Hello all Drupalers: I think the Drupal 7 block system is simpler and preferred over the new, allegedly bit more complicated Drupal 8 block system.
Drupal 7's one is more swift and sound: Create and put in the same page...
I do think the D7 block system could itself be improved by giving the option to add sub-categories to regions; Could help very much to organize a large number of blocks in the same region --- Such an improved D7 system could be nice for Drupal 8.
| Comment | File | Size | Author |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | Configure block Drupal8Dev branch 8.1.x.png | 85.48 KB | saurabh.tripathi.cs |
| #2 | System help block D7.png | 87.54 KB | saurabh.tripathi.cs |
Comments
Comment #2
saurabh.tripathi.cs commentedWhat changes we should incorporate here?Attaching the snapshots.Do you mean the Region setting block should be available in Drupal 8 block configuration form?
In D8 we are first selecting region and than placing block.
Comment #3
chi commentedIt's not clear what is wrong with Drupal 8 block system.
Comment #4
Benia commentedI meant to the page where you sort blocks: The D7 page is a bit more swift and sound as I see it.
One place to create a block, one way to sort it.
It is also unsplitted to two different pages as in D8; Indeed I guess everything can and be done in the same page.
Comment #5
Benia commentedComment #6
tim.plunkettWhat's the proposal for how that would work on one page?
Comment #7
Benia commentedI might have missed something from my humble intro to 8 but why not using the D7 one-page method with some small UX improvements as I mentioned?..
Comment #8
eclipsegc commentedBenia,
Tim and I wrote a pretty significant amount of the functionality that is the D8 block page. Could you elaborate on what specifically (please, specifics) you feel is better about D7's? I think we're all open to making the page better, but the basic block in D8 is dramatically more functional than its D7 counter part, and the UI had to account for this. This include being able to place the same block with different configurations multiple times. D8 supports this, D7 has no hope of supporting that, and their UIs reflect that reality.
As I said, we're all open to hearing about improvements, but screenshots and specifics are necessary to really have this conversation.
Thanks!
Eclipse
Comment #9
cilefen commentedThis is 8.2, or 9.
Comment #10
chi commentedChanging status in response to #8.
Comment #11
Benia commentedComment #12
Benia commentedHi EclipseGc, first, much thanks for your time and work,
Here's something I personally would prefer to do without is the need to place blocks in the disabled pseudo region, or any region whatsoever after I created them.
I personally prefer, at least for my current projects, that link in Drupal 7, after I create a block it will immediately appear in the "disabled" pseudo region...
Comment #13
chi commented@benia, it is step back, because you will not be able to place the same block multiple times.
Comment #14
eclipsegc commentedYeah, Chi is 100% correct. Blocks aren't placed into the disabled region unless you explicitly place instances of them there because blocks are INSTANCES now. This means you can place the same block multiple times with different visibility rules in different regions allowing you nuance the block placement of your site in a more appropriate manner. Going backwards would be a HUGE step back, and one we continue to progress further and further away from because the general block placement strategies in contrib all recognize that functionality as being essential to typical site building needs. We won't be going backwards in this regard. Sorry. :-(
Eclipse
Comment #15
Benia commentedAfter reading your answer I do think it's going backwards and agree that we shouldn't go that way. I personally wouldn't want that...
Maybe there is a way to combine both ways, at least after some kind of a condition ? It might be efficient for more "small scale" or "faster to make" projects that needs to create much blocks in less time as possible, without necessarily cloning them.
Comment #16
Benia commentedI have used the new system for a while and with much humbleness I am sad to say that indeed the new block system seems to me quite heavy for any use. I had about 30 blocks when moved and needed to remove some just to have more "lightweight" conduct with the new block system - I usually didn't feel that with any other component.
I don't think the whole "heaviness" I experienced is justified just for allowing block-instances.
Block-instancing (i.e the potential to place blocks more than once in more than one region, is great and should be included in the Drupal 8 core but I think in some other way...
I also think that View-blocks should actually be classified as "Custom blocks" as well as it would ease the conduct --- All would appear in the list "Directly in front of the user" while classified as "View blocks" just as custom blocks are classified as "Custom".
Also, I don't know if it's connected but I think views should have an automatically-created view block name as in Drupal 7.
If that's what I felt... What could a content editor say about Drupal in board-meetings if he is "exhausted" from working with hundreds of blocks in a huge-scale website. Mine is a personal business site. In my case for example the old system could be much more practical but I can't use it while I'm in love with Drupal 8...
I give this critique based solely on my experience in the last 2 months.
Comment #17
Benia commentedComment #18
eclipsegc commentedThis is way too vague to be actionable. If you have specific changes you'd like to see you need to file individual issues for each of those changes. Add them as related issues to this one.
Eclipse
Comment #19
Benia commentedSorry, nowhere I said this is a technical guideline I offer for making changes. I am sharing my experience and I think should be changed in a way surly not foreseen by me.
Closing this ticket is closing a debate anyone could join and give her or his opinion on the matter based on things already said and thus should be re-opened.
Comment #20
Benia commentedIts an experience-sharing thread... Not a technical report.
Comment #21
Benia commentedComment #22
cilefen commented@Benia:
See #2724819: Create experimental module for place block on any page feature and https://www.drupal.org/project/block_visibility_groups
Comment #23
xjmThanks @Benia. We don't use the core issue queue as a forum. If there are usability issues with the block system, we should create actionable issues for each, as @EclipseGc suggested. We would also need a clearer, up-to-date issue summary of what the problems are that we are trying to solve. We're not going to restore the D7 block system, so that would be a wontfix. However, we could file issues like "Placing a block takes too many screens" or "Automatically create and place a views block instance when the display is added" or something. They wouldn't necessarily be accepted, but that would be a way to make progress toward the lighter-weight user experience for blocks that you feel is missing.
Also be sure to try out the new Place Block and Outside In experimental modules in 8.2.x. I think they are the path forward for solving some of the issues you describe. Your feedback on those modules (in separate issues) will help us improve Drupal's UX.
Comment #34
anybodyClosing this issue in favor of #3273172: [META] Improve UX for block layout administration page which provides suggestions for improvements, this more seems like criticism without real benefit. Please help to improve the Drupal Block / Block Content UX! :)