Did the Dumpster Fire Known as Gutenberg Break Previous Themes as Well?
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No seriously, did the absolute atrocious dumpster fire, also known as Gutenberg break all the wonderful themes that were made before this nightmare was forced up on us all?
I ask this question because I’m trying to get my blog up and running finally, I picked a theme (2017), I went to create a static page to add as a home page, and when I went to select the static page layout template, and instead I find a whole mess of options that are unlabeled except for the header theme of what catagory they belong to.
What the hell is going on?
Did they just force a bunch of custom layout templates down our throat, all of which are unlabeled so I can’t figure out which is which and therefore can’t cchoose the simple out of the box option to slap onto my blog?
Seriously, the developers can take this so called progressive custom option crap and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine as far as I’m concerned.
Do I sound bitter? Do I sound salty? Yeah, that’s never going to change at this point, as Gutenberg is a disease in my opinion, and honestely there are moments where I just want to throw my hands up and walk away from WordPress for good. I know several blind bloggers have. The only reason I haven’t yet is because I’m stubborn by nature, and also because most of my friends and colleages within the spiritual communities I’m a part of are still mostly on this site and I still want to keep in touch and participate.
But seriously, the developers keep making it harder by shoving this inaccessible garbage down our throats.
Sorry, I’m just frustrated because WordPress used to be the most accessible blogging platform on the internet, and despite some of the updates to the garbage that is Gutenberg to make it more tolerable, it’s still nowhere as accessible at what Gutenberg used to be.
I also noticed that I can no longer access the original text editor, despite it still being listed as an option. It refuses to switch away from the terrible Block editor. I’m not suprised, just deeply sadden and frustrated. And confused. Very confused.
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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Hi there @blindrobertbrown19.
Page templates have a heading for the type of page (about, contact, etc.) but other than that, just think of them as layout ideas. I’m not sure what kinds of labels you expected there: “Page with three columns and a large image” or “Big image and two columns with color blocks” for example? If you can send a few examples of what you expected there that would be helpful.
Noting too, if you like something from the About page ideas list but you want to add a contact form to it, that’s fine. Really the templates and block patterns are all just layout possibilities.
So if you want to use blocks, you can pick something that looks fine to you, remove what you don’t want, swap out pictures, change colors as you like, add text, add more of you want it. Or, pick a blank page and add your own blocks. They’re supposed to add flexibility.
OR, you can access the classic editor through WP-Admin:
https://wordpress.com/support/editors/#classic-editorIf you want us to change your settings on our end so you’re classic by default on every site, give the word and we’ll make it so.
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What I mean about Page layouts, is that when there was only the good version of WordPress, different blog themes had different layouts for their pages. Some, like the 2017 theme I’m trying to work with, had a static page layout. Some others, like a one column with no widgets would be an option, or two columns would be an option.
Now, when I try to create a static page for my blog with the 2017 theme installed, it doesn’t give me options that would normally be there. Instead, it gives me various headers such as page layouts, blog layouts, etc, but besides the headers, it doesn’t say which option is which. Instead the various options are read by my screen reader as blank images.
And I could have sworn I had already changed my blog to the classic editor, but yeah, if possible, I’d like to set it so that everything on my blog is set to classic.
Though I did read somewhere there was a classic block option. Not sure how good it is, though I’d rather avoid the terrible block editor like the plague it is as long as I am able to.
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Themes will retain their existing layout templates, this will allow folks to expand on that, not replace it.
If you really want to use the classic editor, it is still available: https://wordpress.com/support/editors/#classic-editor
We also have tips for transitioning from the classic editor to blocks https://wordpress.com/support/switching-from-the-classic-to-the-block-editor/ and FAQs: https://wordpress.com/support/replacing-the-older-wordpress-com-editor-with-the-wordpress-block-editor/#frequently-asked-questions
We do recommend the new editor though, and we have some extensive documentation available at https://wordpress.com/support/wordpress-editor/
If you have feedback that could help make the new block editor a better experience for you, please let us know here: https://wordpress.com/forums/topic/feedback-thread-for-the-block-editor/
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You can recommend the new editor all you or anyone likes, but I’ll still consider it garbage at best and ableist inconvience and hassle at worst.
And I tell you that the page layouts specific to the blog theme I’m using is not there. Or if it still is there, it’s not labeled, and therefore the screen reader I’m using is reading it as blank. Or as buttons. It just says button, button, button.When I go to create a new page, in this case a static page to act as my home page, it tells me to go ahead and pick the blank layout and automatically fires up the terrible block editor. I have to spend five or ten minutes fighting with it to change to the better classic editor. And then, once it switched in the page creator page on my blog’s wp-admin, as I prefer to access things that way, and try to find the page layouts specific to the theme I’m using, it doesn’t come up. Instead, I’m seeing catagories for page layouts like blog layouts, page layouts, contact layouts, but none of the specific layouts being listed in their catagories are labeled in a way that my screen reader can identify. So I am unable to determine what is what, or which is which. As far as I can tell, none of the old layouts, especially the theme specific ones, are there. Or if they are there, they aren’t labeled properly in any way a screen reader can identify.
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Hi there, hope you don’t mind me adding to this discussion.
Instead, it gives me various headers such as page layouts, blog layouts, etc, but besides the headers, it doesn’t say which option is which.
This is because the site you are working on is using the Block Editor and not the Classic Editor. When you add a new page in the Block Editor, the next screen that opens gives you a set of ready-made layouts and that sounds like what you described above.
In the Classic Editor, if a theme has available Page templates, they’ll appear in the Editor’s Page Attributes module.
However, having enabled Twenty Seventeen on my test site, there are no options for Full Width Template, or Full Width, No Sidebar there.
Here’s a list of the current free themes that provide a Full Width Template https://wordpress.com/themes/free/filter/full-width-template/ You’ll need to switch your site to one of those themes after Staff switch your site to the Classic Editor.
I see you’ve also replied to @supernovia’s suggestion
If you want us to change your settings on our end so you’re classic by default on every site, give the word and we’ll make it so.
that you’d like your site be switched to the Classic Editor.
but yeah, if possible, I’d like to set it so that everything on my blog is set to classic.
Staff will get back to you on that. Thanks for your patience.
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Yes, please change all my sites to classic, as apparently I’m doing something wrong every single time I try to do something. Sigh, and this is just another reason why I hate the Block editor, think it’s terrible and inaccessible. But thank you.
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OK. I’ve done what I can on this end. Be sure to use wp-admin for editing, too. I’ll also file a request to allow built-in page templates to show.
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Also, as far as I can tell, the Page Template option is still supposed to be available in the block editor:
https://wordpress.com/support/pages/page-options/#templateI just tested, on Twenty Seventeen I can’t find the option, but it seems to still be there with another theme (I tested Dara.)
So, I’ll file a bug report for that. :)
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Scratch that on the bug report. Twenty Seventeen does not have that option, even in the classic editor, which would certainly explain why it’s not appearing in blocks.
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