Site editor: Selecting block does not switch to the block tab

[jasmussen]

Description

In the post editor, when you select a block, the block tab is selected to show contextual controls:

This is not the case in the site editor:

Step-by-step reproduction instructions

Install a block-based theme (https://github.com/WordPress/theme-experiments) and go to the site editor. Click a block, and note the block tab is not selected.

Expected behaviour

The block tab should automatically be selected to show contextual controls for a block, when the block is selected.

[carolinan]

Confirmed.

[critterverse]

I noticed this when completing the most recent FSE call for testing. Just wanted to note that this may involve the extra step of a forced toggle between the two righthand sidebars as well if the Global Styles sidebar is already open:

29620.mov

[jasmussen]

Just wanted to note that this may involve the extra step of a forced toggle between the two righthand sidebars as well if the Global Styles sidebar is already open:

I would think that it's okay that selecting a block while viewing global styles doesn't toggle the block toolbar. That might be disruptive.

There might also be an opportunity to make the global styles panel contextual in a similar way, so when you select a paragraph, the paragraph block type panel is toggled in the global styles panel.

[critterverse]

I would think that it's okay that selecting a block while viewing global styles doesn't toggle the block toolbar. That might be disruptive.

Thanks for weighing in @jasmussen! I agree on this being potentially disruptive 😬 The reason why I'm calling attention to it is because there were a few instances when using the Column block that I came to a standstill over the secondary controls not being visible. This is especially confusing when using Transform to, which doesn't include the intermediate step of a placeholder block that allows for adjusting the number of Columns:

transform-to-column.mov

It could very well be that this is an argument for revisiting the division between primary & secondary controls for the Column block as much as anything else!

There might also be an opportunity to make the global styles panel contextual in a similar way, so when you select a paragraph, the paragraph block type panel is toggled in the global styles panel.

+1 I can see this going a long way to improve the usability of block-specific Global Styles (especially if existing issues surrounding the division between primary/secondary block controls are resolved at an individual block level).