How to place facet block in views page header? (not regions)

Question

I've created a search with Search API module and Facets module. I've added two taxonomy term name fields to my search index and created two facets for those fields. Just for testing I've placed the facet blocks in my main content area, and fulltext search and faceted filtering are working as expected.

Now I want to place the facet blocks in the header of the view, and not in a page region. I've checked the block source file and ID of the facet blocks is facet_block. Facet blocks are derived blocks, so my best guess was that the block ID should be facet_block:MACHINE_NAME_OF_FACET.

I've added a Global: Rendered entity - Block to the header of the view. As block ID I've entered the schema from above, e.g. facet_block:museum for my "museum" facet.

However, the facet block doesn't show in the views header. (The same facets placed via block layout still work fine.)

Can anybody tell me how to render facet blocks inside a view header?

(I'm looking for a no-code-solution, without preprocessing or editing templates)

Answer 1

Firstly, I would recommend that you consider placing the facet block right above the view instead of performing a surgery on views :D

That said, here's what I think might work:

Solution 1: Views Header

• Views allows you to attach rendered blocks in the views header.
• In the views UI, click the Add button in the Header configuration.
• Then choose Rendered Entity - Block and choose the facets block you want to display

Solution 2: Attachment Before

• Write a hook_views_post_build()
• In this hook, render the facet block as the attachment_before of the view.
  • See this answer about rendering blocks programmatically
• You might face some difficulties with views caching, etc, but you can fine-tune the views build to alter the caching rules.
• If you don't like the idea of Attachment Before, you can also consider adding a header item with a custom token like @facet:foo@ and then replace this custom token with a rendered facet block in hook_views_pre_render()

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Since you want a no-code solution, have you tried the Views Block Area module? It allows injection of blocks anywhere in a view. Once enabled you should see a "Block area" option in your view then select the facet you want shown in the view header. Should be able to do everything via the UI alone.

This module exposes all available blocks as a views area or field. This way you can add any block inside a field, footer or header in your view.

Blocks that are generated by views can not be selected, these blocks can not be inserted into views.

Answer 3

This is an addition to @Jigar Mehta answer but I couldn't add it as comment because I needed more space.
There are some gotchas in Solution 1:
1. You need to create a facet and then place somewhere in the page.
2. You need to use the machine name of the block in Render Entity - Block form. No need to add facets:MACHINE_NAME_OF_FACET
3. The main issue is that the block needs to appear in the same page as the view so that it renders. It doesn't even render in the view preview section unless you save and visit that page.
4. I tried disabling the block while being placed in sidebar, or add a visibility rule that only makes it display on admin pages. Any rule that prevent its rendering prevents it from rendering in the view header.

Thus the only solution I see INMHO is to hide the actual block facet with CSS, but then this doesn't make sense since you can simply use the block on top of the view and not in the header unless there is a dire need for it.

Solution 3

You can also try this module Core Views Facet
I think it might solve your problem by having facets attached to a view as exposed filters.