Managing blocks

Adding Moodle blocks to the footer

If you add any block at an admin page or at the Moodle dashboard, it can only be displayed within this context and not throughout the entire site - but that's what you would like for the footer blocks. So at first you should return to the Moodle front page.

Let's take the calendar block as an example - if you don't already have a calendar block on your site, you first have to add one:

  • Click Turn editing on (top-right).
  • When editing is on, the "Add block" block appears.
  • Select the calendar block in the dropdown menu.

With the calendar block on your site, click the edit icon in the block header to configure it.

editing-blocks

In the block settings you can configure where the block appears:

  • Select "Any page" for "Display on page types" to make the calendar block appear throughout your Moodle site.
  • Select "Footer (left)" for "Default region"
  • Do not forget to verify the correct setting for the position "On this page":
    Here you can override the column preference for the block, so make sure you have set up the correct region here, too.



The calendar block is now placed at the left footer region and appears on every page of your Moodle site.

Note: You can also add HTML blocks to add any content you like to your footer regions.

block-settings


Defining the block columns for your courses

By default, the Moodle course view is a page with a 3-column layout. There is one bigger column for the main content area and two smaller columns for the blocks. If you use both of these block columns, you'll get the 3-column layout. But if you use only one for your existing blocks, you'll have a 2-column layout for the course.

If you turn editing on at any of your courses, you can re-arrange the position of your blocks. All you have to do is to edit the block settings by clicking on the cogwheel at the top of a block. You can select any of your blocks which you are currently using at your course. In the block settings go to "Where this block appears" > "On this page". Here, choose the position for your blocks which is currently unused: If all your blocks are at the "left" block position now, select "right" to place the block at the new block column or vice versa.

Remember: You can access the configurable options for the general block layout at Administration > Site Administration > Appearance > Themes > Theme-Lambda > Moodle Blocks:

moodle-block-layout-01

Default Lambda block layout: both block columns left and right on the side of the main content area

moodle-block-layout-02

Standard Moodle block layout: block regions left and right of the main content

moodle-block-layout-03

Collapsible left block region: You can use a collapsible sidebar for the left block region


Extra Tip

info

Additional CSS classes for your Moodle blocks

To aid with styling the block, an administrator can, from "Administration" > "Site administration" > "Plugins" > "Blocks" > "HTML", toggle the ability to allow additional CSS classes to be set in individual block instances. If it is enabled, a field appears at the bottom of HTML block instance's configuration forms.

Theme Lambda allows you to add a "blank" class to your HTML blocks:

  • Click Turn editing on (top-right).
  • With any existing HTML block on your site, click the edit icon in the block header to configure it.
  • If you have enabled the ability to allow additional CSS classes, you can add the blank class here.

If you leave the field for the block title empty, only the contents of your HTML block will be displayed without any further block stylings.

additional CSS classes

Result:

additional CSS classes result