Custom HTML block adding extra characters

[bradhogan]

Description

Tough to nail down exactly when this occurs, but it seems like it happens any time my Front Page template is saved. I've removed ALL whitespace even and random </p> and <br /> tags are added again and again. Note the odd closing

in this screenshot and random <p> and <br />. Again, I've removed those, then removed the whitespace, saved and it works for the immediate moment, then something happens when I come back and make updates in the Site Editor and the odd characters reappear.

Step-by-step reproduction instructions

1. Add custom HTML block to a template

<form class="has-text-align-center subscribe-form" action="" data-remote="true"> <input type="text" name="first_name" placeholder="First name..."><input type="email" name="email" placeholder="Your@email">
<div class="ck_control_group ck_captcha2_h_field_group ck-captcha2-h" style="position: absolute !important;left: -999em !important;"><label class="ck_label" for="ck_captcha2_h">We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer.</label><input type="text" name="captcha2_h" class="ck-captcha2-h" id="ck_captcha2_h"></div>
<button class="wp-element-button">Join the waitlist</button>
</form>

2. Save, then logout and log back in, make changes in the Site Editor, save, then go back to edit the template, make changes, exit out, go back and see if the custom html block now has extra tags in there

Screenshots, screen recording, code snippet

Environment info

• wp 6.1.1
• gutenberg 15.3.1
• chrome
• mac

Please confirm that you have searched existing issues in the repo.

Yes

Please confirm that you have tested with all plugins deactivated except Gutenberg.

Yes

[Thelmachido]

In the screenshot below you can see how the waiting list form's button has moved to the bottom, and the screen size for the editor wasn't adjusted I continuously closed and opened the template and a

tag was added to the custom HTML.

WP 6.1.1
Gutenberg 15.3.1
TT3 theme

[Marielle83]

Edit: updating my comment with steps and couple of images.

WordPress version: 6.2 RC4
No plugins installed, using Twenty Twenty-Three Theme, but happens with any block theme.

Open the Site Editor and edit a template, for example Page template. Insert Custom HTML block somewhere and put in some HTML. Save and refresh the page (or save and exit Editor then come back to edit the template) The HTML now has added <p> and <br> tags added.

I'll add some screenshots as an example showing it also happens if you add scripts in the Custom HTML block. Probably wouldn't need the Custom HTML block for this, but it's just an example.

Intact HTML
Destroyed HTML and script

Expected result should be the HTML and script being intact, without added tags.

The issue isn't currently in 6.1.1, but if using the Gutenberg development plugin (the one that says "This is the development plugin for the block editor, site editor, and other future WordPress core functionality.") in 6.1.1 the issue is there though and I can reproduce it using the steps above.

[connah99]

Thought I'd chime in since this is affecting me too. As @bradhogan said, the HTML tags are only added once the Editor is re-entered after saving. Strangely, once I re-enter the editor, I don't need to save and exit for the HTML to be altered. Not all HTML Blocks are affected, and the changes aren't just limited to adding tags, but also messing up the entire hierarchy and layout. I have an example of the one affected here, where the top is the broken HTML and the bottom is the original:

[alemanriquezr]

Happening to me too, after saving and reloading too.
WP version 6.2, twenty twenty three. The < p > and < br / > tags are added in CSS input in custom html block < style > tags. example:
< style >
< p >.class{ < br />
rule;< br />
rule;< br />
} < / p >
< / style >

[TobiasBg]

I also have been seeing this for a few weeks now. My HTML code in the block is perfectly valid.
Indeed, it looks like something like wpautop affecting this.

[perrytrademark]

I can confirm that. Thats a legit bug that needs to be fixed. As an alternative i am using another plugin that provides a custom HTML block

[Rale379]

Same issue. Each time the template is uploaded / opened, the tags are added.
I use the block for adding CSS that is specific to that template.

[justintadlock]

I ran some rudimentary tests on this, but this seems to only be an issue when editing a template from the site editor (Appearance > Editor > Templates). When editing the Custom HTML block from the post editor or the template editor (via the post editing screen), the issue didn't happen.

[Rale379]

@justintadlock
So, you're saying it happens on templates, but not on posts and pages

[perrytrademark]

@justintadlock So, you're saying it happens on templates, but not on posts and pages

no the bug happens to normal pages and posts also. Not only in the template editor. Also it's a 6.2 issue, in 6.1 it was fine.