More robust template path hints (block name, block parents

[erikhansen]

Currently, the "template path hint" feature displays the template name and block class name.

Fabrizio Branca's Aoe_TemplateHints module extends the native Magento 1.x template path hint functionality to add much more information to the hints including:

• Block name (very useful)
• Parent block names
• Module
• Caching status

Here is a screenshot from his blog post, visualizing what this could look like:

I propose that this functionality be built into Magento 2. If Magento accepts this proposal, I may be willing to build this functionality and then issue a pull request to have it incorporated into Magento 2.

[erikhansen]

@fbrnc Would you be willing to change the license type of Aoe_TemplateHints to MIT to allow code from that module to be ported to Magento 2? You've done a great job with this module and I'd like to be able to reference and port code from that module.

[verklov]

@erikhansen, thank you for the idea! The PO responsible for this area will look at your suggestion and we will figure out what to do. Anyway, the ticket is in the product backlog now. Let's see what we can do about the suggestion you are offering.

[erikhansen]

@verklov Thanks. I would be interested in contributing to the development of this, if it is something that Magento would be willing to include in the core.

[tkacheva]

@erikhansen Thank you for the great idea! I will include it into our roadmap

[erikhansen]

@tkacheva If I worked on this feature and submitted a pull request, would it get included into Magento 2?

[mhhansen]

👍

[tkacheva]

@erikhansen Yes, for sure if it passes code review and meets our license policy

[vpelipenko]

Internal ticket: MAGETWO-24798

[fbrnc]

I must have missed this ticket in the first place. Yes, I'd totally love to see a template hints like the ones I implemented for Aoe_TemplateHints in Magento 2 and I'd also be willing to contribute that code.
One of the important benefits of Aoe_TemplateHints over the native ones is that Aoe_TemplateHints does not only show blocks inheriting from Mage_Core_Block_Template, but all blocks (inheriting from Mage_Core_Block_Abstract). That's an important detail :)