[development] Building $node->body with arrays like FAPI for viewing

[Rob Barreca]

I'm talking about the displaying of nodes using PHPTemplate.  Right now 
hook_nodeapi($op = 'view' or 'links' etc.) has a lot of modules adding 
to the body like this

$node->body .= $output;

Maybe there is a module_setting to put it on TOP of the body or on the 
BOTTOM.  But most modules just append.  When displaying the node, all of 
that comes into $content in node.tpl.php.  So if you want to configure 
that, you have to redo the whole body yourself.  Then, if you install 
another module that adds to the node body through hook_nodeapi you have 
to go manually add that to your node.tpl.php for each one.

If we constructed it like FAPI, with weights, etc.  We could allow 
modifications of that right before calling render_body($node) or 
whatever. So hook_nodeapi('view') could do something like

$body['mymodule']['extra_stuff_added_to_node'] = array(
        '#type' => 'markup',  // Any other possible values or is it 
always markup?  What about adding quick forms to send to friend etc.?
        '#value' => '<div>Cool stuff added to end of node, but can be 
removed or rearranged with hook_body_alter();</div>',
        '#weight' => 10, // or could even have 
variable_get('mymodule_extra_stuff_added_to_node_weight, 10);
      );

We could even add comments this way and have much more flexibility to 
configure when, where, and how items are added to the node body. Also, 
configuring these options (value, weight) in _settings would be that 
much easier. Then, with hook_body_alter we can mess with the weights, 
values, remove just this ONE item without manually reconstructing 
$content in our node.tpl.php.  Also, this could be applied to links I 
believe.

This is something I deal with all the time and I'm very interested in 
this behavior.  I'd like any input you guys have.

Thanks!

-- 

Rob Roy Barreca
Electronic Insight Corporation
12526 High Bluff Drive, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92130
http://www.electronicinsight.com
rob at electronicinsight.com