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Rotatable Blocks

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Rotatable Blocks

FORMAT & MIN ENGINE VERSION 1.20.30

This tutorial assumes a basic understanding of blocks, including block states and block traits. Check out the blocks guide before starting.

Rotation Types

  • Cardinal Direction

    • Used by carved pumpkins and furnaces
    • 4 directions - 'north', 'south', 'east' and 'west'.

  • Facing Direction

    • Used by dispensers and observers
    • 6 directions - 'down', 'up', 'north', 'south', 'east' and 'west'.

  • Block Face

    • Used by ladders and item frames
    • 6 attachments - 'down', 'up', 'north', 'south', 'east' and 'west'.

  • Log/Pillar Rotation

    • Used by logs and basalt
    • 3 axis-aligned directions

  • Precise Rotation

    • Used by skulls, signs and banners
    • 16 directions (22.5 degree multiples)
    • 4 cardinal side-attached directions

Cardinal Direction Rotation

Trait

To set the state which determines the block's direction, we will use the minecraft:placement_direction block trait with the minecraft:cardinal_direction state enabled.

minecraft:blockCopy
json
"description": {
  "identifier": "wiki:cardinal_direction_example",
  // Block traits are defined here
  "traits": {
    "minecraft:placement_direction": {
      "enabled_states": ["minecraft:cardinal_direction"], // Can be used in queries e.g. `q.block_state('minecraft:cardinal_direction') == 'north'`
      "y_rotation_offset": 180 // Face towards player
    }
  }
}
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Permutations

Rotation makes use of block permutations. Each permutation contains the minecraft:transformation component, which allows for cardinal rotation by checking the minecraft:cardinal_direction state and applying an appropriate rotation.

The below rotation values assume that the front of your model is facing north.

minecraft:blockCopy
json
"permutations": [
  // Facing north
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:cardinal_direction') == 'north'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing west
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:cardinal_direction') == 'west'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 90, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing south
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:cardinal_direction') == 'south'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 180, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing east
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:cardinal_direction') == 'east'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, -90, 0] }
    }
  }
]
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Facing Direction Rotation

Trait

To set the state which determines the block's direction, we will use the minecraft:placement_direction block trait with the minecraft:facing_direction state enabled.

minecraft:blockCopy
json
"description": {
  "identifier": "wiki:facing_direction_example",
  // Block traits are defined here
  "traits": {
    "minecraft:placement_direction": {
      "enabled_states": ["minecraft:facing_direction"], // Can be used in queries e.g. `q.block_state('minecraft:facing_direction') == 'north'`
    }
  }
}
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Permutations

Rotation makes use of block permutations. Each permutation contains the minecraft:transformation component, which allows for cardinal rotation by checking the minecraft:facing_direction state and applying an appropriate rotation.

The below rotation values assume that the front of your model is facing north.

minecraft:blockCopy
json
"permutations": [
  // Facing down
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:facing_direction') == 'down'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [-90, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing up
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:facing_direction') == 'up'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [90, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing north
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:facing_direction') == 'north'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing west
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:facing_direction') == 'west'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 90, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing south
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:facing_direction') == 'south'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 180, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing east
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:facing_direction') == 'east'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, -90, 0] }
    }
  }
]
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Block Face Rotation

Trait

To set the state which determines the block's attachment, we will use the minecraft:placement_position block trait with the minecraft:block_face state enabled.

minecraft:blockCopy
json
"description": {
  "identifier": "wiki:facing_direction_example",
  // Block traits are defined here
  "traits": {
    "minecraft:placement_position": {
      "enabled_states": ["minecraft:block_face"], // Can be used in queries e.g. `q.block_state('minecraft:block_face') == 'north'`
    }
  }
}
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Permutations

Rotation makes use of block permutations. Each permutation contains the minecraft:transformation component, which allows for cardinal rotation by checking the minecraft:block_face state and applying an appropriate rotation.

The below rotation values assume that the front of your model is facing north.

minecraft:blockCopy
json
"permutations": [
  // Facing down
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:block_face') == 'down'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [-90, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing up
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:block_face') == 'up'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [90, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing north
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:block_face') == 'north'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing west
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:block_face') == 'west'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 90, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing south
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:block_face') == 'south'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 180, 0] }
    }
  },
  // Facing east
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('minecraft:block_face') == 'east'",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, -90, 0] }
    }
  }
]
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Log Rotation

Block rotation identical to how vanilla logs rotate.

EXPERIMENTAL

Requires Holiday Creator Features to trigger events.

Block State

minecraft:block > descriptionCopy
json
"states": {
  "wiki:axis": [0, 1, 2]
}
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Block Event & Trigger

In order to make the block rotate the way a vanilla log would, we need to use a molang expression that uses a query to get what face of a block we're placing our block on and convert it to 0, 1, or 2.

minecraft:block > eventsCopy
json
"wiki:set_axis": {
  "set_block_state": {
    "wiki:axis": "Math.floor(q.block_face / 2)"
  }
}
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This event is called upon by using the minecraft:on_player_placing trigger component.

minecraft:block > componentsCopy
json
"minecraft:on_player_placing": {
  "event": "wiki:set_axis"
}
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Permutations

minecraft:blockCopy
json
"permutations": [
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('wiki:axis') == 0",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('wiki:axis') == 1",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [90, 0, 0] }
    }
  },
  {
    "condition": "q.block_state('wiki:axis') == 2",
    "components": {
      "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 0, 90] }
    }
  }
]
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Log Rotation Example

EXPERIMENTAL

This example also requires Holiday Creator Features to use minecraft:unit_cube.

Basic Custom Log JSON
BP/blocks/custom_log.jsonCopy
json
{
  "format_version": "1.20.30",
  "minecraft:block": {
    "description": {
      "identifier": "wiki:custom_log",
      "states": {
        "wiki:axis": [0, 1, 2]
      }
    },
    "components": {
      "minecraft:destructible_by_mining": {
        "seconds_to_destroy": 1.5
      },
      "minecraft:destructible_by_explosion": {
        "explosion_resistance": 15
      },
      "minecraft:material_instances": {
        "*": {
          "texture": "log_side"
        },
        "end": {
          "texture": "log_top"
        },
        "up": "end",
        "down": "end"
      },
      "minecraft:unit_cube": {},
      "minecraft:on_player_placing": {
        "event": "wiki:set_axis"
      }
    },
    "events": {
      "wiki:set_axis": {
        "set_block_state": {
          "wiki:axis": "Math.floor(q.block_face / 2)"
        }
      }
    },
    "permutations": [
      {
        "condition": "q.block_state('wiki:axis') == 0",
        "components": {
          "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 0, 0] }
        }
      },
      {
        "condition": "q.block_state('wiki:axis') == 1",
        "components": {
          "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [90, 0, 0] }
        }
      },
      {
        "condition": "q.block_state('wiki:axis') == 2",
        "components": {
          "minecraft:transformation": { "rotation": [0, 0, 90] }
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}
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Contributors

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