diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockDB.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockDB.ts
index 2ef204430..9717bc348 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockDB.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockDB.ts
@@ -18,48 +18,46 @@ import { log } from '../../logger.js';
 // export type TBlockColumnsDefaultValue = 'H'; // Do we support something else, like 'auto' | 0?
 
 // Initialize the node database for simple lookups
-let nodeDatabase: Record<string, Node> = {};
-const blockDatabase: Record<string, Block> = {};
+let blockDatabase: Record<string, Block> = {};
+
+const populateBlockDatabase = (blockList: Block[], parent: Block): void => {
+  for (const block of blockList) {
+    if (block.type === 'column-setting') {
+      const columns = block.columns || -1;
+      parent.columns = columns;
+    } else {
+      if (!block.label) {
+        block.label = block.id;
+      }
+      blockDatabase[block.id] = block;
+
+      if (block.children) {
+        populateBlockDatabase(block.children, block);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+};
 
 // Function to get a node by its id
 type IGetNodeById = (id: string) => Block | undefined;
-export const getNodeById = (id: string): Block | undefined => {
-  console.log(id, nodeDatabase);
+export const getBlockById = (id: string): Block | undefined => {
   return blockDatabase[id];
 };
 
 // TODO: Convert to generic TreeNode type? Convert to class?
 
-let rootBlock = { id: 'root', children: [] as Block[], columns: -1 };
 let blocks: Block[] = [];
 const links: Link[] = [];
-// let rootBlock = { id: 'root', children: [], columns: -1 } as Block;
-let currentBlock = rootBlock;
+let rootBlock = { id: 'root', type: 'composite', children: [], columns: -1 } as Block;
 
 const clear = (): void => {
   log.info('Clear called');
-  // rootBlocks = [];
-  blocks = [] as Block[];
   commonClear();
-  rootBlock = { id: 'root', children: [], columns: -1 };
-  currentBlock = rootBlock;
-  nodeDatabase = {};
-  blockDatabase[rootBlock.id] = rootBlock;
+  rootBlock = { id: 'root', type: 'composite', children: [], columns: -1 } as Block;
+  blockDatabase = { root: rootBlock };
+  blocks = [] as Block[];
 };
 
-// type IAddBlock = (block: Block) => Block;
-// const addBlock: IAddBlock = (block: Block, parent?: Block): Block => {
-//   log.info('addBlock', block, parent);
-//   if (parent) {
-//     parent.children ??= [];
-//     parent.children.push(block);
-//   } else {
-//     rootBlock.children.push(block);
-//   }
-//   blocks.push(block);
-//   return block;
-// };
-
 type ITypeStr2Type = (typeStr: string) => BlockType;
 export function typeStr2Type(typeStr: string) {
   // TODO: add all types
@@ -74,6 +72,7 @@ export function typeStr2Type(typeStr: string) {
 }
 
 let cnt = 0;
+type IGenerateId = () => string;
 export const generateId = () => {
   cnt++;
   return 'id-' + Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 12) + '-' + cnt;
@@ -96,13 +95,15 @@ export const addBlock = (_id: string, _label?: string, type?: BlockType) => {
   blockDatabase[node.id] = node;
   // currentBlock.children ??= [];
   // currentBlock.children.push(node);
-  // console.log('currentBlock', currentBlock.children, nodeDatabase);
-  console.log('addNode called:', id, label, type, node);
+  // log.info('currentBlock', currentBlock.children, nodeDatabase);
+  log.info('addNode called:', id, label, type, node);
   return node;
 };
 
 type ISetHierarchy = (block: Block[]) => void;
 const setHierarchy = (block: Block[]): void => {
+  populateBlockDatabase(block, rootBlock);
+  log.info('blockdb', JSON.stringify(blockDatabase, null, 2));
   blocks = block;
 };
 
@@ -115,7 +116,6 @@ const addLink: IAddLink = (link: Link): Link => {
 type ISetColumns = (columnsStr: string) => void;
 const setColumns = (columnsStr: string): void => {
   const columns = columnsStr === 'auto' ? -1 : parseInt(columnsStr);
-  currentBlock!.columns = columns;
 };
 
 const getBlock = (id: string, blocks: Block[]): Block | undefined => {
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ const getColumns = (blockid: string): number => {
 
 type IGetBlocks = () => Block[];
 const getBlocks: IGetBlocks = () => {
-  // console.log('Block in test', rootBlock.children || []);
-  console.log('Block in test', blocks, blocks[0].id);
+  // log.info('Block in test', rootBlock.children || []);
+  log.info('Block in test', blocks, blocks[0].id);
   return blocks || [];
 };
 
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ export interface BlockDB extends DiagramDB {
   getColumns: IGetColumns;
   typeStr2Type: ITypeStr2Type;
   setHierarchy: ISetHierarchy;
-  getNodeById: IGetNodeById;
+  getBlockById: IGetNodeById;
+  generateId: IGenerateId;
 }
 
 const db: BlockDB = {
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ const db: BlockDB = {
   getBlocks,
   getLinks,
   setHierarchy,
-  getNodeById,
+  getBlockById,
   // getAccTitle,
   // setAccTitle,
   // getAccDescription,
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ const db: BlockDB = {
   setColumns,
   getColumns,
   clear,
+  generateId,
 };
 
 export default db;
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockTypes.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockTypes.ts
index 4afbe4351..a695b4ec7 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockTypes.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/blockTypes.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ export type BlockType =
   | 'cylinder'
   | 'group'
   | 'doublecircle'
-  | 'composite';
+  | 'composite'
+  | 'column-setting';
 
 export interface Block {
   id: string;
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.jison b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.jison
index 309dbfdea..829ccd300 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.jison
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.jison
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ seperator
   ;
 
 start: BLOCK_DIAGRAM_KEY document EOF
-  {console.log('This is the hierarchy ', JSON.stringify($2, null, 2)); yy.setHierarchy($2); }
+  {yy.getLogger().info('This is the hierarchy ', JSON.stringify($2, null, 2)); yy.setHierarchy($2); }
   ;
 
 
@@ -180,16 +180,16 @@ statement
 	;
 
 nodeStatement
-  : nodeStatement link node { yy.getLogger().info('Rule: nodeStatement (nodeStatement link node) '); yy.addBlock($1.id); $$ = {id: $1.id}; }
-  | node { yy.getLogger().info('Rule: nodeStatement (node) ', $1); yy.addBlock($1.id, $1.label, yy.typeStr2Type($1)); $$ = {id: $1.id}; }
+  : nodeStatement link node { yy.getLogger().info('Rule: nodeStatement (nodeStatement link node) '); $$ = {id: $1.id}; }
+  | node { yy.getLogger().info('Rule: nodeStatement (node) ', $1); $$ = {id: $1.id, label: $1.label, type: yy.typeStr2Type($1)}; }
   ;
 
 columnsStatement
-  : COLUMNS { yy.getLogger().info("COLUMNS: ", $1);yy.setColumns($1); }
+  : COLUMNS { yy.getLogger().info("COLUMNS: ", $1); $$ = {type: 'column-setting', columns: $1 === 'auto'?-1:parseInt($1) } }
   ;
 
 blockStatement
-  : block document end { console.log('Rule: blockStatement : ', $1, $2, $3); const block = yy.addBlock(undefined, undefined, 'composite'); $$ = { id: block.id, children: $2 }; }
+  : block document end { yy.getLogger().info('Rule: blockStatement : ', $1, $2, $3); const id = yy.generateId(); $$ = { id, type:'composite', label:id, children: $2 }; }
   ;
 
 
diff --git a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.spec.ts b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.spec.ts
index 584a817b5..eea9bb65b 100644
--- a/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/mermaid/src/diagrams/block/parser/block.spec.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ describe('Block diagram', function () {
       block.parse(str);
       const blocks = db.getBlocks();
       expect(blocks.length).toBe(1);
-      expect(blocks[0].ID).toBe('id');
+      expect(blocks[0].id).toBe('id');
       expect(blocks[0].label).toBe('id');
     });
     it('a node with a square shape and a label', async () => {
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('Block diagram', function () {
       block.parse(str);
       const blocks = db.getBlocks();
       expect(blocks.length).toBe(1);
-      expect(blocks[0].ID).toBe('id');
+      expect(blocks[0].id).toBe('id');
       expect(blocks[0].label).toBe('A label');
       expect(blocks[0].type).toBe('square');
     });
@@ -45,10 +45,10 @@ describe('Block diagram', function () {
       block.parse(str);
       const blocks = db.getBlocks();
       expect(blocks.length).toBe(2);
-      expect(blocks[0].ID).toBe('id1');
+      expect(blocks[0].id).toBe('id1');
       expect(blocks[0].label).toBe('id1');
       expect(blocks[0].type).toBe('square');
-      expect(blocks[1].ID).toBe('id2');
+      expect(blocks[1].id).toBe('id2');
       expect(blocks[1].label).toBe('id2');
       expect(blocks[1].type).toBe('square');
     });
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ describe('Block diagram', function () {
       block.parse(str);
       const blocks = db.getBlocks();
       expect(blocks.length).toBe(3);
-      expect(blocks[0].ID).toBe('id1');
+      expect(blocks[0].id).toBe('id1');
       expect(blocks[0].label).toBe('id1');
       expect(blocks[0].type).toBe('square');
-      expect(blocks[1].ID).toBe('id2');
+      expect(blocks[1].id).toBe('id2');
       expect(blocks[1].label).toBe('id2');
       expect(blocks[1].type).toBe('square');
-      expect(blocks[2].ID).toBe('id3');
+      expect(blocks[2].id).toBe('id3');
       expect(blocks[2].label).toBe('id3');
       expect(blocks[2].type).toBe('square');
     });
@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ describe('Block diagram', function () {
       block.parse(str);
       const blocks = db.getBlocks();
       expect(blocks.length).toBe(2);
-      expect(blocks[0].ID).toBe('id');
+      expect(blocks[0].id).toBe('id');
       expect(blocks[0].label).toBe('A label');
       expect(blocks[0].type).toBe('square');
-      expect(blocks[1].ID).toBe('id2');
+      expect(blocks[1].id).toBe('id2');
       expect(blocks[1].label).toBe('id2');
       expect(blocks[1].type).toBe('square');
     });
@@ -152,24 +152,32 @@ describe('Block diagram', function () {
     it('compound blocks 2', async () => {
       const str = `block-beta
           block
-            aBlock["Block"]
-            bBlock["Block"]
+            aBlock["ABlock"]
+            bBlock["BBlock"]
           end
         `;
 
       block.parse(str);
       const blocks = db.getBlocks();
-      console.log('blocks', blocks);
       expect(blocks.length).toBe(1);
+
       expect(blocks[0].children.length).toBe(2);
-      expect(blocks[0].id).toBe('id');
-      expect(blocks[0].label).toBe('A label');
-      expect(blocks[0].type).toBe('square');
-      // expect(blocks[1].ID).toBe('id2');
-      // expect(blocks[1].label).toBe('id2');
-      // expect(blocks[1].type).toBe('square');
+      expect(blocks[0].id).not.toBe(undefined);
+      expect(blocks[0].label).toBe(blocks[0].id);
+      expect(blocks[0].type).toBe('composite');
+
+      const aBlock = blocks[0].children[0];
+
+      expect(aBlock.id).not.toBe(aBlock);
+      expect(aBlock.label).toBe('ABlock');
+      expect(aBlock.type).toBe('square');
+
+      const bBlock = blocks[0].children[1];
+      expect(bBlock.id).not.toBe(bBlock);
+      expect(bBlock.label).toBe('BBlock');
+      expect(bBlock.type).toBe('square');
     });
-    it.only('compound blocks', async () => {
+    it('compound blocks of compound blocks', async () => {
       const str = `block-beta
           block
             aBlock["ABlock"]
@@ -182,29 +190,30 @@ describe('Block diagram', function () {
       block.parse(str);
       const blocks = db.getBlocks();
 
-      const aBlockPos = blocks[0].children[0];
-      const bBlockPos = blocks[0].children[1].children[0];
+      const aBlock = blocks[0].children[0];
+      const secondComposite = blocks[0].children[1];
+      const bBlock = blocks[0].children[1].children[0];
 
-      const root = db.getNodeById(blocks[0].id);
-      expect(blocks.length).toBe(1);
-      expect(blocks[0].id).not.toBe(undefined);
-      expect(root?.label).toBe(blocks[0].id);
       expect(blocks[0].children.length).toBe(2);
-      expect(root?.type).toBe('composite');
+      expect(blocks[0].id).not.toBe(undefined);
+      expect(blocks[0].label).toBe(blocks[0].id);
+      expect(blocks[0].type).toBe('composite');
 
-      const aBlock = db.getNodeById(aBlockPos.id);
-      console.log('aBlock', aBlock);
-      expect(aBlock?.label).toBe('ABlock');
-      expect(aBlock?.type).toBe('square');
+      expect(secondComposite.children.length).toBe(1);
+      expect(secondComposite.id).not.toBe(undefined);
+      expect(secondComposite.label).toBe(secondComposite.id);
+      expect(secondComposite.type).toBe('composite');
 
-      const bBlock = db.getNodeById(bBlockPos.id);
+      expect(aBlock.id).not.toBe(aBlock);
+      expect(aBlock.label).toBe('ABlock');
+      expect(aBlock.type).toBe('square');
 
-      expect(bBlock.id).toBe('bBlock');
+      expect(bBlock.id).not.toBe(bBlock);
       expect(bBlock.label).toBe('BBlock');
       expect(bBlock.type).toBe('square');
     });
-    it.skip('compound blocks with title', async () => {
-      const str = `block
+    it('compound blocks with title', async () => {
+      const str = `block-beta
           block compoundBlock["Compound block"]
             columns 1
             block2["Block 1"]