[Feature] DriveBase block is too complicated

[laurensvalk]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
By popular request, we have added features such as absolute turns and arcs.

Since these are movements, they are part of the drive block. While they are all arguably useful, it leaves users confused when faced with this list of 7 (!) options:

Not all of these are final yet, so this would be a good time to decide if we should add them at all, and how.

Alternative: separate blocks
Instead of having all movement in one block, we could have separate blocks. Variations can be options instead, so we have just 5 blocks instead of 7 options.

This also maps much better to the underlying Python methods, so the code is easier to follow and document.

Still, if you consider the other blocks that exist, that's a lot of blocks.

Consideration: no block for coordinate turns
In either case, we could in principle omit the new move_by method since it hasn't been officially released.

Backwards compatibility
As always, existing blocks will continue to work.

New programs can begin using the new blocks, if we decide to introduce them.

[laurensvalk]

If you have any comments @ggramlich, @afarago, @zoligyenge, feel free to let us know!

[zoligyenge]

IMHO separate blocks make errors less likely. Maybe combine curve and veer?

[laurensvalk]

Thanks for the input!

Right, these are combined above. You can curve by an angle or for a distance. (Veer was a bit of an awkward distinction anyway, so indeed this helps.)

[laurensvalk]

After working through these and a few more options, I think we can strike a nice balance:

• Separate only the forever block (since it is the odd one out, it isn't a finite move)
• Use on-block setting for things like absolute, instead of a giant dropdown.

So we get a simpler block that is simple enough while keeping the palette clean.

[ggramlich]

This look nice to me. Separating the forever block from the others is a good idea.
So the absolute coordinate variants will be accessible from the blocks through the combobox (in your screenshot switch "by" to "towards")? How does that look for the straight with dx, dy?

[laurensvalk]

Thanks for having a look. I will post a full overview in this thread later this week.

In this variant, the straight hasn't changed.

The turn is also as before, but there is an extra dropdown instead of a static word:

So documentation changes will be minimal, and your tutorials still apply :)

Driving with coordinates is also the same as when you reviewed it: