Global Blocks Don't make sense

[alex5252]

I'm afraid I'm missing something with the global blocks, because I can's seem to find a way to use them that makes sense. These are the two ways I've found to use them

1. Using a global block in an x-section as cornerstone element or shortcode. Doing this means you have the following html structure .x-section => .x-row => .x-column => .x-section => .x-row => .x-column => elements. This nested structure is not only messy but screws with styles I've created in my global css.

2. Saving a global block as a template. Doing this means I am no longer able to update the global block and see that change reflected through the template.

How can I use global blocks so that it creates sensible markup AND lets me make updates globally.

[friech]

Hi Alex,

Thank you for writing in, the idea behind Global Blocks is relatively simple, to have the ability to design something once and then utilize it throughout multiple pages or areas of your website. More details about Global Blocks here.

1) You can remove all the spacing of the Containing section, so it does not mix up with the spacing of the Global Blocks section.

2) Content Template and Global Block have a different purpose, you should not save your Global Block as Content Template if you want to utilize the Global Block feature.

Template Manager

Hope this shed some lights,
Cheers!

[alex5252]

1. Using the Global Block as you directed still leaves and extra .x-section, .x-container and .x-column element. So the HTML is really messy regardless of styles.

2. Remove Spacing only removes styles defined in the builder. Not styles I define in the custom css in the theme options, which highlights the problem above with unneeded markup.

3. Talking about Global CSS, while in the Global Block Editor, the styles in the custom css in the theme options do not style these elements like it would for elements in the regular page builders.

I love the "idea" behind the global blocks, however as they are currently implemented, they aren't efficacious. Personally speaking I'd need to see problems 1 & 3 addressed before I would ever find myself using these in a project.

[christopher.amirian]

Hi @alex5252,

1) Actually, that is one of the features of the Global Block that you can add the Section inside a column and have the extra rows and columns feature inside a column as a nested feature. You need to change you Styling to avoid possible conflicts, for example, go to the main page section in question and click on the Section options magnifying glass icon and then click on the Customize tab and add a unique class there. Then add your CSS styling using that class so that your style will not be applied to the inner section created by the Global Block:

2) I already answered this in the first item.

3) Global Blocks are meant to be a Block of code which the CSS and all the stuff will be applied only to that block and you can use that in the different sections of the website. The method I mentioned in the first item will fix all the problems you are experiencing.

Please consider that this is how the Global Block is implemented. We will not be able to change the implementation to accommodate the CSS style that you added to your website. Actually, you will need to change your styling with the method I mentioned to make your styling compatible.

Thank you for your understanding.

[alex5252]

I'm sorry but having unnecessary markup in a section, then jumping through a bunch of extra hoops to with adding more markup in the form of a class then going through all my css and add negation pseduo class to all the relevant selectors is a "feature" the same way that people joke about about Ford's heated bumper for when you have to push.

Also the to mention of having additional containers for those people who want them is also poorly implemented as containers levels can only be added in groups of three.

Also saying you can't gaurantee how your custom styles will affect global blocks, therefore we just won't apply the custom css is ludicrous because you apply them to the pages. What's good for the goose should be good for the gander.

I realize you probably didn't write any of the code for these functionalities so I'm not trying to beat you up but the reasoning behind these "features" is downright laughable. The global blocks are simply half baked and these are the justifications they gave support.

I hope the global blocks and additional grouping elements in the page builder are reworked because conceptually they provide absolutely incredible functionality.

[christian_y]

Hey @alex5252,

We certainly appreciate the feedback. Personally, I understand point 1. On the surface, it's an overkill or a "divitis" in web design terms. I'm sure our development team is aware of this but they currently don't have a way to get around this.

I'm not sure about point 3 because I added a rule in Global CSS and it worked in Global Blocks builder. Maybe there's something wrong with your CSS. In the screenshot below, the red body background comes from Global CSS. Please open a separate thread for this issue. Maybe we can help you out with this.

Also, personally having tested other builders and systems, I find the code output and organization, from your own description, "laughable" than what X and Pro provides. That is my observation though. What I'm trying to say here is, X / Pro is not perfect and so are the rest of the systems / builders out there. Our products are continually being improved and what you've described might be possible in the future.

Thanks.

[alex5252]

In regards to the global CSS not applying I think its because i'm using selectors like #x-site .x-anchor-button. The other editors (page, header, footer) seem to act like they're being wrapped in all the extra markup but the global blocks do not seem to be "wrapped" with such markup. It's like the css version of does the falling tree make a noise riddle. "If there are no elements for your CSS to apply to, does you CSS still apply."

On the other point I completely agree, I've tried other themes and they're a pain. I absolutely love X/Pro and I use it for every project! I just lost it a bit when the reason you need you need to do a bunch of extra work to get something to actually function as intended, a "limitation", is billed a "feature". It's intellectually dishonest. Under that logic the next X/Pro version could be a blank php file and be branded as "having every feature". I don't think the community would be impressed by the new "features".

[friech]

Hi Alex,

As Christian said above we appreciate the feedback, but for now, there is no way to get around this but to follow how Global Blocks works.

I'll add a report on this on our issue tracker to keep track on this, however, we can't guarantee (or when) we can reform as this will affect how Global Blocks works dramatically.

Regarding the custom CSS, yes that is correct, please change your CSS selector to something global and specific instead, like body .x-anchor-button

Cheers!

[system]

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