Guys, too many people seem to be trying out their scratchblocks in this topic. While I appreciate you may be excited, please use the official testing topic to test your newfound skills: https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/374997/ DON'T SPAM THIS TOPIC

In this topic, I hope to teach you how to become a [scratchblocks] wizard!

Lots of the cool tricks in scratchblocks aren't easily found anywhere, but they can be really helpful amongst the forums, especially in suggestions, where you sometimes have to make up your own blocks. Scroll right to the bottom to see how to do this.

Now, this tutorial will probably have you itching to try out your new scratchblocks skills, and I don't mind you posting a little bit in this topic to follow along, but once you're done, use the proper testing topic to post all of your scratchblocks wizardry - https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/219704/

So, firstly:

What is Scratchblocks?

Scratchblocks is a BBCode plugin that allows you to display scripts within the forums. It was created by the scratch user blob8108 and implemented by nXIII.

It is useful for suggestions and within the help with scripts forums, because you can show exactly what you mean:

when gf clicked
say [Hello there!] for (2) secs

But you have to remember not to spam with it! Only use it when necessary, never write an entire post in nothing but scratchblocks.

How can I use it?

To use the scratchblocks plugin, just put [scratchblocks] and [/scratchblocks] around all of your text.


Simple Scratchblocks

This section will teach you the basics of scratchblocks.

In most blocks, you can just type out all the text that displays on the block, and it will work:

[scratchblocks] hide [/scratchblocks]
will create

 hide 

But this will only work for blocks that have no inputs. If you want to create a block with inputs, you need to put brackets around the input.

Use square brackets, , for text, and round brackets, (), for numbers:

say [Hello, World!] for (2) secs

Notice how I used the different types of bracket?

Now, for a drop down list, you still use brackets, but you have to put a v just before the closing bracket.

Note: you still use round brackets for number drop downs, and square brackets for text drop downs:

replace item (42 v) of [Numbers v] with [The answer!]

With drop downs, it's important which type of bracket you use to make it appear correctly.

There's one more type of input, the color-picker input. This is created by specifying within square brackets [] the hexadecimal color code of the color you want to appear in the input,

set pen color to [#ff0000]

So far we've looked at stack blocks, and inputs. You can create other blocks as well, but first I'll show you how to put multiple blocks together:

say [Hello!]
hide
add [item] to [list v]
show
point in direction (0 v)

That's right! It's as easy as putting the next block on the next line!

Now that you've learned some of the basic basics, we can look at c-blocks, symbols and other shapes:

More complex, yet still basic, block types

For these blocks, you still type exactly what's on the block, but they require some extra knowledge to work properly:

For the green flag block, you can type any of the following:

• when green flag clicked
  
• when flag clicked
  
• when gf clicked
  

I will use the last one though, because it's the shortest one to type, but you can use whichever version you like the most.

[scratchblocks] when gf clicked [/scratchblocks]

when gf clicked

What about some other symbols?

For the turn block, you can type any of the following:

• turn cw (15) degrees
  
• turn right (15) degrees
  
• turn ccw (15) degrees
  
• turn left (15) degrees
  

As you can see, we are replacing the symbol with words.

cw stands for clockwise, and draws an arrow turning clockwise, and ccw means counter-clock wise, and draws an arrow turning counter clock-wise.

Right and cw draw the same arrow, as do left and ccw. It's personal preference which one you use, but I use cw and ccw because they are shorter and unambiguous.

turn cw (15) degrees // could be turn right (15) degrees
turn ccw (15) degrees // could be turn left (15) degrees

But what's this?

In this example you saw how to use a comment, by putting two forward-slashes, //, in front of your comment.

You can make attached comments, and also free-standing comments:

hide // attached comment
// free-standing comment

Now, onto c-blocks!

A c-block looks like this:

forever
end

And can be created like this:
notice how you have to write end at the end of your c-block?

NOTE: I indent the blocks inside my c-loops for readability. Normally I don't do this, and it is not necessary.

This is how to tell it where to stop, so you can do:

repeat (2)
hide
end
show

note how the c-block only wraps around the scripts before you write end, and then stops as soon as you write end? This is very useful.

You create if-else blocks in a similar fashion,

if <((2) + (2)) = [5]> then
  say [Freedom is slavery.]
else
  say [Peace is war.]
end

But wait! What's this? A new block!

Predicates are the diamond-shaped blocks within scratch, sometimes called booleans (but they shouldn't be). In scratchblocks, they are created with the < and > symbols:

wait until <mouse down?>

And reporters, the round blocks, are made using normal brackets, ():

wait ([sin v] of (90)) secs

To use variables in scratchblocks, you just write the name of the variable within round brackets:

change y by (gravity)

And when it comes to custom blocks, scratchblocks becomes really clever; it remembers which names were arguments and which were not!

define square (width)
pen down
repeat (4)
  move (width) steps
  turn cw (90) degrees
end
pen up

Now, finally, the complex stuff!

In scratchblocks you can force blocks to appear however you want them to, e.g.

using ((seven :: custom reporter) :: custom-arg ring) {
} :: sensing

First, I will teach you how to color your block, in (almost) any way you want.

To do this, you have to learn all the categories of blocks:

1. events
   
2. control
   
3. sound
   
4. sensing
   
5. pen
   
6. looks
   
7. operators
   
8. list
   
9. variables
   
10. custom
    
11. motion
    

So, those were all the “normal” block categories, but there are also some extra ones you can use to color your block:

• grey
  
• extension
  
• custom-arg
  
• obsolete
  

These categories are used to say which category your blocks should be colored as, for example:

set [var v] to (1) // normal
set [var v] to (1) :: motion // as a motion block

As you can see, you write down your block as normal, but then put two colons, ::, and the name of the category.

Notice that you can still put comments after you apply your styles.

Custom Colors!

A little-known fact is that you can actually apply customised colors to your block, using hexadecimal color codes!

( :: operators #ffffff) yin :: #000000
yang (yang :: operators #000000) :: #ffffff

Custom Shapes

You can also shape blocks however you want, here are the shapes you will need to know:

1. stack
   
2. hat
   
3. ring
   
4. reporter
   
5. boolean
   
6. cap
   

You apply shapes in exactly the same way, e.g.
[scratchblocks]show :: hat[/scratchblocks]

show :: hat 

And you can use shapes and colors together, by putting spaces between them:

when <> :: hat events

There's another shape of block we can define ourselves, the c-block:

hide {
} :: operators

Notice that we use curly-braces to separate the contents of the cblock from the block itself.

run script {
} without screen refresh :: control

Some of the shapes are really weird and have an interesting origin, for example ring, which was meant to be used to mimic Snap! and BYOB blocks

map ((() * (2)) :: grey ring) over [list v] :: list

There is also one more type of input, which you must between round brackets, (), a block! You can make blocks appear inside other blocks, like this:

this is (a block :: sensing stack) :: custom-arg stack

Notice two things: the block is styled inside the brackets, and the use of :: stack.

You can style all types of block within their brackets:

if <true :: operators boolean> then
end

and now, you're on your way to becoming a true, scratchblocks ninja!

when gf clicked :: operators hat
wait until (this block :: looks stack) turns purple { 
    say hi! :: sound stack
} and then {
    use the colors {
        to make life :: motion stack
    } :: custom-arg cstart
} finally :: extension
stop :: grey cap

Remember, use the proper testing topic to try out your new-found skills: https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/219704/

Now, I know I'm probably missing some block categories, or just something, so leave your suggestions for improvements

Remember, only use this topic to follow along with the tutorial, ask for questions and suggest things I missed.

To test out your newly acquired skills, use this stickied topic by jvvg http://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/14778/

Techno-CAT wrote:

Duplicate

It's not a duplicate.

The person who made that didn't show any of the extra stuff you can do with scratchblocks, they only showed the pure basics.

Thanks.

Techno-CAT wrote:

Duplicate

Not true as you can't duplicate guides because they can be different AND I prefer this one…

But anyways GREAT introduction to BBcode for beginners!

RPFluffy wrote:

Techno-CAT wrote:

Duplicate

Not true as you can't duplicate guides because they can be different AND I prefer this one…

But anyways GREAT introduction to BBcode for beginners!

Thanks! I tried my best, is there anything else I should add though?

theonlygusti wrote:

RPFluffy wrote:

Techno-CAT wrote:

Duplicate

Not true as you can't duplicate guides because they can be different AND I prefer this one…

But anyways GREAT introduction to BBcode for beginners!

Thanks! I tried my best, is there anything else I should add though?

Actually (I almost never say this, which means that this is REALLY GOOD) there really is nothing you can add except maybe a little more explanation and grammar check.

RPFluffy wrote:

Actually (I almost never say this, which means that this is REALLY GOOD) there really is nothing you can add except maybe a little more explanation and grammar check.

Thank you!

epic! i think it should be stickied!

epicsandwich123 wrote:

epic! i think it should be stickied!

Agreed!
(Reporting to be stickied…)

First you wrote 'scratchblocks ninja“, then ”scratchblocks wizard“ and then ”scratchblocks ninja" again xD
Should it be ninja or wizard?

(btw, I think someone said that I was a scratchblocks wizard once, was that why you wrote scratchblocks wizard instead of ninja?)

Tropic wrote:

First you wrote 'scratchblocks ninja“, then ”scratchblocks wizard“ and then ”scratchblocks ninja" again xD
Should it be ninja or wizard?

(btw, I think someone said that I was a scratchblocks wizard once, was that why you wrote scratchblocks wizard instead of ninja?)

Yes, I wrote wizard just for you!

Actually, I put both wizard and ninja because using these skills, you will became a scratchblocks ninja-wizard!

theonlygusti wrote:

Tropic wrote:

First you wrote 'scratchblocks ninja“, then ”scratchblocks wizard“ and then ”scratchblocks ninja" again xD
Should it be ninja or wizard?

(btw, I think someone said that I was a scratchblocks wizard once, was that why you wrote scratchblocks wizard instead of ninja?)

Yes, I wrote wizard just for you!

Actually, I put both wizard and ninja because using these skills, you will became a scratchblocks ninja-wizard!

And you used master too in another post

I like it, and I think it should be stickied. Although for it to be stickied, maybe make the title better? Easier to read, use capitals and such… Just a tiny thing…

gcenac wrote:

I like it, and I think it should be stickied. Although for it to be stickied, maybe make the title better? Easier to read, use capitals and such… Just a tiny thing…

OK thanks for your feedback, I will work on the title.

MegaApuTurkUltra wrote:

cool tutorial::custom hat
>>>::cstart list
didn't know about these: {sup (derp::stack operators)::variables ring}:: sensing // lol glitch
or this::celse motion
but I knew about everything else!::celse
so good job::cend cap

Thanks!