You could either set up your theme to have three columns of blocks, or you could try using the layout feature in Concrete 5.4

Then you could use the design feature to apply styles to each block individually, or you could try using custom templates.

Does this make sense?

5.4 is a development version. Does this mean, I will have to re-install 5.4 again when the full version is released?

Installing Concrete from the source repository can sometimes require a re-install in order to get newer (and better) versions working.

However, since it is a release candidate, changes before the final release should be small, and also will be covered by the next version's upgrade script. In fact, Concrete 5.4 introduces one-click upgrade support, so when the final version is released you should be able to upgrade directly from the dashboard

I have tried upgrading, but I have got this Error:

An Unexpected Error occurred while upgrading: mysql error: [1064: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'columns INTEGER(3) NOT NULL DEFAULT 3, breakpoints ' at line 4] in EXECUTE("CREATE TABLE Layouts ( layoutID INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, rows INTEGER(5) NOT NULL DEFAULT 3, columns INTEGER(3) NOT NULL DEFAULT 3, breakpoints VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '', locked TINYINT(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0, PRIMARY KEY (layoutID) )")

I have tried upgrading, but I have got this Error:

An Unexpected Error occurred while upgrading: mysql error: [1064: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'columns INTEGER(3) NOT NULL DEFAULT 3, breakpoints ' at line 4] in EXECUTE("CREATE TABLE Layouts ( layoutID INTEGER UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, rows INTEGER(5) NOT NULL DEFAULT 3, columns INTEGER(3) NOT NULL DEFAULT 3, breakpoints VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '', locked TINYINT(1) NOT NULL DEFAULT 0, PRIMARY KEY (layoutID) )")

Is this a Windows server, or a Unix server?

What versions of PHP and MySQL are you using? It works fine for me, running PHP 5.2.13 and MySQL 5.1.30

I have a feeling, though, that "columns" might actually be a reserved keyword in some versions of MySQL, which would be bad ...

Linux OS. PHP 5.2.11. My Sql 4.1.22-standard

Okay, I just asked about this over on another thread:

http://www.concrete5.org/index.php?cID=36394...

It seems like 'columns' might be treated as a reserved keyword in some versions of MySQL. Since it installed fine on my server, maybe it would be possible to fix this problem by upgrading MySQL?

Meanwhile I think they are going to change the table name in the core to prevent this type of problem

it looks like its only a problem in mysql 4.1

OK, I have got 5.4 working. I was playing around with the layout feature, but cannot get it to work the way I would like it to. I want to add a block 1/2 the width of the Main content, without using columns. I need to be able to add blocks horizontally rather than vertically, in reading order. So, if there is one block only on the page it will appear at the top left, the next block added would then horizontally appear straight after it to the right and the third block would appear underneath on the second line to the left.

This image may help to explain what I need.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8100/lottopage.png...

Is there a way of doing this? Thanks.

It looks like you'll get a layout that's divided 50/50 if you create a new layout, select two columns, then check "lock widths"

The attached images explain better what I mean. I want to know if there is a way, when the first area is added, that the 'Add to' button changes to appear on the right. Then when that area has been added, it then changes to appear on the next line and so on.

Unfortunately I don't think there is a way for the editing controls to appear that way, but you should still be able to replicate this layout using the layouts feature.

You can add a new 50/50 layout, add a block on the left, then add a block on the right, then add a new 50/50 layout, so on.