Hipjea / moodle-tutorial_block

How to create a Moodle block plugin tutorial

How to create a Moodle block plugin

Step 1 : install the plugin

Choose a name for your plugin and create a directory named the same way.

1. Create a folder named tutorial_block in the blocks directory.
2. Create a version.php file within the tutorial_block directory :

// version.php
defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();

$plugin->version    = 2022020200;
$plugin->requires   = 2016052300;
$plugin->release    = '1.0.0';
$plugin->component  = 'block_tutorial_block';
$plugin->maturity   = MATURITY_STABLE;

Note that your plugin component name is : block_tutorial_block

3. Create the block class file block_tutorial_block.php :

// block_tutorial_block.php
defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();

class block_tutorial_block extends block_base {
    public function init() {
        $this->blockname = get_class($this);
        $this->title = get_string('pluginname', 'block_tutorial_block');
    }

    public function instance_allow_multiple() {
        return false;
    }

    public function has_config() {
        return true;
    }

    public function instance_allow_config() {
        return true;
    }

    public function get_content() {
        $this->content = new stdClass();
        $this->content->text = "hello";
        return $this->content;
    }

    public function applicable_formats() {
        return array('all' => true);
    }
}

4. Visit Moodle base URL and it should proceed to the installation of your plugin.

Note that it doesn't register a correct plugin name and uses instead : [pluginname,block_tutorial_block]

Structure at step 1 :

moodle-root:
    blocks:
        tutorial_block:
            block_tutorial_block.php
            version.php

Step 2 : fix the plugin strings

1. Create a lang/en directory within the block's folder :

// lang/en/block_tutorial_block.php
$string['pluginname'] = 'Tutorial block';

2. Upgrade the plugin version number by increasing its last digit by one :

// version.php
$plugin->version    = 2022020201;
// ...

This will trigger an update when visiting Moodle's root URL. After the update, your plugin will be named correctly

Structure at step 2 :

moodle-root:
    blocks:
        tutorial_block:
            lang:
                en:
                    block_tutorial_block.php
            block_tutorial_block.php
            version.php

Step 3 : fix the capabilities issues

If you try to add the block in a course, Moodle will output an error : The block tutorial_block does not define the standard capability block/tutorial_block:addinstance

We need to address the issue.

1. Create a db directory in the block folder
2. Create a file named access.php within this folder :

// db/access.php
defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();

$capabilities = array(
    'block/tutorial_block:addinstance' => array(
        'riskbitmask' => RISK_SPAM | RISK_XSS,
        'captype' => 'write',
        'contextlevel' => CONTEXT_BLOCK,
        'archetypes' => array(
            'editingteacher' => CAP_ALLOW,
            'teacher' => CAP_ALLOW,
            'manager' => CAP_ALLOW
        ),
        'clonepermissionsfrom' => 'moodle/site:manageblocks'
    )
);

3. Once again, increasing the plugin version to trigger the update :

// version.php
$plugin->version    = 2022020202;
// ...

4. Visit Moodle's root URL to update the plugin

Structure at step 3 :

moodle-root:
    blocks:
        tutorial_block:
            db:
                access.php
            lang:
                en:
                    block_tutorial_block.php
            block_tutorial_block.php
            version.php

Step 4 : add CSS

1. Create a file named styles.css at the root of your plugin directory.
2. Add some styling :

.block_tutorial_block .content {
    font-weight: bold;
    color: blulone;
}

3. Contemplate