Feature request: columns property for container

  • Resolved Keirwatson

    (@keirwatson)


    3 years, 9 months ago

    I use css columns property to style many parts of my site. Currently, I have to add this as a custom class to a container block. This works really well on the front end, but does not display in editor. (See example on web page I have linked to) I think this is a layout feature many people would use if it was easier to access. It is inherently responsive too!

    So, could you add a columns property feature to the GP container block? It would need a few input fields but would add a lot of functionality right out of the box.

    It has a distinct use-case compared to other column/grid options available in WP right now. It might be called “text columns” to avoid confusion with the standard WP columns block or GP grid block.

    One last point: it is unlikely that anyone will make a stand-alone columns block, as it need to be a wrapper for other content, so it’s natural place is as part of a container block. I think it fits right in with GPs philosophy of only adding versatile core functionality and not gimmicky ‘fluff’.

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Plugin Support David

    (@diggeddy)

    Hi there,

    why not use the Grid Block that GB provides ?

    https://docs.generateblocks.com/article/grid-overview/

    Thread Starter Keirwatson

    (@keirwatson)

    Because it cannot do what columns does. The beauty of css columns is that it flows text into the columns automatically (fluidly and responsively). Applied to a surrounding container, it distributes any content within the container (paragraph text, images, lists etc) automatically and dynamically into responsive columns like a newspaper.

    Content in grid/flex/divs/blocks remains in separate chunks, each stuck in its ‘box’. So, for example, text in one block cannot overflow into another dynamically as it can with css columns.

    css columns might be viewed by some as just a ‘poor man’s grid’ but it has qualities and functionality that you simply can’t create any other way (Try adjusting the width of the page I linked to and watch how the content adjusts dynamically. Can you achieve that with Generate blocks?)

    While Flex and Grid are for layout, Columns should be seen more as a kind of formatting. A perfect use case is when you have a dynamically generated unordered list and you want to display it in columns. You can see a good example of this here: https://rosemarycottageclinic.co.uk/blog/recipes/ (Scroll down a little and checkout the framed box of category links. Change screen width and see how they rearrange dynamically into 3/4/5 columns) – you can’t do this with WP/Gutenberg/GB as it stands. the problem for me is that in the editor this appears as a single column unordered list. The css required to transform it is simply: column-count: 5; column-width: 130px; the browser does the rest.

    Plugin Support David

    (@diggeddy)

    Aah my apologies i obviously didn’t read the original topic clearly ??

    Yes CSS Columns are still one of my go to properties.

    Definitely something we can think about ??

    Would you like to join the GB Community? – where you can raise it as a Feature Request:

    https://community.generateblocks.com

    Thread Starter Keirwatson

    (@keirwatson)

    Will do. (Just signed up).

    Plugin Support David

    (@diggeddy)

    Thats great – thanks for the suggestions – much appreciated.

    Thread Starter Keirwatson

    (@keirwatson)

    Thanks

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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