Blueprint menu

Start visual coding and learn to navigate efficiently.

What is a blueprint?

A blueprint in Rual Studio is a workspace where you build part of your application.
One blueprint could contain a page, with the functions needed on that page. Or an event that operates independently. Or a function that is called from other blueprints. As a rule of thumb, keep the number of blocks around 300 to maintain a good performance.

How to create a blueprint

In the blueprints overview list you can create a new blueprint using the + sign on the right.
The blueprint will open with a menu showing you optional blocks to start with.
After a few seconds this menu disappears. If you have not made a choice yet, you can do this later with the menu that opens on right-click (see below).

Top bar: left side

  - the Rual logo brings you back to the blueprints overview
  - leave anytime, unsaved changes will be kept
  - type a name for your blueprint on the … in the top left
  - you can change the blueprint name anytime

Top bar: right side

  - use the tag button to add a tag to the blueprint
  - tags help you organize the blueprints overview
  - the (de)activate button works on pages or events
  - the options button will open a sub menu

Options menu

This menu also opens if you type m. The options menu is especially useful in larger blueprints.
  - function relations show calls from or to other blueprints
  - open a console here to record console log actions
  - recent changes lists changes that were saved
  - use view recent change for unsaved changes

Options menu: folders

In a folder, click on a content item to bring you to the corresponding block in the blueprint.
  - deprecated items folder
  - pages folder
  - functions folder
  - document actions folder

Options menu: remove

If you click remove, a pop-up will open for confirmation. A removed blueprint is deleted permanently after 24 hours. It can only be retrieved (within 24 hours) by the Rual team.

Options menu: snapshot

You can make a snapshot to copy the current status of a blueprint. The snapshot itself is not a working program, but it makes it easier to restore parts of the blueprint.

Bottom bar: left side

  - undo your changes
  - undo all changes, also from other developers
  - view recent change will jump to the changed actions

If you run a simulation, the control buttons will also show up on the left side of the bottom bar.

Bottom bar: right side

Once you made changes to the blueprint, the save button will show if you have a scope that allows you to deploy to production.
Use the ?staging mode to see unsaved styling and debug modals in the frontend. Simulations, console log and debug all work with unsaved changes.

Moving around

  - hold left mouse button to move the blueprint
  - hold right mouse button to select blocks
  - use mouse wheel to zoom in or out
  - open right click menu to go to the center

Right-click menu

  - add new block
  - add function
  - go to center
  - add comment
  - reload

next course: Blueprint Blocks

part of the Introduction series