Example of LEGO SPIKE Prime scratch program translated to MicroPython using generator functions as coroutines

multitask.py

# spike.control.wait_for_seconds doesn't allow decimal points
# so we replace it with the standard MicroPython sleep function instead
from utime import sleep as wait_for_seconds
from utime import ticks_diff, ticks_ms

# See https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/library/utime.html for more info on the utime module

from spike import (PrimeHub, LightMatrix, Button, StatusLight, ForceSensor, MotionSensor,
                   Speaker, ColorSensor, App, DistanceSensor, Motor, MotorPair)
from spike.control import wait_until

# spike.control.Timer doesn't allow decimal points
class Timer():
    """Replacement Timer class that allows decimal points so we can measure times of less than one second."""
    def __init__(self):
        self.start_ticks = 0

    def now(self):
        """Returns the time in seconds since the timer was last reset."""
        return ticks_diff(ticks_ms(), self.start_ticks) / 1000

    def reset(self):
        """Resets the timer."""
        self.start_ticks = ticks_ms()


hub = PrimeHub()
background_beep_timer = Timer()  # For use in background_beep()
background_image_timer = Timer()  # For use in background_image_delay()


def background_beep(note, seconds):
    """Coroutine version of hub.speaker.beep().

    Parameters
    ----------
    note (int): The MIDI note number to play.
    seconds (float): The duration of the beep in seconds.
    """
    # this timer is used to measure how long it has been since we started
    # the beep
    background_beep_timer.reset()

    # hub.speaker.beep() would block the rest of the program, so we have
    # to use hub.speaker.start_beep() instead
    hub.speaker.start_beep(note)

    # then we use a timer to keep checking to see how long it has been since
    # we started the beep
    while background_beep_timer.now() < seconds:
        # if it has not been long enought yet, then we "yield" to let the
        # rest of the program run for a while then we will come back here
        # later and check again
        yield

    # After it has been long enough, we have to stop the beep
    hub.speaker.stop()


def play_melody():
    """Plays a melody in the background."""
    while True:
        # since background_beep() uses "yield" instead of "return", we have to
        # say "yield from" here to keep calling background_beep() until it is done
        yield from background_beep(72, 0.2)
        yield from background_beep(74, 0.2)
        yield from background_beep(76, 0.2)
        yield from background_beep(77, 0.2)
        yield from background_beep(79, 0.2)
        yield from background_beep(81, 0.2)
        yield from background_beep(83, 0.2)
        yield from background_beep(84, 0.2)


def background_image_delay(seconds):
    """Delays for ``seconds``."""
    background_image_timer.reset()
    while background_image_timer.now() < seconds:
        yield


def animate_image():
    """Shows different images in the background."""
    while True:
        hub.light_matrix.show_image('HAPPY')
        yield from background_image_delay(0.5)
        hub.light_matrix.show_image('SAD')
        yield from background_image_delay(0.5)


# Since the play_melody() and animate_image() functions use "yield" instead of
# "return", the functions don't actually run here when we *call* them. Instead,
# they create *generator* objects that will be used to run the funcitons one
# "yield" at a time.
melody_generator = play_melody()
animation_generator = animate_image()

# Task runner
while True:
    # perform the "next" step in the play_melody() function by running it
    # to the next "yield" statement
    next(melody_generator)
    # perform the "next" step in the animate_image() function
    next(animation_generator)
    # wait a *short* time before trying the next step
    wait_for_seconds(0.01)

Original scratch program:

Source: https://community.legoeducation.com/discuss/viewtopic/66/110

still can't understand how it works😥

hello I'm a first lego league competitor and I wanted to know if this is the only way to perform actions simultaneously in micropython with the spike prime, wouldn't it have a similar function to the scratch broadcast block? Another thing I can apply your method to make my robot walk and turn a separate motor? (If any of these possibilities are really working, could you explain me how to do it? thanks for your attention ;) )

Is there also alternative for EV3? Thanks

For EV3, have a look at pybricks/support#666 and pybricks/support#99.