Magento: Add a content block to the end of the "content" structural block

Question

I am trying to add a content block in Magento that should be visible from all sides below the main content. I want to archive this with a special extension, so I can copy this extension and work without touching the main design files. My extension includes the following layout update:

<default> <reference name="content"> <block type="mymod/blockname" name="myblockname" after="-" template="mymod/block.phtml"/> </reference> </default> 

My problem is that the after="-" attribute after="-" not working. The block is always displayed at the top of the content block. It seems before and after do not matter. If I move the block to the footer, the before and after attributes work fine.

How to place my block at the bottom of the "content" block

Answer 1

As far as I can see, the problem is that you specify your block in the default layout descriptor, while most of the content in the content block is added by other layouts that are applied later. This is why the added dependencies in your XML log file (mentioned by Fabian) do not help.

Please consider these two options depending on your needs:

1. If you really want to include your block in all external pages

In your XML layout file (local.xml or custom) add a new layout descriptor :

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <layout version="0.1.0"> <!-- your other adjustments for default, category_product_view and so on go here --> <add_my_block> <reference name="content"> <block type="mymod/blockname" name="myblockname" after="-" template="mymod/block.phtml"/> </reference> </add_my_block> </layout> 

Now you are creating an event observer to insert your layout into your layout:

  <?php class YourCompany_YourExtension_Model_Observer { /** * Adds a block at the end of the content block. * * Uses the event 'controller_action_layout_load_before'. * * @param Varien_Event_Observer $observer * @return YourCompany_YourExtension_Model_Observer */ public function addBlockAtEndOfMainContent(Varien_Event_Observer $observer) { $layout = $observer->getEvent()->getLayout()->getUpdate(); $layout->addHandle('add_my_block'); return $this; } } 

Then you register the event observer in the XML extension configuration file (config.xml):

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <config> <modules> <YourCompany_YourExtension> <version>0.0.1</version> </YourCompany_YourExtension> </modules> <frontend> <events> <controller_action_layout_load_before> <observers> <mymod_add_block_at_end_of_main_content> <type>singleton</type> <class>mymod/observer</class> <method>addBlockAtEndOfMainContent</method> </mymod_add_block_at_end_of_main_content> </observers> </controller_action_layout_load_before> </events> <!-- declaring your layout xml etc. --> </frontend> <global> <!-- declaring your block classes etc. --> <models> <mymod> <class>YourCompany_YourExtension_Model</class> </mymod> </models> </global> </config> 

Your block should now be below the rest of the blocks. I successfully checked this on the home page, login page and category browse page. If you need to exclude your block on several pages, you can check your event observer if the block should be excluded on this specific page.

2. If you want to include your block only on some pages

Add the layout layout to the XML layout file in the same way as we did before, but instead of creating and registering an event observer, just tell your XML layout file to use a custom layout descriptor in some areas:

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <layout version="0.1.0"> <catalog_category_default> <update handle="add_my_block" /> </catalog_category_default> <catalog_category_layered> <update handle="add_my_block" /> </catalog_category_layered> <cms_page> <update handle="add_my_block" /> </cms_page> <!-- and so on --> <add_my_block> <reference name="content"> <block type="mymod/blockname" name="myblockname" after="-" template="mymod/block.phtml"/> </reference> </add_my_block> </layout>