Before you start
------------------------------

Using the command line
======================================

BiblioPixel is a command line program: you type commands into a terminal window
and get text responses. You don't have to be an expert on the command line: you
just need to be comfortable with changing directories, entering commands and
pressing return.

In this documentation, command lines are indentified with the dollar sign
character ``$`` - don't type the ``$`` yourself when entering command lines.
Try it now - open a terminal window and type:

.. code-block:: bash

    $ echo hello-world

This should print out the string ``hello-world`` on your terminal.


Using a text editor
==================================

BiblioPixel lighting Projects are text files, so you'll need
a text editor to prepare your Projects - Microsoft Word won't work.

Almost every computer comes with some sort of simple free text editor:

* ``Notepad`` on Windows
* ``Text`` on the Macintosh
* You can download ``vi`` or ``emacs`` for free on Linux, Rasbperry Pi, Mac,
  Windows and almost all other platforms

A popular commercial text editor named SublimeText also works on almost all
platforms.



----------

.. code-block:: yaml

   shape: [64, 16]
   animation:
     typename: $bpa.matrix.Twinkle
     speed: 5
     density: 100

.. image:: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ManiacalLabs/DocsFiles/master/BiblioPixel/doc/tutorial/getting-started/before-you-start-footer.gif
   :target: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ManiacalLabs/DocsFiles/master/BiblioPixel/doc/tutorial/getting-started/before-you-start-footer.gif
   :alt: doc/tutorial/getting-started/before-you-start-footer
   :align: center