Is there an easy way to reproduce pre-1.8 Adventure gamemode block handling rules in 1.8? [duplicate]

The best way I can think of is to constantly check for and set the relevant CanPlaceOn and CanDestroy tags.

There's only 6 types of tool that will need to be altered, and we can add the CanPlaceOn tags to everything since it's the same for all blocks and it doesn't matter if it's on items.

These commands are very long though, for example, here's the one to have blocks able to be placed on everything else:

/entitydata @e[type=Item] {Item:{tag:{CanPlaceOn:["minecraft:air","minecraft:stone","minecraft:grass","minecraft:dirt","minecraft:cobblestone","minecraft:planks","minecraft:sapling","minecraft:bedrock","minecraft:flowing_water","minecraft:water","minecraft:flowing_lava","minecraft:lava","minecraft:sand","minecraft:gravel","minecraft:gold_ore","minecraft:iron_ore","minecraft:coal_ore","minecraft:log","minecraft:leaves","minecraft:sponge","minecraft:glass","minecraft:lapis_ore","minecraft:lapis_block","minecraft:dispenser","minecraft:sandstone","minecraft:noteblock","minecraft:golden_rail","minecraft:detector_rail","minecraft:sticky_piston","minecraft:web","minecraft:tallgrass","minecraft:deadbush","minecraft:piston","minecraft:piston_head","minecraft:wool","minecraft:piston_extension","minecraft:yellow_flower","minecraft:red_flower","minecraft:brown_mushroom","minecraft:red_mushroom","minecraft:gold_block","minecraft:iron_block","minecraft:double_stone_slab","minecraft:stone_slab","minecraft:brick_block","minecraft:tnt","minecraft:bookshelf","minecraft:mossy_cobblestone","minecraft:obsidian","minecraft:torch","minecraft:fire","minecraft:mob_spawner","minecraft:oak_stairs","minecraft:chest","minecraft:redstone_wire","minecraft:diamond_ore","minecraft:diamond_block","minecraft:crafting_table","minecraft:farmland","minecraft:furnace","minecraft:lit_furnace","minecraft:standing_sign","minecraft:ladder","minecraft:rail","minecraft:stone_stairs","minecraft:wall_sign","minecraft:lever","minecraft:stone_pressure_plate","minecraft:wooden_pressure_plate","minecraft:redstone_ore","minecraft:lit_redstone_ore","minecraft:unlit_redstone_torch","minecraft:redstone_torch","minecraft:stone_button","minecraft:snow_layer","minecraft:ice","minecraft:snow","minecraft:cactus","minecraft:clay","minecraft:jukebox","minecraft:fence","minecraft:pumpkin","minecraft:netherrack","minecraft:soul_sand","minecraft:glowstone","minecraft:portal","minecraft:lit_pumpkin","minecraft:unpowered_repeater","minecraft:powered_repeater","minecraft:stained_glass","minecraft:trapdoor","minecraft:monster_egg","minecraft:stonebrick","minecraft:brown_mushroom_block","minecraft:red_mushroom_block","minecraft:iron_bars","minecraft:glass_pane","minecraft:melon_block","minecraft:pumpkin_stem","minecraft:melon_stem","minecraft:vine","minecraft:fence_gate","minecraft:brick_stairs","minecraft:stone_brick_stairs","minecraft:mycelium","minecraft:waterlily","minecraft:nether_brick","minecraft:nether_brick_fence","minecraft:nether_brick_stairs","minecraft:enchanting_table","minecraft:end_portal","minecraft:end_portal_frame","minecraft:end_stone","minecraft:dragon_egg","minecraft:redstone_lamp","minecraft:lit_redstone_lamp","minecraft:double_wooden_slab","minecraft:wooden_slab","minecraft:cocoa","minecraft:sandstone_stairs","minecraft:emerald_ore","minecraft:ender_chest","minecraft:tripwire_hook","minecraft:tripwire","minecraft:emerald_block","minecraft:spruce_stairs","minecraft:birch_stairs","minecraft:jungle_stairs","minecraft:command_block","minecraft:beacon","minecraft:cobblestone_wall","minecraft:wooden_button","minecraft:anvil","minecraft:trapped_chest","minecraft:light_weighted_pressure_plate","minecraft:heavy_weighted_pressure_plate","minecraft:unpowered_comparator","minecraft:powered_comparator","minecraft:daylight_detector","minecraft:redstone_block","minecraft:quartz_ore","minecraft:hopper","minecraft:quartz_block","minecraft:quartz_stairs","minecraft:activator_rail","minecraft:dropper","minecraft:stained_hardened_clay","minecraft:stained_glass_pane","minecraft:log2","minecraft:log2","minecraft:acacia_stairs","minecraft:dark_oak_stairs","minecraft:slime","minecraft:barrier","minecraft:iron_trapdoor","minecraft:prismarine","minecraft:sea_lantern","minecraft:hay_block","minecraft:carpet","minecraft:hardened_clay","minecraft:coal_block","minecraft:packed_ice","minecraft:double_plant","minecraft:prismarine","minecraft:barrier","minecraft:red_sandstone","minecraft:sea_lantern","minecraft:iron_trapdoor"],HideFlags:16}}}

(And I may have missed some blocks out)

You'll need to produce similar commands for the behavior you want to add to each of the tool types. Fortunately they'll all be much shorter than this one.

Once you've done that (if it's worth the effort) just put them on any kind of clock. It'll affect all dropped items, so you'll need to throw things you craft onto the floor if you want them to work.