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Release date: 25 August 2022
- Tests compatibility with WordPress 6.0.1. One of the following two methods must be used for Blipper Widget to work with block-enabled themes:
- install a plugin that enables classic widgets to be used
- use the shortcode.
- Tests Blipper Widget with the Classic Widgets plugin with block themes.
- Tests Blipper Widget shortcode with block themes.
Blipper Widget has been silently working on this site despite WordPress (WP)’s switch to Gutenberg’s blocks. In WP 5.8, the widget areas became blockified, much to my shock and horror. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t pleased: a group of people developed the plugin Classic Widgets to allow users to use pre-block widgets as they used to. Other plugins have been released that do a similar job.
I installed Classic Widgets here, and continued using Blipper Widget as I had before. However, even though the widget worked perfectly well under these circumstances, I wasn’t prepared to test it with the blocks to see if it would work. Now, however, I see that there are plenty of other plugin widgets that recommend installing plugins like Classic Widget, so I don’t see why Blipper Widget can’t be one of those. Plus, the shortcode works anywhere WP Shortcode blocks can be placed.
Therefore, I have updated the documentation to this effect, and I have updated the tested-up-to version, which is currently 6.0.1.
WordPress readme markdown
I looked up the WP markdown (MD) format for readme files. It’s the same as standard MD except for one or two changes, which they don’t specify (clearly).
The biggest difference seems to be in the way headings are marked. Standard MD uses # characters, whereas WP uses = characters.
There also seems to be a reversal in the logic of how the heading levels are marked. Standard MD uses:
#for<h1>##for<h2>###for<h3>
WP appears, and I may be wrong, to use:
===for<h1>==for<h2>=for<h3>
If so, it’s too bad if you want to add a fourth-level heading.
After looking at a spec for standard MD, I decided to change all the headings from WP ones to standard ones. This got me in a pickle: the WP markdown readme validator failed because it couldn’t find the required sections. I changed back the formatting for the required sections only, but it didn’t play nicely with the standard MD headings that remained. I didn’t look for a way to view how a WP plugin readme file will look once it’s released to WP (other than viewing the readme.txt converted to readme.md using an Edge readme file viewer extension), which naturally doesn’t recognise WP’s non-standard headings, so I can only commit to SVN and hope for the best.
This is obviously a poor way to go about this.
I have now found a plugin that can display WP readme files, so I shall go off and investigate that.
In the meantime, please enjoy using Blipper Widget, and don’t be too harsh about the state of the readme file!
