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Custom Blocks

Custom Blocks

Jun 06, 2023

Size: (weeks of effort)

Summary:

As a user of the coding environment, I can create custom blocks of reusable sequences.

 

Details:

The following pages in the Prototype Design show the Custom Blocks interface:

Description of changes and new functionality:

  • The command palette has a new tab called "Custom Blocks", with contents:

    • "Create A Block" button

    • One block for each previously created custom block

  • The "Create A Block" button opens an overlay with similar functionality to the block editor, enabling the user to create a sequence

  • The custom block overlay includes:

    • A text control for setting the block name

    • Buttons to Save or Cancel the creation of the custom block

Design Questions:

  • Accessibility design

    • What is the keyboard interaction for the Custom Block editor?

    • What ARIA attributes do we need?

  • How can one edit a Custom Block after it has been created?

  • Vocabulary question:

    • What is the Program plus Custom Commands called?

      • A Project?

      • If it's a "Program", what is the main sequence called?

  • Redefinition of built-in commands

    • It would be possible to create a Custom Block with a name the same as an existing built-in block, such as "forward"; options:

      • Disallow it

      • Allow it and treat them as 2 distinct things

      • Allow it and have the new Custom Block replace the built-in one (Simon: this is powerful in the right programming contexts, but I don't think it's a good idea in our coding environment right now, without more supports to explain what is happening and how to manage it)

    • How does having the same name as a built-in command interact with localization of the commands names, where they might have different names depending on the language?

  • Recursion

    • In the current design, where we cannot edit a Custom Command, recursion isn't possible (I think), but when we add editing, recursion becomes possible

    • Simon: my thinking is that we terminate program execution on recursion as we have no conditionals in our language and all recursion is therefore infinite

      • There could be potential designs where we block recursion at the editing stage

    • Some examples of recursion:

      • MyCustomBlock: MyCustomBlock (the block sequence contains itself)

      • MuCustomBlock1: MyCustomBlock2, MyCustomBlock2: MyCustomBlock1 (mutual recursion where 2 blocks refer to each other)

  • Interaction with other components

    • In the current design, when the custom command window is open, preview window gets blocked by it and won't be able to see the preview window

    • Not only for viewing purpose, but would be better if users can pre-run their custom command before saving them, which means interaction with preview window is required

Technical notes:

Acceptance:

 

Dependencies: