not put together, like the Atlanta Maker Faire video, and The Costumes of Dragoncon 2014. Not sure why these aren't happening yet, but I'll make time for them soon enough.
Plus, of course, I have many more ideas for videos and such, like my Maker series! I like tinkering, and I want to tinker with you!
But that's all the update I have now, so thanks for joining me today.

Flooring

Don't you just hate having to fill in floors one block at a time? Well I have the solution for you! Get a turtle to do that for you. Just give him fuel and blocks and set him free! Here you go:

-- Clearing Terminal
term.clear()
term.setCursorPos(1,1)

-- Setting up Variables
local tArgs = { ... }
local fuel = 1

if #tArgs ~= 1 then
    -- Missing Height Argument
    print("Usage: Floor <area>")
    print("Slot 1: Fuel")
    print("Slot 2-16: Blocks")
    error()
end

local area = tArgs[1]

-- Fuel Checking Function
function tFuel(f)
    if turtle.getFuelLevel() < 10 then
        turtle.select(f)
        if not turtle.refuel(1) then
            print("Need Fuel")
            while turtle.getItemCount(f) < 2 do sleep(0.5) end
        end
    end
end

function place()
    if not turtle.detectDown() then
        for s = 2, 16 do
            if turtle.getItemCount(s) ~= 0 then
                turtle.select(s)
                break
            end
        end
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
end

print("Starting floor of " .. area .. " square blocks")

for gone = 1, area do
    for gtwo = 1, area do
        tFuel(fuel)
        turtle.forward()
        place()
    end
    turtle.forward()
    if( gone % 2) == 0 then
        turtle.turnRight()
        turtle.forward()
        turtle.turnRight()
    else
        turtle.turnLeft()
        turtle.forward()
        turtle.turnLeft()
    end
end

Tunnelling Turtle

I've got a new program for you today. This one creates 3x3 tunnels as long as you want. Again, it's not perfect, but it's great for making pathways in the nether. It also automatically places torches for you. So, here is "tunnels":

-- Clearing Terminal
term.clear()
term.setCursorPos(1,1)

-- Setting up Variables
local tArgs = { ... }
local fuel = 1
local torch = 2
local block = 3
local gone = 0

if #tArgs ~= 1 then
    -- Missing Length Argument
    print("Usage: Branch <length>")
    print("Slot 1: Fuel")
    print("Slot 2: Torches")
    print("Slot 3: Blocks")
    error()
end

local length = tArgs[1]

--Missing Items Check
if (turtle.getItemCount(fuel) < 1 or turtle.getItemCount(torch) < 1 or turtle.getItemCount(block) < 1) then
    print("Missing Critical Item")
    error()
end

-- Fuel Checking Function
function tFuel(moved,f)
    if turtle.getFuelLevel() < (moved + 20) then
        turtle.select(f)
        if not turtle.refuel(1) then
            print("Need Fuel")
            finished(moved)
        end
    end
end

-- Drop Items Function
function dump()
    print("Dumping Goods")
    for i = 4, 16 do
        turtle.select(i)
        turtle.drop()
    end
end

--Checks for full inventory
function slotCheck(moved)
    local slots = 0
    for i = 4, 16 do
        turtle.select(i)
        if turtle.getItemCount(i) > 0 then slots = slots + 1 end
    end
    if slots == 12 then finished(moved) end
end

-- Return Function
function finished(m)
    print("Returning after " .. m + 1 .. " blocks")
    turtle.turnRight()
    turtle.turnRight()
    for i = 1, m do
        turtle.forward()
    end
    dump()
    error()
end

print("Starting tunnel " .. length .. " blocks long")

for g = 1, length do
    tFuel(g, fuel)
    while turtle.detect() do
        turtle.dig()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.forward()
    if not turtle.detectDown() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
    while turtle.detectUp() do
        turtle.digUp()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.turnRight()
    while turtle.detect() do
        turtle.dig()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.forward()
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.place()
    end
    if not turtle.detectDown() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
    while turtle.detectUp() do
        turtle.digUp()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.up()
    if g%5 == 0 then
        turtle.select(torch)
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.place()
    end
    while turtle.detectUp() do
        turtle.digUp()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.up()
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.place()
    end
    if not turtle.detectUp() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeUp()
    end
    turtle.turnRight()
    turtle.turnRight()
    while turtle.detect() do
        turtle.dig()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.forward()
    if not turtle.detectUp() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeUp()
    end
    while turtle.detect() do
        turtle.dig()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.forward()
    if not turtle.detectUp() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeUp()
    end
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.place()
    end
    turtle.digDown()
    turtle.down()
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.place()
    end
    turtle.digDown()
    turtle.down()
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.place()
    end
    if not turtle.detectDown() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
    turtle.turnRight()
    turtle.turnRight()
    turtle.forward()
    turtle.turnLeft()
    gone = g
    slotCheck(gone)
end

finished(gone)

New Turtle Script

So I've been doing some work with turtles since the update of Feed The Beast and I have what appears to be a fairly decent script worked out. It has many possible uses. I originally intended to use it to do branches for my mine, but it also works as a tunnel maker or bridge builder. It digs a 2 tall tunnel and makes sure there's walls, floors, and ceilings. You feed it with fuel, torches and blocks and it will go as far as it can. If it runs out of blocks it could have some issues. Below is the code.

-- Clearing Terminal
term.clear()
term.setCursorPos(1,1)

-- Setting up Variables
local tArgs = { ... }
local fuel = 1
local torch = 2
local block = 3
local gone = 0

if #tArgs ~= 1 then
    -- Missing Length Argument
    print("Usage: Branch <length>")
    print("Slot 1: Fuel")
    print("Slot 2: Torches")
    print("Slot 3: Blocks")
    error()
end

local length = tArgs[1]

--Missing Items Check
if (turtle.getItemCount(fuel) < 1 or turtle.getItemCount(torch) < 1 or turtle.getItemCount(block) < 1) then
    print("Missing Critical Item")
    error()
end

-- Fuel Checking Function
function tFuel(moved,f)
    if turtle.getFuelLevel() < (moved + 10) then
        turtle.select(f)
        if not turtle.refuel(1) then
            print("Need Fuel")
            finished(moved)
        end
    end
end

-- Drop Items Function
function dump()
    print("Dumping Goods")
    for i = 4, 16 do
        turtle.select(i)
        turtle.drop()
    end
end

--Checks for full inventory
function slotCheck(moved)
    local slots = 0
    for i = 4, 16 do
        turtle.select(i)
        if turtle.getItemCount(i) > 0 then slots = slots + 1 end
    end
    if slots == 12 then finished(moved) end
end

-- Return Function
function finished(m)
    print("Returning after " .. m + 1 .. " blocks")
    turtle.up()
    turtle.turnRight()
    turtle.turnRight()
    for i = 0, m do
        turtle.forward()
    end
    turtle.down()
    dump()
    error()
end

--Check for Walls
function wallCheck(b)
    turtle.turnRight()
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(b)
        turtle.place()
    end
    turtle.turnLeft()
    turtle.turnLeft()
    if not turtle.detect() then
        turtle.select(b)
        turtle.place()
    end
    turtle.turnRight()
end

print("Starting tunnel " .. length .. " blocks long")

for g = 1, length, 2 do
    tFuel(g, fuel)
    while turtle.detect() do
        turtle.dig()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.forward()
    if not turtle.detectDown() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
    wallCheck(block)
    while turtle.detectUp() do
        turtle.digUp()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.up()
    wallCheck(block)
    if g%5 == 0 then
        turtle.select(torch)
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
    while turtle.detectUp() do
        turtle.digUp()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.up()
    wallCheck(block)
    if not turtle.detectUp() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeUp()
    end
    while turtle.detect() do
        turtle.dig()
        sleep(0.5)
    end
    turtle.forward()
    wallCheck(block)
    if not turtle.detectUp() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeUp()
    end
    turtle.digDown()
    turtle.down()
    wallCheck(block)
    turtle.digDown()
    turtle.down()
    wallCheck(block)
    if not turtle.detectDown() then
        turtle.select(block)
        turtle.placeDown()
    end
    gone = g
    slotCheck(gone)
end

finished(gone)

Computercraft Turtle Program

Just figured I'd share my turtle programs with you as I get them made. This first one is just a simple loop that you can use when the turtle is stationary and hooked up to a pipe or something feeding him with fuel. I use it as my startup script and have him hooked up to a cactus farm. It refuels him and when his fuel level goes up, he prints his current amount of fuel.

while true do                                                                   
  local current = turtle.getFuelLevel()                                         
  turtle.refuel()                                                               
  if current ~= turtle.getFuelLevel() then                                      
    print(turtle.getFuelLevel())                                                
  end                                                                           
end