Block patterns: hide sidebar when no patterns are registered

[simison]

Describe the bug
When there are 0 block patterns registered, the sidebar shows up empty:

Kudos @akirk for spotting.

To reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Unregister all block patterns (@akirk do you have code at handy to do this?)
2. Open block patterns sidebar
3. Observe empty sidebar

Expected behavior
No block pattenrs sidebar available.

[akirk]

Unregister all block patterns

On the PHP side it can be done with this snippet:

function disable_block_patterns( $settings ) {
	unset( $settings['__experimentalBlockPatterns'] );
	return $settings;
}
add_filter( 'block_editor_settings', 'disable_block_patterns', 100 );

[mtias]

This is temporary UI, I don't think it's worth handling this. It should be easy to unregister the whole patterns plugin if that's what you want to do.

[akirk]

It should be easy to unregister the whole patterns plugin if that's what you want to do.

Could you give some guidance here? I see the BlockPatterns loading is hardcoded here: https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/blob/master/packages/edit-post/src/plugins/index.js#L17

[mcsf]

This is temporary UI, I don't think it's worth handling this. It should be easy to unregister the whole patterns plugin if that's what you want to do.

Should we pluck BlockPatterns into its own plugin? The following allows disabling of patterns via wp.plugins.unregisterPlugin( 'edit-post-block-patterns' ):

diff --git a/packages/edit-post/src/plugins/index.js b/packages/edit-post/src/plugins/index.js
index 87853d4493..a821d53366 100644
--- a/packages/edit-post/src/plugins/index.js
+++ b/packages/edit-post/src/plugins/index.js
@@ -16,11 +16,20 @@ import ToolsMoreMenuGroup from '../components/header/tools-more-menu-group';
 import WelcomeGuideMenuItem from './welcome-guide-menu-item';
 import BlockPatterns from './block-patterns';
 
-registerPlugin( 'edit-post', {
+registerPlugin( 'edit-post-block-patterns', {
 	render() {
 		return (
 			<>
 				<BlockPatterns />
+			</>
+		);
+	},
+} );
+
+registerPlugin( 'edit-post', {
+	render() {
+		return (
+			<>
 				<ToolsMoreMenuGroup>
 					{ ( { onClose } ) => (
 						<>

[mtias]

Yes, I thought that was the case already.

[mcsf]

Ready for review in #20871

[youknowriad]

The plugin approach is also temporary as I was planning to work on the patterns inserter UI and we'll most likely need a way to hide patterns there if no patterns found.

[mcsf]

The plugin approach is also temporary as I was planning to work on the patterns inserter UI

Yes, I stated this in in #20871, but I don't think it precludes the proposed improvement (IMO it should have been done this way from the start).

[paaljoachim]

I am wondering if this issue is still valid or if it needs updating?
Is there anything here or in associated issues/PRs that contains information that should be added to the Block Editor Handbook?

Perhaps there should be a way through preferences to hide Patterns?

[ntsekouras]

This should be fixed with: #31687.