====== Blocks Application Notes  ======

Blocks application notes provide inspiration and make it easy to try out ideas, hone your Blocks skills and learn best practices. Many application note come with a complete set of files that includes everything you need to run it on your Blocks system (see below for installation notes).

====Applications====


  * [[blocks:app-note:audioguide|Audio guide application]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:displaymediaselector|A remote control sending Blocks to Spots]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:3d|Displaying a clickable 3D object]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:panorama|Creating a 360 degree panorama]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:before-after|A before/after comparision]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:staggered_slideshow|Create a staggered slideshow over multiple screens controlled by a task.]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:sync-task|Synchronize a task to the progress of a video]]
 
===External video sources===
  * [[blocks:live-video|Use live video in Blocks]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:networkcamera|Network camera over RTSP]]

 ===Control===
  * [[blocks:app-note:art-net-dmx|Art-Net/DMX512 Control]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:nexmosphere|Use Nexmosphere sensors and actuators]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:linear-position-sensor| Use a linear position sensor to move content]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:controlling-a-pc|Remote control of a PC from Blocks]]
  * [[blocks:zigbee|Zigbee Lights and Power Switches]]

===External data sources===
  * [[blocks:app-note:collection-feed|Displaying an External Data Source using Feeds]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:collection-feed|Using external data sources]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:google-calendar|Use a Google Calendar as a feed in Blocks]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:csvfeed|Rendering a local CSV file data using a Feed]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:textfile|Use a text file to provide some text data to Blocks]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:googlefeed|Rendering a Google spreadsheet data using a Feed]]

===Time===
  * [[blocks:app-note:time-keeping|Clocks and Time-keeping]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:world_clock|World clock]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:currenttime|Animated wall clock ]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:countdown|A basic countdown timer]]
====How to examples====

  * [[blocks:app-note:detailed-spot-information|Listing Detailed Spot Information]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:password|Partial password protection]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:sendloginmail|Send the server logs over email]]
  

====Extended documentation====
  * [[blocks:app-note:zebra|Set up the Zebra EC30 as audio guide device]]
  * [[blocks:drivers:serial|Controlling devices with RS232/RS485 serial data with Moxa Nport]]
  * [[blocks:drivers:ir|Controlling Devices through IR with iTach TCP/IP to IR]]
  * [[blocks:advanced_scripting:example1|Postion tracking sensor with bar code reader]]


===Intra browser communication===
  * [[blocks:app-note:intra-browser-communication|Integrating a Spot with a custom web page]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:basic-interaction-from-a-custom-web-page|Basic Interaction from a Custom Web Page]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:interacting-from-a-custom-web-page|Advanced Interaction from a Custom Web Page]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:interactivemap|An clickable, interactive map]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:publishphoto|Take a photo and publish on Spot]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:publishscribble|Scribble on one Spot then publish to another]]
  * [[blocks:app-note:takephotoscribblethenpublish|Adding hand-drawn elements to a photo]]

===CSS Styling===
  * [[blocks:custom_styling|Custom Styling with CSS]]
 

==== Common set-up instructions ====

Many application notes come with a complete set of files (commonly referred to as a "Blocks root") for running the application on your own blocks server. To use such a Blocks root, do as follows: 

  - Download the .zip file. 
  - Unzip it into a suitable location on the computer you use as your Blocks server (may be your own Mac/Windows laptop, or a Linux-based server).
  - Stop Blocks if it is running on that computer.
  - Make sure you have a file named //PIXILAB-Blocks-config.yml// in your home directory, containing your preferred Blocks settings, as described [[blocks:server_configuration_file|here]].
  - Locate or create a //root// entry in that configuration file, specifying the path to the application note directory unzipped in step 2 above, as described [[blocks:server_configuration_file#alternative_blocks_data_location|here]].
  - Start Blocks.

:!: If you don't already have a configuration file in your home directory, you can download this {{:blocks:app-note:start:pixilab-blocks-config.yml.zip|generic configuration file}}.

Most application notes also require that you re-assign the Display Spot used in the example to a display or browser window of yout choice. Do so by double clicking the Display Spot in the editor and select yout spot's ID under "Re-assign to Display Spot".