Add a "sitewide_sidebar" minipanel [#1737024]

Problem/Motivation

Panels is hugely flexible but challenged to provide consistent sitewide elements like sidebar blocks. See #1557842: Allow Feature module exports to add Panes to Existing Panels and #1713524: Mini Panels + the Sidebar Problem.

Proposed resolution

One potential solution is to provide a minipanel that can be shared between multiple features or apps. This minipanel would then be added to many panels pages. A feature author wanting to add to a sitewide sidebar would alter the minipanel.

Remaining tasks

Requires #1713678: Define approach for true exportables.

Then implement en empty mini-panel exportable.

Comments

Comment #1

jwilson3

English

Ecuador

CreditAttribution: jwilson3 commented 5 March 2013 at 13:15

One workaround that works today, but is slightly limited and "hacky" is to use the region_pane module that comes with panels_extras. You add normal Drupal regions in your theme, then add your content to those regions using either the context or block module. Finally, using the region_pane module, you add that theme region to some corresponding panel region on one or more panels using the normal Panels "add content" UI.

This workaround doesnt solve the underlying problem that panels still cannot let you *define* sitewide content. It is also limited by the module you choose to use for placement of content/blocks into theme regions. In other words, you don't get all of the goodness that panels gives you (such as contexts, panel args etc).