Add a block category

After being created, a device or extension is displayed in the My Device or My Extension list.

The following describes how to configure blocks for a device:

1. Click the name of the device to enter the Blocks settings tab

 

2. Click “Add category”

3. Set information about the category in the setting area that appears

ID:

• ID is the unique identifier (ID) of the device, used identification by developers or programs.
• Identifiers can be set to a combination of lowercase characters or digits. If multiple words are used, it is recommended that you use the symbol “_” to separate them, for example, arduino_uno and codey.
• It is recommended that you use the combination of extension name and category name, for example, arduinouno_pin

Category name:

• Name of the block category, which will be displayed in the blocks area on mBlock 5

Category icon (optional):

• Icon displayed before the block category name
• Icon format: SVG, 100 x 100, transparent background, colored

Block icon (optional):

• Icon displayed on the leftmost of the block
• Icon format: SVG, 100 x 100, transparent background, white

Block color:

• Color of the blocks in the category
• Unless otherwise required, select a color from the recommended ones
• If no category icon is set, the color you set for the blocks is used as the category icon by default.
• 

Click OK when completing the settings. Then, you can see the added category in the Block category area. You can click the Edit button of the category to modify information about it and click + at the bottom to add another category.

Knowledge point

The differences between device block categories and extension block categories lie in:

• mBlock 5 Extension Builder provides default categories, including Events, Control, Operators, Data, and My Blocks after you add a block category for a device while no default categories are provided after you add a block category for an extension.
• For block categories for devices, you can click Default blocks settings to enable common blocks you need.

Manage blocks

After selecting a block category, you can manage the blocks in the Blocks list area, including adding, copying, deleting, and dragging a block.

The following figure shows how you can manage blocks in the test category.

Configure a block

After selecting a block in the Blocks list area, you can set information about it.

1. Set OPCODE

Set the ID of the block. The ID must be set in English. The camelCase naming mode is recommended and you can describe the function of the block, for example resetTimer (the block resets the timer).

2. Set the block type

Block types

 

3. Set the content

Set the content to be displayed on the block. You can enter “space + @” to set a parameter or parameters for the block.

Note: When setting a parameter, you must enter a space before the symbol @.

The following parameter types are available:

String

Number

Boolean

Dropdown

LED panel

Color

Angle

Image

Custom widget

Variable dropdown

Variable input dropdown

Sprite

Sound

Costume

Device

Toward

Backdrop

Noteinput

Input dropdown

 

String

You can set a parameter of the String type to any characters. Alternatively, you can put any block of the character string or numeric type into it to serve as its value.

All the values entered are processed as character strings.

Example:

Variable dropdown

You can click to select, rename, or delete a created variable. This parameter can be set only through variable input. If you select Priority number type, the value entered is processed as a numeric value first, and if it isn’t a numeric value, it is processed as a character string.

Example:

Variable input dropdown

You can click to select a variable or drag a block of the string or numeric type into it to serve as its value.

5. Block attributes