[Resolved] Reusable Blocks Broken … Editing Block In Post Also Edits Original Template

[Patrick]

Here is what happens …

– Create post and add a reusable block from the templates I created.
– Edit the block in the post.
– Click publish and I am now prompted to save edits to reusable block template.

If I leave the prompt checked, the original template is altered … which I do not want.

If I uncheck the prompt, post will not save the edits I made and will not publish.

There use to be a step where you had to convert the reusable block template after adding it to the post before you could edit it and the original would remain unaffected. That step is gone. Now, if you edit the reusable block in the post, it edits the original template as well … THIS IS BAD.

Also being discussed here in GenerateBlock Plugin forum ( am not using that plugin):
https://wordpress.org/support/topic/issue-with-reusable-blocks-saving-after-wordpress-5-7-update/

[Patrick]

Hey David … any ideas?

[David]

Hi there,

i must say that all the improvements that WP 5.7 made to the reusable block have been outclassed by the errors it introduced for legacy blocks and the terrible UI… Reusable blocks now have their own wrapper block – see the video here – i show 2 methods for selecting it, so you can then access the convert to regular block option in the toolbar:

[Patrick]

Thanks Dave … so are you saying that I simply need to make them all over from scratch and the new ones will work correctly?

[Elvin]

Thanks Dave … so are you saying that I simply need to make them all over from scratch and the new ones will work correctly?

Convert the reusable block back to a regular block so the effort put into making the layout isn’t a complete waste instead of remaking them from scratch. 🙂

David’s video shows how. There’s an icon button to convert it back.

Just place the reusable block to where you want it placed and convert it there.

[Patrick]

Just confirmed it works …

– Create new reusable block
– Copy items from legacy reusable block to new format reusable block
– Save new, delete old reusable block
– Create new post
– Add new format reusable block
– Click “Convert To Regular Blocks” button
– Edit as normal

Same functionality, just more efficient as the whole thing is in its own wrapper until you convert it to regular blocks. There were a few glitches with the old blocks anyway, so this is better. However, WP needs to publicize this change a little better as it is significant and not documented anywhere I could find it …

[Elvin]

…However, WP needs to publicize this change a little better as it is significant and not documented anywhere I could find it …

For things like this, people usually raise in Gutenberg’s GitHub “Issues” page:
https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues

But yeah, It’d be nice if they were clear on this.

Glad you got it sorted. 🙂

[Graeme]

Great. I have just added 6 pages using a reusable block of the top of the page and text.

Only just noticed I now have 6 pages exactly the same. Everytime I use a reusable block it saves to the last one done.

Am I going mad or doing something stupid?

[David]

I am not sure i understand what it is you’re doing to be honest.

The premise of a reusable block is so you can add the same content across your site. And if you edit a reusable block that content is updated across all instances of the block. So if its the same reusable block you’re adding then the content will be identical on all pages.

The new version of WP makes a little too easy to accidentally update a reusable block in the editor and inadvertently update all of its instances.

Maybe i am missing something….

[Graeme]

I was using the reusable block as an easy way to make sure each page looked the same. Allowing me to cut and paste text into each page

[David]

You just need to make sure that the Reusable is converted to a Regular block after adding it to a new page.

[Graeme]

Thanks, Is that easy to do?

[David]

Thats what i was explaining in this reply ( see video ):

https://generatepress.com/forums/topic/reusable-blocks-broken-editing-block-in-post-also-edits-original-template/#post-1713288

Once you added a reusable block – just follow the steps in the video to convert it.

[Graeme]

Thank you – it is impressive

[David]

You’re welcome

[Author]

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