What is *your* opinion about helper blocks in App Inventor? (GSoC Project - User Feedback)

[BeksOmega]

Hmmm I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but the files live here. Currenlty they're only on the ucr branch though, not master =)

[KodedScorpius]

I absolutely like that this was able to merged *🤌*, can't wait to add it to my extensions!

[Aarush_Kumar]

also @BeksOmega for making extension what we need to import for IDropdown Interface?

[Patryk_F]

1. It doesn't work yet, works after nb187 update.
2. Here is the documentation, don't ask for anything that is already described ...

What is *your* opinion about helper blocks in App Inventor? (GSoC Project - User Feedback)

Yep! Like Evan said, this should work with extensions. I tested it before putting up the PR, so unless something in App Inventor has changed since then it should be good. Extension compatibility was one of the priorities for the project =) Here is the documentation for adding helper blocks (all kinds) to your component. And here is the document specifically for static dropdown blocks (which are a bit more involved hehe). Best of luck! If you have further questions about it feel free to message …

[Aarush_Kumar]

@Patryk_F

don't ask for anything that is already described ..

i just wanna know what to import for IDropdown interface if you can find it in docs then pls show it

[Techno_Vedang]

I am not sure but there could be an annotation same like methods and events

[Aarush_Kumar]

i saw the code but i did not saw?

[BeksOmega]

In the final implementation IDropdown was renamed to OptionList<>. You can use it as specified here:

import com.google.appinventor.components.common.OptionList;

public enum Animal implements OptionList<String> {
  // Enum values etc...
}

Best wishes =)
Beka

[Aarush_Kumar]

thanks @BeksOmega

[Aarush_Kumar]

when i used your code to make extension i got error -

 [javac] An annotation processor threw an uncaught exception.
    [javac] Consult the following stack trace for details.
    [javac] java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: OptionList Class: com.aktech.test.Animal is not available. Make sure that it is available to the compiler.
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.tryAddOptionList(ComponentProcessor.java:1923)
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.optionListToHelperKey(ComponentProcessor.java:1898)
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.hasOptionListHelper(ComponentProcessor.java:1865)
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.elementToHelperKey(ComponentProcessor.java:1823)
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.varElemToParameter(ComponentProcessor.java:2075)
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.processMethods(ComponentProcessor.java:2524)
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.processComponent(ComponentProcessor.java:1709)
    [javac]     at com.google.appinventor.components.scripts.ComponentProcessor.process(ComponentProcessor.java:1417)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.processing.JavacProcessingEnvironment.callProcessor(JavacProcessingEnvironment.java:794)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.processing.JavacProcessingEnvironment.discoverAndRunProcs(JavacProcessingEnvironment.java:705)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.processing.JavacProcessingEnvironment.access$1800(JavacProcessingEnvironment.java:91)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.processing.JavacProcessingEnvironment$Round.run(JavacProcessingEnvironment.java:1035)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.processing.JavacProcessingEnvironment.doProcessing(JavacProcessingEnvironment.java:1176)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.processAnnotations(JavaCompiler.java:1170)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.compile(JavaCompiler.java:856)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:523)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:381)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:370)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:361)
    [javac]     at com.sun.tools.javac.Main.compile(Main.java:56)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    [javac]     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.compilers.Javac13.execute(Javac13.java:57)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Javac.compile(Javac.java:1388)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Javac.execute(Javac.java:1117)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:292)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor4.invoke(Unknown Source)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    [javac]     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:99)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:350)
    [javac]     at java.util.Vector.forEach(Vector.java:1277)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Sequential.execute(Sequential.java:67)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:292)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor4.invoke(Unknown Source)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    [javac]     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:99)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:350)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.MacroInstance.execute(MacroInstance.java:391)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:292)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor4.invoke(Unknown Source)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    [javac]     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:99)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:350)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.execute(Target.java:449)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.performTasks(Target.java:470)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeSortedTargets(Project.java:1401)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.helper.SingleCheckExecutor.executeTargets(SingleCheckExecutor.java:36)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeTargets(Project.java:1264)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.Ant.execute(Ant.java:437)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.UnknownElement.execute(UnknownElement.java:292)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor4.invoke(Unknown Source)
    [javac]     at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    [javac]     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.dispatch.DispatchUtils.execute(DispatchUtils.java:99)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Task.perform(Task.java:350)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.execute(Target.java:449)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Target.performTasks(Target.java:470)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeSortedTargets(Project.java:1401)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeTarget(Project.java:1374)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.helper.DefaultExecutor.executeTargets(DefaultExecutor.java:41)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Project.executeTargets(Project.java:1264)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Main.runBuild(Main.java:827)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.Main.startAnt(Main.java:223)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.launch.Launcher.run(Launcher.java:284)
    [javac]     at org.apache.tools.ant.launch.Launcher.main(Launcher.java:101)

BUILD FAILED
C:\AppinventorShadowBlock\appinventor-sources-ucr\appinventor\build.xml:46: The following error occurred while executing this line:
C:\AppinventorShadowBlock\appinventor-sources-ucr\appinventor\components\build.xml:217: The following error occurred while executing this line:
C:\AppinventorShadowBlock\appinventor-sources-ucr\appinventor\build-common.xml:125: Compile failed; see the compiler error output for details.

[BeksOmega]

I'm sorry man, I'm quite busy with other projects at the moment and I'm not set up for App Inventor development right now If you start a new thread with info about what you're doing and that stack trace I'm sure someone more active can help you out =)

Sorry I can't be more help Best of luck on your project!
--Beka

[Know_About_IT]

@Aarush_Kumar

when i used your code to make extension i got error

Do your sources even have the code of her pr ? U will need to manually add it for now as I think it is not yet merged with master

[Aarush_Kumar]

@Know_About_IT

Do your sources even have the code of her pr ?

i am using her sources only

[Patryk_F]

As for extensions, the truth is that you will still need to use green blocks for constant values to ensure compatibility with other builders. Unless other constructors also introduce helper blocks.

After checking in Companion and APK, however, it doesn't work.

Everything according to the descriptions of @BeksOmega.

Tested on NB187 release test server.

[BeksOmega]

Are you using a companion associated with the test server? Or just the normal one fromt the play store? If I remember right, the new helper blocks require a different companion to work correctly.

[Patryk_F]

Companion with the test server 2.60t5u. But also in the APK it does not work. The second picture is from the APK.
I copied virtually everything from your DOC. I only changed the variable types to int and Integer and the class name to LinkType. Compiles correctly, reports no errors. I also tried to put the helpers folder in different places. The effect is always the same.
I'll try with String again.

It's the same with String. Maybe I have to wait for the official release and extension template.

[ewpatton]

Hmm. I am not able to get the extension to compile when I try to use a newly introduced type into the language. I'm tracking it down and I'll see what we can do about fixing it.

[Patryk_F]

I managed to compile. Helper blocks are visible but do not return values. Assets blocks work fine.

[Patryk_F]

Hi. Can the helper blocks return boolean values? Because I can't get it.

[ewpatton]

I don't believe this is the case, but what would be the value beyond using the true/false blocks?