Sharing Projects via URLs

When opening NetsBlox, there are a number of URL parameters that can be used to modify the behavior when it opens. This includes things like opening a public project or setting the language. Although NetsBlox supports configuration using hash parameters in the URL (i.e., adding text after a “#” in the URL), the recommended approach is to use query string parameters instead (i.e., text after a “?” in the URL).

Actions

The most common use of custom URLs in NetsBlox is for sharing public projects or automatically opening example projects. This is supported through setting the “action” parameter. Below is a list of supported actions.

open

Immediately open a project or block library. Expects a single parameter, data, set to the URL or XML string of the project or library to import.

  • Parameters:

    • data: the project or block library to open. It can be specified as a URL or as a (URI encoded) XML string. required

run

Open a project and run it.

  • Parameters:

    • data: the project or block library to open. It can be specified as a URL or as a (URI encoded) XML string. required

    • editMode: If set, the project will be open in a regular mode. Otherwise, it will be opened in “app mode” (see the appMode setting).

    • noRun: This action will run the project on open (see the run setting). Adding this parameter to the URL will revert this behavior so the project will not run on start.

present

Open a copy of the given public project and run it.

  • Parameters:

    • Username: The owner of the public project to open required

    • ProjectName: The name of the public project to open required

    • editMode: If set, the project will be open in a regular mode. Otherwise, it will be opened in “app mode” (see the appMode setting).

    • noRun: This action will run the project on open (see the run setting). Adding this parameter to the URL will revert this behavior so the project will not run on start.

example

Open a project from the list of official NetsBlox examples and run it.

  • Parameters:

    • ProjectName: The name of the example project to open required

    • editMode: If set, the project will be open in a regular mode. Otherwise, it will be opened in “app mode” (see the appMode setting).

    • noRun: This action will run the project on open (see the run setting). Adding this parameter to the URL will revert this behavior so the project will not run on start.

private

Open a project owned by the logged in user and run it.

  • Parameters:

    • ProjectName: The name of the example project to open required

    • editMode: If set, the project will be open in a regular mode. Otherwise, it will be opened in “app mode” (see the appMode setting).

    • noRun: This action will run the project on open (see the run setting). Adding this parameter to the URL will revert this behavior so the project will not run on start.

dl

Download a public project.

  • Parameters:

    • Username: The owner of the public project to open required

    • ProjectName: The name of the public project to open required

signup

Open the signup dialog on start.

Other Settings

The following settings are generally available, regardless of the action:

  • appMode: Start NetsBlox in fullscreen mode. Some actions, such as “present”, will set this to true unless explicitly overridden.

  • embedMode: Open NetsBlox and customize the UI for embedding in a bigger site like on the social project sharing/commenting sites by Snap or Scratch. Expected to be used with appMode.

  • run: Trigger the green flag as soon as NetsBlox starts.

  • hideControls: Hide the control bar (with the green flag, red stop sign, etc).

  • noExitWarning: Don’t confirm that the user wants to leave the page on tab close.

  • lang: Set the language immediately. For example, “lang=hu” will set NetsBlox to Hungarian on start.

  • setVariable: Set a variable to the given value on start. The value is expected to be a URL-encoded pair so setting “hello” to “world” would be “hello%3Dworld”.

  • cloud: Override the default cloud URL. This can be used to point the public deployment to your own local cloud (e.g, cloud=http://localhost:7777).

  • extensions: A list of extensions (by URL) to load on start.