Working with blocks

I've finally reached the last task I need to complete to get one of my OCP sites locked and loaded. I have however, stumbled upon some issues with regards to blocks & boxes. Here is an example: I would like to display news in a main block style, but in the format of the side_news_block (bullet list of titles and publish date). No problem, simply use the side block on the main page and change the width in the template. Easier said than done. Unfortunately, OCP does not appear to have an easy way to add overriding CSS tags on a per block basis like *cough* Joomla has. (or it's there, I'm just not aware of it). My dilemma is that the standardbox* CSS tags are across the board, so changes I make to my side_news_block are reflected in my menu block and so on. So, my questions are:

1. Is there an easy way to add a custom CSS ID and/or class so that I can affect the appearance of a side block without affecting my other side blocks?
2. Where is the value of {$PANEL_WIDTH} derived from? (TPL file(s))

Lots of answers for you…

a) 4.2 will auto select box type based on where you put it, so going forward, the problem is recognised and fixed at source
b) CSS is pretty powerful, you can do ".global_middle <anything>" to scope some CSS to only apply to stuff in the middle. You can also do ".global_side <anything>" or "#panel_left <anything>" or "#panel_right <anything>".
c) You can also edit the templates. Compare the 'BOX' line from SIDE_NEWS and MAIN_NEWS to see what I mean.
d) If you're doing something particularly advanced you can make the same block work very differently in different places (beyond what CSS can do), but that's getting into the realms of complex Tempcode programming.
e) PANEL_WIDTH is tied to the config option (in 'Theme options' under the Configuration icon).

Here's a complete hack that I stumbled across to solve my issue for now:

1) Added a dramatic width (was just try to get a feel for the effect of doing this) to BLOCK_SIDE_NEWS.tpl:
2) Refreshed my page and was presented with an error:

A required template was not found: STANDARDBOX_13.3em.tpl

3) Created the template from adminzone called STANDARDBOX_13.3em and cut and pasted the contents of STANDARDBOX_panel.tpl into it.

4) Added a custom prefix to every instance of standardbox_* in my newly created template.

5) Voila! Works like a charm.

*grin*, thanx Chris, you got your post in before mine.

Excellent, thanks for the starting points!!

Sorry but all that is because you missed a comma .
But also I think your parameters are out of order.

You're actually making things hard for yourself . The line just needs to be:
or if you wanted a different box type (e.g. light):
(I left the width blank, which makes it automatic, essentially full width).

hahaha, damn comma's, bane of my existence! (second only to semi-colons) This is exactly why I never became a programmer *chuckle*.

Thanks again Chris, you've gotten me off the side rails and back on track.

Hi:

Vis-a-vis working with blocks:  I was dinking around on a CEDI page, through the front-end as admin, experimenting with the idea broached elsewhere of putting my rateable items in the CEDI & adding a ratings block.  I put in blah-blah-blah in the CEDI entry (in a specific category), and then tried to create a block (ratings), using the block assistant WHILE doing the CEDI entry.  I used the default block parameters.  The block preview looked normal enough, but when I was finished, all I got was the code


which appeared ABOVE the logo.  I banged around here and read the tutorial on blocks; but as it's not clear what actually is supposed to happen when you use the block assistant (I mean, does the block magically show up on the page, fait accompli? And if it does, how does it know where to go???? - or am I supposed to edit it, or, drag it somewhere, or…why'd I get the code instead of an errant block…?), I a) don't really know what to expect, as it was my first attempt at a block, and b) don't know enough to know if this is a bug or an operator-error.  If it's an operator-error, I'm happy to go back to banging around in my usual way, but if it's a bug… can somebody point me in the right direction?  I figure that SoccerDad is now the resident block expert….

Thanks,
Hitch

Heyya Hitch! Expert, no, hacker (read: mess maker), definately! lol

When using the block assistant, it *should* place the block close to where your cursor was situated in the editor window prior to launching the assistant. I would suggest turning off the WYSIWYG editor so you can see the full picture. Once the assistant has completed and you have your block code, you can then move it around in the editor as you see fit.

SoccerDad said

Heyya Hitch! Expert, no, hacker (read: mess maker), definately! lol

When using the block assistant, it *should* place the block close to where your cursor was situated in the editor window prior to launching the assistant. I would suggest turning off the WYSIWYG editor so you can see the full picture. Once the assistant has completed and you have your block code, you can then move it around in the editor as you see fit.

Howdy, SoccerDad (how's that great theme of yours coming along?):

Hmmmm…well, I was trying to create an entry into a CEDI category, and "give it" a concomitant ratings block.  I will toodle back over to my subsite and see what I can wrangle..I'll let everyone know how that goes, as I am sure you're all waiting with bated breath.  :-)

Hitch

Please do keep us posted and I still owe you a tutorial on setting OCP as a classified site!!

Soccerdad I think you are better then me at making themes.
Keep up the good work.

Thanx for the kind words Ami, however, since I can't really create one from scratch (I'm artistically and graphically challenged! ), all I can do is embrace and extend (read: hack!).

SoccerDad said

Please do keep us posted and I still owe you a tutorial on setting OCP as a classified site!!

You certainly DO!!!  However, with regard to keeping you all posted, you're speaking with a woman who is banging her head against the screen currently trying to pass a php call through a CSS-styled HTML button that just IS NOT WORKING.  If a girl can't make a button, I mean, REALLY…..what hope is there I'll ever get those accursed blocks to work?  <sigh>.  Works when there IS no button…doesn't work when there IS a button.  button, button, who's got the button….(clearly, I am sinking into depravity).  

 

Hitch

Hitch I didn't know you were a girl.
I can try and make you a button if you want, it will still be made by a girl then .

amichan said

Hitch I didn't know you were a girl.
I can try and make you a button if you want, it will still be made by a girl then .

LOL, Hi, Amichan:

Well…."girl" is probably a misnomer, I haven't been that young in quite a while, but indubitably female, yes.  Thanks for the offer for the button, but I am generally better off slogging through it myself, because then I remember how I did it.  If I get desperate, though, I may take you up on your offer, thank you kindly.

Hitch

SoccerDad said

Please do keep us posted and I still owe you a tutorial on setting OCP as a classified site!!

Y'know, I'm hanged, the accursed thing worked when I went back to my test-site and decided to screencapture it for Chris.  Did I do anything different?  Nope.  Cannot explain it, the block appeared pretty much exactly where it was supposed to, instead of having the code appear at the top of the page like unrendered html.  <shrug>  So, that's my brilliant update, which translates into "Idunno."  Nonetheless, for the moment, it's working, so this is more-or-less "solved."  

Hitch

Maybe it was a caching issue.