Remove volto-subblocks

[pnicolli]

This is meant to be a discussion topic. At this time, there is no deadline for this change, but you never know what the future will bring.

volto-subblocks is an old implementation for having sortable inner blocks and there are now at least two better ways of doing the same thing.

There are two possible ways to achieve removal of volto-subblocks.

1. using the standard ObjectListWidget from core volto
2. using an inner blocks editor, therefore changing all widgets to restricted blocks

While the second implementation is probably more easily extensible and maybe future proof, the first one is way easier and quicker to implement. I would probably still go with the first one, since volto-subblocks really needs to go, but this is open to feedback and discussion.

[tiberiuichim]

@pnicolli My vote would go to use the ObjectListWidget. We're using it extensively everywhere, it's a good fit.

[tiberiuichim]

@pnicolli The ObjectListWidget supports a schemaExtender (which predates Volto's schemaEnhancers), so the framework is capable of holding the different fields as a single object list field. https://github.com/plone/volto/blob/eef928fd8be30d0a66c1fdb923bb43ec9757e10a/src/components/manage/Widgets/ObjectListWidget.jsx#L237-L239

See https://training.plone.org/voltoaddons/06-cell-renderer.html#:~:text=Notice%20the%20schemaExtender%20field.%20We%27ll%20use%20it%20to%20allow%20each%20extension%20to%20provide%20its%20fields%20in%20the%20column%20edit%20widget.%20volto%2Dobject%2Dwidget%20allows%20the%20schema%20used%20in%20its%20FlatObjectList%20widget%20to%20be%20extended%20by%20a%20provided%20schema%20extender.%20We%27ll%20integrate%20with%20that.

Also https://6.dev-docs.plone.org/storybook/?path=/story/edit-widgets-object-list-json--schema-extender

[JeffersonBledsoe]

My vote would be for the 2nd option, using the existing blocks editor in the long term, but I appreciate how much more work this would be compared to using the ObjectListWidget. I personally find the current 'Add field' UI a little cumbersome when working on longer forms and I don't think moving that 'add' button into the sidebar would speed things up much. Additionally, having the flexibility to insert custom blocks in the middle of a form (replacing the static text field type that we currently have with volto-slate/ draft) seems to fit within the blocks-focused workflow that Volto applies so well. More than happy to go with option 1 and maybe look at option 2 as another evolution after the ObjectListWidget :)

[tiberiuichim]

@JeffersonBledsoe You're right, I misread @pnicolli comment regarding second option.

This would move the addon in the direction of kitconcept's design of the forms block. Cool!