Tag Archives: WordCamp

Block options in WordPress – Default Gutenberg blocks

The PolyBlog
March 29 2020

As I mentioned, I’ve been trying out various blocks in WordPress, and I’m starting with the default ones pre-programmed with Gutenberg’s basic install.

There are a number of blocks that I quite like:

  • regular paragraph (although I’d like more Tiny MCE buttons);
  • classic paragraph (boring, but not much choice but to keep it with all my old posts);
  • headers (dead simple, adds structure to the page);
  • NGG gallery (my images didn’t have captions for some reason but I like the extra container controls);
  • video block (simple container);
  • code block (I don’t really have much use for it, but easier than trying to put it in a pull quote);
  • basic button (radius for corners, multiple colours, and, more importantly, it autofills links to pages and posts on the site);
  • columns (feels like I’m on a site like Shutterfly choosing page layouts…I love the power, just not sure when I would use it too much, but admittedly the background colour options are really nice);
  • embed (pretty powerful, lots of options, including things like embedding a tweet);

I’m on the fence for a few others:

  • image block (I already use NGG for everything image related, but it has the option to change the image to a circle too!);
  • quote block (different sizes, but the citation isn’t as controllable);
  • cover block (a large page with the option to change opacity and add a title overtop, great for previews and sliders, but I don’t really need it);
  • file block (allows easy downloads, but I have a download manager that handles it just as well, and tracks traffic);
  • dividers (great for the small one, and the wide one, not sure about the three dots);
  • table (nothing special, although stripes is easy);
  • custom HTML (rarely have use for it, except when I’m embedding things);
  • pullquote (good simple info box);
  • verse (allows you basically a quick and dirty courier / ASCII layout, but not sure why);
  • media and text (I should love this one, but I just found the granularity for the image controls and text a bit weak);

Other ones, I don’t particularly like:

  • gallery from media library (no use for it when I have NGG);
  • list block (boring!);
  • audio block (no use for it);
  • preformatted (boring!);

I didn’t try the GROUP, MORE, or PAGE BREAK ones as I have no real use for them. Same with widgets that allow me to add widgets, shortcodes, archives, calendar, categories, comments, posts, RSS, and search — can’t think of when I would ever post them in a post or page.

I have YOAST installed, and it adds a few default ones too, including FAQ and a how-to layout for step by step instructions. Could prove useful, although I don’t have an immediate need.

Jetpack adds GIFs (mildly interesting) and a five-star rating system (too basic). On to the other block plugin options!

Update: To see my current collection of blocks, check out the blocks I use.

Deciding if I can use blocks for WordPress editing

The PolyBlog
March 29 2020

I participated in the overview of WordPress (WP 101 in the WordCamp for San Antonio, TX) that was done virtually this weekend, with two goals in mind…learn more about custom post types and figure out how to transition from classic editor to block editor.

I’ve literally had a mental “block” about switching to the block editor. I played with it initially just long enough to get confused, I wasn’t sure about how to align things, all my settings to tweak seemed to disappear, etc. I felt like it was giving me a lot of power over page layout like a graphics layout program used to do for printing paper when all I really wanted/needed was the digital equivalent of a typewriter. Maybe a few graphics to stick in here and there. Certainly things that I could easily do in something like Word without going for the full layout manager of another program.

I didn’t get to do much with custom post types, but I did watch an overview of blocks. And with the number of posts and themes that are going the way of blocks, well, I need to figure this out sooner rather than later. Particularly if I’m going to transform some layouts of things like book reviews that I’m in the process of tweaking right now anyway.

Blame it on the book reviews

My book reviews have a pretty stable layout overall:

  1. An image that I pull from Good Reads via HTML and that will take me to the GR site if I click on it;
  2. Three sections of text – Plot / Premise; What I liked; What I didn’t like;
  3. My multi-star review;
  4. A text bottom line of a few words;
  5. Links to GoodReads site;
  6. Links to my index of other book reviews; and,
  7. My closing / signoff.

But I’ve made some tweaks before when I had about 90 reviews; again when I had about 130; and again now that I have 180. Each time, I’ve had to go back and reformat quite a bit. So, of course, it makes me wonder…would a block layout let me “fix” it once and move on? The short answer is that in many ways, this is EXACTLY one of three elements that a block editor will give you. So with the book reviews in play, I’m motivated to fix it once.

Options with the block editor

The block editor allows me to have a consistent look and feel (goal 1) while having a lot more flexibility (goal 2). But it is goal 3 that is the most exciting — creating reusable blocks that can be dropped into a post or page, and if later you want to edit it, it will update across all of the site. Sort of like a macro.

For the image, I paste / embed an image from Good Reads, and GR gives me the code to use for embedding. The only real “tweak” I do to it is to increase the size to a specific width. Ideally, I would put the code in a wrap container, it would resize the image, and voila, it would sit there perfectly in the same spot. I can even “save” it as a special block and reuse it, potentially.

For the three headings, they never change so I can preprogram them and set specific font and heading size. If I ever want to change them, as long as I save them as separate reusable chunks, they’ll stay put. If I change one, it will change them all. Similarly, I can add in three paragraph blocks just after them, although those will change.

For the review, some of the block plugins come with review formats, but I kinda like my “reading frog” image. So I’ll likely stick with that. I *could* play with the format and look/feel for a 1 star / 2 star / etc setup and save those. Then, if I ever decide to ditch the frog and go with stars, for example, I just need to edit the block and they’ll all change.

The bottom line is a set header plus a flexible paragraph text, so again, pretty straightforward.

Where things might get interesting is the Good Reads link. Like the image, it is a set “format” but not a set block (the link would be different each time). However, the link to my other reviews is a set block that can be reused easily.

And then there’s my signoff block. It is a standard element I use ALL the time. So it will definitely get turned into a reusable block. And give me maximum flexibility for the future.

Enter the block plugins

The default Gutenberg editor has a lot of default blocks, and they are more than enough to get me going for testing things. But not all blocks can be converted to all other types of blocks, so I don’t want to get too far down the testing and then find another block plugin has this awesome additional block that is perfect for my Good Reads images, for example. So I’m working through a bunch of the main block options.

Update: To see my current collection of blocks, check out the blocks I use.