Add Right Side Column and Web Parts to custom Master page in SharePoint Online

Question

Hello everyone, 
I hope this is a simple question, however I was fighting the issue it presents for a while. I am in the process of customizing SharePoint Online Look-and-feel with a new layout.
The site collection was created as a
Team Site before I got involved with the project, and populated with numerous sub-sites and pages. I activated required
publishing features, created html with corresponding styles and graphics, and used the Design Manager to convert the html file to the custom Master page. While SharePoint automatically assigned “ContentPlaceHolderMain” div area, I
also used default Oslo page as example to copy sections of the code for dynamic components (left column and navigation, recent items, the ribbon, etc.) from it and placed them in my new master page, pointed all CSS references to
my custom style sheets, etc. Everything works great, however I need to make one last addition -
my task is to make changes to display web parts such as Calendar and Recent Documents in the right column in the Master page.
My custom layout has a header, footer, main pan and two side columns. Most of the default master templates come with the LEFT column already embedded and populated with several placeholder
to serve dynamic content (PlaceHolderLeftNavBarTop, PlaceHolderQuickLaunchTop, PlaceHolderLeftNavBarDataSource, PlaceHolderLeftActions, so on).
My challenge is that I have the RIGHT side column as well, for which I don’t think the default placeholder exists. I need to add a small Calendar box and Recent Documents parts to it, so they
display across the entire site governed by this master page.
The issue is –
even after activating Publishing features (enabled SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure under Site Collection Level, and SharePoint Server Publishing under the Site
Level), there is no Snippet feature (usually available under the generic Publishing Site); this customization of the Team Site allows using Designer and apply custom templates, themes, so on, just like you would under the Publishing collection, but not the
Snippet utility I could use as the solution to embed the web parts on the master page.
Recreating the entire site under Publishing Collection is not an option due to the directions I was given, I am to use this existing one, and need to see if
there is a workaround to either activate the Snippet feature or use another solution to display the web parts inside of the column in the Master page.
If the only solution is to use Web Part Zone, what are the steps to add it AND populate it with the abovementioned apps?
Can anyone suggest how to create a workaround and add this feature? The environment is role-based so both elements need to be dynamically rendered based on the user’s role and activities.
I am more of a front end designer than developer, so if any custom coding and set up required, please kindly provide some basic steps, if possible?..
I greatly appreciate any help and suggestions!
Thank You!
Jeff
Jeff V.

Answer 1

Updating your Master Page to also include a right rail should be sraight forward enough with a new div or divs in your master page and then the proper styles to make room for this column as well as position the column.
I have not seen why you cannot find the snippet gallery link when previewing a HTML Master Page in the browser. Have you tried loading the snippet gallery by its url? As an example, for my tenant on SPO, I can load the Snippet Gallery for the olso.master
with the following url:
https://pixelmill.sharepoint.com/_layouts/15/ComponentConfigureControls.aspx?ComponentName=TopNavigationNoFlyoutWithStartNode&Url=%2F_catalogs%2Fmasterpage%2Foslo.master
Change the domain to match yours as well as update the "Url" querystring var to point to your master page. See if that loads the snippet gallery.
Eric Overfield - PixelMill -
ericoverfield.com -
@EricOverfield