# @blockly/dev-tools [](https://github.com/google/blockly) A library of helpful tools for Blockly development. ## Installation ``` npm install @blockly/dev-tools -D --save ``` ## Usage ### Playground The playground is a tremendously useful tool for debugging your Blockly project. As a preview, here is [one of the plugin playgrounds](https://google.github.io/blockly-samples/plugins/theme-modern/test/). The playground features are: - All the default blocks - All the language generators (JavaScript, Python, PHP, Lua, and Dart) - Switch between different Blockly options (eg: rtl, renderer, readOnly, zoom and scroll) - Switch between different toolboxes and themes - Import and export programs, or generate code using one of the built-in generators - Trigger programmatic actions (eg: Show/hide, Clear, Undo/Redo, Scale) - A debug renderer - Stress tests for the renderer - Log all events in the console ```js import {createPlayground} from '@blockly/dev-tools'; const defaultOptions = { ... }; createPlayground(document.getElementById('blocklyDiv'), (blocklyDiv, options) => { return Blockly.inject(blocklyDiv, options); }, defaultOptions); ``` This package also exports pieces of the playground (addGUIControls, addCodeEditor) if you'd rather build your own playground. ### Toolboxes Blockly built-in Simple and Category toolboxes. ```js import * as Blockly from 'blockly'; import {toolboxSimple, toolboxCategories} from '@blockly/dev-tools'; Blockly.inject('blocklyDiv', { toolbox: toolboxCategories, }); ``` #### Test Toolbox The test toolbox is re-exported in this package, but can be imported as a stand-alone through [@blockly/block-test](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@blockly/block-test). See the README for details. ### Helpers #### `populateRandom` The `populateRandom` function adds random blocks to a workspace. Blocks are selected from the full set of defined blocks. Pass in a worskpace and how many blocks should be created. ```js import {populateRandom} from '@blockly/dev-tools'; // Add 10 random blocks to the workspace. populateRandom(workspace, 10); ``` #### `spaghetti` The `spaghetti` function is a renderer stress test that populates the workspace with nested if-statements. Pass in a worskpace and how deep the nesting should be. ```js import {spaghetti} from '@blockly/dev-tools'; spaghetti(workspace, 8); ``` #### `generateFieldTestBlocks` The `generateFieldTestBlocks` function automatically generates a number of field testing blocks for the passed-in field. This is useful for testing field plugins. ```js import {generateFieldTestBlocks} from '@blockly/dev-tools'; const toolbox = generateFieldTestBlocks('field_template', [ { args: { value: 0, // default value }, }, ]); ``` ### Test Helpers This package is also used in mocha tests, and exports a suite of useful test helpers. You can find the full list of helpers [here](https://github.com/google/blockly-samples/blob/master/plugins/dev-tools/src/test_helpers.mocha.js). ### Debug Renderer The [debug renderer][dev-tools] is a renderer plugin that wraps your normal renderer, and visualizes the measurements the [render info][render-info] collects. This is extremely helpful for understanding what your renderer thinks about the block it is trying to render. #### What it surfaces The debug renderer can show you several different things.
| Debug info | Image | Description | Rows | ![]() |
The bounds of the individual rows in a block. |
|---|---|---|
| Row spacers | ![]() |
The bounds of the row spacers in a block. |
| Elements | ![]() |
The bounds of the elements in a block. |
| Element spacers | ![]() |
The bounds of the element spacers in a block. |
| Connections | ![]() |
The locations of the connection points, with large circles for next and input connections (parent connections) and small circles for output and previous connections (child connections). |
| Block bounds | ![]() |
The bounds of the block, not including any child blocks. |
| Connectioned block bounds | ![]() |
The bounds of the block, including child blocks. |
| Render / paint | Flashes the block red when the renderer rerenders the block, equivalent to paint flashing in Chrome. |