Version 23.7 Blocks

[bwood]

I’ll upload a site soon. Strictly experimental. I’m moving blank blocks onto pages. Adding images etc. I’m considering designing the 480 variant first, then looking on the 1280 site. The other way around it’s a hodgepodge. Much of my listing and highlights can be achieved with smart duplication which Acorn spelled out for me.
Also I’m find you must have your pieces (logo and design) ready made. You can make things off page but it’s messy.

I see the Michal Jarmoluk influence in different blocks in the catalogue. Disappointing its all in the block format and not in free form design. I can use Michal’s designs but I usually import and take apart. The latest https://xaratemplates.com/

Michals take on Blocks 2. https://xaratemplates.com/blocks2.html. Actually a good simple explanation, that is not in the on line manual, or on YouTubes.

[Acorn]

I see the Michal Jarmoluk influence in different blocks in the catalogue. Disappointing its all in the block format and not in free form design.

Bill, you do realised if you copy & paste a WB or drag one from the Local Designs gallery or Import from Elements onto a Freeform design page the content is presented in a Group without the WB capability.

You can spoof the FlexGroup to work as I covered above.
If you set Push & Autofit to Page Bottom, you almost have a Flexible Block capability without the worry of a Variant.

Acorn

[Chris M]

I’m considering designing the 480 variant first, then looking on the 1280 site. The other way around it’s a hodgepodge.

That's going to be my next project, start with the smaller variant. So far (which isn't really far) all the apocalyptic events have been associated with the mobile variant. I'm curious whether going smaller first will allow wiggle room on the larger variant, or just destroy itself as usual, but in a more spectacular way.

I have a working site where I have an iframe displaying a picture gallery with 40 images. The gallery is made of a single Flexible Block. The pictures are 2 sizes, portrait and landscape. Nothing could go wrong there, right? Just one on top of the other, easy-peasy. More than once, the whole Flexi part (purple bit) expands 30px on the width for reasons I have yet to fathom. I've mucked and messed to try and coax it back to no avail. I either set the 'x' coordinate to -30, or remove the images from the larger variant, delete the entire block, drop a fresh block into the page and drop the images back in. The second, scorched earth method, is cleaner and takes longer to type the how-to than actually do the job.

I select each image by holding Shift, as we can't marquee select (moan moan) drag all 40 out of the block. Then select all 40 and drag them back in to the new block. Not a biggie in this example, but not one I should have to do.

[Acorn]

@Chris, I feel your pain.

Acorn

[Acorn]

@Chris, in a Freeform WB you can resize objects so that the WB wrapper exceeds the page width.
If I scale right, the WB right-side extends beyond the page. Ditto, to the left with an origin shift as well.

I have my Variant set to W:720px.
If I scale back the shapes so all fit on the page, the WB resets back to (0, 0) and all is right in the world.

With a FlexGroup, the origin is fixed at (0, 0) and the WB extends right only.
Aligning things back is far more problematic.
The simplest start is to select the FlexGroup and set its width to 720px.
You then find things like text have scaled and the WB it wider than is ought to be.
This is where you have to resize and reposition the BlockBackground.

One small user oops! and a cascade of hurt.
None of this seems to be covered in v23.8 > Help > Modular website tutorials (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4azS...SZMW7&index=40).

Acorn

[bwood]

Mine thus far. billwood.ca the splash page is the home page. I do like the block layout for "buildings", although we can do this with smart duplication. Buttons can lead to a full page on a particular building. All very simple thus far.
Mobile is different. One can adjust the images in the flex block. The opening pic on home is jacked as far vertical as it can go. All the building pics are added on the mobile view. The logo is incomplete. No footer as yet.

I believe that Xara has come to the conclusion that 70-80% of viewing is now on smart phones; noting their work on the phone variant is well done in templates. Perhaps they'll come out with some WB phone designs. Certainly see the Michal influence. Perhaps I must look at a temp that almost fits, then rework; but where's the fun in that

[Chris M]

Mine thus far. billwood.ca the splash page is the home page. I do like the block layout for "buildings", although we can do this with smart duplication. Buttons can lead to a full page on a particular building. All very simple thus far.
Mobile is different. One can adjust the images in the flex block. The opening pic on home is jacked as far vertical as it can go. All the building pics are added on the mobile view. The logo is incomplete. No footer as yet.

I believe that Xara has come to the conclusion that 70-80% of viewing is now on smart phones; noting their work on the phone variant is well done in templates. Perhaps they'll come out with some WB phone designs. Certainly see the Michal influence. Perhaps I must look at a temp that almost fits, then rework; but where's the fun in that

It's 23.8 day today, Bill. Saddle up. We ride at dawn...after coffee...and a bit of breakfast...We ride at 10:00...ish.

[sunland]

@ChrisM
On post #30 you had an attachment. I am interested in the art work in that attachment. Who is the artist and is there a site where it can be viewed.
thanks,
sunland

[Chris M]

With a FlexGroup, the origin is fixed at (0, 0) and the WB extends right only.
Aligning things back is far more problematic.
The simplest start is to select the FlexGroup and set its width to 720px.
You then find things like text have scaled and the WB it wider than is ought to be.
This is where you have to resize and reposition the BlockBackground.

Acorn

I'm not sure if I've been down this track. I have definitely resized and moved the block background, which sometimes does one thing, then does another, which only goes to show I don't understand what I'm doing.

I'll update to today's release of 23.8 and revisit.

[Chris M]

@Chris, in a Freeform WB you can resize objects so that the WB wrapper exceeds the page width.
If I scale right, the WB right-side extends beyond the page. Ditto, to the left with an origin shift as well.

I have my Variant set to W:720px.
If I scale back the shapes so all fit on the page, the WB resets back to (0, 0) and all is right in the world.

With a FlexGroup, the origin is fixed at (0, 0) and the WB extends right only.
Aligning things back is far more problematic.
The simplest start is to select the FlexGroup and set its width to 720px.
You then find things like text have scaled and the WB it wider than is ought to be.
This is where you have to resize and reposition the BlockBackground.

One small user oops! and a cascade of hurt.
None of this seems to be covered in v23.8 > Help > Modular website tutorials (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4azS...SZMW7&index=40).

Acorn

With this firmly in mind, and with the knee scrapes from falling off the Blocks bike to remind me, I shall rebuild the first site I did. I'm pretty sure the 23.8 update cured the images running off when set to full width, or whatever it was. The aim is 100% Blocks. No fudging, no workarounds, no looking behind, no backing down (Eye Of The Tiger plays in the background). There's a challenge to be faced, and I've drunk enough Guinness to pick up that gauntlet.

ChrisM, boldly going where intelligent people circumnavigate.