Magento 2: Remove block depending on a config setting

Question 1

I'm trying to remove a block from a certain page (be it frontend or backend) but only if a certain config flag is set to true.
Let's take an example.
I want to remove the block with the name dashboard from the admin dashboard.

The block is defined in adminhtml_dashboard_index.xml file from the Magento_Backend module:

<referenceContainer name="content">
 <block class="Magento\Backend\Block\Dashboard" name="dashboard"/>
</referenceContainer>

Thanks to Adam's answer I can do this in the adminhtml_dashboard_index.xml

<body>
 <referenceBlock name="dashboard" remove="true" />
</body>

But I want to take it up a notch and remove this block only if the config setting with the path dashboard/settings/remove has the value 1.
A layout xml approach would be awesome, but I will take an observer approach also.

Question 2

Marius, you know the same thing is available for events.xml?I mean I want to execute my observer if configuration is enable

Question 3

If you want to go with a helper class, see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/47237179/magento-2-i-want-to-add-ifconfig-in-override-block-xml?rq=1

Question 4

I couldn't find a way to do this with layout either but here is an example of a way you can do it with observers (providing they extend the Template block)...

Create your events.xml in etc/events.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:Event/etc/events.xsd">
 <event name="view_block_abstract_to_html_before">
 <observer name="remove_block" instance="[Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer\RemoveBlock" />
 </event>
</config>

Create the observer

<?php
namespace [Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\ObserverInterface;
class RemoveBlock implements ObserverInterface
{
 protected $_scopeConfig;
 public function __construct(
 \Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface $scopeConfig
 ) {
 $this->_scopeConfig = $scopeConfig;
 }
 public function execute(Observer $observer)
 {
 /** @var \Magento\Framework\View\Element\Template $block */
 $block = $observer->getBlock();
 if ($block->getType() == 'Magento\Backend\Block\Dashboard') {
 $remove = $this->_scopeConfig->getValue(
 'dashboard/settings/remove',
 \Magento\Store\Model\ScopeInterface::SCOPE_STORE
 );
 if ($remove) {
 $block->setTemplate(false);
 }
 }
 }
}

Basically the _toHtml checks to see if there is a template. If there isn't it returns ''.

EDIT

After some more digging i have found a way to do this further up the chain.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:Event/etc/events.xsd">
 <event name="layout_generate_blocks_after">
 <observer name="remove_block" instance="[Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer\RemoveBlock" />
 </event>
</config>

And the observer...

<?php
namespace [Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\ObserverInterface;
class RemoveBlock implements ObserverInterface
{
 protected $_scopeConfig;
 public function __construct(
 \Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface $scopeConfig
 ) {
 $this->_scopeConfig = $scopeConfig;
 }
 public function execute(Observer $observer)
 {
 /** @var \Magento\Framework\View\Layout $layout */
 $layout = $observer->getLayout();
 $block = $layout->getBlock('dashboard');
 if ($block) {
 $remove = $this->_scopeConfig->getValue(
 'dashboard/settings/remove',
 \Magento\Store\Model\ScopeInterface::SCOPE_STORE
 );
 if ($remove) {
 $layout->unsetElement('dashboard');
 }
 }
 }
}

Question 5

This might work, but only for blocks that use templates. It applies to the example I provided, but still, if there are blocks that extend the AbstractBlock and not the Template block this will not work. +1 for the good starting point.

Question 6

You are correct. After some more digging i found you can do this earlier in the process. Answer updated. I have left my original there for reference.

Question 7

Thanks this is a useful answer. The problem is it means the logic will be fired on every page load as it's using the event "layout_generate_blocks_after". Do you know how to only run it on certain page loads e.g. loading a category page (event is "catalog_controller_category_init_after" but the layout cannot be accessed)?

Question 8

Really?! We have to do an observer to remove or not conditionally a block? this is ridiculous, just saying.

Question 9

Observers should not manipulate data I think ...

Question 10

Normally it should be done with <action /> tag :

<referenceContainer name="content">
 <action method="unsetChild" ifconfig="dashboard/settings/remove">
 <argument xsi:type="string">dashboard</argument>
 </action>
</referenceContainer>

EDIT :

Only problem is unsetChild only accept alias. You cannot use block name.

Other solution: rewrite Magento Framework to be able to use ifconfig with remove="true"

1- Create your own module.

2- Add a new file to override Magento Framework : (eg : /Vendor/Module/Override/Magento/Framework/View/Layout/Reader/Block.php)

namespace Vendor\Module\Override\Magento\Framework\View\Layout\Reader;
use Magento\Framework\App;
use Magento\Framework\Data\Argument\InterpreterInterface;
use Magento\Framework\View\Layout;
/**
 * Block structure reader
 */
class Block extends \Magento\Framework\View\Layout\Reader\Block
{
 /**
 * @var \Magento\Framework\App\ScopeResolverInterface
 */
 protected $scopeResolver;
 /**
 * @var \Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface
 */
 protected $scopeConfig;
 /**
 * Constructor
 *
 * @param Layout\ScheduledStructure\Helper $helper
 * @param Layout\Argument\Parser $argumentParser
 * @param Layout\ReaderPool $readerPool
 * @param InterpreterInterface $argumentInterpreter
 * @param \Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface $scopeConfig
 * @param \Magento\Framework\App\ScopeResolverInterface $scopeResolver
 * @param string|null $scopeType
 */
 public function __construct(
 Layout\ScheduledStructure\Helper $helper,
 Layout\Argument\Parser $argumentParser,
 Layout\ReaderPool $readerPool,
 InterpreterInterface $argumentInterpreter,
 \Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface $scopeConfig,
 \Magento\Framework\App\ScopeResolverInterface $scopeResolver,
 $scopeType = null
 ) {
 parent::__construct($helper,
 $argumentParser,
 $readerPool,
 $argumentInterpreter,
 $scopeType
 );
 $this->scopeConfig = $scopeConfig;
 $this->scopeResolver = $scopeResolver;
 }
 protected function scheduleReference(
 Layout\ScheduledStructure $scheduledStructure,
 Layout\Element $currentElement
 ) {
 $elementName = $currentElement->getAttribute('name');
 $elementRemove = filter_var($currentElement->getAttribute('remove'), FILTER_VALIDATE_BOOLEAN);
 if ($elementRemove) {
 $configPath = (string)$currentElement->getAttribute('ifconfig');
 if (empty($configPath)
 || $this->scopeConfig->isSetFlag($configPath, $this->scopeType, $this->scopeResolver->getScope())
 ) {
 $scheduledStructure->setElementToRemoveList($elementName);
 }
 } else {
 $data = $scheduledStructure->getStructureElementData($elementName, []);
 $data['attributes'] = $this->mergeBlockAttributes($data, $currentElement);
 $this->updateScheduledData($currentElement, $data);
 $this->evaluateArguments($currentElement, $data);
 $scheduledStructure->setStructureElementData($elementName, $data);
 }
 }
}

3- Add di.xml file to override magento file :

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:ObjectManager/etc/config.xsd">
 <preference for="Magento\Framework\View\Layout\Reader\Block"
 type="Vendor\Module\Override\Magento\Framework\View\Layout\Reader\Block" /> 
</config>

4- Now you can use ifconfig in layout combined with remove :

<referenceBlock name="content" remove="true" ifconfig="path/to/myconfig" />

This example is for Block, but you can do the same for container if you override the method containerReference() of /Magento/Framework/View/Layout/Reader/Container.php

Question 11

I think rewriting the Framework is the best solution, don't know why magento don't have this by default.

Question 12

Magento2.3.4 - Rewriting the Framework is working for mode - default and production. ifconfig not working for developer mode. :-|

Question 13

From the technical guidelines:

14.1. All values (including objects) passed to an event MUST NOT be modified in the event observer. Instead, plugins SHOULD BE used for modifying the input or output of a function.

14.3. Events SHOULD NOT change a state of observable objects.

So here is a plugin solution for this:

Declare the plugin:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:ObjectManager/etc/config.xsd">
 <type name="Magento\Framework\View\Element\AbstractBlock">
 <plugin name="remove_block" type="[Vendor]\[Module]\Plugin\RemoveBlock" />
 </type>
</config>

Define the plugin:

<?php
namespace Vendor\Module\Plugin;
use Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface;
use Magento\Framework\View\Element\AbstractBlock;
class RemoveBlock
{
 const BLOCK_NAME = 'block_to_be_removed';
 const CONFIG_PATH = 'your/path';
 private $_scopeConfig;
 public function __construct(ScopeConfigInterface $scopeConfig) {
 $this->_scopeConfig = $scopeConfig;
 }
 public function afterToHtml(AbstractBlock $subject, $result)
 {
 if ($subject->getNameInLayout() === self::BLOCK_NAME && $this->_scopeConfig->getValue(self::class)) {
 return '';
 }
 return $result;
 }
}

Like in the answer from Smartie I tried to plugin further up the chain into \Magento\Framework\View\Layout\Builder::build with an afterBuild() method but this will lead into an endless recursion because \Magento\Framework\View\Layout::getBlock and \Magento\Framework\View\Layout::unsetElement both call \Magento\Framework\View\Layout\Builder::build again.

Question 14

"ifconfig" attribute of a "block" node in layout allows you to link block to value in store configuration.

"ifconfig" processing happens in \Magento\Framework\View\Layout\GeneratorPool::buildStructure

Question 15

It won't work with "referenceBlock" though. It will only work when you're adding a new block.

Question 16

You can remove the block, and then conditionally add your block. For example, in your adminhtml_dashboard_index.xml you can put:

<referenceContainer name="content">
 <block class="Magento\Backend\Block\Dashboard" name="dashboard" remove="true"/>
 <block class="Magento\Backend\Block\Dashboard" name="my_dashboard" ifconfig="dashboard/settings/remove"/>
</referenceContainer>

Note that you should change the logic of dashboard/settings/remove setting. It should be dashboard/settings/show, and if it is set to 1 your block will be shown.

Smartie 3,2601 gold badge14 silver badges29 bronze badges · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-27 15:06:40Z

I couldn't find a way to do this with layout either but here is an example of a way you can do it with observers (providing they extend the Template block)...

Create your events.xml in etc/events.xml

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:Event/etc/events.xsd">
 <event name="view_block_abstract_to_html_before">
 <observer name="remove_block" instance="[Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer\RemoveBlock" />
 </event>
</config>

Create the observer

<?php
namespace [Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\ObserverInterface;
class RemoveBlock implements ObserverInterface
{
 protected $_scopeConfig;
 public function __construct(
 \Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface $scopeConfig
 ) {
 $this->_scopeConfig = $scopeConfig;
 }
 public function execute(Observer $observer)
 {
 /** @var \Magento\Framework\View\Element\Template $block */
 $block = $observer->getBlock();
 if ($block->getType() == 'Magento\Backend\Block\Dashboard') {
 $remove = $this->_scopeConfig->getValue(
 'dashboard/settings/remove',
 \Magento\Store\Model\ScopeInterface::SCOPE_STORE
 );
 if ($remove) {
 $block->setTemplate(false);
 }
 }
 }
}

Basically the _toHtml checks to see if there is a template. If there isn't it returns ''.

EDIT

After some more digging i have found a way to do this further up the chain.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:Event/etc/events.xsd">
 <event name="layout_generate_blocks_after">
 <observer name="remove_block" instance="[Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer\RemoveBlock" />
 </event>
</config>

And the observer...

<?php
namespace [Vendor]\[ModuleName]\Model\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\Observer;
use Magento\Framework\Event\ObserverInterface;
class RemoveBlock implements ObserverInterface
{
 protected $_scopeConfig;
 public function __construct(
 \Magento\Framework\App\Config\ScopeConfigInterface $scopeConfig
 ) {
 $this->_scopeConfig = $scopeConfig;
 }
 public function execute(Observer $observer)
 {
 /** @var \Magento\Framework\View\Layout $layout */
 $layout = $observer->getLayout();
 $block = $layout->getBlock('dashboard');
 if ($block) {
 $remove = $this->_scopeConfig->getValue(
 'dashboard/settings/remove',
 \Magento\Store\Model\ScopeInterface::SCOPE_STORE
 );
 if ($remove) {
 $layout->unsetElement('dashboard');
 }
 }
 }
}

This might work, but only for blocks that use templates. It applies to the example I provided, but still, if there are blocks that extend the AbstractBlock and not the Template block this will not work. +1 for the good starting point.
You are correct. After some more digging i found you can do this earlier in the process. Answer updated. I have left my original there for reference.
Thanks this is a useful answer. The problem is it means the logic will be fired on every page load as it's using the event "layout_generate_blocks_after". Do you know how to only run it on certain page loads e.g. loading a category page (event is "catalog_controller_category_init_after" but the layout cannot be accessed)?
Really?! We have to do an observer to remove or not conditionally a block? this is ridiculous, just saying.

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