Remove Lightbox options from the WordPress editor

Hi @rfischmann,

Thanks for your note.

The Lightbox Controls panel was recently added to Image and Gallery blocks. Those blocks will both open in the lightbox by default.

This is the first cut for that panel, but we’re intending to add options to enable/disable the lightbox (vs adding custom css classes via the Advanced tab). We are also considering allowing users to customize the lightbox (which one and/or lightbox options) on a per-image or per-gallery basis.

The broader goal is to bring the plugin into the modern block era.

Sounds like you’re not a fan. Would it be sufficient to have that panel be closed by default? Otherwise I suppose we could add an option to “Disable lightbox block editor controls”.

Thanks.

@rfischmann – Following up. I think for now, I’ll look at introducing two changes:

First, I’ll add an option to the plugin settings to disable the panel entirely. So for people who truly do not want to see any lightbox info or settings in the editor, they have that option.

Second, I may try to make it so that (a) the panel is always closed by default or (b) we ‘store’ the open/close status (so if you close it, then the new default will be closed; if you open it, the new default will be open).

The first change is relatively simple, and I’ll try to get it a release in the next week or so.

Thanks a lot for getting back to me so quickly about this, @firelightwp!

I do like the approach to “bring the plugin into the modern block era”, as you said, but that ought to be optional, yes.

You could either let us disable it from the plugin’s settings or via WordPress’ own customize screen for all the blocks that appear inside the editor.

And yes, remembering the open/close status would be good as well!

Lastly, I myself didn’t like the orange accent next to its block. No other blocks from my editor have any color.

@rfischmann –

I just pushed a small release that adds two options: one to hide the lightbox panel entirely, and one to set it so the panel is closed by default and thus less intrusive.

You can find both by going to Lightbox > Miscellaneous (assuming you are using Classic, V2, or Legacy lightboxes). At the bottom of that section, you’ll find two new checkboxes.

In a later release, I will make it so both of those options can be updated directly from the lightbox panel while editing a page or post as well (ie, you’ll see links to ‘close this panel’ or ‘hide this panel’ within the panel.

For now, I did leave the orange accent on the top of the Lightbox panel. I may leave it there for a month or so to ensure people realize the new panel exists, and then remove the extra highlighting.

Thanks for taking time to offer your feedback.

Thanks a lot, @firelightwp! I really appreciate it. ??