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Tool Plugins

When to Use

Use custom Tool plugins when you need custom toolbar actions beyond built-in tools — e.g., a color picker, annotation tool, or content validation tool.

Decision

Built-in tools by weight order:

Tool ID Hotkey Weight Module
Pointer pointer p 0 navigation_plus
Place Block place_block b 20 lb_plus
Change edit_plus c 40 edit_plus
Move move m 60 lb_plus
Layout layout_tool l 80 lb_plus
Trash trash t 100 lb_plus
Duplicate duplicate d 120 lb_plus
Configure configure o 140 lb_plus
Section Library section_library s 160 lb_plus_section_library

Pattern

namespace Drupal\my_module\Plugin\Tool;

use Drupal\navigation_plus\Attribute\Tool;
use Drupal\navigation_plus\ToolPluginBase;
use Drupal\Core\StringTranslation\TranslatableMarkup;

#[Tool(
  id: 'annotate',
  label: new TranslatableMarkup('Annotate'),
  hot_key: 'a',
  weight: 180,
)]
class Annotate extends ToolPluginBase {

  public function getIconsPath(): array {
    return [
      'icon_id' => 'annotate',
      'pack_id' => 'my_module',
      'mouse_icon' => "url('/path/to/cursor.svg') 3 3, auto",
    ];
  }

  public function buildLeftSideBar(): array {
    return ['#theme' => 'my_annotation_sidebar'];
  }

  public function buildSettings(): array {
    return [
      'show_resolved' => [
        '#type' => 'checkbox',
        '#title' => $this->t('Show resolved annotations'),
      ],
    ];
  }

  public function applies(EntityInterface $entity): bool {
    return $entity->access('update');
  }

  public function addAttachments(array &$attachments): void {
    $attachments['#attached']['library'][] = 'my_module/annotate_tool';
  }
}

All LB+ tools use LbPlusToolTrait for applies() — returns true if entity's view display has Layout Builder enabled.

Common Mistakes

  • Wrong: Using weight values 0–160 → Right: Built-in tools occupy those weights; use 170+ for custom tools
  • Wrong: Omitting addAttachments() → Right: Tools without JS libraries won't function interactively

See Also