Version 23.7 Blocks

[Chris M]

Chris, I personally would not want my variant being randomly changed by alterations in Main.
I too would prefer the variant not to be linked until I chose.

Totally agree. To show how much more work is involved...Pre-Blocks I would make a site, edit the objects to how I like and then create a variant where I would move the pre-edited objects into place.
Post-Block, if I edit an object, I then have to go to the variant and do the same, or stop sharing, delete and go back to the other variant and share again.
Marquee select doesn't work, so selecting objects en-masse isn't possible, and shift clicking all the individual objects adds too much time.

As a user, I don't really care why Smart Shapes broke the Snap To Object, I would just like it fixed. This is on my list of reasons why I don't, yet, trust Blocks enough to make a site where I have a deadline to keep.

If you try to invoke Repeat On All Pages on an object, the warning is it cannot be done because the object is Live Shared. I do understand why Repeat On All Pages would cause its own set of problems, but I can't see why a whole Block can't be repeated. This is more of a niggle, and it isn't one of the reasons why I find using Blocks non-viable.

In my mind, I would create a Block(s), edit to what I want, flick it/them into a variant knowing the Blocks will fit to the page size without sticking out to the right for absolutely no reason. I would then open said variant, tuck the objects in, kiss their foreheads and turn out the lights. If that's never going to happen, let me know, and I can wipe away my tears get on with my life, much like I did when I realised I was never going to marry Jennifer Connelly back in the '90s.

[bwood]

Chris said “ otally agree. To show how much more work is involved...Pre-Blocks I would make a site, edit the objects to how I like and then create a variant where I would move the pre-edited objects into place.
Post-Block, if I edit an object, I then have to go to the variant and do the same, or stop sharing, delete and go back to the other variant and share again”.

The above is my major nigglet with blocks. I’ve used a couple of applications, including a Mac program, and all is duplicated in the small variant. Their users often ask the same thing.
Say I have lots of text on the larger variant. I don’t want all that duplicated on the smaller variant. Why would I use a block solution when I can simply share on another variant, and edit.
I think Xara will have to offer a choice.

[Chris M]

CaroleClaude's site needs the Gallery redoing. Being in an adventurous mood, tummy full of chicken Alfredo and a bottle of Tooheys Old chilling in the fridge, I thought, 'why not redo the whole site using the Blocks system?'

The project would be mainly copying from the existing site and pasting into Blocks. A few things would be altered, but most would be as is.
After 30 minutes, I had the index page as I liked, including 2 layers and a change of font style. Off I popped into the mobile variant, which is much like looking at a kindergarten after the kids found the toy box. A cleanup here, a tidy over there and I'll be neat and tidy in no time.

Block 1 (Freeform Block) contained a rectangle, 3 icons and 5 text boxes. I deleted the text, ready for the hamburger icon.
Block 2 (Flexible Block) contained 1 line of text.
Block 3 (Freeform Block) contained 14 items, text, images, shadows.

Moving a range of objects from side-by-side to above and below made the main variant go super nova. Parts of a page curl effect plunged several centimetres down the page. A rectangle I used to create part of a button was so repulsed by its position in life it jumped as high up the page as it could, shed its rounded corners and sulked.

Moving things back into position created a blank space between Blocks 2 and 3 and a simple coloured rectangle slipped out of position and hoped I wouldn't notice.

This was the 3rd Block on the first page. I closed the project, clicked Don't Save, opened the Tooheys Old and came here to report my findings.

I shall be placing Blocks with the pre-made navbars and piles of widgets in the never-to-be-used section.

[Acorn]

@Chris M, publish and be damned - and you would have been!

One day...

Acorn

[Chris M]

One day...

Acorn

I'm not so sure about that. I'm still waiting for a fix to having sticky links on a layer Hamburger With Sticky Bun (talkgraphics.com)

I claimed, above, that I was placing Blocks in the never-to-be-used section. I hadn't even finished the Tooheys before my brain went 'I'll bet it's easy to fix those exploding bits, and, if you immediately stop sharing with variants, maybe.....'

I opened a backup of the site. I'm sorry. I'm weak.

[Acorn]

I opened a backup of the site. I'm sorry. I'm weak.

Admission is the first step on the road of rehabilitation.
Remember Blocks' Anonymous (BA) is always there for you.

I too am a Blocks user but I've been clean since version 23.8.
Another three subversions free and I'll get my BA Badge (Babbage No 1).
This was devised by our founder when he found that he had a screw loose in his Difference Engine No 1.

Stay strong.

Acorn

[Chris M]

Admission is the first step on the road of rehabilitation.
Remember Blocks' Anonymous (BA) is always there for you.

I too am a Blocks user but I've been clean since version 23.8.
Another three subversions free and I'll get my BA Badge (Babbage No 1).
This was devised by our founder when he found that he had a screw loose in his Difference Engine No 1.

Stay strong.

Acorn

Hahaha, excellent.