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Creating New Blocks in BIPES

You are able to create custom blocks for your toolbox in BIPES.

Here is a link to the official documentation regarding the creation of new blocks:
https://bipes.net.br/docs/get-started/create-block.html

The following is a simplified tutorial for creating a new block for your BIPES toolbox.

Step 01: Block Definition​

  1. Open up the Blockly Block Factory in a browser: https://blockly-demo.appspot.com/static/demos/blockfactory/index.html
  2. Create the desired connections for your new block using Block Factory.
  3. Go to Block Definition and select JavaScript.
  4. Copy the code stub located in that section.
  5. Navigate to the file BIPES-offline-master/ui/core/block-definitions.js and open it.
  6. Paste in the copied code stub at the bottom of this file.

NOTE: ENSURE THAT THE NAME OF YOUR BLOCK IS CONSISTENT FOR ALL OF THE STEPS!!!

Step 02: Generator Stub​

  1. In the Block Factory, go to Generator Stub and select Python.
  2. Copy the code stub located in that section.
  3. Navigate to the file BIPES-offline-master/ui/core/generator-stubs.js and open it.
  4. Paste in the copied code stub at the bottom of this file.
  5. Inside var code = '...\n';, paste in the micropython code you want your custom block to run.
    Reference the existing blocks in the file if you are making a complex custom block. Good luck!
  6. Change python.pythonGenerator.forBlock to Blockly.Python!!! This is an important step!

Step 03: Add to Toolbox​

  1. Navigate to the file BIPES-offline-master/ui/toolbox/BOARD_NAME.xml* where BOARD_NAME is the board you want to add your block to its toolbox and open it.
  2. Create a category for your custom blocks by pasting in <category name="CATEOGRY_NAME"><category/> into this .xml file.
    Your custom category can go anywhere, but ensure you are within the parent <xml><xml/> tags.
  3. Paste <block type="BLOCK_NAME"></block> within your custom category tag.
    Ensure that BLOCK_NAME matches the name of your block as defined in the Block Definition and Generator Stub.

Step 04: Remake​

  1. Open up a terminal and navigate to the BIPES-offline-master directory.
  2. Run make offline in this directory.
  3. Once completed, the file BIPES-offline-master/ui/index_offline.html should be updated with your custom blocks (make sure you have the correct board selected).

This concludes a brief summary of how to create custom toolbox blocks for a board in BIPES.

Now, try to make some custom blocks on your own! Good luck!