Extend block, so it behaves like it should
Last modified: August 26, 2009 - 23:51
I quickly extended block functionality, to meet my own requirements. There is a series of issues with the original block design, that fortunately can be addressed via template.
- Why can't I have some intelligent ID naming for my blocks?.
- Why can't I set a custom ID for a block, from within it's defining function?
- Why can't I set a custom class, or whatever other attributes for a block, from within it's defining function? As it is, I can't assign it any JS events... only within it's content... this is not good.
Here is a quick solution, this should be saved as block.tpl.php in your active theme folder. Luckily enough, Drupal will take care of using it to render a block, instead of it's own (rather limited) protocol.
<?php
/*
ADD ATTRIBUTES TO THE BLOCK
*/
// Add standard block class
$default_class = 'block'. ($block->module ? ' block-'. $block->module : '');
if (!isset($block->attributes))
$block->attributes = array();
if (!isset($block->attributes['class']))
$block->attributes['class'] = $default_class;
else
$block->attributes['class'] = $default_class .' '. $block->attributes['class'];
if (!isset($block->attributes['id'])) {
/*
GIVE A READABLE ID TO THE BLOCK (instead of Drupal's useless block-module-29)
*/
// Create a unique, yet readable, block id.
$block_id = $block->mobule .'-'. $block->subject;
// Remove invalid characters.
$block_id = preg_replace('/([^a-z0-9 ])/i', '', $block_id);
// Convert spaces.
$block_id = preg_replace('/ /i', '-', $block_id);
// Make it all lower
$block_id = strtolower($block_id);
$block->attributes['id'] = $block_id;
}
?>
<div <?php print drupal_attributes($block->attributes); ?>>
<h2><?php print $block->subject; ?></h2>
<div class="content"><?php print $block->content; ?></div>
</div>Hopefully this will work for you as it did for me. Now I can integrate blocks in my logics, the way it should have been already a long time ago.
Cheers!