Scratch

TheExternal wrote:

Every BIG project I found is loaded w/ variables.(When I think about it... no duh!  ) I know this is a lot to ask but:

What I Said Earlier wrote:

I have a suggestion for 3.1!!! How about the option to choose wether or not a variable, created w/in a block can be global.

I thought this was adequately answered before: the feature you want already exists!

In the Variables palette there is a dark grey block called Script Variables.  You can put this block in any script, both the ones in the Block Editor and the regular Scratch-scripting-area scripts, to create variables local to that script.

To give a script variable a value, first attach a SET block to the script, then pull down the pulldown list of variable names, and you'll find the script variables included.  If the SET block is just floating around loose in the scripting area, script variables aren't included.

To use the value of a script variable within the script, just drag the variable blob off the Script Variables block onto wherever you want to use it.

Note: If "Scope Contrast" is checked in the Edit menu, then the variable blobs for script variables are brown instead of orange, so that you can see quickly the scope of a variable used in a script.  ("Scope" is the technical term for where in a program a given variable can be used -- everywhere, or just within a particular script.)  Try using BYOB with and without this feature enabled and tell us if you like it.

TheExternal wrote:

How about the option to choose wether or not a variable, created w/in a block can be global.

Oh, wait, maybe I'm confused about what you want.  Are you asking for a New Variable block that can be used inside a script but that creates a global variable?  Why do you want that, as opposed to just using Make a variable once?  What should happen the second time you run the script, and the variable already exists?  Or are you asking for a Panther-like block that takes a text string input (which could be computed, and therefore could be different each time the script runs) and makes a global variable by that name?

I don't think we should encourage people to make millions of global variables.  Better to make one global variable, put a list in it, and add to the list each time you run the script.

shadow_7283 wrote:

I think what he wants (and I want) is a block-only variable option. That way we can have blocks that affect each other (like the "set pen color" block).

That would be cool!

PyrosTheStickman wrote:

I hope that the Scratch team soon allows BYOB uploads!!!

I think they might put something like BYOB into Scratch 2.0.

I think it's high on Scratch Suggestions - maybe there's a hope! 

Chrischb wrote:

I think it's high on Scratch Suggestions - maybe there's a hope! 

Not anymore. For some reason people want customizable user pages more than they do BYOB3.

It really makes you think about the Scratch community, doesn't it? 

shadow_7283 wrote:

I think what he wants (and I want) is a block-only variable option. That way we can have blocks that affect each other (like the "set pen color" block).

I'm sorry, I'm not understanding this.  Do you mean a persistent script variable?  One that can only be seen by the block, but that keeps its value between invocations?  Or do you mean a variable that any block can see, but not top-level scripts?

We can sort of do the persistent variable thing, following the OOP example in the manual.  You'd have a block MAKE PEN COLOR BLOCKS that would have a script variable PCOLOR, and then it would say

SET <set pen color> [THE SCRIPT [SET <pcolor> < >]]
SET <pen color> [THE <pcolor> BLOCK]

The thing you'd then want, which we can't do yet, is have a way to make a sprite-local variable for all sprites at once -- a third option "for each sprite separately" in the make-a-variable dialog.

shadow_7283 wrote:

Chrischb wrote:

I think it's high on Scratch Suggestions - maybe there's a hope! 

Not anymore. For some reason people want customizable user pages more than they do BYOB3.

It really makes you think about the Scratch community, doesn't it? 

At this moment, BYOB is in fifth place.  I don't think that's so bad.

Consider that only about 1/4 of Scratchers upload any projects at all, not even the zero-script kind.  For the other 3/4, the interface of the web site is more important than anything about programming.

And BYOB is pretty esoteric.  You suggest something about making animation easier and everybody will see right away why it's useful.  But "first class data"?  Most Scratchers have no idea what that is, and not all of them would understand the explanation; this is something that appeals mostly to older Scratchers.

Mitchel was very explicit in saying that the "low floor" part of Scratch is more important than the "high ceiling" part, but that both are important.  I think that's entirely right.

shadow_7283 wrote:

I think what he wants (and I want) is a block-only variable option. That way we can have blocks that affect each other (like the "set pen color" block).

this is what i meant... sry for not making it clear and starting making every1 else confused    i should research more before i say something like that :\

bharvey wrote:

To use the value of a script variable within the script, just drag the variable blob off the Script Variables block onto wherever you want to use it..

Byob is very flexible and rich to set and use variables :
1 - The Scratch way with option for Global/local
2 - The Byob  "Script variable " block, which can be used either into scripts or blocks. Very useful during the elaborating phase of a procedure. Variables defined in this block don't stay permanently, disappearing when the script finishes.
3 - Inside the Block editor you can define local variables  into the variable panel (personally I don't see one advantage upon the "Script variable" block).
4 - Variables can also  be stored into a global list of variables. You can use this method to store parameters, object properties, initialization variables, levels of a game etc One advantage is that you have not to give them names ( I use the first line of the list to store the name (or property) of the Item as to remind the role of each Item). Each sprite can access to these "list" variables.

bharvey wrote:

Chrischb wrote:

But only a quarter of Scratchers share projects like that?

Scratch front page wrote:

Community Stats
597,764 registered members,
167,169 project creators,
1,261,347 projects. That's a lot of Scratch-ing!

  I haven't looked there in ages... ^^

@Jens

I've remarked several times that Byob does not like too long "Comments". When I try to make many comments, at a moment the Byob screen becomes fuzzy, the control is lost and so one...It's probably a question of buffer overflow (?)

*bump*