No-Code Workspace — Block Reference

Data and UtilitiesBlock usage recipe

Date Time (DATE_TIME)

Gets, parses, or formats date-time values

Documented for app version 1.0.50Updated: October 2, 2026

What Does It Do?

This is the main builder block for time-based workflows. It can fetch the current timestamp, parse text into a date value, format a date, and hand the result to later blocks.

When to Use?

Use it for:

Daily scheduled macros

Switching flows after a target time

Normalizing dates coming from OCR or APIs

Showing readable timestamps in logs, files, or HUDs

How to Use?

Add DATE_TIME

Pick the DateTime Action: Now (ms), Now (DateTime), Format Current Time, Parse Text, or Format Value

For parse and format actions, fill Source Value and Format Pattern (default yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss)

Save the result into a variable for later blocks

Parameters

Action

Now (ms), Now (DateTime), Format Current Time, Parse Text, Format Value

Source / Format

Text input and format patterns depending on the chosen action

Result Variable

Variable that will receive the generated date-time result

Parameter	Description
Action	Now (ms), Now (DateTime), Format Current Time, Parse Text, Format Value
Source / Format	Text input and format patterns depending on the chosen action
Result Variable	Variable that will receive the generated date-time result

Example Usage

Scenario: Turn an OCR date into a standard format

Capture the text with OCR_VALUE or TEXT

Parse it with DATE_TIME

Reformat if needed

Save it with LOG or FILE_WRITE

Combinations / Used With

COMBINATIONS:

DATE_TIME + SLEEP_UNTIL: wait until a target time

DATE_TIME + COMPARE: branch based on time

DATE_TIME + FILE_WRITE: timestamped logs

Tip

If date text varies by locale or device, clean it first with STRING_OP before parsing.

Warnings / Cautions

WARNING:

If the incoming date text does not match the expected format, parsing may fail or become incorrect

Do not ignore timezone effects

Step-by-Step Mastery: Basic → Advanced → Pro

The same block at three levels: a quick start, the real options, and professional techniques.

Basic

DATE_TIME is the main block for time-based flows. At its simplest you choose Action now_ms (get the current time in milliseconds) and store the result in a variable (default date_val). You use that value in logs, file names, or SLEEP_UNTIL calculations.

Advanced

The Action (dateTimeAction) has five modes: now_ms (epoch ms), now (current time), format_now (render now with a pattern), parse_text (parse text into a date), format_value (format an existing date value). In format and parse modes you fill the Format Pattern (default yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss) and the Source text field. With parse_text you normalize a date coming from OCR or an API; with format_now/format_value you produce a readable timestamp for a log or HUD. Store the result in the Result Variable and you can build time-based branching with COMPARE.

Pro

The heart of scheduling flows is the DATE_TIME + SLEEP_UNTIL pairing: get now with now_ms, compute the gap to the target time, then wait to that moment with SLEEP_UNTIL. For parse_text the critical point is that the pattern must match the incoming text exactly; if there is a device/locale difference (Turkish month name, 12/24-hour, separator), clean it first with STRING_OP, then parse. Do not ignore timezone effects — epoch ms is timezone-independent but formatted text is local; do comparisons in ms when you can so they stay consistent.

Real-World Scenarios — Step-by-Step Recipes

Small, reproducible examples that combine several blocks — build them straight into your own macro.

Turn an OCR date into a standard format

1Capture the date text with OCR_VALUE or TEXT
2Clean stray characters with STRING_OP
3DATE_TIME → Action: parse_text, Source: clean text, Pattern: incoming format
4DATE_TIME → Action: format_value, Pattern: yyyy-MM-dd
5Save with FILE_WRITE or LOG

Produce a timestamped log line

1DATE_TIME → Action: format_now, Pattern: HH:mm:ss, Result Variable: ts
2LOG → "[{{ts}}] round done"

Which Blocks to Pair With — Pro Combinations

This block is useful on its own — but it shines when paired with the right partners.

+ SLEEP_UNTIL

Compute the target time with now_ms and feed SLEEP_UNTIL to build calendar-based triggers.

+ COMPARE

Compare the current time against a threshold to branch into time-based flows.

+ FILE_WRITE

Use format_now/format_value output to produce timestamped files/logs.

+ STRING_OP

Used before parse_text to clean locale differences.

Common Mistakes and Fixes

Mismatch between the parse_text pattern and the incoming text format. Fix: write the pattern to the exact incoming format, or reshape the text with STRING_OP first.

Ignoring timezone and mixing formatted text with ms values. Fix: do comparisons on epoch ms.

Passing raw text instead of a valid date value as the source in format_value. Fix: produce a date value with parse_text first, then format with format_value.

Pro Tips

Do all decisions and math on epoch ms; use formatting only at the very end for display (log/HUD).

For recurring daily schedules, compute today's target time from now_ms and feed SLEEP_UNTIL; if it is in the past, roll to the next day.

This Block's Code (Editor View)

Lua

The Lua below is what the Code Editor generates for this block with sample settings. Adding cases, branches, actions or loops, or changing settings, extends the generated code accordingly. Study it to see what the block does under the hood, to learn Lua, or to copy and adapt it. Use the Copy button (top-right) to paste it into the Code Editor, or “Try in Editor →” to run it in the live editor.

lua

Try in Editor →

local date_val = nil

date_val = DateTime.nowMs()

Note: generated code can evolve across versions; helper names (e.g. _reg1, m1) and internal optimizations may change. The logic and the called APIs reflect the block’s behavior.

Block ↔ Lua Mapping →

Shared Controls for This Block Family

The guidance below is not identical for every block. It summarizes the professional controls that most often repeat in the selected block family.

🗃Source and Destination

Use file paths, key names, regex sources, and JSON paths with clear naming discipline.

🧷Default Value

Define default outputs clearly so the builder flow does not collapse when data is missing.

🔄Write Then Read Back

For KV or file writes, verifying the result in the next block is healthier in production-grade flows.

🪶Narrow Output Design

Instead of carrying large raw payloads, extract the value you need and pass it forward via a result variable.

Builder vs Lua Boundary

Raw touch pointer lifecycle stays code-first

TOUCH and TOUCH_BREAK cover recipe-style touch flows. Raw pointer choreography such as Touch.down, Touch.move, Touch.up, Touch.dispatch, Touch.reset, Touch.breakAll, and Touch.releaseAfter is not exposed as a first-class builder block.

Touch.downTouch.moveTouch.upTouch.dispatchTouch.resetTouch.breakAllTouch.releaseAfter

Bounded dialog design is builder-backed; freer composition stays code-first

The DIALOG block and dialog designer cover a bounded field set in the builder: Info Text, Text Input, Checkbox, Description, Radio Group, Dropdown, Multi Select, Tab Group, Date Time, Number Range, Slider, Image Picker, Color Picker, File Picker, Recorder Picker, Tag, Signature, and Spacer. The buttons are designed too: the Positive button and Negative button tabs set each button’s text, background, and border color, corner radius, and minimum height next to a preview. Freer Setting.builder composition, multi-step wizard flows, and mixed HUD/dialog choreography still do not map 1:1 into the builder.

Coming soonv1.0.51Two more fields: Agent Detect references (agent_detect_editor) lets the user pick a saved reference set or add and edit references, and Save confirms the selection; Navigation setup editor (navigation_editor) edits a saved map, marker and route from the Dialog and returns the setup and route selection without moving the character.

Setting.builderDialogHudTextViewAgentDetectEditorNavigationEditor

Advanced HTTP request chaining stays code-first

HTTP_GET, HTTP_POST, and HTTP_PUT cover common fixed-method flows; HTTP_REQUEST covers one bounded request with method, header lines, body, content type, query parameters (GET and DELETE), timeout, and a bounded retry. These blocks never throw; they write the status code (-1 on a network failure). Cookie handling, chained request objects, and lower-level client flows still need the code editor.

Request()Request.setCookieRequest.getCookiesCUSTOM_CODE

General programming surfaces stay code-first

The MAP, LIST, JSON_PARSE, REGEX_MATCH, and METRICS blocks cover the everyday cases: map actions, a static list, reading a value from a JSON path, regex match, find, replace, and split, and metrics actions. The rest of the Map, Array, JSON, Regex, and Metrics APIs (for example Array sort, filter, and map) is broader than the builder recipe model and stays on the CUSTOM_CODE and code editor side.

MapArrayJSONRegexMetrics

Low-level runtime and Lua composition stays code-first

Runtime helpers, raw Request objects, Lua built-ins such as print/pcall/xpcall, and free-form object chaining patterns are represented through CUSTOM_CODE or the code editor.

RuntimeRequestprintpcallxpcallCUSTOM_CODE

Debug Mode and Breakpoints

Each block card now exposes an independent breakpoint toggle. When enabled, the breakpoint preference is stored with the block.

Breakpoints are only emitted into runtime code when Debug Mode is enabled from Visual Builder settings. When Debug Mode is off, breakpoints stay saved but do not pause execution.

Use ASSERT for fail-fast validation, and use breakpoints for step-by-step tracing and controlled pauses in the same flow.

Variable Scope

Variables defined with SET_VARIABLE are accessible throughout the macro (global scope). All blocks can read/write the same variable.

However, a variable defined inside a GROUP will be 'nil' (undefined) until the GROUP executes. Blocks outside the GROUP using this variable may produce unexpected results.

FOR_EACH loop variables (item and index) only carry valid values inside the loop body. Outside the loop they are outside local scope and should not be used.

TRY_CATCH error variable is only valid within the catch block. If the try block succeeds, the catch branch is not entered and the error variable remains undefined.

TIP: Before using a variable inside a GROUP, assign a default value with SET_VARIABLE outside the GROUP. This way the variable won't be nil even if the GROUP has not run.

Inline Expressions

You can embed variable values and calculations into text fields using {{ expression }} syntax. Expressions inside double curly braces are evaluated as Lua code and the result is inserted into the text.

Syntax

{{ expression }}

Examples

Skor: {{ score + 1 }} → "Skor: " .. tostring(score + 1)

{{ name }} kazandı! → tostring(name) .. " kazandı!"

X:{{ x }} Y:{{ y }} → "X:" .. tostring(x) .. " Y:" .. tostring(y)

Supported Blocks

SET_VARIABLELOGCOMPARECLIPBOARD_WRITENOTIFY_TOASTKV_SET

Security Note

Expressions are checked by the sandbox policy. Security-sensitive calls like loadstring, require, debug are automatically blocked.

General Tips

Keep scan regions as small as possible — improves speed, reduces false matches.

Always add an exit condition when using infinite loops (BREAK, timeout, or conditional exit).

Use network operations and error-prone steps inside TRY_CATCH.

If you need global error handling, use the Error Handler (ERROR_HANDLER) block as a singleton in the project.

Small coordinate offsets (CLICK/SWIPE) improve tap accuracy across different DPI and screen scales.

Customize macros with Dialog block — different parameters each run.

Define repeating steps once with GROUP_CALL, call from many places.

Cross-macro local library

Local Shared Macro Area

The Local Shared Macro Area moves blocks, variables, dialog fields, gallery assets, and imported media dependencies between macros on the same device. It is device-local, not cloud sync, not Firebase sharing, and not a replacement for public macro sharing.

Professional usage model: put a reusable login flow, common scan region, shared dialog form, variable group, template image, color profile, replay recording, or imported PLAY_SOUND media file into the shared area from one macro, then import it from the relevant + menu in another macro.

VISUAL_BLOCKSVARIABLESDIALOG_FIELDSTEMPLATE_IMAGECOLOR_SWATCHREPLAY_RECORDMEDIA_FILE

Send to the shared area

When one item or a multi-selection is active, the shared-area button can copy the selected part from the workspace, group, true/false action branch, dialog, and variables surfaces into the device-local library.

Import into another macro

The shared-area entry under the + menu imports the selected item into the surface that opened it. Main workspace, group, action branch, dialog, and variables each receive the compatible item type.

Share gallery assets

Gallery items include template images, color swatches, replay records, and imported audio/media files. They can move between macros on the same device so repeated templates, colors, recordings, and PLAY_SOUND media assets do not need to be captured again.

Keep it clean

The shared area is not a permanent dumping ground. Delete stale shared items from the shared-library panel; imports create a copy in the target macro and do not rewrite the source macro flow.

Checkpoint: after importing, review block names, linked template/image/color/record/media assets, and variable names in the target macro. The shared area creates a copy; delete stale shared items from the shared-library panel to keep the library clean.

AI assistant

Build a block chain with MH AI in natural language

Tell MH AI what you want in plain language; it proposes the right block sequence and lands it in the workspace after you approve. In the current release it works with cloud providers such as Gemini, Claude, and OpenAI; on-device local models are on the roadmap.

Learn more →