Elan: new release has Turtle graphics, printing Html, data-file read/write...

We have just released Elan Beta 3, which you can try out immediately online at https://elan-lang.org/beta and which contains links to access a few Demo programs, a Reference Manual (Help) and Videos.

If you haven’t heard of Elan read this posting. I will also be running two online sessions for Digitall this month – which are free to attend but you need to book:

Coding with Elan (for Teachers of KS3, KS4, and KS5) - 11th Nov

Snake - 3 Ways (for A-Level Computer Science Teachers) -18th Nov (follow the link to find out what this unusual title means!)

As well as general improvements, in Beta 3 we’ve added several capabilities specifically requested by teachers over the last couple of months. These are briefly described below, but you can find further details in the Reference Manual.

Turtle graphics

Elan’s Turtle graphics is very similar to those provided by other languages, but a nice difference is that you don’t need to install a package, nor even remember to ‘import’ something – it’s just there. Also, the results are shown alongside the code, rather than a separate window.

Printing Html to the console

As well as printing plain text, it is now possible to print Html to the Console, with full formatting. Again, there’s nothing to install or import – it’s just standard. 

It is also possible to print an ‘embedded stylesheet’ – which will style all subsequent printing until you clear the console. 

So Elan is now a great way to teach the basics of Html also.

Data file reading and writing

The syntax for this is deliberately very similar to that used in both OCR and AQA pseudo code.

Vector graphics

In addition to the original simple ‘Block graphics’ (which emulate the lovely but long-lost simplicity of character mapped displays used by all the 8-bit micros of the 1980s) and the newly-added Turtle graphics, we now have easy-to-use scaleable Vector Graphics for drawing high-resolution graphics. In Beta 3 these are limited to drawing lines, rectangles and circles, but more options will be added in due course. 

(For A-level) New standard data structures

In Beta 3 we have added Stack, Queue, and Set – the latter providing methods for standard mathematical set operations such as union, and intersection.

Looking ahead

We’ll be issuing Beta 4 in approximately 4 weeks time, and this will have significant improvements to the already innovative ‘frame based editor’ – especially in relation to auto-completion options while entering code. Our aim is to make the writing of code as straightforward and stress-free for newcomers as possible, will sticking to our principle  that Elan is ‘100% AI-free!’.   Elan never attempts to guess what the user is trying to write, nor make suggestions – but the editor does enforce, and facilitate the writing of syntax-error-free code.

We are also now already working on exciting new teaching resources that are as innovative as the language itself.

Please do try Elan out for yourself, and give us your feedback.

Remember: Elan is the first new programming language to be designed specifically for teaching in British schools since BBC Basic in 1981. It is, and will remain, completely free to use – either remotely from elan-lang.org, or installed on your school network, or even running as a standalone web page on your own device with no Internet connection required.  Please engage with Elan and give us your feedback while we are still at Beta stage. We are on course for the full release, with supporting resources, by end of April 2025, in good time to prepare for teaching from September 2025.

Feel free to comment here, message me via CAS, or email me as rpawson@nakedobjects.org