feat: toasts for move/cut/copy and enter on a block

src/actions/clipboard.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import type {BlockSvg, WorkspaceSvg} from 'blockly';
 import {Navigation} from '../navigation';
 import {getShortActionShortcut} from '../shortcut_formatting';
 import * as Blockly from 'blockly';
+import {clearPasteHints, showCopiedHint, showCutHint} from '../hints';
 
 const KeyCodes = blocklyUtils.KeyCodes;
 const createSerializedKey = ShortcutRegistry.registry.createSerializedKey.bind(
@@ -168,6 +169,10 @@ export class Clipboard {
     if (cursor instanceof LineCursor) cursor.preDelete(sourceBlock);
     sourceBlock.checkAndDelete();
     if (cursor instanceof LineCursor) cursor.postDelete();
+    const cut = !!this.copyData;
+    if (cut) {
+      showCutHint(workspace);
+    }
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -274,8 +279,11 @@ export class Clipboard {
     this.copyData = sourceBlock.toCopyData();
     this.copyWorkspace = sourceBlock.workspace;
     const copied = !!this.copyData;
-    if (copied && navigationState === Constants.STATE.FLYOUT) {
-      this.navigation.focusWorkspace(workspace);
+    if (copied) {
+      if (navigationState === Constants.STATE.FLYOUT) {
+        this.navigation.focusWorkspace(workspace);
+      }
+      showCopiedHint(workspace);
     }
     return copied;
   }
@@ -361,6 +369,8 @@ export class Clipboard {
    */
   private pasteCallback(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
     if (!this.copyData || !this.copyWorkspace) return false;
+    clearPasteHints(workspace);
+
     const pasteWorkspace = this.copyWorkspace.isFlyout
       ? workspace
       : this.copyWorkspace;

src/actions/enter.ts

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import {
   Events,
   ShortcutRegistry,
   utils as BlocklyUtils,
-  dialog,
 } from 'blockly/core';
 
 import type {
@@ -22,8 +21,12 @@ import type {
 
 import * as Constants from '../constants';
 import type {Navigation} from '../navigation';
-import {getShortActionShortcut} from '../shortcut_formatting';
 import {Mover} from './mover';
+import {
+  showConstrainedMovementHint,
+  showHelpHint,
+  showUnconstrainedMoveHint,
+} from '../hints';
 
 const KeyCodes = BlocklyUtils.KeyCodes;
 
@@ -104,9 +107,7 @@ export class EnterAction {
     } else if (nodeType === ASTNode.types.BLOCK) {
       const block = curNode.getLocation() as Block;
       if (!this.tryShowFullBlockFieldEditor(block)) {
-        const shortcut = getShortActionShortcut('list_shortcuts');
-        const message = `Press ${shortcut} for help on keyboard controls`;
-        dialog.alert(message);
+        showHelpHint(workspace);
       }
     } else if (curNode.isConnection() || nodeType === ASTNode.types.WORKSPACE) {
       this.navigation.openToolboxOrFlyout(workspace);
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ export class EnterAction {
    * Tries to find a connection on the block to connect to the marked
    * location. If no connection has been marked, or there is not a compatible
    * connection then the block is placed on the workspace.
+   * Trigger a toast per session if possible.
    *
    * @param workspace The main workspace. The workspace
    *     the block will be placed on.
@@ -150,6 +152,16 @@ export class EnterAction {
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-non-null-assertion
     workspace.getCursor()?.setCurNode(ASTNode.createBlockNode(newBlock)!);
     this.mover.startMove(workspace);
+
+    const isStartBlock =
+      !newBlock.outputConnection &&
+      !newBlock.nextConnection &&
+      !newBlock.previousConnection;
+    if (isStartBlock) {
+      showUnconstrainedMoveHint(workspace, false);
+    } else {
+      showConstrainedMovementHint(workspace);
+    }
   }
 
   /**

src/actions/mover.ts

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import * as Constants from '../constants';
 import {Direction, getXYFromDirection} from '../drag_direction';
 import {KeyboardDragStrategy} from '../keyboard_drag_strategy';
 import {Navigation} from '../navigation';
+import {clearMoveHints} from '../hints';
 
 /**
  * The distance to move an item, in workspace coordinates, when
@@ -134,6 +135,8 @@ export class Mover {
    * @returns True iff move successfully finished.
    */
   finishMove(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+    clearMoveHints(workspace);
+
     const info = this.moves.get(workspace);
     if (!info) throw new Error('no move info for workspace');
 
@@ -157,6 +160,8 @@ export class Mover {
    * @returns True iff move successfully aborted.
    */
   abortMove(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+    clearMoveHints(workspace);
+
     const info = this.moves.get(workspace);
     if (!info) throw new Error('no move info for workspace');
 

src/hints.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+/**
+ * Centralises hints that we show.
+ *
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2025 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import {WorkspaceSvg, Toast} from 'blockly';
+import {SHORTCUT_NAMES} from './constants';
+import {getShortActionShortcut} from './shortcut_formatting';
+
+const unconstrainedMoveHintId = 'unconstrainedMoveHint';
+const constrainedMoveHintId = 'constrainedMoveHint';
+const copiedHintId = 'copiedHint';
+const cutHintId = 'cutHint';
+const helpHintId = 'helpHint';
+
+/**
+ * Nudge the user to use unconstrained movement.
+ *
+ * @param workspace Workspace.
+ * @param force Set to show it even if previously shown.
+ */
+export function showUnconstrainedMoveHint(
+  workspace: WorkspaceSvg,
+  force = false,
+) {
+  const enter = getShortActionShortcut(SHORTCUT_NAMES.EDIT_OR_CONFIRM);
+  const modifier = navigator.platform.startsWith('Mac') ? '⌥' : 'Ctrl';
+  const message = `Hold ${modifier} and use arrow keys to move freely, then ${enter} to accept the position`;
+  Toast.show(workspace, {
+    message,
+    id: unconstrainedMoveHintId,
+    oncePerSession: !force,
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Nudge the user to move a block that's in move mode.
+ *
+ * @param workspace Workspace.
+ */
+export function showConstrainedMovementHint(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+  const enter = getShortActionShortcut(SHORTCUT_NAMES.EDIT_OR_CONFIRM);
+  const message = `Use the arrow keys to move, then ${enter} to accept the position`;
+  Toast.show(workspace, {
+    message,
+    id: constrainedMoveHintId,
+    oncePerSession: true,
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Clear active move-related hints, if any.
+ *
+ * @param workspace The workspace.
+ */
+export function clearMoveHints(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+  Toast.hide(workspace, constrainedMoveHintId);
+  Toast.hide(workspace, unconstrainedMoveHintId);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Nudge the user to paste after a copy.
+ *
+ * @param workspace Workspace.
+ */
+export function showCopiedHint(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+  Toast.show(workspace, {
+    message: `Copied. Press ${getShortActionShortcut('paste')} to paste.`,
+    duration: 7000,
+    id: copiedHintId,
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Nudge the user to paste after a cut.
+ *
+ * @param workspace Workspace.
+ */
+export function showCutHint(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+  Toast.show(workspace, {
+    message: `Cut. Press ${getShortActionShortcut('paste')} to paste.`,
+    duration: 7000,
+    id: cutHintId,
+  });
+}
+
+/**
+ * Clear active paste-related hints, if any.
+ *
+ * @param workspace The workspace.
+ */
+export function clearPasteHints(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+  Toast.hide(workspace, cutHintId);
+  Toast.hide(workspace, copiedHintId);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Nudge the user to open the help.
+ *
+ * @param workspace The workspace.
+ */
+export function showHelpHint(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+  const shortcut = getShortActionShortcut('list_shortcuts');
+  const message = `Press ${shortcut} for help on keyboard controls`;
+  const id = helpHintId;
+  Toast.show(workspace, {message, id});
+}
+
+/**
+ * Clear the help hint.
+ *
+ * @param workspace The workspace.
+ */
+export function clearHelpHint(workspace: WorkspaceSvg) {
+  // TODO: We'd like to do this in MakeCode too as we override.
+  // Could have an option for showing help in the plugin?
+  Toast.hide(workspace, helpHintId);
+}

src/index.ts

@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ export class KeyboardNavigation {
    * Toggle visibility of a help dialog for the keyboard shortcuts.
    */
   toggleShortcutDialog(): void {
-    this.navigationController.shortcutDialog.toggle();
+    this.navigationController.shortcutDialog.toggle(this.workspace);
   }
 
   /**

src/keyboard_drag_strategy.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   utils,
 } from 'blockly';
 import {Direction, getDirectionFromXY} from './drag_direction';
+import {showUnconstrainedMoveHint} from './hints';
 
 // Copied in from core because it is not exported.
 interface ConnectionCandidate {
@@ -70,6 +71,12 @@ export class KeyboardDragStrategy extends dragging.BlockDragStrategy {
     } else {
       // Handle the case when unconstrained drag was far from any candidate.
       this.searchNode = null;
+
+      if (this.isConstrainedMovement()) {
+        // @ts-expect-error private field
+        const workspace = this.workspace;
+        showUnconstrainedMoveHint(workspace, true);
+      }
     }
   }
 

src/shortcut_dialog.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   getLongActionShortcutsAsKeys,
   upperCaseFirst,
 } from './shortcut_formatting';
+import {clearHelpHint} from './hints';
 
 /**
  * Class for handling the shortcuts dialog.
@@ -64,7 +65,12 @@ export class ShortcutDialog {
     }
   }
 
-  toggle() {
+  toggle(workspace: Blockly.WorkspaceSvg) {
+    clearHelpHint(workspace);
+    this.toggleInternal();
+  }
+
+  toggleInternal() {
     if (this.modalContainer && this.shortcutDialog) {
       // Use built in dialog methods.
       if (this.shortcutDialog.hasAttribute('open')) {
@@ -132,7 +138,7 @@ export class ShortcutDialog {
       // Can we also intercept the Esc key to dismiss.
       if (this.closeButton) {
         this.closeButton.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
-          this.toggle();
+          this.toggleInternal();
         });
       }
     }
@@ -161,8 +167,8 @@ export class ShortcutDialog {
     /** List all of the currently registered shortcuts. */
     const announceShortcut: ShortcutRegistry.KeyboardShortcut = {
       name: Constants.SHORTCUT_NAMES.LIST_SHORTCUTS,
-      callback: () => {
-        this.toggle();
+      callback: (workspace) => {
+        this.toggle(workspace);
         return true;
       },
       keyCodes: [Blockly.utils.KeyCodes.SLASH],