Blocks section

Practically any website features information blocks on its front-end, while the contents of these blocks may vary. There might be a navigation menu, a list of related items, supporting notifications or adverts.

The DVelum platform features a rather flexible functionality for managing such blocks.

Blocks are created in the Block Management Interface. The placement of blocks is set from the Page Management Interface.

There are three types of blocks used in the platform:

  • static blocks;
  • dynamic blocks (described by classes);
  • menu blocks (related to menus).

Static blocks are nothing more than regular page elements filled with text or HTML via the visual text editor.

Dynamic blocks are page elements with dynamically changing content; each block’s contents are generated by a certain system module (block class). Usually, such modules are deployed by developers depending on the task set, like latest news announcement, for instance.

Menu blocks are a kind of dynamic modules with the functionality already deployed in the platform. This type of blocks can display a section menu.

Have a look at the Blocks section below:

On the Block Management page you can see a table with the list of created blocks and two management tools above:

  • the 'Add element' button, which allows to create a new block;
  • the 'Search' field, which helps to find a block by its title text.

Please note that blocks may be sorted by clicking table column titles.

The 'Block Edit' window opens by double clicking the block string in the table.

The table of blocks includes:

  • ‘Status’ column - contains block’s status sign showing whether the block has been published or not (the green sign stands for the Published status);
  • ‘Versions’ column - contains the number of the latest published version and the number of the current version (the field is highlighted in red if the numbers of the latest and the current versions do not coincide);
  • ‘System’ column - the system property indicator has two values: Yes/ Now , where the green color means that the block is system and is not possible to be deleted therefore;
  • ‘Title’ column - contains the block’s title;
  • ‘Created’ column - contains the date and time the block was created;
  • ‘Updated’ column - contains the profile name of the user, who was the last to update the record, as well as the date and time of the update.

Adding a block

To add a block, click ‘Add element’ button on the ‘Blocks’ menu. A form with input fields will show up:

The form contains:

  • ‘Main’ tab - contains fields for entering main data on the block;
  • ‘Text’ tab - shows a text editor allowing to fill in the block’s content;
  • ‘Versions’ fields - displays a table listing created versions of the block;
  • ‘History’ field - contains a table listing actions performed with respect to the block, including the date and profile name of the user;
  • ‘Save new version’ and ‘Close’ buttons.

The ‘Main’ tab includes:

  • ‘Title’ field - a text field for entering the block’s title;
  • ‘Show title’ checkbox - if the checkbox is ticked, the block’s title will show on the page;
  • ‘Is system’ checkbox - a tick in the checkbox means that this is a system block; upon checking the box, you will see further options for selecting a system block;
  • ‘Include menu’ checkbox - if the checkbox is ticked, a menu dropdown list will be added to the block.

‘Text’ tab contains the following fields:

  • a button adding images from the Media Library;
  • a button adding links to media files;
  • a text editor.

The buttons’ functionalities are described in detail in the ‘Pages’ chapter.

Upon entering the necessary information on a block, click ‘Save new version’ button to create the block. Herewith, you will see ‘Publish’ and ‘Unpublish’  buttons:

Editing a block

Choose the necessary block from the list and double click the record to open the ‘Edit block’ form:

The form will show filled in fields. The ‘Main’ tab contains:

  • ‘Block class’ - a dropdown list of classes defining the block’s behavior (when we are using a block with dynamic content, choose a class implementing the block’s logic);
  • ‘Block parameters’ - are used to define settings of the chosen class.

Upon making the changes, click the ‘Save new version’ button to save the data. Use the ‘Publish’ button to publish the latest version of the block.