Panels (or context) would be perfect, but most of their sites are complete and not using it, but I do have that in mind when the time comes to plan migration to D7 or D8. I like the unique region idea as something to try first...an added benefit being the assigning of the blocks can be automated and theme-independent. Thanks Earl! And everyone for good suggestions. Ayen Designs - quality software the first time, every time! -----Original Message----- From: Earl Miles <merlin@logrus.com> Sender: development-bounces@drupal.org Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:57:42 To: <development@drupal.org> Reply-To: development@drupal.org Subject: Re: [development] Block blocking On 7/18/2011 8:00 AM, jeff@ayendesigns.com wrote:
Here's an interesting one. If I have a special purpose page, and only want certain blocks to appear on that page, I can, of course, go to the blocks UI and change every other block to not appear on that page, either by naming it (where the list is pages NOT to appear on) or listing all the others (pages TO appear on).
I find the need to do this from a module, AND not knowing what the other blocks are. This module will be used on several sites that the client has. When this page is requested, the blocks that the module defines will be displayed, but ANY OTHER BLOCK that would, by default, appear on the page needs to be prevented from doing so. How would I do this completely from code?
I'm assuming that I'm looking for a structure that contains all the blocks that will be passed to the page much like form fields in $form, so that I can just loop and mark them as hidden.
Use the no blocks function of theme('page') to prevent blocks and print the regions yourself? Use a panel or panels everywhere? Use context.module? Create a completely different page.tpl.php with different regions and then place only that module's blocks in those regions? Then the regular regions won't get printed? Have that page appear in a different theme; that theme has separate block UI and so that theme could configure only the needed blocks.