Cake PhP Blocks - How to use them?

Question

Can anyone explain to me how to use a 'view block' in CakePhP 2.0?

I have read the documentation on the cakephp site but it misses a lot out for the novice user... e.g. what files do I need where, how do you call a block within the code, does the block of code need its own folder/controller/model/view etc? I'm really lost!

If someone could explain it from start to finish on how to use a block as a sidebar that would be great.

The example would be that I have a sidebar that I want to use on different pages but I want to break the sidebar in to different elements to call within the block e.g.

<div class="heading1">
  <h2>Heading 1</h2>
</div>
<div class="ul-list1">
<ul> 
<li>list item 1</li>
<li>list item 2</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="heading2">
  <h2>Heading 2</h2>
</div>
<div class="ul-list1">
<ul> 
<li>list item 3</li>
<li>list item 4</li>
</ul>
</div>

So break this in to two elements (heading1 and heading 2)

How would I write the code for the block, where where I insert this code and what pages do I need? (please aim this at a novice CakePhP user as I am really confused about this!)

Answer 1

You should create an element like following.

// app/views/elements/headings.ctp
<?php $this->start('heading1'); ?>
<div class="heading1">
    <h2>Heading 1</h2>
</div>
<div class="ul-list1">
    <ul> 
        <li>list item 1</li>
        <li>list item 2</li>
    </ul>
</div>
<?php $this->end(); ?>


<?php $this->start('heading2'); ?>
<div class="heading2">
    <h2>Heading 2</h2>
</div>

<div class="ul-list1">
    <ul> 
        <li>list item 3</li>
        <li>list item 4</li>
    </ul>
</div>
<?php $this->end(); ?>
// end element file

// include the element first before getting block in the views or layout file.
<?php 
    echo $this->element('headings');
?>

// after that you will able to display block anywhere inside view files or layout also with following statements.

<?php
    // for heading first 
    echo $this->fetch('heading1');

    // for heading second.
    echo $this->fetch('heading2');
?>