Requesting for clarifications on User Defined Components Proposal

Open Source Development Google Summer of Code
1

Hello everyone,

User defined components/extensions is my second proposal, which I picked from this year's ideas list. I found this project really interesting, so I decided to start working on it.

What I have thought so far:

  • Implement a new component category(My Components/User Components) which will contain all the user defined component along with creating/importing feature.
  • Adds a new panel for the creation of user defined component, the panel will contain a list of all AI2 component which can be selected(with particular blocks) to be added in the user defined component.
  • The user defined component will be containing a JSON file which will store the blocks, component details.
  • In the blocks editor, the user defined component will show blocks like this:
    • Set UserComponentName1 . ButtonText to
    • When UserComponent1 . Button.Click
      OR maybe modifying the blockly js, we can render blocks(for user defined components) like Set UserComponent1 . Button . Text giving three dropdowns for selecting individual component. This might also be able tohandle the duplicate blocks.
  • The user defined component would generate YAIL for each component, like if UDC contains a button and label then it should generate YAIL like:
    (add-component Screen1 com.google.appinventor.components.runtime.Button UserComponent1Button1).
  • Modify the buildserver to handle the individual component requirement like adding permission to manifest, adding library etc.
  • Storing the UDC in a seperate folder to make them exportable/importable like extension in .udc / .aic format.

Things I am confused about:

  • Can you give a simple example of a user-defined component?
  • How should it work for visible components? Should users be able to create a layout and then group them to create a single reusable component? If supported visible component, how should the mock be handled?
  • Does my approach of thinking aligns with team's vision?
  • Is there any specific design mockup or implementation idea that team is expecting in proposal?

I really like this project and would love to work on it. I’m open to suggestions and feedback from the community. If anyone has any ideas or improvements, please share!

Any guidance or support would be really helpful.

Thanks!

4 Likes
2

I have an idea:
Extension category can load user's frequently used extensions when user log in. The auto loaded extensions count can be limited to 10 or 20.

3

I didn’t get it, can you explain it in a bit more detail?

4

i mean user can import extensions for all the project.

5

I think it's about something like modules. We build modules using blocks. Modules can be procedures or other blocks that have input and output. We can save such a set of blocks as an extension and use it in another project. Maybe a module could contain views like labels, buttons combined into one larger view, maybe along with blocks responsible for the functionality of our composite view?

For example, we build a search view. We add horizontal arrangement, textbox, button. And we add blocks that search the input text by the word entered in the text box, we can add visual effects, change the button icon, etc. and we save it as a custom view.

1 Like
6

I think defining a User Component is actually going to be difficult for Users if they want to make something unique. For example, many people would like to have a genuine spinner component (App Inventor's is actually a drop-down list). They would also like to define an improved slider control but again tricky!

So in those cases it would start with a drawing layout (should be using SVG for scale ability?). How though, would a User then define the Blocks related to the component? The Blocks should have a unique colour so they are easily identified as User Defined.

If you can create User friendly solutions......

Perhaps it should be a separate program to AI and output data that AI can import in a similar way to extensions.

It should also be possible to share User Defined Components with other Users.

However, the solution has to cover all bases or we will find ourselves walking into a bit of a disaster!

1 Like
7

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!. I also think user-defined components could work like reusable modules with both UI and blocks.
I believe project mentor @Mark_Friedman can clarify more, or maybe @ewpatton or @Susan_Lane might help with that.