[META] Many UI/UX issues with custom blocks.

Updated: Comment #0

This is a sub-issue of #1875252: [META] Make the block plugin UI shippable. The custom block workflow has its own set of UI and UX issues on top of those that affect all block types. @Dries highlighted a number of these in his review in #1871772-111: Convert custom blocks to content entities and there's some further exploration in #1875252: [META] Make the block plugin UI shippable, but there are a lot of problems that are outside the scope of #2055853: [meta] Improve the place block UX; Separate interaction from the create block UX; Improve the existing blocks-by-theme layout, which is the current task there.

Here's a walkthrough of what happens when you try to add custom blocks. I'll edit in the issues that exist to try to address each step after I'm done posting.

1. I first went to add a custom block type.

   
   #2062761: Update hook_help() for custom_block modules has been filed for the missing help text.
   #2062439: Provide listing of custom block entities fixes the missing button text.

2. Once I create my block type, I end up back on the same list, as expected, but there's no indication what I can do next.

   • #2062439: Provide listing of custom block entities will help if it makes this a child tab under "custom blocks".
   • #2062761: Update hook_help() for custom_block modules should help as well.
   • We also could possibly add a "Create block..." dropbutton operation, but that proposal has been debated in other issues for similar situations, because it blurs the different realms.

3. Spoiler alert: one has to click on the other "Blocks" link and go to admin/structure/blocks, then click "Place blocks". Neither of these things seem related to creating a new piece of block content.

   • #2058321: Move the 'place block' UI into the block listing helps by eliminating the extra step of clicking that button.
   • #2061679: Add a tour for the improved block admin UI at admin/structure/blocks. will also help.
   • #2029731: Improve help for blocks module is the issue to update the hook_help()

4. This confusing form is no help, but it is what I need actually.

   • #2058321: Move the 'place block' UI into the block listing gets rid of this unhelpful form.

5. After I click "Add custom block" I get this entirely different looking page that seems like a separate place:

   • #2062761: Update hook_help() for custom_block modules has been filed for the missing help text.

6. But it looks like I'm on the right track.

7. Until I'm thrown into yet another form.

8. And now I'm back here, five screens later. They all looked different. Where did my block go? I want to change the text in it to something that's not text text.

9. I forgot to set a region so I have to scroll down.

   • #1956134: Provide helpful editing links on "admin/structure/block" for deriver blocks (menu, views, block content, etc.) is what would help here.

10. Clicking "configure" takes me to a form but not the one I want.

    • #2062439: Provide listing of custom block entities will provide the form I'm actually looking for.

11. I back up and try the button I used the last time, even though I don't want to add a new one again.

12. Same form, but with a new row for my block!

13. ...And then I see yet another completely different looking screen. This threw me IRL. The problem is that this doesn't have the admin path entry it should and so we're thrown out of Seven and Overlay.

    #2062817: Custom block edit path is incorrect in hook_admin_paths() and the configure path is missing from the .info should fix this.

14. Also my block is displayed here with contextual links, which really baffled me at 12:30a last night. I realized this morning that this is a side effect of #13.