Working with paragraph and list content blocks
This article applies to both versions of the builder in all BEE Pro plans.
Great news! Justify is now available as an alignment option.
Overview
In March 2022, we retired the original Text content block and replaced it with two new content blocks:
- Paragraph
- List
We made these changes for the following reasons:
- To create a better user experience by providing enhanced text formatting options
- To improve the rendering of text content pasted from an external tool or word processor.
As mentioned above, these new content blocks include enhanced text formatting options. First and foremost, we moved many formatting options to the sidebar. Through this, we've also improved and streamlined our text toolbar. For example, we've included a button for non-breaking spaces.
A font-weight parameter is also now available for text content. This option allows you to use a bolded version of your font. If your workspace requires a specific font, you can use font variations with custom fonts. For more information on this, please refer to our article on Using custom fonts in BEE Pro.
You may notice these improvements in other text-based content blocks, such as:
- Button
- Title
Paragraph block
The new paragraph block functions much like the original text content block. However, you'll notice new options when using it.
The new features available are:
- Font weight, which allows you to select between the regular or bolded variations of your font. This option is available for all fonts pre-loaded in BEE Pro. If you're using custom fonts, you'll need to use a stylesheet that includes a bolded version of your font. For more details, see Using custom fonts in BEE Pro.
- Paragraph spacing, which provides granular control over the carriage return/line break spacing. This option allows you to increase/reduce the space between your paragraphs.
Some settings moved from the text toolbar to the content properties sidebar, including:
- Font family
- Font size
- Alignment
- Text direction
As a result, the text toolbar is a bit smaller too.
The only addition to the text toolbar is the icon to the right of the emoticons option. You can use this button to insert non-breaking spaces with the click of a button.
List block
The list content block includes all the new features seen in the paragraph content block. However, you'll find some content properties specific to list content.
The options specific to the list content block are as follows:
- List type, which allows you to choose an ordered or unordered list.
- List style type, which enables you to select some basic styling options for your list.
- Start list from, which is a conditional option that populates when you choose an ordered list. Use this if you're creating an ordered list across multiple content blocks.
- List items spacing, which allows granular control over the spacing between list items.
- List items indent, which allows granular control over the indent on list subitems.
Note on existing text content blocks
Many BEE templates still include the original text content block. If you've used BEE Pro for some time, you likely have custom templates that use the text content block as well. In other cases, you may have saved rows that include this type of content.
Existing text content blocks will populate with the original formatting options. As a result, any of your templates or saved rows that include it will not update automatically. You'll see the original behavior in the toolbar and sidebar with the old content block.
You can continue to use the text block in any design where it already exists. Alternatively, you can use saved rows to continue designing with it. However, the text content block will no longer be available from the Content tab. To create text content from scratch, please use the new Paragraph and List blocks.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Comments
18 comments
Our users are running into similar issues and find it a little confusing or more tedious. With the previous Text block you could format text with different sizes, create lists, etc. all within one block. Now if you want to create a list you have to end your paragraph block, insert the list block, and then reinsert a new paragraph block if you want to add more paragraph/text after it. You're also unable to change the font size in a paragraph for specific words withing a paragraph since it applies the change to all of them.
Am I missing something here? By using the paragraph block, it appears that ALL its text must be the same size, color and font. There no longer seems to be any text block which allows for mixed format text. If so, this is a huge loss, a giant step backward.
Hi again! We added the justify option to these content blocks today. :)
I also agree! I so miss the old formatting options, including the justify options. And I don't like that I have to create a new row in order to add a list - it's extra steps that aren't necessary. PLEASE bring the old text option back!!!
Received some minor feedback regarding the font settings in the paragraph and list content blocks. In the general settings tab you can choose a Default font. Within the paragraph and list blocks the Font family is listed as Global font. Some of our users thought this was a little confusing and suggested to instead display the font name used from the settings tab or replace Global font with Default font.
I cant even put content blocks anywhere to make my own template! Help!
Thank you for solving my problem! I am using my ipad. I dont have a computer. I guess I’ll just log out and cancel my subscription :( i really liked bee pro :( thanks again.
Hi Cadence, if you're still having trouble with this, could you open a community post and provide further information?
Perhaps I'm missing something but how do you edit the text size of a single word within the new Paragraph block without it changing the remaining words to the same size? This is something we were able to do with the Text content block.
was searching here and there for justify text alignment. Just got to know that it has been removed and I am disappointed.. Why did you remove it? Bring it back pls
Yes, thank you so much. Appreciate it.
Hi,
1. Can you add numerical values (100 to 900) on the font-weight dropdown select? Many times the design has different font-weight than normal (400) and bold (700) and we can't set this from the beefree email editor.
2. The font weights that we configure on the account settings > styles, are not propagated on the html export of the email. So we have to manually replace the HTML code. For example we change:
to
It would be great if the html export respects the "Font CSS URL" from the custom fonts settings.
Thank you, Aris.
I agree. You should leave the option to justify or be able to continue using the previous text widget, which had more options in the editor.
I agree. You should leave the option to justify or be able to continue using the previous text widget, which had more options in the editor.
Hi Aris! This section of the custom fonts article might better address your questions: https://support.beefree.io/hc/en-us/articles/360004546251-Using-custom-fonts-in-BEE-Pro#01FYF7AS2AGNK37MA2SDE4QJCR. Right now, the font-weight feature in BEE Pro is only programmed to recognize weights 400 and 700. You can use other font weights, but this requires some extra steps and a separate stylesheet.
With all this said, I'm happy to let our Product team know that you are requesting additional font weight options!
Thanks for the feedback, Humberto!
This is nice and all but you eliminated the JUSTIFY Text alignment. Which was part of the previous text block.
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