Managing Blocks on a Page

Managing Blocks on a Page

Blocks & Sections

Pages are built using blocks in various sections on the page.
  1. Blocks - The system offers a variety of 'block types' depending on the type of content being added - the most common being 'Rich Text' which handles text, image, links and general purpose content editing. Users would add or edit a block to change or add content.
    1. Tip: Most sections can support unlimited blocks. Some sections are limited to a single block, or even locked to a specific block type - such as website logo areas. 
  2. Sections - Areas of the page where content can exist. For example, some layouts have a sidebar section where blocks can be added separately from the center main content area - 'side content' vs 'main content' would be considered sections. Some layouts, particularly homepages, have many different sections which can have unique styling applied.
    1. Note: For most situations, users don't need to worry about specific section names or functions, they are simply areas pages use to display content. For advanced users and design specifications, it can be helpful. Hovering over a given section for a few seconds will reveal a help text label with the section name. 

Editing Side Navigation / Navigation Menus

A common support question is 'How can I edit the side navigation.' Navigation areas can't be edited from the page and are only managed through page menu settings. See the Menu Settings post for more information, or contact Foxbright Support for assistance.
Info
Most menu areas populate automatically by pages based on the page's location in the Page Tree. A few auxiliary menus exist that only show pages that have been specifically assigned to show in those menus, such as quicklinks or footer menus.

Block Functions

When in edit view, hovering over a block will reveal functions for that block. Hovering over each icon will reveal a tooltip for what the icon represents. 

Alert
Some sections are locked to specific block types and only support a single block. Examples include logo or focus banner areas. These blocks will have limited function options displayed. Locked sections typically can only be edited or hidden. Foxbright Support can unlock certain sections to allow changing the block type. Typically these sections are locked to prevent users from adding content-types not supported in these specific areas. 

Common Block Functions

  1. Edit (pencil icon) - Opens the block to content editing or changing settings for a module block. 
  2. Move (4-point arrow icon) - Click and drag the block to a new location on the page.
  3. More Menu (vertical ellipses icon) - Reveals additional block options:
    1. Anchor - Add an Anchor Name to a block for linking directly to that portion of the page. 
    2. Expand Block (up/down arrow icon) - Enables the expandable function to reveal contents once clicked by visitor. See below for more information. 
    3. Hide (eye icon) - Will hide the blocks content and make it invisible for public visitors. A hidden block will have a grey color when viewing it in edit view. A hidden block will have the option to 'Show' the block again after it's been hidden.
      Note: Hiding will only go in effect once the page is published. 
    4. Publish/Expire (calendar icon) - Set a future publish/expire date for a block to show/hide blocks at the specified date. See below for more information. 
    5. Delete (trash icon) - Permanently deletes a block and its contents from the page, once the page is published. If a block is deleted in error, close the page and do not publish. The page can be reverted to its last published state by clicking the pencil icon next to the page in the page tree. 
    6. Change Block (blocks icon) - Opens the block type selector to change the block type. Note: Changing a block with existing content will remove the content. If the content in the existing block should remain, the block should be edited or a new block should be added. 

Adding a New Block

Most sections on a page can contain unlimited blocks. To add a new block, hover over the region at the bottom of a section after the last block. Hovering over the bar will reveal an Add Block option. Clicking Add will open the block type selector. Once the new block is saved, the move function can be used to reorder the blocks.

Expandable Content Blocks


Any content block in standard page content areas can become expandable under a click-able title. The content is revealed when a visitor click the expandable content bar. This is useful to organize a large amount of information that doesn’t need to be displayed unless the visitor wants to view it. Consider using Expandable Content Blocks when adding a collection of links and files that can be categorized or when adding information on a variety of subjects that can be accessed individually as opposed to having one long page of information.   
Possible uses for Expandable Blocks include but aren’t limited to:
  • Transparency Documents
  • Forms, documents or other resources
  • Combining multiple pages into one easy-to-use page such as Enrollment, with expandable blocks for each type of enrollment instructions (Kindergarten, School of Choice, Returning Students, etc)

Creating Expandable Content

  1. Hover over a block and choose the More Menu to reveal additional block options. 
  2. Select the Expandable Block option (up/down arrows icon).

  3. Check the Expand / Collapse Block checkbox to enable the function. 
  4. Optional: Check the Expand Block (by default) option if the block should be pre-expanded when a visitor first comes to the page. The visitor will then be able to collapse the block. 
  5. Add a Title to the Expandable block. The title is displayed on the expandable content region a user can click to reveal the content inside the block. The title is a Heading 2 (H2).
  6. Save the settings to finish activation. 

Publish / Expire Content Blocks

Content Publishers or Editors with the permission to the publish/expire functions are able to to publish or expire content blocks at specified dates and times. This feature can be used on any block type (rich text, news, calendars, etc.) and allows for the scheduled display or removal of content from a page so that content can be hidden from the public before or after a specified date/time.

Warning
A publish time is not required for blocks that should be published as soon as the page is published. It is intended to add a publish date/time in the future and will publish/expire an entire block at the designated time automatically. The page needs to be published for for the publish/expire settings to go in effect. Adding Publish settings for content already being published effective immediately is not necessary. 
  1. Warning: Many features contain their own publish/expire functions. A common support question is 'why isn't my alerts post pop-up showing' and the culprit is often someone expired the entire news block instead of deleting or setting an individual post to archive. Then the next time someone needed to post an alert, the block was expired AKA hidden and didn't show. 

Adding Publish/Expiration Dates

  1. Hover over a block and choose the More Menu to reveal additional block options. 
  2. Click the Publish/Expire button (calendar icon).

  3. Activate the Publish or Expire functions by choosing Yes. Leaving the setting at 'No' does not prevent publishing, it only keeps the auto publishing function deactivated. A block can have both a publish and expiration date, one or the other, or neither. 
  4. Set the publish or expiration date and time for when the content should become available or unavailable to visitors.
  5. Click the Save button to close the window.
Alert
Newly changed publish/expire adjustments only go in effect once the page is published. When a block is set to publish/expire or has already been expired, it will have a striped overlay on the block to visually indicate the functions are in use. If the block is hidden (already expired or not yet published) the stripes will be grey. Visible content set to expire in the future will have tan stripes. These stripes are only visible in edit mode and not to website visitors. 

Tab-Based Content Sections

Some designs have tabbed content sections where a column or section has multiple tabs with titles that can be clicked by visitors to reveal alternate content. Each tabbed section has a title area for each tab. The content under the alternate tab is not accessible or visible unless the tab has text in the title field. Tab titles use the Heading 2 (H2) format. For sections with more than two tab areas, the tabs do not need to be used in order. For example, if only the first and third tabs are in-use, then it will display as two tabs. The primary reason this may occur is if each tab section has a different structure (different number of columns or targeted behavior). On a given page, the structures in various tabs may be desired while a different tab is not. Foxbright Support can assist in changing tab structures or design elements. 

Managing Tab-Based Content


Changing a Tab Title

Hovering over a Tab Title block will reveal limited block editing functions. Editing the block will allow changing the title text. Tab titles can be hidden or set to publish/expire to make the tab and its contents hidden from public view, or revealed at a specified publish date.

Changing the Content Within a Tab

When editing a page, the first tab's content is editable by default. To change content in a different tab section, click the region below the tab title. Clicking the tab title itself will only reveal the title edit options. Clicking below the title will change the focus to that tab's content so blocks can be edited or added. 
Info
Most tab sections can contain unlimited blocks and have the same functionality as other sections on the website. 

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