Getting CCTM fields for a post different to the one being viewed

The get_custom_post and print_custom_fields functions are designed specifically to get info about the current post, i.e. the one currently in context.

If you want to query data on another post, then a different approach is needed, namely one that queries the database for the other posts and loops over the results. For retrieving info on one specific post, there is this convenience function: get_post_complete https://code.google.com/p/wordpress-custom-content-type-manager/wiki/get_post_complete

For more complex queries there is the GetPostsQuery class and its get_posts function: https://code.google.com/p/wordpress-custom-content-type-manager/wiki/get_posts

Or you are free to use any built-in WordPress function to query the database and return the info you want.

Keep in mind that relationships between posts are typically one way, so your scenario of having a current post show information about posts that have extra data is a bit trickier — the info you need is contained in the posts with the fields.

Depending on how you’ve structured your relationships, this function might be useful to you: https://code.google.com/p/wordpress-custom-content-type-manager/wiki/get_incoming_links If post A defines a relation to post B, get_incoming_links allows post B to see who linked to it.

Hope that helps.

I suspected I shouldn’t be expecting to use get_custom_field but was a tad hopeful. At least now I know to stop looking. ?? [ I keep using get_custom_field in templates, then spend ages wondering why I get a null result. Maybe now your wisdom will sink the fact that I’m using the wrong thing into my thick head! ] I’ll check out the get_posts function – that might just be what I need instead of using lots of get_post_metas. I’ll also check get_incoming_links … I didn’t think it would be relevant when I read the name … but thinking about it, it just might be. Besides, wouldn’t hurt me to learn what it does. Never know when I might find another use for it! ??

Many thanks for the detailed response!

Hi, I have the exact same question, with a touch more detail. I’m showing a list of pages and trying to display the current default value for a CCTM dropdown custom field in a loop. I am using get_posts for the query and a basic foreach loop to display the list.

I can normally display anything I want using a thispost variable -> ID for functions (ex. get_category) or echoing / using apply_filters on the thispost variable -> field of the post object.

However, the single-post nature of the get_custom_field/print_custom_field functions make it impossible to pass it the ID of the post I want, and while I can retrieve the custom field value with normal WP functions, I need a way to specify the default value set with the CCTM dropdown.

Do you know of any way this can be done?

Also, thanks for making such a strong plugin for WP. I think <100,000 downloads shows that WP has a lot of potential for uses beyond basic blogging – it just needs to realize it ??

Thanks for any help!

Dains

Yes, this can be done. Keep in mind that the CCTM’s get_custom_field() function (or the WP get_post_meta() function which it relies on) are pulling in values from the database for that post and field. You have noticed that these functions expect to be in the context of a post, so they are not easily used inside of a loop. I try to stay away from the mess that is global variables, but much of WP does not.

If you want to get the default value for a dropdown (or any other field), then you need to see data from the field definition. That data exists separate from post data (e.g. you can have a default value for a field even if you have never used that field on any posts).

See the get_custom_field_meta() function (or the print counterpart): https://code.google.com/p/wordpress-custom-content-type-manager/wiki/get_custom_field_meta

Specifically, you’d want to do something like this:

<?php
print_custom_field('your_field', 'default_value');
?>

Hope that helps. I’m working on a massive update to the plugin.

Thank you fps! But I had already tried all four of the methods recommended in your very nice documentation wiki.

This is probably redundant by now, but I’ve pastebinned the pertinent parts of the loop to show exactly what is going on.

https://pastebin.com/984450Q2

As you can see in there, if I want any information to be shown for the post currently being processed by the secondary loop, I have to reference the child object.

As you said, these functions are only for single-post displays, and they are indeed working in the very same template, for the page which owns said template. But if I can’t send them an ID or otherwise reference the child object in the secondary loop, I guess they’re not going to work in the required context.

If I could submit a feature request, it would simply be that these functions could accept a post ID, so that they’d be outside-the-WP-Loop capable.

One thought does come to mind – would using setup_postdata within this kind of loop enable CCTM’s functionality? I know it requires a global post variable, but that’s a pretty common sacrifice made nowadays. The performance hit is a greater sacrifice to me, but if it works for the purpose, I can live with it.

Thanks again for your help!

Dains

When working in loops, you can either work directly with WP’s get_post_meta functions (which do accept a post ID), or you can utilize the GetPostsQuery class (which I wrote specifically to avoid all the crazy caveats and limitations inherent in all of the built in WP querying functions/classes).

But remember: you’re doing 2 things. First, you’re wanting to get the actual values of custom fields from within a loop. Second, you’re wanting to get a default value of a defined custom field. That data comes from 2 very different places.

You can set a global post ID to get the functions to work (get_custom_field and print_custom_field), but it’s horrible architecture and leads to some unpredictable results, so I mention it only as a matter of fact.

From your gist, I’m not sure where $current_level is being set or what it’s being set as. You may want to use print_r(get_custom_field_meta('item_type')); just to make sure the definition has the data you’re looking for.

We can disregard $current_level, it’s just to put a numbered class on the level being displayed for ease of tracking / troubleshooting. I intend all of the classes to be created from the custom fields, so that will be removed.

I would try GetPostsQuery and see if I can pull out the default field, but it makes the operation of the entire view completely dependent on your plugin, and guess what web application has instituted automatic updates with no Off button which can break plugins without you knowing? So I’m a little leery of doing that.

I’ll futz around some more and see if I can get something to work. Please consider the suggestion to make the get_ and print_ functions take a post ID parameter, and thanks for the help!

David