Modular website - adding a calendar

[bwood]

I’m simplifying a website I have, it’s most conducive to a modular approach, but I need a calendar for the site. A calendar is not offered in the modular widgets. I’m using google calendar.
I’m usually working with a placeholder.

Follow my steps, I’m hoping they’re correct … construct a placeholder in a web block using a smart shape. Copy the code for the calendar and place in the placeholder dialogue.

Questions .. will the calendar be responsive in two variants? does the calendar have to be regrouped with other elements in the module.

Thanks loads!
-Bill

[Acorn]

I’m simplifying a website I have, it’s most conducive to a modular approach, but I need a calendar for the site. A calendar is not offered in the modular widgets. I’m using google calendar.
I’m usually working with a placeholder.
Follow my steps, I’m hoping they’re correct … construct a placeholder in a web block using a smart shape. Copy the code for the calendar and place in the placeholder dialogue.
Questions .. will the calendar be responsive in two variants? does the calendar have to be regrouped with other elements in the module.
Thanks loads!
-Bill

Bill, there is a Calendar Web Block. Use the OCC > Modular Website > Web Blocks > Scheduling & Appointments. There is similar in Components > Appointments.
For the Web Blocks, Xara has set up dummy accounts so you would have to get your own and change the Placeholder code accordingly.

You can roll your own Web Blocks but it is not automatic.

Say you are in a blank Modular Website (1280px Main & 480px Variant).

Construct your Main Placeholder as normal. Put an image close to it.
Add a few Text Areas.
Go on make a Web block to be proud of.

Use Website Variants > Share.
Go to the Variant and all is there but out of place.
Click to get the green Web Block showing.
Right-click and pick Open Web block (or even Ungroup / Ungroup Web Block.
Resize and reposition to fit the page.
Save to return to the Variant view of the changed Web Block (or select all and Create Web block again).

If you have another Web block already on the page, shift your up or down and check the main follows the Variant or vice versa.

This all works if you change 480px to something sensible (640 or 720px0 or adjust the Main to 1440px.
Each change requires a tweak.

If the tweak is into a Xara Web Block that has a Layout Group then you have to jump through even more hoops.

Web Blocks could be wonderful for some sites.
If you have the patience you can create your own.
The problem arises when you encounter a client who wants a bit or one Web Block in another place. There is an awful lot of shuffling to perform.
Web blocks still have fundmental flaw when it comes to third party widget that use an ID for a form or video as jumping from Variant to Main is a serious disjoint.

Acorn

[bwood]

Thanks @acorn. I missed the calendar in the components. I’ve been using the “open web block” a lot of course. I do notice when you open the web block to edit you lose the spatial awareness of where the block is on the site. Your just editing as usual. Let’s say you want to move the elements in the block up a few px from another block. It’s a little hard to judge and get used too.

Another thing that block users will have to get used to is the amount of text on a larger variant is the amount that will show on the smaller phone variant. There are several other programs that act the same way, although Xara offers much more latitude.

One thing I have discovered, for those that like the hamburger icon nav for phones and don’t want to go thru building their own pop up and drop down; one can import the start page, and delete the nav bar on the larger width variant. Then you can bring in your own buttons etc. The phone variant will remain unchanged with the hamburger icon nav on the right hand side.

I haven’t had problems with the width of pages as yet, but I haven’t gone through a conversion of existing pages as yet.

-Bill