The bug
When using Caret notation (^a ^b ^c), Command blocks always "face" south no matter what their "facing" data is set to.
This is almost more like a feature request than a bug, but I do think the behavior is slightly unexpected. it works fine if you're using Execute or any command that involves an entity, but if you're using a command that doesn't use an entity, there's no facing vector for use in ^-notation, so it defaults to south.
How to reproduce
Create a command block with facing:east
Set its command to "/setblock ^ ^ ^1 stone"
Power the command block
Unlike an entity performing the command, instead of placing the block one space to the east, it will place it one block to the south
Reasoning
It makes intuitive sense that a command block should use its facing vector for caret positioning.
It makes it easier to build systems that require caret positioning because you can point the block in the direction you'd like to effect
Some constructs become less direction-dependent. when recreating a command block structure that uses this feature, you don't need to worry about what rotation you've built the machine
Linked issues
is duplicated by 1
relates to 1
Attachments
Comments 13
I had to think a little bit about this one, but I understand the question now. I would assume an upward facing command block would have a position/rotation of ~ ~ ~ 0 -90 and a downwards facing command block to be ~ ~ ~ 0 90 so we assume it's "facing" south and looking upwards/downwards. ^x follows the old x axis, ^y follows the old z axis, and ^z follows forwards on the old y axis. similarly down is the same way but ^y and ^z are inverted because of the view angle
That is a good question though, and I can see why that might cause confusion for users on first encounter
and it definitely throws a wrench into the "non-directionality" of the idea. I guess I was only thinking about it in the case of using the forward vector (^z) so I didn't see that problem before
Caret notation that obeys the command block orientation would make it possible to build contraptions that can be cloned and rotated via structure blocks without having to re-write the commands to account for the new orientation of the contraption.
Can confirm in 1.18.2 and 22w18a. As an easier method od reproduction, simply execute the command provided below.
/setblock ~ ~ ~3 minecraft:repeating_command_block{Command:"setblock ^ ^ ^1 minecraft:stone",auto:1b}
In previous versions, the command would simply fail.
It's not really possible to entirely define the local coordinate system using only six directions. Consider an upwards facing command block with the command
/setblock ^ ^1 ^ stone– where would the block logically go?