Adding custom blocks to the structured text block doesn't work as expected

[ross]

I’m attempting to follow the instructions in the documentation about allowing editors to add blocks inside the structured text block. My reading of it suggests it works as follows:

1. Create a new model
2. Add a structured text block
3. Save field
4. Click on the button marked “New block” which appears directly under your new structured text block, slightly indented.

When I follow these steps, I cannot see the “New block” button in the UI. Am I doing something wrong?

OS: Windows 10, V. 20H2
Browser: Firefox V. 89.0

[roger]

That video might’ve been from an older version. Currently, you have to go the “Blocks Library” (https://your-project.admin.datocms.com/admin/blocks_library), make it there first, and then add it to the allowable blocks inside of your structured text field.

Keep in mind that there are also two (confusing) ways to use Structured Text:

• Inside a Model, Structured Text fields can contain Blocks and Models
• Inside a Block, Structured Text fields can only contain other Models, not nested Blocks

(see Nested Blocks)

[s.verna]

We’re recording a new video right now, and as you know, nested blocks are coming

Nested Blocks

Hi guys, just wanted to do a little update here from DatoCMS team! We are perfectly aware of this limitation, and we think about it more or less every day We are just waiting for the right moment to deal with this, and I’d say that by the end of the year we should be able to close the matter once and for all. We are still 100% convinced that blocks are a great thing, and we are proud to be one of the few CMS (or the only one?) to have a feature so powerful: Blocks allow you to creat…

[Souljuse]

Hi @roger!

The new video is published now! Thanks for reporting this

[roger]

@Souljuse Thanks for making the new video! That will help our users too.

PS I don’t think the video or page is explicit about this, but in the new version, the blocks need to first be created in the Blocks Library before they can be added to a field. Previously (according to the old video @ross posted), there was apparently a “new block” button that lets you create new blocks right there? Not sure.