no, not possible. But you can easily split an area into two columns (if you're using 5.4) and create almost any kind of layout you want.

But you have to use two content blocks if you want to place another block like zoom image between the content...

I think the Area Splitter Addon does this..

http://www.concrete5.org/marketplace/addons/area_splitter/...

Thanks guys I will give it a try right now and see how it works

I know this is along time ago post but I am new to concrete5 and now with 5.5 I want to have a block type of content and then inside of that place a video block (youtube player) and then more text and then further down another block for a photo slideshow player. Like in a normal html page where you can insert images I want to insert these video and slideshow blocks and be able to use css like float left and right to position them inside the original block which will have text.

Do you know how I do that? I know how to manipulate html and css but not sure how these blocks inside blocks work.

I'm not sure about your level of knowledge so I'll explain some basics. My apologies if you know this stuff already.

For all intents and purposes, blocks are 'atomic' by nature. Blocks can't contain other blocks (without some pretty sophisticated and unreliable hoop-jumping). What you want is a 'molecule'. These molecules are built by manipulating divs which contain C5 areas which then contain individual blocks.

In your question, you speak of wanting a container 'block' to hold all your other blocks. The container 'block' you desire is actually the page itself so you have to manipulate that container.

The easiest way to get started with this would be to make a copy of the page template file that most closely matches your desired layout (e.g. root/themes/your_theme/three_column.php) and call it something like 'multimedia.php'. This new page type will not show up automatically for you to use within C5. Once you put that file in your theme folder, you must to go to 'Dashboard->Themes' and 'Inspect' your theme to 'Ok' the addition of this new page type.

Now that the new page type is available, you can edit the 'multimedia.php' file to add divs (and C5 areas inside those divs) and manipulate the css to float, position and otherwise cajole your areas to appear where you want them on the page. By adding various slideshows, videos, text and images to these new areas you will have yourself a page full of multimedia.

Stacks are another way to add a bunch of different blocks to a page but C5 simply spits out the blocks in the stack sequentially (like a stack of pancakes) with limited ability to manipulate the ultimate placement of the blocks from the stack.

Seems like a lot of work to simply insert a "block" that contains code into a page "content" block. I normally build sites using Dreamweaver and do the old traditional menthod using basic head and body with include files for the header and footer. I then use div tags as containers for text and images and blocks of code such as embedded video from youtube and some other jquery coding for slideshows. All of those div containers can be then styled for look and position with CSS. I was hoping to be able to use some of the purchased blocks for youtube video and slideshows in the same way where I have paragraphs talking about a trip and then inserting a video and then further down in the text another insertion of a slideshow. I guess I can just do it with stacks or just links using thumbnails for triggers to the application block.
Just not as easy to or should I say not as straight forward as I find building using Dreamweaver. I am hoping to build a site that can then be updated by a none technical person but I am not sure Concrete5 is all that logical. Thanks The site ishttp://billanddonnasadventures.com...

We're saying the same thing but we're using different terms. Don't give up just yet. Most of what I typed above relates to how you get C5 to recognize a new 'page type' file that wasn't included in your theme. Once you get your head around C5 you'll see that it's very much the same as you're used to except much more flexible for the end user. In Dreamweaver, the developer codes a video into a div where in C5 the developer codes a flexible 'area' into the div which the developer and the end user can use to display any number and type of blocks from straight text to slideshows to videos. There are also ways to 'hard-code' a slideshow into your divs just the same way you're used to but lets walk before we run.

Build the page like you've always done but put this code inside each div replacing 'UniqueName' with a unique name for each area. Your name must be in quotes. It doesn't matter what name you give to them. The '$a' and '$c' variable names should be the same in all the divs. Only the unique name must be different.



Add that page to C5 the way I mentioned above. Add a page to your site and tell it to use this new 'page type' file. Put this new page in edit mode and start adding your slideshows, videos, text, etc to your empty areas. Your end user can now put anything they want in those areas, not just what you used to hard-coded in.

Hey, 8 months ago, I came to C5 from the land of 'Classic ASP', Frontpage and IIS so it's been a learning experience for me as well. Stick with it and you'll see the benefits.

Are you working with a specific theme from the C5 installation? Perhaps I can mock up a page for you and attach it here so you can add it to your site.

Hey thanks for the explaination. Part of my problem is that I always dive in with our reading the manuals or taking much of the tutorials...I always get bored doing that. Hence my problems. But the journey is fun. The theme I am using is Greek Yogurt. I will experiment. I really do need to start over and read the documentation. Did you look at the site? billanddonnasadventures.com ? It is my first attempt... Real quick you might know how I got into an area and now do not know how to correct. I got into an area where I was able to add to the header area a link so when a person clicked on the site name in the header it would take them back to home. It apparently did not work and now gives me errors on some functions. I have been trying to find my way back to where I did that and can not figure it out.
The other area I always like to make more robust is the footer but it sure seems to be lacking in C5.

Thanks for your help

Hi mhawke,

just want to let you know that other guys have also read the stuff which you took time to write and explain so nicely. As a noobie to c5 with just enough (amateur) knowledge of html, php, css (and asp) to have some fun and get me into some trouble, I appreciate your description and explaination.
I was also wondering if one can put a block in a block. But now I have a good idea as to how I can proceed.

again many thanx

willy

Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate you taking the time to post them.

Yesterday, I had to build a new page in an old site written in Classic ASP and it damn near took me all day for something it would literally take 10 minutes to accomplish in C5. I actually considered just putting an iframe in the asp page and linking it to a C5 solution but then the client couldn't maintain it. Damn clients are stunting my creativity ;-)

If you're interested in building your own C5 blocks, you must try jordanlev's excellent free add-on called "Designer Content" found here:

http://www.concrete5.org/marketplace/addons/designer-content/...

That will keep you busy for months and get you in all kinds of trouble!