Scratch

You send the post data (containing the block name, username, password, block info and anything else needed to recreate the block file and credit it at the other end) to a .php page on the block library site. A PHP script can then read this data and store the information in a database, verify the username and password, create a block file etc.

You can certainly use the password block from the library, but the password isn't encrypted when it's sent through that either!

The encryption isn't too important though, since the password is never stored and the scratchblocks site is pretty secure.

I agree that a username and password should be needed to share a block for exactly the reasons you put above.

I'm afraid I don't know where the method is, but I DO have a list of all Panther arguments if it's any help. I wrote a squeak tutorial a long time ago on the Scratch Wiki:

Arguments list

I found the code for the word args.    I'm going to update the block importer now.

sparks wrote:

Erm, how will using word args work in Scratch? Would your patch effectively replace all existing args with word args? That could seriously confuse new dabblers...

I haven't tried it yet, I can't get it to work! I copied the contents of the text argument, opened a workspace, pasted it in, accepted it and filed it in but nothing happened, no new menus or anything!

I should point out that BYOB and Panther support is something you can develop if you wish, but not something the library would use. We already have block files for Panther and sprite files containing custom blocks for BYOB (though now I come to think of it, a patch for Panther to import blocks by number from the library would be pretty neat).

Yes. When the patch is installed I have to replace the block specs, because this code has to be added: , (CustomBlockSpecsDictionary formatAsArrayFor: 'All'). I could just as well replace all the args. uncoloredArgMorphsFor: also has to be replace to support custom args.
New dabblers.. hmmm... I never thought about that. How could I implement the word args. It's very efficient, but not many people know a lot about it, and some, as you say, may be confused. If they're confused they should probably ask me.

Are you sure nothing appears after you file-in the patch? You have to select 'save image for end-user' to save and rebuild the menu panels, ('file edit help'), then the 'blocks' menu will show up, did you do that?

As for Panther and BYOB, I was thinking of making a block importer that's compatible with them too, plus exporting custom blocks (BYOB and CYOB) compatible with the scratch block importer.
Isn't there already a 'download $Number$ block from library' block?

sparks wrote:

I'm worried that someone will start exploring the browser in Scratch and see $Word$ arguments, then they'll try and do it in an unpatched version of Scratch and get very confused about the %l arguments. However, I suppose it could be mentioned as a patch feature on the patch downloader. I think we'll also supply a download for a copy of the Scratch image that has been patched for the use of people who can't, won't or don't want to file the patch in themselves.

I'll have another go at running it, I did save image for end user last time and saw no change...

The thing is, I don't really see the use of a block importer for BYOB or Panther... Panther has a custom blocks system already, which works quite well and doesn't actually involve browser edits, meaning blocks are stored in project files, letting them work in all copies. The block downloader reads a file containing the block spec, colour, author and method from a file hosted by me, then uses a smalltalk script created by MathWizz to add the block to the custom blocks list. This is, of course, yours to use if you want to.

You're right, I should also make an image, and I should mention the $word$ arguments as a feature. I already have a download block feature, it's the same as the importer only it imports from an url. I think panther is amazing, by the way. My favorite things are CYOB and the color blocks. Once I ALMOST entirely ported the color blocks to the scratch source code, the only problem was that it couldn't save properly.

So if you're agreeable, and could post an image file for sharing, I'd like to update the Scratch>control section of the block library to this new format to see how it would all look! Could you share the .block files for Scratch>control that you have finished making? I'll take them and rehost them on the blocks.scratchr site so you can just post the file code in a post and I'll upload them as .block files if that's easier for you.

Okay, if you can give me the block files, I can start working on a nice layout. I'll just do the control section for now so that everyone can suggest aesthetic changes 

sparks wrote:

I'm gonna use pseudo code here, cos I've not used smalltalk in a long time, but have you considered doing something like this?:

in the patch:

Code:

create a file called version.txt
add 1.0 to line 1 (The current version)
add 1.0 to line 2 (The last version it was updated at)

in the Scratch startup script:

Code:

try to connect to http://www.blocks.scratchr.org/blockFiles/newestVersion.php and then read the version number from that page using readfromURL. (page doesn't exist atm)
compare the read version number against the version.txt line 1
if(newestVersion > version.txtLine1 && newestVersion > version.txtLine2){
display a popup asking if they want to install the new version
if(yes selected){
read latest patch from http://www.blocks.scratchr.org/blockFiles/newestPatch.php
file this in
restart Scratch
}
else{
change line 2 of version.txt to latestVersion so that they aren't asked again if they wish to update until another patch comes out
}
}

I think I should incorporate that in the patch, but it shouldn't be in the startup. In panther, as you know, when you start up a dialog shows up titled: 'Panther News', which gets contents from an url. A few times, when I lost internet, I tried to use panther, but it got stuck on the 'connecting...' thing, so I couldn't start panther because I had no internet at the moment. I think there should be a label in the blocks menu called: 'Update Block Importer' , version. Basically, 'Update Block Importer ' combined with the version.

sparks wrote:

Okay, that sounds like a good solution!

Could you post the block files you've done for the Control section?

Actually, with the word args, I have to start over, but that's not too bad.

sparks wrote:

dreamod wrote:

sparks wrote:

Okay, that sounds like a good solution!

Could you post the block files you've done for the Control section?

Actually, with the word args, I have to start over, but that's not too bad.

Find and replace? 

I'm going to start over, I'm working on completing the final patch, it's almost done. I've also made a Mac OS X Block Importer 2.0 VM. Basically, an edit of the Scratch application, except with the 'info.plist' edited. I've fixed a few glitches and it's almost completely done.

I'll also make a tutorial of how to use every single feature in it, and take it to the max.

sparks wrote:

That's cool 

Is the patch removeable? It's something you might want to think about in case someone doesn't want it anymore. Remember the patch might mess up any custom blocks they added to their copy of Scratch beforehand if arguments are shared or because of the $words$.

My advice to anybody who installs this patch is: before you install the patch, backup the image, make sure you have an extra copy, in case you're not satisfied.