BlockVariantGroups

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Overview

Inherits

• DefinitionBase

BlockVariantGroups (BVGs) are the “scroll-groups” of blocks, marked with a +, that you can find in the G-menu.

Once equipped, you can cycle through them using mouse scroll wheel or gamepad d-pad up.

BVGs generally group blocks with similar purposes or of similar types together into one hotbar item, for ease of use. Too many in one group can become a hinderance especially for gamepad users.

Unlike BlockCategories, this definition is non-additive. This means that you have to redefine the entire BlockVariantGroup and all its entries if you would like to extend one that exists in the base game. It also means that if two mods edit the same BVG, then the mod load order will determine which gets to keep the changes.

Wrapper & Entry Example

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Definitions xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <BlockVariantGroups>
    <!-- One or more BlockVariantGroup entries are placed here. -->
  </BlockVariantGroups>
</Definitions>

A typical BlockVariantGroups.sbc entry

This is the entry for the BlockVariantGroup that starts with the basic Light Armor Block.

    <BlockVariantGroup>
      <Id Type="MyObjectBuilder_BlockVariantGroup" Subtype="ArmorLightCubeGroup"/>
      <Icon>Textures\GUI\Icons\Cubes\light_armor_cube.dds</Icon>
      <DisplayName>DisplayName_Block_LightArmorBlock</DisplayName>
      <Description>Description_LightArmor</Description>
      <Blocks>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="LargeBlockArmorBlock"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="LargeBlockArmorSlope"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="LargeBlockArmorCorner"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="LargeBlockArmorCornerInv"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="LargeBlockArmorCornerSquare"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="LargeBlockArmorCornerSquareInverted"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="SmallBlockArmorBlock"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="SmallBlockArmorSlope"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="SmallBlockArmorCorner"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="SmallBlockArmorCornerInv"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="SmallBlockArmorCornerSquare"/>
        <Block Type="MyObjectBuilder_CubeBlock" Subtype="SmallBlockArmorCornerSquareInverted"/>
      </Blocks>
    </BlockVariantGroup>

Problems

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There are two common sources of trouble for BlockVariantGroups:

1. DLC-blocks: If a DLC-block is first in the list of blocks, it will block a player that does not own said DLC from accessing the entire BVG, even if subsequent blocks may not be DLC blocks.
2. Small / Large Grid Pairs: Blocks that have a paired block of the other grid size will always be preferred in the BVG order ingame, no matter the order the group is defined in the SBC. This means that if the first block in the SBC list does not have a paired small grid / large grid block, it will be substituted ingame by the first block in the BVG that does.

Elements

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Uses <Icon>, <DisplayName> and <Description> only for gamepad radial menu. For keyboard and mouse, it will use one of the blocks in the group for the name, icon and description.

Blocks <Blocks>	Type: SerializableDefinitionId[]	Default: null
List of blocks to be in this group. Blocks cannot be in multiple groups. Blocks linked by the same <BlockPairName> must be both in the same group. LargeGrid blocks should be first in the list to avoid issues. Usage: <Blocks> <Block Type="Reactor" Subtype="SomeBlockSubtype" /> <!-- ... --> </Blocks> The Type and Subtype must match the block's <Id> (not xsi:type). In the Type, the "MyObjectBuilder_" prefix is optional, just like it's optional in the <Id> too.

(Top) | From DefinitionBase:

Common

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Id <Id>	Type: SerializableDefinitionId	Default: (invalid)
The type and subtype combined make up a unique identifier for this definition. If two definitions use the same Type+Subtype (Subtypes are only unique per Type), then the last to load will override the first one(s). For more details see Things to know about SBC. TypeId <TypeId> Type: string Default: (invalid) Must be an existing type with or without the "MyObjectBuilder_" prefix. Some types require an xsi:type, refer to the vanilla files for the exact pairing. TypeId vs xsi:type SubtypeId <SubtypeId> Type: string Default: (empty) This can be invented and only needs to be unique per TypeId. Vanilla game re-uses some subtypes over multiple types (e.g. Iron is used for Ore type and Ingot type). An empty value is also a valid subtype (which vanilla also uses on at least 5 blocks). Type Type (attribute) Type: string Default: (invalid) Same behavior as <TypeId>, do not define both. Subtype Subtype (attribute) Type: string Default: (empty) Same behavior as <SubtypeId>, do not define both. Example: <Id> <TypeId>CubeBlock</TypeId> <SubtypeId>FancyTable</SubtypeId> </Id> Because it has attribute alternatives it can also be declared as: <Id Type="CubeBlock" Subtype="FancyTable" />
DisplayName <DisplayName>	Type: String	Default: null
If the object defined here is visible anywhere in the game GUI, this would be the name shown for it. In cases where it is used, it is very much required. Can be plain-text. If the text contains DisplayName_ then: A localization key (from .resx files) will be searched for. It will scan for text variables to replace.
Description <Description>	Type: String	Default: null
Optional. If the object defined here is shown with a description in the game GUI (Hotbar/G-menu, HUD, etc) then this is the place to write it. Can be plain-text. If the text contains Description_ then: A localization key (from .resx files) will be searched for. It will scan for text variables to replace. If the final text (plain, localized or variable-replaced) contains {0}, {1}, etc, then they will replaced by kb&m control binds defined in <DescriptionArgs>.
DescriptionArgs <DescriptionArgs>	Type: String	Default: null
Optional. A comma-separated list of control IDs which are referenced in <Description> by {number} tags, which then get replaced by the keyboard or mouse bind that the viewer has for those controls. Example: <Description>Press {0} to fire, {1} to change color, {2} to interact.</description> <DescriptionArgs>PRIMARY_TOOL_ACTION,CUBE_COLOR_CHANGE,USE</DescriptionArgs> And each player will see their current binds for those actions. The control IDs can be found in your %appdata%/SpaceEngineers/SpaceEngineers.cfg at the ControlsButtons section.
Icon <Icon>	Type: String[]	Default: null
Icon(s) for the definition which may or may not be used depending on the definition type. Path to a .dds or .png file relative to current mod's folder. Falls back to game folder if not found in current mod. Referencing assets in other mods Can be declared multiple times which will stack icons on top of eachother, however it will not work for all definitions. Known definitions to work or not work with multiple icons Working: Blocks, BlockVariantGroups and component items seen in G-menu, BlockInfo (HUD right side) and toolbars; Blueprints in terminal production tab; Blocks and PhysicalItems in gamepad HUD. Partial: Blocks seen in terminal. Not working: HandItems (uses PhysicalItem's icon instead); Blocks and BlockVariantGroups seen in build planner, radial menu and some economy GUIs; PhysicalItems in economy GUIs and stores; Prefabs in stores; BlueprintClass (tabs) in terminal production tab; BankingSystemDefinition (Game\BankingSystem.sbc); Emotes (both kinds of definitions) in gamepad HUD; Block skins; RespawnShips. Special cases: Economy contracts, FactionIcons Definition.
DLC <DLC>	Type: String[]	Default: null
Optional. The DLC subtypeId that this definition will require. For the IDs, refer to <SE>\Content\Data\Game\DLCs.sbc. Can be declared multiple times to require multiple DLCs. Most definition types won't check for this, the ones that do: blocks, emotes and possibly anything else that can be placed in the toolbar.
AvailableInSurvival <AvailableInSurvival>	Type: Boolean	Default: true
Depends on the definition if it uses this, and if it does then this determines whether it can be accessible in survival game mode. Currently known definitions that do use this: Blocks, BlockVariantGroups, BlockCategories and any definition that can show up in a toolbar. EntityStatComponent Definition and EntityStat Definition.
Public <Public>	Type: Boolean	Default: true
If the definition is visible or accessible in some cases. For blocks, this only hides them and they can still be built using projectors and other means.
Enabled Enabled (attribute)	Type: Boolean	Default: true
If set to false it will remove the definition after it's been loaded. Example usage: <Definition Enabled="false"> The "Definition" above is the opening element that for the entire definition, not an inner node like <DisplayName> is. The opening node can have a different name for other definitions, some examples <Component>, <Blueprint>, etc.
xsi:type xsi:type (attribute)	Type: string	Default: null
Name of an object that this definition will be deserialized as. Sometimes required, depends on the definition. The wiki page for any given definition will mention at the top what xsi:type it requires, if any. The game's sbc files are also a reference on what xsi:types are required for a given definition. This attribute is available on all elements and comes from the XML specification. This game relies on this attribute to change which sub-definition object is used to deserialize that element's contents. It's what allows, for example, a thruster to have unique elements (such as <MinPlanetaryInfluence>) that no other block definitions have. For more details on how this relates to the TypeId, and usage examples, see: Things to know about SBC - TypeId vs xsi:type.

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