How do I add content to my site pages?

A block is some content or functionality you can edit from within a page in concrete5. Think of legos, these are the actual building blocks that go together to make the pages of your site. One block might add a Google Map to your website. Another helps add a form. Yet another - a YouTube video. Depending on the content you want to add, there is a block designed to help you add it.

Your concrete5 install comes with some basic blocks including the Content block, Survey, Conversations, Image Slider, etc. You can find more blocks, both free and commercially supported in Concrete5's marketplace.

In-Context Editing

All in-context editing is performed by dragging Blocks into Block Areas. These areas hold the content and functionality blocks that make up your web pages.

Concrete5 Block Area Options

  • Add Layout let you chop block areas into smaller columns.
  • Edit Area Design lets you override the CSS for this part of the page.

If you have a layout defined by your theme, you will have two more options:

  • Edit Container Layout allows you to modify the area's layout according to the predefined grid system's units.
  • Save Layout as Preset saves the modifications as a preset for use on other areas.

How do blocks go together to make a site?

Your site is a collection of pages arranged in a hierarchy called the site tree. Each page in your site is associated with a page typepage template, and theme. That combination of page type, page template & theme defines parts of the page which can have editable content or functionality. These are called block areas. Inside any given block area, you may have many blocks.

When you add a specific type of block to a specific block area, you have created an instance of that block. Most pages in your site will be built out of different blocks sitting in block areas.

DEFAULT BLOCKS

How To Add A Block

All in-context editing is performed in Block Areas. These areas hold the content and functionality blocks that make up your web pages.  
Click "+" from the edit bar menu. This will pop out the blocks pane from the left:

add_block_button.jpg

Find the block you'd like to add from the list of all available types:

block_panel.jpg

 

Then drag that block onto an available block area. It will glow green indicating it is ready to receive:

add_block_to_area.jpg

 

The block that you select will then present you with a form. This form allows you to personalize the block to your site and situation. When you have everything the way you want, click add and the block will appear on the page. Some blocks have additional preferences that can be changed in the dashboard.

BLOCK TYPES

There are many different block types available for your use on any given page. Most of these block types are default ones, although your site might also have custom block types. Below is a list of commonly used default block types.

OTHER BLOCKS

There are other blocks that are available, but less commonly used and they are: