Working with Blocks: Adding content to the header and other locations

[Dominic Maricic]

Blocks are a very powerful part of our website editor. They allow you to add content all over the website. Each theme has preset block locations where you can add content. The instructions below discuss how to add content to those blocks.

Animated tutorial has now been added and goes into a lot of details of the power of blocks. Also reviews creating links to email addresses.
http://www.homeinspectorpro.com/Home-Inspection-Website-Tutorial/Add-blocks-to-your-site-to-control-layout-and-content.html

• Under your admin menu, click on Blocks. If you don't see the word blocks let me know. A few of the first sites did not have it added in yet
• You will see a copy of your current theme with all the available regions that the blocks can be placed into like header/banner/left sidebar/right sidebar/user1/user2,etc and where they would appear. These are all locations that you can add content to within your site.
• Click on Add Block at the top.
• Give the block a name like 'My Site Header'.
• Now in the editor below add in everything you're going to want to go into the block (in this example the header). You could add logo's, text, whatever you want to appear in the block.
• Click Save Block.
• On the page you get taken to scroll down, this is the list of all the current blocks. You will see one called 'My Site Header' which you just created.
• Click the drop down box to the right of it and select the block location you want this block to appear (in this case, Header).
• Scroll down and click Save Blocks.
• That's it! You can use this to enter in content all over the site, including the side menus and anywhere else you see a block listed in the block view.
• If you want to get fancy you can even control what pages the block appears on. The last option on the block page for example allows you to enter <front> to make a block only appear on the front page

If you have any questions about this tutorial or something to add, post it here! Eventually these will become animated tutorials just like we have for the Home Inspector Pro software.

[Russell J Train]

Hey Dom, I am not seeing the "blocks" Tab on my admin. menu. also it won't let me edit my primary links, when I click on "edit primary links" I get an "access denied" message.

Russell

[Dominic Maricic]

Hi Russell,

You should be able to see Blocks now. I had not added it to some of the first sites I set up.

Ignore the edit primary links button. You can change your links on the left from within each page under the menu settings option.

[Russell J Train]

Thanks

[Dominic Maricic]

Sure thing. If you have any more questions, let me know!

[Dominic Maricic]

Bob Elliot pointed out I was missing a step in the tutorial (about input format), I've updated the first post.

[Patrick Wiseman]

Hi Dominic:

When I go into Blocks add Block I receive this message.

Patrick

Warning: conf_init(./sites/default/settings.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/dcmeagle/domains/inspectionsoftware.net/public_html/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 243

Warning: conf_init(): Failed opening './sites/default/settings.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/dcmeagle/domains/inspectionsoftware.net/public_html/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 243

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/dcmeagle/domains/inspectionsoftware.net/public_html/includes/bootstrap.inc:243) in /home/dcmeagle/domains/inspectionsoftware.net/public_html/includes/common.inc on line 141

Unsupported database type


The database type is unsupported. Please use either mysql for MySQL 3.x & 4.0.x databases, mysqli for MySQL 4.1.x+ databases, or pgsql for PostgreSQL databases. The database information is in your settings.php file.

For more help, see the Installation and upgrading handbook. If you are unsure what these terms mean you should probably contact your hosting provider.

[Dominic Maricic]

I can't seem to replicate this (I have no doubt it's happening for you though). When you get a chance , click on live chat on the website above (pic of woman top right) so I can remote into your computer and see exactly what steps your doing and replicate them.

Thanks.

[Dominic Maricic]

Ok, for reference to anyone else having a similar problem. The issue was fixed by clicking Shift-Refresh (f5) in his browser. There was a conflict with something else. You can also delete your temporary internet files to make sure.

[Dana W Bronsted]

Dom...website was down for a few days..switched to broadband..anyway..I have no blocks...Thanks..Dana

[Dominic Maricic]

Hi Dana. You will be MUCH happier with broadband, no more sitting around and waiting for a page to load

I added the blocks menu to your site. Hopefully that's everyone. All new sites have it setup automatically, it was the first couple I setup that didn't have it on.

[Bill Warner]

Ok...

I see the option to make a block viewable on all pages or on individual pages.

What is the trick to applying a block to a single page? (or just 2 or 3 pages)

Or has this option been enabled yet?

Thanks Dominic!

[Dominic Maricic]

You're right on track.

When in the blocks configuration

1. Go to Page specific visibility settings.
2. Select Show on only the listed pages.
3. Now enter is ONLY the pages you want the block to appear in. Here's the important part. You can't use the alias like book-an-inspection.html. You need to click on URL aliases under the Admin menu. Here you will see the alias and the real name like node/7. You must enter the real name as that prevents problems down the road in case you change your alias's for SEO or whatever. So if you wanted it just on two pages you could say <front> for your frontpage and then node/7 if that was your pricing page.
4. Save.

Let me know if that makes sense.

[Bill Warner]

Makes perfect sense!

Thanks Dominic!

[Dominic Maricic]

Sure, glad to help

[Dominic Maricic]

Animated tutorial has now been added and goes into a lot of details of the power of blocks. Also reviews creating links to email addresses.
http://www.homeinspectorpro.com/Home-Inspection-Website-Tutorial/Add-blocks-to-your-site-to-control-layout-and-content.html

[Gerald Wilcox]

Dominic, I just realized that I do not have the footer activated yet, I have the info in the box and hit configure...must be doing something wrong. Tried to find a block....Help!
Thanks
Gerald Wilcox
House Check Home Inspections
www.homeinspectorinnorthdakota.com

[Dominic Maricic]

Hi Gerald,

You weren't doing anything wrong, looks like I never added the footer region to Theme 10. I just fixed that by adding it, and also corrected a few color issues on the blocks page that was making things hard to read. You'll notice your information you added to Site Information now appears properly on the bottom of the site.

[Gerald Wilcox]

Thanks Dominic, Looks great
Gerald Wilcox
House Check Home Inspections
www.homeinspectorinnorthdakota.com

[Gerald Wilcox]

Hi Dominic,
   While changing some info on my home page, I have inadvertently moved a margin and it throws the balance of the site off could you tell me how to fix?
Thanks in advance,
Gerald Wilcox
www.homeinspectorinnorthdakota.com