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How to use two seperate blocks in one region

I'm currently providing the user the option to create for a cv and an image:

2010    did this             |       
2011    did that             |  IMAGE GOES
2012    did another thingy   |     HERE
2015    still rocking        |

Now I'd like to provide the user with anther option to add multiple exhibitions below:

2010    did this             |       
2011    did that             |  IMAGE GOES
2012    did another thingy   |     HERE
2015    still rocking        |
==============================
Exhibition 1 
   * 2009
   * Stonehenge
   * Cool Copy
Exhibition 2
   * 2010
   * Asterix
   * Cool Copy
Exhibition 3 
   * 2012
   * Obelix
   * Cool Copy

My template looks like this:

<section id='<perch:content id="pageslug" type="hidden" />' xmlns:perch="https://www.w3.org/1999/html">
    <div class="sectionTitle">
        <h1>
            <perch:content id="pageTitle" type="hidden"/>
        </h1>
    </div>
    <div class="container" id='content-<perch:content id="pageslug" type="hidden" />'>
        <div class="row">
            <div class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12">
                <table class="table biographie">
                    <tbody>
                    <perch:blocks>
                        <perch:block type="zeitpunkt" label="Lebenslauf Eintrag hinzufügen">
                            <tr>
                                <td>
                                    <perch:content id="cvtime" type="text" label="Jahr / Zeitraum" />
                                </td>
                                <td>
                                    <perch:content id="cvtext" type="textarea" label="Was getan wurde" editor="markitup" markdown="true" size="s" />
                                </td>
                            </tr>
                        </perch:block>
                    </perch:blocks>
                    </tbody>
                </table>
            </div>
            <div class="col-md-6 col-sm-6 col-xs-12">
                <img src='<perch:content id="cvimage" label="Bild" type="image" />'
                     alt='<perch:content id="bildtitel" label="Bild Titel" type="text" />'
                     width="100%"/>
                <legend>
                    <perch:content type="text" id="legend" label="Bildunterschrift"/>
                </legend>
            </div>
        </div>
        <div class="exhibitions">
            <!-- here, I'd like to generate the list of exhibitions -->
        </div>
    </div>
</section>

The user should have three sections to edit in the backend:

  1. the list of CV entries
  2. the image
  3. the list of exhibitions

With the current layout/design, the CV list and the exhibitiuon list are mutually exclusive, i.e. you should not be able to put a cv line into the exhibitions list and vice versa.

As I cannot simply add another <perch:blocks> structure, how should I approach this?
Volker Kopetzky

Volker Kopetzky 0 points

  • 5 years ago
Drew McLellan

Drew McLellan 2638 points
Perch Support

5 years ago

Should the exhibitions not be a region of their own?
Simon Clay

Simon Clay 127 points

5 years ago

You could use a repeater, like this:

<div class="exhibition">
  <perch:repeater id="exhibition_list" label="Images">
    <perch:content id="additional_cvtime" type="text" label="Jahr / Zeitraum" />
    <perch:content id="additional_title" type="text" label="Title" />
    <perch:content id="additional_cvtext2" type="textarea" label="Was getan wurde" editor="markitup" markdown="true" size="s" />
  </perch:repeater>
</div>
Volker Kopetzky

Volker Kopetzky 0 points

5 years ago

The problem is that the regions for each are singular and auto generated.

The index.php file has this code to generate the regions:


<?php
$pageList = perch_pages_navigation( array(
    'levels' => 1,
    'skip-template' => true
));

foreach ( $pageList as $item ) {

    $slug = ltrim( $item['pageSortPath'], "/" );
    // prepare the page section
    perch_content_create("Inhalt", array(
        'page' => $slug . ".php",
        'template' => '_' . $slug . ".html",
        'multiple' => false
    ));

}
?>

Then, the pages themself will be put into the page with this code:

~~~

<?php foreach ($pageList as $page) {

    $slug = ltrim( $page['pageSortPath'], "/" );

    $queryOptions = array(
        'page' => $page['pagePath'],
        'template' => '_' . $slug . ".html",
    );

    PerchSystem::set_vars(array(
        'pageslug' => $slug,
        'pageTitle' => $page['pageTitle'],
        'pageModified' => $page['pageModified']
    ));

    // register region
    perch_content_custom("Inhalt" , $queryOptions);

} // end foreach ?>

~~

By using this approach, I limited myself to only one region per page (Inhalt) unless I intruduce additional qirks in the pages loop (if ($slug=='biography')), or maybe add another 'dummy' region to each page wich then would be left empty for all other pages. Each of these solutions/workaronds is adding too much complexity and clumsiness for my taste.

As this is my first encounter with perch, I might have overlooked a relevant feature, so any other approach on how to build a one-pager using multiple perch pages is welcome, too ;)
Volker Kopetzky

Volker Kopetzky 0 points

5 years ago

@ Simon Clay What would be the dummy explanation on the difference between blocks and repeaters?
Simon Clay

Simon Clay 127 points

5 years ago

Blocks will allow an editor to choose different types of content to add i.e.:

<perch:blocks>

<!--*Editor can add text*-->
  <perch:block type="text" label="Text">
    …
  </perch:block>

<!--*or another element*-->
  <perch:block type="quote" label="Pull quote">
    …
  </perch:block>

<!--*or an image etc*-->
  <perch:block type="image" label="Feature image">
    …
  </perch:block>

</perch:blocks>

Repeaters are for just a fixed set of fields that get repeated.
Volker Kopetzky

Volker Kopetzky 0 points

5 years ago

Thanx Simon!

That's good intel, so I will convert my blocks to a repeater and simply use another repeater for the exhibitions.
Volker Kopetzky

Volker Kopetzky 0 points

5 years ago

ouch, I wanted to select Simons first answer as solution, can the mod help here?