Page template box missing in 5.8-beta3

[pavelevap]

Hi,
after upgrading to WordPress 5.8-beta3 I am not able to see box for adding and using page templates for my block pages. It worked fine in 5.8-beta2.
Clean installation, 2021 theme.

[desrosj]

Hi @pavelevap,

In WordPress 5.8 Beta 3, the block template feature was changed from opt-out to opt-in for traditional style themes. Twenty Twenty-One is considered a traditional style theme and does not actually have any PHP page templates included, so the template setting when editing pages should not show by default.

If you are looking to use block templates, the TT1 theme is the same as Twenty Twenty-One but built as a block-based theme.

I'm going to close this out as worksforme, but if anything I have detailed here is innaccurate, please do reopen and clarify.

[pavelevap]

Sure, no problem, I know TT1 theme, but it was strange change in beta3 for 2021 theme. And it is not possible to add custom page templates for traditional themes like 2021 now?

So, when users make a new installation to test one of the new features of WordPress 5.8 (custom block templates for pages) then it will not work by default, but they have to install TT1 theme first and then also Gutenberg plugin (required for TT1)? It should be easier to present this new feature to users by default in WordPress 5.8, I guess. Currently it is hidden and too many steps required to activate it. Or TT1 will be part of WP 5.8?

[desrosj]

Traditional themes can still define templates, but they must be created within the theme itself with the Template Name: defined in the file header.

Block templates is being included as a feature in 5.8, but it will only be visible to users when a ​block-based theme is active, which will also require the Gutenberg plugin. This is because there are still some issues with how block templates are presented and work within traditional themes. Once those issues are ironed out, then block templates will be available for all themes.