Creating Blocks

Blocks are the Action Tools of your Bot.

They are created with NodeJS and a Basic Structure for name, inputs, options,output and the code Part.

How to Submit to DBB

It's easy if you want to use them only by yourself just place the JS file in your Bots Blocks Directory and go on. If everything is ok with the file it's getting loaded instant in DBB, without restarting.

If you want to make your Block Public send it into the Blocks Channel on the Discord Server.

The Line Types

If you worked with DBB already you know that there are some different Colors for lines. These are to make it easier for you to see what can be connected is the same type of Var and not only for the Style.

The different types are: unspecified, undefined, null, object, boolean, number, text, list, date, action

We will look at how to use them a little later.

The Basic Structure

1. The default Structure:

This Structure is the Block that get showed in the DBB-Editor, there you can place Stuff like Name, Description, Category and more. Please make sure that you aren't using the same Name for two Blocks!

  module.exports = {
    name: "",

    description: "",

    category: "",

    auto_execute: false/true,
    // This will make your Block run at Startup, for Event Blocks

    inputs: [],

    options: [],

    outputs: [],

    code(cache) {

    }
};

2. The Inputs and Outputs:

These are The Inputs and Outputs of your Block showen in DBB-Editor. If you Update something here please restart the DBB-Editor to see it.

    inputs/outputs: [
      {
        "id": "",
        "name": "",
        "description": "",
        "types": []
      }
    ]
    // types : unspecified, undefined, null, object, boolean, number, text, list, date, action

In the id field gets the Name of the Variable used in the code section. Please make shure that the IDs are Unique for the File.

name is the Name how its shown in DBB-Editor itself.

description is the Text that Pops up if you hover on the Connectionpoint in DBB-Editor. Helpfull to Describe the Types here.

types is an Array of Types that can be Connected here. If you want only one Type to be connected use [ "yourtype" ]. If you need more, use a comma seperated list inside the [] like this [ : : "unspecified", "undefined", "null", "object" ].

The inputs field is an Array of Objects. That mean you can add as many Inputs you need by cloning the Object and add it again. To make it valid, between the Objects needs to be a ,. That's for all fields from type Array or Object!!!

Example:

      inputs: [
        {
            "id": "action",
            "name": "Action",
            "description": "Acceptable Types: Action\n\nDescription: Executes this block.",
            "types": ["action"]
        },
        {
            "id": "value",
            "name": "Value",
            "description": "Acceptable Types: Unspecified, Undefined, Null, Object, Boolean, Number, Text, List\n\nDescription: ",
            "types": ["unspecified", "undefined", "null", "object", "boolean", "number", "text", "list"]
        }
      ]

      ...

      outputs: [
        {
            "id": "action",
            "name": "Action",
            "description": "Type: Action\n\nDescription: Executes blocks.",
            "types": ["action"]
        }
      ]

3. The Options:

These are the Options of your Block showed in the DBB-Editor. If you Update something here please restart the DBB-Editor to see it.

Basic Options

    options: [
      {
        "id": "",
        "name": "",
        "description": "",
        "type": ""
      }
    ]

The Option Types

type supports SELECT, TEXT, COLOR, NUMBER

By type => COLOR it will appere the Color-Picker to select a Color.

By type => TEXT or NUMBER a Field to type your Value in shows on the Block in DBB.

By type => SELECT a Dropdown Menu will be shown in DBB.

If you use any other then SELECT you are fine with this Options Structure. If using SELECT you need to add the options field to the options Object. The new options filed is an Array of Items.

  /** value for code => */ 1 : "Option to Select" /** <= Shown in DBB */

The options in options array Example:

    options:[
      {
        "id": "",
        "name": "",
        "description": "",
        "type": "SELECT",
        "options": {
          1 : "Option to Select 1",
          2 : "Option to Select 2",
          3 : "etc."
        }
      }
    ]

4. The Code:

The One and the only part that do something in your Bot. All above is just to show it in the DBB Editor right.

For this Stuff you need some knowledge in Javascript. You can do mostly anything here.

DBB always await the end of the Function to execute Block by Block. You only can controll where the Flow goes on.

```javascript

    code(cache) {
      ...
    }

The cache Object

The cache Object includes the information arround the Block. Without this the code can't interact with the lines. You only need it for the included functions from this.

Example:

  {
    "workspace": "",
    "name": "",
    "index": "",
    "inputs": {},
    "options": {},
    "outputs": {}
  }

name is the Block Name itself. index is the Number of the Block (out of DBB-Editor). workspace is a Number what it mean.... inputs is the Array of your Input lines (only the ID's of the Line gets here). outputs is an Array of your Output Lines (only the ID's too).

The this Object

The this Object includes all active Blocks (you don't need this) and some usefull Functions for you.

  // Usefull stuff for you!!
  this.GetInputValue("id", cache);
  this.GetOptionValue("id", cache);
  this.StoreOutputValue(object, "id", cache);
  this.RunNextBlock("id", cache);
  await this.require("npmmodul");
  // Just ignore anything else ;)

With this functions you can get or store the Input-, Option- and Output values or run the next Block. (with the right function)

For Example here is the code Block from the Print Action.

  code(cache) {
    const content = this.GetInputValue("value", cache);

    console.log(content);

    this.RunNextBlock("action", cache);
  }

"value" in this.GetInputValue() is defined in the inputs part of the Block. Its the same with this.StoreOutputValue(). It only can be use for Output Lines!

Input Object from Block:

    inputs: [
        {
            "id": "action",
            "name": "Action",
            "description": "Acceptable Types: Action\n\nDescription: Executes this block.",
            "types": ["action"]
        },
        {
            "id": "value",
            "name": "Value",
            "description": "Acceptable Types: Unspecified, Undefined, Null, Object, Boolean, Number, Text, List\n\nDescription: The value that you want to send to your console.",
            "types": ["unspecified", "undefined", "null", "object", "boolean", "number", "text", "list"]
        }
    ]

"action" in this.RunNextBlock() is defined in the outputs part of the Block.

Output Object from Block:

    outputs: [
      {
        "id": "action",
        "name": "Action",
        "description": "Type: Action\n\nDescription: Executes blocks.",
        "types": ["action"]
      }
    ]

Module loading with this.require()

If you want to import an Module like fs or path that aren't downloaded from npm, simply use it like anywhere else, just put it inside the code field:

Example:

    async code(cache) {
      const path = await require("path");
      // and go on like you wan't...
    }

If you want to import an Module like discord.js from npm please use this.require() like this:

Example:

    async code(cache) {
      const discord = await this.require("discord.js");
      // and go on :)
    }

To improve Performance you should only use default Packages and if you need another, try to use a minimal libary of this function.