Scratchaddons: More blocks addon

[wgyt]

Describe the new addon

This addon adds custom blocks and hacked blocks to the Scratch editors under the Scratch addons category.
This addon could also allow other addons like the pause addon to add their blocks (sa-pause in this example) to this category.

[apple502j]

I'd say it's rejected - we don't want to encourage Scratchers to install Scratch Addons to run some projects. Rules have changed since NitroBlock.

[wgyt]

I'd say it's rejected - we don't want to encourage Scratchers to install Scratch Addons to run some projects. Rules have changed since NitroBlock.

No, I don't think you understand what I'm saying.
The pause addon takes advantage of a custom block called sa-pause, and that could go in this category. This would also make it easier to use common workarounds for commonly suggested blocks and make them easy to add.

[apple502j]

Pause block is a custom block, and does not require new extension category, and it's only for debugging purposes.

[wgyt]

It only uses vanilla blocks, and it only makes it easy to drag in workarounds like the ones listed here https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/444061/

[jeffalo]

Pause block is a custom block, and does not require new extension category, and it's only for debugging purposes.

debugging purposes for project creators though.

i think this is a good idea

[wgyt]

Here is what needs to happen for this to become reality:

• [ ] We need to add a new category to the sidebar

• [ ] We need a way to add blocks to the sidebar

• [ ] We need a way for other addons to add their own blocks

If anyone has suggestions let me know

[wgyt]

Progress on the prototyping side has been made :)
I made the category, the block design and I made a video demonstrating.
Due to GitHub not allowing me to upload the mp4 file, I have the video hosted on Google Drive and it is available here.
Edit: fixed the video link.

[Explosion-Scratch]

Just the stuff like while loops, for i in range, etc would be really helpful. No support however for blocks that need scratchaddons to be run, that would attract ST attention and be really bad. Speaking of which, should the SA-pause be removed?

[TheColaber]

Speaking of which, should the SA-pause be removed?

No! Its purpose was to debug and let me tell you, if I had this feature when I first started, I would have probably learned a lot more, then to be stuck on tons of bugs.

[Explosion-Scratch]

Alright, here is my list:

• [x] While obsolete block
• [x] For i in range obsolete block
• [x] Counter obsolete blocks
• [ ] Stop sound hacked block (Credit to qucchia)
• [ ] Point towards block, there is a one line method.
• [ ] White blob block, just for fun. Useful for hiding cheat codes.

I'll make a project with these, just a sec.

[apple502j]

@Explosion-Scratch sa-pause will NOT be removed, but that's just because it's only useful when debugging and we expect people to remove it before sharing.

What's the "hacked block"?

Also, no fun/no-op blocks, please.

[Explosion-Scratch]

Got it! Okay!

[Explosion-Scratch]

Here's the project that I made, you'll have to use forkphorus downloader. https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/454744006/editor

[apple502j]

@Explosion-Scratch Generally speaking, Scratch Addons should not "corrupt" a project i.e. make it unusable for those w/o it. Seems like editing the "sound hacked block" in vanilla causes soft crash, so that's a no. Editing Scratch 2.0 hacked block did not cause an error, AFAIK. Not sure whether I should allow "custom block definition with input", though.

No-op blocks are also no; including red hat blocks and "all at once" (this is just an if block that always executes. if you want to mass-delete clone, broadcast is the way. did you really test the behavior?)

"Secret masking" is no, as it will probably catch ST's eyes and cause trouble, like shadow blocks did.

[mxmou]

... cause trouble, like shadow blocks did.

They did?

[WorldLanguages]

Well, shadow blocks don't corrupt a project but it's a terrible idea to allow users to easily hide blocks.

[Explosion-Scratch]

... cause trouble, like shadow blocks did.

They did?

Yup. I made one of my platformers have 'no' blocks because I hid them with shadow. Even though the actual code for the project was available in another project the ST still gave me an alert and took it down.

[Explosion-Scratch]

Well, shadow blocks don't corrupt a project but it's a terrible idea to allow users to easily hide blocks.

I guess so.

[Explosion-Scratch]

@apple502j

@Explosion-Scratch Generally speaking, Scratch Addons should not "corrupt" a project i.e. make it unusable for those w/o it. Seems like editing the "sound hacked block" in vanilla causes soft crash, so that's a no. Editing Scratch 2.0 hacked block did not cause an error, AFAIK. Not sure whether I should allow "custom block definition with input", though.

True, what about the ones that are actually useful though? Like the 'for i in range' one, those are super useful. Also about the 'custom block with input' I think that this could actually be very useful, because I have had scripts that I worked hard on stolen with no credit before.

No-op blocks are also no; including red hat blocks

They're cool, but I understand.

and "all at once" (this is just an if block that always executes. if you want to mass-delete clone, broadcast is the way. did you really test the behavior?)

No. I just did that based on the comment on the original project I used it from.

"Secret masking" is no, as it will probably catch ST's eyes and cause trouble, like shadow blocks did.

That makes sense.

[wgyt]

Just the stuff like while loops, for I in range, etc would be really helpful. No support however for blocks that need scratchaddons to be run, that would attract ST attention and be really bad. Speaking of which, should the SA-pause be removed?

This doesn't need SA, it would add the blocks to the project, these would be vanilla blocks.

@Explosion-Scratch Generally speaking, Scratch Addons should not "corrupt" a project i.e. make it unusable for those w/o it. Seems like editing the "sound hacked block" in vanilla causes a soft crash, so that's a no. Editing Scratch 2.0 hacked block did not cause an error, AFAIK. Not sure whether I should allow "custom block definition with input", though.

No-op blocks are also no; including red hat blocks and "all at once" (this is just an if block that always executes. if you want to mass-delete clone, a broadcast is the way. did you really test the behavior?)

"Secret masking" is no, as it will probably catch ST's eyes and cause trouble as shadow blocks did.

This again would only add and use vanilla blocks, except sa-pause, which doesn't work w/o SA

Well, shadow blocks don't corrupt a project but it's a terrible idea to allow users to easily hide blocks.

what? hide blocks? ok, that isn't coming anytime soon :P

And on another note:
all at once and other useful (but obsolete) blocks are hidden in the code of scratch blocks

[Marc92020]

This would be cool however the only problem would be that other scratchers would not be able to see these blocks and the red hat block can't be connected to any block so the only workaround would be to only have them for unshared projects. Or just use hacked blocks that already exist like the "while <>" and the "stop sound ()" block.

[wgyt]

This would be cool however the only problem would be that other scratchers would not be able to see these blocks and the red hat block can't be connected to any block so the only workaround would be to only have them for unshared projects. Or just use hacked blocks that already exist like the "while <>" and the "stop sound ()" block.

Other Scratchers WOULD be able to see all of the blocks because for the five millionth time, this only uses vanilla blocks that scratch blocks can handle natively like while <>, all at once, and custom blocks that Scratch Addons would add, that only use native blocks.

[Marc92020]

This would be cool however the only problem would be that other scratchers would not be able to see these blocks and the red hat block can't be connected to any block so the only workaround would be to only have them for unshared projects. Or just use hacked blocks that already exist like the "while <>" and the "stop sound ()" block.

Other Scratchers WOULD be able to see all of the blocks because for the five millionth time, this only uses vanilla blocks that scratch blocks can handle natively like while <>, all at once, and custom blocks that Scratch Addons would add, that only use native blocks.

ok so other scratchers who don't have the extension could only see the workarounds?

[wgyt]

This would be cool however the only problem would be that other scratchers would not be able to see these blocks and the red hat block can't be connected to any block so the only workaround would be to only have them for unshared projects. Or just use hacked blocks that already exist like the "while <>" and the "stop sound ()" block.

Other Scratchers WOULD be able to see all of the blocks because for the five millionth time, this only uses vanilla blocks that scratch blocks can handle natively like while <>, all at once, and custom blocks that Scratch Addons would add, that only use native blocks.

ok so other scratchers who don't have the extension could only see the workarounds?

they would see all the blocks and they would work, except sa-pause
@Marc92020