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--- blocks:app-note:start [2020-03-27 08:57] – [General setup application notes] mattias
+++ blocks:app-note:start [2026-10-07 12:47] (current) – admin
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== General setup application notes ======
-To make it easier for you to try out the different features, develop your personal skills and sometimes just to show the best practices for various situations, we have created an ever-growing list of Blocks application notes.
+Application notes lets you try out features, hone your Blocks skills and learn best practice. Follow these general steps to use most application notes:
-Even though most examples will work on previous versions of Blocks we recommend to use Blocks 4 or later.
-In order to get you started you must familiar yourself with some practises, common for all the application notes provided.
+  - Download a .zip file containing the application note files.
+  - Unzip it to a directory of your choice.
+  - Stop Blocks if it is running.
+  - 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.
-There will be a download link where you can download a .zip file for all application. The content should be unzipped to a directory common for all your various projects.
+:!: 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}}.
-The preferred method for choosing between blocks is to change the root path in your PIXILAB-Blocks-config.yml file that should be kept in your user home directory. [[https://int.pixilab.se/docs/blocks/server_configuration_file#alternative_blocks_data_location|Read this ]]to find out where to look for it and if it is not there, download a {{ :blocks:app-note:start:pixilab-blocks-config.zip |generic configuration file}} that will do when running Blocks from a personal computer for testing purposes,  for all the rest of the details [[https://int.pixilab.se/docs/blocks/server_configuration_file|read the whole article]] and learn about the syntax and the various settings.
+To open a test display spot using your computer's browser with a server running on the same computer, use the standard Blocks spot url:
+<code>http://localhost:8080/spot</code>
+If you need more that one display spot, a query parameter can be addad to the URL like this:
-===== Application notes: =====
+<code>http://localhost:8080/spot?display=1</code>
-  * [[https://int.pixilab.se/docs/blocks/app-note/countdown|Use a timer that countdown to zero.]]
+You can add any number of "fake displays" in this way. Make sure all the browser windows use display numbers, or the spot/window will misbehave (indicated by the connection status indicator of the display spot flashing in the editor).
-  * [[https://int.pixilab.se/docs/blocks/app-note/controlling-a-pc|Remote control a PC from Blocks]]
-  * [[https://int.pixilab.se/docs/blocks/app-note/interacting-from-a-custom-web-page|Interacting with Blocks from a Custom Web Page]]
+Replace localhost:8080 with your server's IP or domain name if the server is accessed over the network.
-  * [[https://int.pixilab.se/docs/blocks/app-note/currenttime|Use an classic animated wall clock ]]
+You must most likely reassigned any Display Spots used in the application note to your fake display windows by double clicking the Display Spot in the editor and selecting your spot's ID under "Re-assign to Spot ID".