"Build your Pack in 3 easy steps"

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@Agile_Dynamics and I are very excited to share with the Community our Pack.Builder doc for getting started with packs!

We have broken down the steps of creating a new pack into three steps:

  1. Define desired Outputs
  • select which block type shall be used for your pack.
  • Next, for the pack type just selected, define its Return Type.
  • Lastly, specify whether your pack will send/retrieve data from a third party application via an API.
  1. Define User Inputs
  • You define the Input Parameters in your pack’s code and the user fills them with values when they use your Pack.
  1. Define Pack’s Function
  • Define the function that is carried out via the execute statement when this pack is used.
  • This function is written in Javascript.
  • And this is where the secret sauce comes in: Our doc is is geared towards users proficient in the Coda-Formula Language (CFL), not Javascript. Therefore, it will bridge the gap between CFL- and JS-knowledge. So, for the 5 Key functions, which most packs will require, you merely have to select the corresponding formula in CFL below, and it will automatically be converted into Javascript.

After this, all that’s left is to click the :gift:Build Pack button. This will copy the pack’s code to your clipboard and open up a new pack window. In the Pack Editor, simply select “Start from Scratch”, delete the existing code and paste in your code. :boom:You’re done!

Happy Pack Building!

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wonderful contribution @Nina_Ledid and @Agile_Dynamics . This is what Coda should have done about a year ago.

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We have RE-LAUNCHED this document again after some initial teething problems. So if you tried it out before and had problems, please try it again.

We accidentally published the doc in Edit-Mode instead of Play-Mode; so experiments made by one user were changing the underlying data tables and confusing users who came in afterwards.

I have restored the database to the correct state, so now you can explore the sample packs, and create your own packs and it wont interfere with other users.

Just remember to hit the BUILD PACK button in the last step, so your pack code is copied over to the Coda Online Pack Editor, so the pack is built in your own workspace with yourself as the author.

Have fun
Max

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