Issue status update for http://drupal.org/node/10056 Post a follow up: http://drupal.org/project/comments/add/10056 Project: Drupal Version: cvs Component: node system Category: feature requests Priority: normal Assigned to: Anonymous Reported by: Anonymous Updated by: Thox -Status: patch (code needs work) +Status: patch (code needs review) Attached is a patch with an attempt to move the title validation code into the node modules (from node.module). Thox Previous comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sat, 14 Aug 2004 18:17:11 +0000 : Anonymous Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/node.set-title-field.patch (2.02 KB) The default "title" field in a node object is useful but not always appropriate. For some node types it would be preferable to rename the field for display to users (e.g., from "title" to "name" for a record of an organization or business), while in others the title might be best drawn from a combination of other fields (e.g., first_name and last_name fields, for a record of an individual). This patch enables two new alternatives for node titles: renamingThe title field can be renamed, e.g., from "title" to "name". substutingOther fields can be substituted for the title field. The functionality is implemented through a new proposed node hook, _title_field($op). There are two possible values for $op: "action" (either "rename" or "substitute") and "names" (a list of field names to be used in the title field). Sample uses: [?PHP function example_title_field($node, $op) { switch ($op) { case 'action': $return = 'rename'; break; case 'names': $return = array('Name'); } return $return; } ?] In this case, since the requested action is "rename", the title field would be labelled "Name" (instead of "Title") in node add and edit forms for nodes of type "example". [?PHP function example_title_field($node, $op) { switch ($op) { case 'action': $return = 'substitute'; break; case 'names': $return = array('first_name', 'last_name'); } return $return; } ?] In this case, no "Title" field would be displayed in node add or node edit forms of node type "example". Instead, the fields "first_name" and "last_name" would be concatenated to form a title. Implementing this patch would significantly increase the flexibility of the node system, making it feasible to store information of many types not currently supported because they don't have a "title" attribute. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sun, 15 Aug 2004 16:39:37 +0000 : Dries This is best accomplished through the existing nodeapi hook, using a separate module. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sun, 15 Aug 2004 23:02:13 +0000 : nedjo Thanks for the suggestion. I did look for a way to accomplish this through _nodeapi (and other existing hooks), but couldn't see how. The "title" field is hard-coded into node.module. The _nodeapi hook allows various types of manipulations, but not, so far as I could see, changes to elements that have been generated by, e.g., form_textfield() calls. Are there possibilities I'm missing? Other approaches? Any specific suggestions as to means we could use to change the hard-coded "title" field? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thu, 19 Aug 2004 18:27:15 +0000 : nedjo Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/node.set-title-field_0.patch (741 bytes) Drawing on Dries's suggestion, I've substantially revised this patch to enable node title field customization with only three additional lines of code in node.module. In place of the existing line in function node_form() <?php $output .= form_textfield(t('Title'), 'title', $edit->title, 60, 128, NULL, NULL, TRUE); ?> the patch substitutes a the following: <?php $title = variable_get('node_titlefield_'. $edit->type, 'Title'); if(!($title == 'none')) { $output .= form_textfield(t($title), 'title', $edit->title, 60, 128, NULL, NULL, TRUE); } ?> With this change in place, node modules will be able to override the standard node title label by setting a variable, node_titlefield_nodetype, where nodetype is the type of node. This could be done, e.g., in a _settings hook, so that the first time settings were accessed the module would set the variable: <?php if (variable_get('node_titlefield_example', '') == '') { // since none is already set, set this variable variable_set('node_titlefield_example', 'Name'); drupal_set_message('Example module initialization completed.'); } ?> The special value 'none' would suppress the title field altogether in node forms, used as follows: <?php if (variable_get('node_titlefield_example', '') == '') { // since none is already set, set this variable variable_set('node_titlefield_example', 'none'); drupal_set_message('Example module initialization completed.'); } ?> In this case, a _validate hook would be used to set the title field value. Assuming a module where a first name-last name combination was to be used for a title: <?php function example_validate(&$node) { if(!(isset($node->title))) { $node->title = $node->first_name . ' ' . node->last_name; } } ?> In short, this three-line addition to the node.module would significantly increase the flexibility of the node system by removing the hard-coded 'Title' field in node add and edit forms and instead enabling custom labelling or concatenation of the field from other sources. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thu, 19 Aug 2004 18:50:42 +0000 : moshe weitzman I like this functionality. But the implementation still seems unclean. I would prefer to simply remove the 'title' form field from node_form() and require that modules present this field in whatever way they please. in some cases, they will use a hidden form field because no customer interaction is required. This causes a break with backward compatibility, but cleanliness is facored over compatibilityness (when you must choose). I'm moving this back to 'Active', since I don't think this patch is committable as is. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fri, 27 Aug 2004 23:46:45 +0000 : nedjo Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/node.set-title-field_1.patch (830 bytes) Thanks for looking at this. The suggestion - dropping the title field altogether and leaving this for module authors - has the advantage of simplicity. However, this change would imply significant new work as it would would require all or nearly all existing modules - core and contributed - be modified. While I think enabling title field customization is important for Drupal as a whole, and while this is a change I need for two modules I'm working on, I'm not immediately convinced that the benefits of this change justify this cost. Also, in most cases, the present title field works fine, so keeping it as a default option would I feel be desirable. Hence the following patch. In place of my (poorly conceived) initial hook proposals, above, this patch introduces a single very straightforward new node hook, _title_field. By setting this hook to return FALSE, node modules authors will suppress the default title field, and be free therefore to substitute what they wish or need. Returning TRUE, or not using the hook, will result in the default title field being used. Sample usage: <?php function example_title_field() { return FALSE; } ?> This is, I feel, a much better solution than the previous two I suggested--proof, if it's true, that the Drupal issue system works! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mon, 06 Sep 2004 15:50:38 +0000 : nedjo Are there any objections to or issues raised by this small patch (introducing a new hook to make the title field optional in node forms)? If not, can it be applied? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tue, 07 Sep 2004 13:46:29 +0000 : Anonymous I think I agree with Moshe's opinion that this should be accomplished by having node modules display the title field. In any event, this is a new feature and shouldn't go in during the feature freeze for 4.5. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tue, 07 Sep 2004 13:58:34 +0000 : ccourtne +1 for just moving the title field to be a responsibility of the implementing module instead of node_form. There is already to some extent "hook overload", in addition there may be several modules which don't want to even display a title module. Why add that only fixes some of the problems just to have to remove it later when you make a fix that address the whole problem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tue, 07 Sep 2004 21:09:53 +0000 : nedjo Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/node.remove-title-field.patch (636 bytes) Thanks for comments. As per feedback, the attached patch removes the title field from node forms, leaving this instead to node modules. Understood that possible approval of this patch this will need to wait until code unfrozen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sun, 24 Oct 2004 12:06:46 +0000 : moshe weitzman please patch all core node modules as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sun, 28 Nov 2004 01:00:31 +0000 : nedjo Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/node-move-form-title-field.patch (4.29 KB) Good point Moshe. This patch of node.module plus all core node modules simply moves the title field out of node.module and into the node modules, enabling (if desired) customization of the title field by a module. Patches to contributed modules will in most cases be as simple as adding the line <?php $output = form_textfield(t('Subject'), 'title', $node->title, 60, 128, NULL, NULL, TRUE); ?> at the beginning of a typename_form() function (and, if necessary changing an existing $output = to $output .=). In the attached patch, I've customized the title field for only one of the node types, calling the title of a forum topic the "Subject". We could consider calling the title of a blog a "Subject" or "Topic" as well. I feel this is a good solution (thanks for the feedback and discussion) and, for minimal work (minor updates to contributed modules), will have the significant benefit of enabling flexibility in content types beyond those that have "title" attributes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sun, 28 Nov 2004 17:45:35 +0000 : nedjo Ability to customize title as provided in this patch was requested here [1]: "When adding/editing, the 'title' field is manditory, which is fine. Except that its label is hardcoded to 'title'. A custom node modelling, say, a 'Company' would much rather this field be presented to the user as 'Company Name'. " [1] http://drupal.org/node/13596 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fri, 04 Mar 2005 03:44:55 +0000 : nedjo Here's another patch that's sat for months without being either applied or turned down, although there was expressed support and, after several iterations, it addressed all issues that had been raised. The point is to remove the hard-coded "Title" field - inapprioriate for many node types, e.g., companies - from node forms, instead allowing node modules to treat this as appropriate (e.g., a "Subject", "Name" or "Topic", or nothing at all). Are there problems with this approach that were not raised? Is there a reason this wasn't accepted? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fri, 04 Mar 2005 03:54:02 +0000 : Steven nedjo: if you read the backlog you can see that this feature was delayed for after the 4.6 release. "I've customized the title field for only one of the node types, calling the title of a forum topic the "Subject". " This is really inconsistent, as what you call the title of a blog, story or forum node is purely subjective. "Subject" "Topic" and "Title" are pretty much interchageable and any subtle differences will surely be eroded by translation. The only thing I can agree on so far is naming a polls' title "Question". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fri, 04 Mar 2005 05:15:03 +0000 : nedjo Thanks for the note. I'm not sure what you mean by the "backlog". Where would I find this? I agree that a "Question" field would make sense for polls. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fri, 04 Mar 2005 14:12:56 +0000 : JonBob Actually UnConeD, it was postponed until after the 4.5 release, not 4.6, and looks like everyone forgot about it when the release happened. And no, Nedjo, I don't take this as proof that Drupal needs more bureaucracy. :-) Marking this active again; I'm sure the patch will have to be updated once the code branches. We had rolled this function into the needs for CCK, but in our discussions split it off again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sun, 03 Apr 2005 05:28:08 +0000 : chx Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/node-move-form-title-field_0.patch (4.59 KB) The patch applies to ucrrent HEAD with some offset. I have rerolled it so it applies cleanly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fri, 20 May 2005 10:09:50 +0000 : chx Patch still applies (yes, with some offset, but applies). ANd yes, we need this very badly. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fri, 20 May 2005 10:18:49 +0000 : Thox I'd benefit greatly from having a feature like this. The example already given is one of the cases I need it: I'd like the title field to be a concatenation of two fields: "First name" and "Last name". ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tue, 24 May 2005 03:39:40 +0000 : gsperk I wonder if someone could help me with the following problem. After applying the patch I made the output for 'title' in my own_node.module this: $output .= form_hidden('title', $node->firstname . ' ' . $node->surname); When the form is first submitted I get the error 'You have to specify a title'. When I submit again the firstname/surname variables are obviously in $node, and the form submits with the desired title. So, I suppose my question is, how can get the values for firstname and surname into $node without submitting twice? (If it's not obvious I can confirm that I dont have much experience with this kind of stuff. Any suggestions would be a big help.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wed, 25 May 2005 04:23:41 +0000 : Steven To make this patch work you also need to move the title validation out of node.module and into the node modules. I don't think this is that much of a problem, it is code that is not going to be touched much. Also, in light of the upcoming CCK it makes sense to do it like this. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sat, 02 Jul 2005 17:02:26 +0000 : hanoii Nice thread. I have come up with a slightly different approach I think that would need less patching/updating of other modules. Drupal 4.6.2 node.module:1275 <?php // Get the node-specific bits. // We can't use node_invoke() because $param must be passed by reference. $function = node_get_module_name($edit) .'_form'; $param = array(); if (function_exists($function)) { $form .= $function($edit, $param, $title); } ?> Notice the $title param on the hook_form invoke. This was what I added. As that hook is called like this an not with the node_invoke() I can define on my custom node module, or patch any module I need to modify the title description with the following hook: <?php function budget_form(&$node, &$params, &$title) { ?> and modify the $title argument there, as it is by reference, It will me modified on node.module. Then again on node.module:1319 I added/changed the following: <?php if ( ! $title ) { $title = t('Title') ; } $output .= form_textfield($title, 'title', $edit->title, 60, 128, NULL, NULL, TRUE); ?> So, if the module modify the title var, it uses that, if not, it uses the default one. Worked for me so far, nice to post on drupal. Greetings, a.= ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sat, 02 Jul 2005 18:10:28 +0000 : hanoii I posted too soon the thing before... :) I did further patches because of the validation keep telling that I have tu put a "title". I was happy with the previous patch, not so much with this one, but I let you know what I did... on the node.module, node_validate() function I move the title validation block just after the <?php // Do node-type-specific validation checks. node_invoke($node, 'validate'); node_invoke_nodeapi($node, 'validate'); ?> and added another parameter to the form_set_error() <?php // Validate the title field. if (isset($node->title)) { if (trim($node->title) == '') { form_set_error('title', t('You have to specify a title.'), TRUE); } } ?> then, on the form_set_error function in common.inc I did the following: <?php /** * File an error against the form element with the specified name. */ function form_set_error($name, $message, $checkexistance = FALSE ) { if ( !$checkexistance || $checkexistance && !isset($GLOBALS['form'][$name]) ) { $GLOBALS['form'][$name] = $message; drupal_set_message($message, 'error'); } } ?> So now, if any previous title error was added, and the $checkexistance flag is TRUE, no error will be added to the message queue. The moving place of the validation block was to let the modules validate first than the node module. Errrr.. I don't like it, but again, it worked :) a.= ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mon, 01 Aug 2005 00:54:22 +0000 : killes@www.drop.org Attachment: http://drupal.org/files/issues/title_0.patch (4.56 KB) I've updated the patch to apply to current cvs. As progress on the CCK has been rather slow, I'd appreciate if somebody could address Steven's concerns and the patch could be applied.