Tip: How to have a portal style home page, with page blocks, and columns

[streever]

Hi there,

my client has a site setup like this:
navigation
image
column | column | column

they want to add, as needed, blocks of content to each column, with a vertical seperator for each block, and a horizontal seperator for each column!

HOW DID I DO IT:
Well, like this

I used pageblocks. IN pageblocks, I have 3 templates:
leftCol, center, and rightCol. The template is:

{content}


Meanwhile, my html template for this page, is:




SO, all home page page blocks are pulled in

here is the magic, in CSS:

div.leftColumnBlock {display:none;}
div#leftColumnWrapper div.leftColumnBlock {display:block;}

EASY!!!!

so if a block shouldn't be in a column, it is hidden.

[jmcgin51]

post a link?

[streever]

It isn't currently live, but I will make screenshots & post them here when I get back from vacation!

It's a pretty simple principle--I know there is a more elegant way to do this with programming, but I am not a php guru. This is the best and only way I can imagine doing it in html/css.

I don't think there is a better solution without a big upgrade to pageblocks.

[faglork]

Hi!

I don't quite get it ... what is the difference between a standard 3-column layout pupulated by whatever modules you like, and your solution?

Cheers,
Alex

[jubasolo]

I am not sure if I got your point either, because I reckon it would work to just use Page Blocks straight forward to have 3 blocks/columns of information based on the same scheme. I don't see why you need to put page blocks inside the page blocks...?

But I definately see a good meaning in using the module "Page Blocks" (which I believe you are talking about) in the first place. This gives more flexibility than just putting up a template with three columns and then put three different content block tags inside the columns. Besides, inside the Page Blocks you can of course use content blocks, which I use to a grat extent.

BUT....

WHY is the PAGE BLOCKS MODULE not working anymore? From the version 1.3.0 (Cuba) and onwards there seems to be something missing when installing this module: The link/button called "Add Block" is not there anymore. And as long as it is missing, how is the module supposed to work?

Do someone have an idea on how to solve this?? I would be very thankful for any tips.

Jonathan