Sandblocks: A Projectional Block-Based Editor for Squeak

Sandblocks is a projectional, block-based programming environment written in Squeak/Smalltalk.

Projectional editors are promising for tasks like language composition and domain-specific projections. Effective user interaction requires clear communication of program structure and supported editing operations. While making the abstract syntax tree visible can enhance clarity, it often leads to increased space usage and potential usability issues. Sandblocks is an early prototype of a tree-oriented projectional editor for Squeak/Smalltalk, which aims to minimize space while clearly visualizing the tree structure.

For more information on projectional editing, you can start by reading Martin Fowler’s explanation (here), in which he describes it as an alternative to source editing.

Give it a Try!

You can find the simple installation instructions on the project page here. The page specifically mentions Squeak 5.3, but it seems to work similarly well with Squeak 6.0. Sandblocks is a research prototype, so be sure to save often while working with it.

Have a great time with Smalltalk and keep on Squeaking!