Release 0.6.0 (1.21.0.21): Visualization Update

[m-brisch]

Read the previous release notes here

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Summary

Hello! Happy Preview day 😊 This week we are officially closing the v0.5.X semantic iterations and considering our work towards v0.6 done. Next week, we will begin 0.6.X cycles towards our next v0.7 release, tentatively titled the “Personalization Update,” where we will be focused on empowering creators to customize the Editor through the action bar, block palettes, brush masks, structures, and so much more! In addition to the framework improvements we'll also be bringing you more tools to help you build bigger and faster.

Read on for more details on this week’s exciting updates, as well as an all-up summary of everything that was done during the v0.5.X iterations.

As a reminder of Editor API support:

• Editor Extensions overview article and API reference documentation on learn.microsoft.com
• Starter Kit: Contains the compiler tools and various libraries required to get started making Editor Extensions
• Samples created by our team to jump-start your own Extension creations

Additionally, if you're new to the Editor GitHub this week, we encourage you to join the Bedrock Add-Ons Discord #Editor channel!

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Updates this week

New Feature: Updated Brush Framework

We created a new BrushShapeManager to store brush shapes that can be used across built-in editor tools and editor extensions! We'll be posting a sample this week on how you can use uiSession.extensionContext.brushShapeManager.registerBrushShape to add a 'star brush' and see it inside the brush tool

There is a known issue around quickly brushing large shapes not being filled correctly, we are aware and are working on a fix

New Feature: Summon Tool

We added a new tool to help you place and manage entities to build a more immersive world!

• SHIFT+CTRL+S to active the tool
• Click in an empty block to place the entity
• Click on an existing entity to select it
  • CTRL + D to deselect the entity
  • Mouse Wheel to rotate the entity
  • DEL to delete the entity
  • Keyboard U/D/L/R/PG_UP/PG_DN to manually nudge selected entity in camera relative direction
    

Full Changelog

• Added 'Summon Tool' to Editor for spawning, moving, and deleting entities.
• Updates API class BrushShapeManager to provide APIs for cross-module brush shape extensions.
• Supported block images on the editor UI will now have transparent background.

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v0.5.X Updates Aggregation

Here is the list of updates that have occurred in the Editor since v0.5.1 on January 4, 2024 to 0.6.0 on April 10, 2024.

Major Features

• New Panel Layout – panels can be toggled, resized, and support auto-hide
• Widget Framework – editor extensions can now use custom entities and animations to mark information within the world
• Global Block Hotbar + Picker – customize and swap between your most common blocks to build even faster
• Brush Shape Framework – use our resizable brush shapes to quickly modify the world or add your own with editor extensions
• Summon Tool – quickly create, move, rotate, and delete entities
• Line Tool – build parkour maps, bridges, roads with our newly improved line tool
• Customizable Menu system - easily find and organize your editor extensions within the top level menu

Full Changelog

• Removed addSeparator function from IMenu API
• Fixed issue where resource packs were not being retained during editing and testing - now they are retained!
• Added addEntityPicker function to IPropertyPane API for selecting an entity type
• Added interface IPropertyItemOptionsDataPicker for both entity and block picker optional properties, removed IPropertyItemOptionsBlocks
• Introducing Void World generation! The Flat World toggle found on the Advanced tab of the Create New Project page has been replaced with a drop down, allowing new Editor projects to be created in a Vanilla, Flat, or Void world. The Void world project experience will be iterated on in the coming months. Upon starting a Void world project, swap Selection to Fixed Distance to place blocks to kickstart your build.
• Added toolGroupId optional property to IRegisterExtensionOptionalParameters API for organizing tools in custom groups!
• Fixed a bug where submenu items were incorrectly added to the root level upon refreshing the editor screen
• The PropertyPane.addDropdown function now returns an IDropdownPropertyItem that can be used to call the new “updateDropdownItems” to change the Dropdown items in an existing Dropdown and optionally set a new currently-selected index. “updateDropdownItems” calls the corresponding “onChange” function but passes -1 in for the oldValue because the list is changing entries.
• Added Cursor delta relative to Player position and the name of the block at the cursor position to the Player position status bar entry.
• Vector3 panes now have a default “minX/Y/Z” of “MIN_SAFE_INTEGER”, allowing negative values to be used.
• The player will now correctly spawn at the current location when the “Spawn at current location” option is checked in the test world property pane.
• Viewport in the editor is no longer incorrectly offset while in a world with deferred graphics enabled.
• Added addText function to IPropertyPane API for a localized text only pane element.
• Localized text for crosshair mode button made it say something incomprehensible – so now it uses human words.
• Fixed a bug where the reload modal failed to appear when pressing the button with multiple connected players
• Renamed enum ClipboardMirrorAxis to StructureMirrorAxis and moved it to module @minecraft/server
• Renamed enum ClipboardRotation to StructureRotation and moved it to module @minecraft/server
• Panel booleans can now be represented as a toggleswitch as an alternative to a checkbox – check out the animation with it, too! Cute little bonus! 😊
• Fixed a bug around usability of Selection gizmos – you can now click-and-drag the gizmos to move and resize in addition to using the arrows!
• Fixed a bug where resource packs were not activated when using Test World feature!
• Fixed incorrect negative sign in Cursor Delta display in the status bar
• Added a 'border: true|false' option to the Editor remote pane TextComponent
• Added a text component to the Information section in the Playtest dialog
• Created a "blockPalette" service in the Extension Context that contains "getSelectedBlockType" and "setSelectedBlockType". This will be used to store the block type that is going to be painted to the world. The Selection, Cube Brush, and Line tools have been updated to use this service!
• Added a stateful menu to toggle Overworld weather in World Options.
• Added support for addImage to property pane
• Added icon property to IPropertyItemOptionsButton API to display icons in buttons
• Added the concept of WidgetManager and CustomWidget - allowing the server to instantiate in-world widgets which should facilitate manipulation of world tools. We currently only support CustomWidgets (which are server driven Custom Entities)
• Adjusted default editor UI scale to optimize screen space
• Added a “Reload” button that allows for reloading of the UI when an Ore UI error occurs
• Line tool bar icon updated to correct design icon
• Added three classes: the IBlockPaletteItem interface and the ProbabilityBlockPaletteItem and SimpleBlockPaletteItem concrete classes. These classes will be used in the later implementation of the Block Palette
• Tool mode screen layout will now be using a fixed drawer system rather than floating window panels. Drawers panels support drag to resize, expand/collapse, and show/hide behaviors
• ModalTool.bindPropertyPane API function will now only bind a single pane to the tool. Bound pane will be displayed in the layout drawer next to the tool rail on tool activation. It is recommended to update the pane state once it’s associated with the tool to ensure it’s displayed correctly
• Changed top level menus to show up only when they contain items
• Added uniqueId property to IMenuCreationParams API which will replace IMenu id on creation
• Added menubar: IMenuContainer property to IPlayerUISession. IMenuContainer will manage menu related operations
• Added getMenu method to IMenuContainer to return an existing menu item. Predefined editor menus can be retrieved with the new CoreMenuType enum
• Moved createMenu from IPlayerUISession to IMenuContainer
• Hovering over tool rail will now expand modal tool drawer if it’s not locked
• Updated Quick Start panel information
• Updated 'Pause Actors' to 'Pause Entities'
• Added ‘Time of Day’ settings panel
• Updated block atlas file using different rendering technique
• Updated Line Tool with new functionality and widget support
• Added global block hotbar with updated block picker
• Added 'Summon Tool' to Editor for spawning, moving, and deleting entities.
• Updates API class BrushShapeManager to provide APIs for cross-module brush shape extensions.
• Supported block images on the editor UI will now have transparent background.

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Thank you for being here! You're the best! ❤