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I'm having a bit of trouble understanding how to update a custom block that I include in a CMS page using XML.

I inset the block using the standard shortcode in the CMS page, which works fine:

{{block type="catalog/product_list" category_id="16" 
template="catalog/product/slider_list.phtml"}}

I am trying to set the column count of this custom custom block; I've found that I need something like the following piece of XML:

<block type="catalog/product_list" name="catalog.product.slider_list"
template="catalog/product/slider_list.phtml">
    <action method="setColumnCount"><columns>4</columns></action>
</block>

I'm not exactly sure under which <reference /> block I should place the code... I looked in catalog.xml, and if I try to place it between <reference name="root" />, I do not get the correct behavior.

Thank you.

P.S. I found a solution thanks to this thread. I'd still like to know how to update the block by using XML. The solution I've mentioned is by using the shortcode:

{{block type="catalog/product_list" block_id="my_block" category_id="16"
template="catalog/product/slider_list.phtml" column_count="4"}}
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Try <reference name="content">.

<reference name="root"> is the entire page which is typically made up of the following:

<reference name="head"> between the <head> html tags, used for adding js, css, meta

<reference name="header"> top of the page, in the <body> tags.

<reference name="content"> all blocks added directly under content gets rendered in main body

<reference name="left"> / <reference name="right"> all blocks added directly under left/right gets rendered in sidebar

<reference name="footer"> bottom of the page, in the <body> tags.

Here's a really comprehensive breakdown of blocks and layouts that i put together during my Magento certification studies...

Blocks

Describe the programmatic structure of blocks

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-rendering-blocks-part-1/

Describe the relationship between templates and blocks

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-rendering-blocks-part-2/

Describe the stages in the lifecycle of a block

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-rendering-blocks-part-3/

Describe events fired in blocks

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-rendering-blocks-part-4/

Identify different types of blocks

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-rendering-blocks-part-5/

Describe block instantiation

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-rendering-blocks-part-6/

Explain different mechanisms for disabling block output

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-rendering-blocks-part-7/

Describe how a typical block is rendered

(Covered in above article: part 7)

Design layout, XML schema, and CMS content directives

Describe the elements of Magento's layout XML schema, including the major layout directives

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-describe-directives-of-magento-layout-xml/

Register layout XML files

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-register-layout-xml-files/

Create and add code to pages

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-create-and-add-code-to-pages/

Explain how variables can be passed to block instances via layout XML

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-explain-how-variables-can-be-passed-to-block-instances-via-layout-xml/

Describe various ways to add and customize javascript to specific request scopes

http://www.danielnavarroymas.com/magento-certification-describe-various-ways-to-add-and-customize-javascript-to-specific-request-scopes/

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  • Thanks for the thorough explanation! Is it possible to add a block in a CMS page using the {{}} shortcode, and then customize it on a layout file?
    – user2636834
    Commented Sep 9, 2013 at 7:47

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