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blocks:video_overview:in_depth [2023-04-13 14:45]
admin Using full video width
blocks:video_overview:in_depth [2023-05-03 12:26] (current)
admin [Blocks in Depth]
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 ====== Blocks in Depth ====== ====== Blocks in Depth ======
-seriels of videos going deep on a number of concepts and functions in Blocks, such as:+series of videos going deep on a number of concepts and functions in Blocks, such as:
  
   * Block Hierarchy and Navigation   * Block Hierarchy and Navigation
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   * Buttons, Controls and Bindings   * Buttons, Controls and Bindings
   * Tasks and Expressions   * Tasks and Expressions
- +  * System and Server Management 
-Some of the topics discussed in the videos include links to additional resources.+  * Security 
 +  * Block Replication and Data Feeds 
 +  * Server Administration
  
 ===== Introduction ===== ===== Introduction =====
  
-The goals of this series is to establish a firm understanding of how Blocks works, allowing you to fully use Blocks as a Project Enabler, with emphasis on interactivity and control solutions. +The goals of this series is to establish a firm understanding of how Blocks works, allowing you to fully use Blocks as a Project Enabler, with emphasis on interactivity and control solutions. You're expected to have already used Blocks and be familiar with all the basics, including the various block types. Advanced code-level topics such as [[blocks:advanced_scripting|scripting]] and [[blocks:custom_styling|CSS]] are not discussed in these videos
- +
-You're expected to have used Blocks. We will not go over any basics such as all the various block types. Other Blocks-related topics not covered include designer perspecitive, content production, vide/audio/image creation and encoding, 3D, etc. +
- +
-Nor will we cover any code-level aspects of Blocks, such as scripting and CSS. For some Blocks-specific CSS information see https://pixilab.se/docs/blocks/custom_styling+
  
 {{vimeo>811358799?full}} {{vimeo>811358799?full}}
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   * What triggers a Task?    * What triggers a Task? 
   * Task conditions.    * Task conditions. 
-  * Variables (predefined, local and realm) +  * Variables ([[blocks:tasks#predefined_variables|predefined]][[blocks:tasks#local_variables|local]] and [[blocks:tasks#realm_variables|realm]]). 
-  * Task Groups and Realms+  * Task Groups and Realms.
   * Statements, with a brief introduction to each type.   * Statements, with a brief introduction to each type.
   * Conditions and expression syntax, including constants, variables and operators.   * Conditions and expression syntax, including constants, variables and operators.
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 {{vimeo>814568643?full}} {{vimeo>814568643?full}}
- 
  
 Here's another, shorter video on the same subject, based on another type of content. Here's another, shorter video on the same subject, based on another type of content.
- 
  
 {{vimeo>623450286?full}} {{vimeo>623450286?full}}
 +
 +===== Security and Backups =====
 +
 +{{vimeo>817626343?full}}
 +
 +Links related to this video:
 +
 +  * More on [[blocks:server:backup|Backups]].
 +  * HTTPS connection [[blocks:server:https|managed directly by Blocks]].
 +  * HTTPS [[blocks:server:nginx|managed through NGINX]], as included on our Linux server image.
 +  * Using [[blocks:server:publish-on-internet|Cloudflare to publish your Blocks server on the internet]] using HTTPS.
 +
 +===== Data Feeds and Block Replication =====
 +
 +Pull data from external data sources into Blocks for further processing and display. Lets you integrate text, images, video, etc available from collection management systems and other databases.
 +
 +
 +{{vimeo>821639426?full}}
 +
 +
 +A quick summary and overview of this concept can also be found about 1 hour into the following video.
 +
 +{{vimeo>531820150?full}}
 +
 +
 +More technical details and examples can be found in the following application notes.
 +
 +  * [[blocks:app-note:collection-feed|Displaying an External Data Source]].
 +  * [[blocks:app-note:slideshow-from-folder|Dynamic Slideshow from Pictures in a Folder]].
 +  * [[blocks:app-note:csvfeed|Rendering data from a local CSV file]].
 +  * [[blocks:app-note:googlefeed|Rendering data from a Google Spreadsheet]].
 +  * [[blocks:app-note:google-calendar|Rendering data from a Google Calendar]].
 +
 +===== Server Administration =====
 +
 +A number of useful tips and techniques related to managing a Blocks server, either locally or remotely. Links to some useful resources can be found below the video. 
 +
 +Since this video is rather long, here are some time positions within it:
 +
 +  * ** 0:30** File Sharing.
 +  * ** 2:00** Blocks Server Configuration File.
 +  * ** 3:30** Server File Structure.
 +  * ** 4:20** Log File.
 +  * ** 6:20** Public Directory.
 +  * ** 9:20** Script Directory.
 +  * **15:10** Backups.
 +  * **15:33** Webmin.
 +  * **19:22** Anydesk.
 +  * **21:50** Terminal Access using SSH.
 +  * **22:53** Virtual Private Network (VPN) Connections.
 +  * **25:35** Hardware Reduncdancy with Mirror Server.
 +
 +{{vimeo>823073564?full}}
 +
 +  * **[[blocks:server_configuration_file|Blocks Server Configuration File]]**.
 +  * **Server File Structure** see Appendix A in the [[http://pixilab.se/outgoing/blocks/PIXILAB-Blocks.pdf|Blocks manual]].
 +  * **Device Drivers and Scripts** https://github.com/pixilab/blocks-script
 +  * **[[blocks:server:backup|Backups]]**.
 +  * **[[blocks:server:advanced_server_configuration#introducing_webmin|Webmin]]**.
 +  * **[[blocks:anydesk|Anydesk]]**.
 +  * **[[blocks:ssh|Terminal Access using SSH]]**.
 +  * **[[blocks:server:mirror|Mirror Server]]**.