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As the 2015 Snowmageddon blanketed Chicago, I found myself with time to get back to my adventures in Minecraft! Last we met I had created the start.server.command file, which actually launched the server. Next step, create the StartCanarymod. command file. After figuring out that TextWrangler works best for writing command files, the StartCanarymod.command file was pretty easy. From there it was a matter of downloading the RaspberryJuice plugin and copying the necessary file to the Canarymod folder. The last step was to download and copy several different files to the My Adventures folder. These were included in the 1.6.4 version, so I just copied them to my new folder. Time for the moment of truth… And, we’re a go! The server, plugin and world all initialized! Now, to test the Python and see if my server accepts the programming! Launching IDLE, I wrote my first program for Minecraft. Cue happy dancing! There’s my first Python programming of Minecraft! See it? Minecraft said “Hello Minecraft World”! Your first program…always an exciting time. After several weeks of challenges, I finally have a working Canarymod Server and files to give the avtivities in Adventures in Minecraft a go!
So, let’s recap. I wanted a fun way to engage my students in programming and I found this awesome looking book, Adventures in Minecraft. I bought it, dowloaded the required files, tested it on my work computer and tried it on a student computer. It worked on my computer, but not on a student machine. The book provided guidance for creating your own files, so I went in search of those, only to run into a DMCA. That takes us to today (Tuesday). Creating my own Bukkit server wasn’t an option, but the book also suggested creating a server using CanaryMod. Off to the CanaryMod site I went in search of the necessary downloads. I found and downloaded the file for MinecraftEdu 1.7.10 and pulled out the directions.   I set up my folders nad copied the files to the correct folder. The next step was to create an executable file that would launch the server. I opened TextEdit, careffully typing in the text provided. I saved the file as instructed, but it refused to save as a .command. It wanted to be a .rtf, so some manual editing of the file name was needed. File completed and placed in the correct folder. The […]
Here’s what we know: Adventures in Minecraft works on a teacher computer! Yay! Adventures in Minecraft doesn’t work on the student computers! Boo! Adventures in Minecraft does work with Minecraft Edu! I need to build a Bukkit server compatible with MinecraftEdu 1.7. Gulp! Creating a Bukkit server is a new challenge that I’m up for, so let’s get started. Okay, I needed to download Bukkit…easy! I started by reading the directions. I know, imagine that! Reading the directions first. Who the heck does that. I created the required folders and searched for a Bukkit server. My Google search led me to http://bukkit.org/. I skimmed a few forum posts, read how to set up a server, making my way to the BukkitWiki where I found a link to the downloads (http://dl.bukkit.org/downloads/bukkit/A).     Alright, I’m on a roll. I click on the info for a few versions to learn about the differences. I finally located the version I needed and clicked the download button. And what do I see…     WHAT! Confused, I do another Google search in hopes of finding the download elsewhere. But wait, this is the OFFICIAL Bukkit site!?! What’s going on? So, I read the DMCA notification and found this:   […]
So, where did we leave of? Oh, that’s right…to the computer lab! As a tech admin I have greater powers than a classroom teacher and, of course, than students. As such, my excitement over writing my first Python script for Minecraft was tempered by the fact that my students might not have the permissions necessary to run all of this fun. I scooped up my laptop and external hard drive with all of my files and settled in for some testing. Hopes were high. I pull up a student login, got signed in and copied over the Adventures in Minecraft files. I went to launch Python and noticed it was no longer on our computers. What? Off to the tech office I trotted, donning my best smile and most pleasant voice in hopes of convincing someone to drop everything and install this software for me. Bad form on my part knowing how many people try this everyday and how often I have to gently tell someone that there are others needing more urgent assistance. But, I did it anyway. The upside is that I can download and install the sofware myself, I just needed a password! Lucky me, our tech […]