Setting the #default_value of a field almost gave me an aneurysm.

I was trying to figure out how to modify the #default_value of a CCK field inside my own #after_build hook. (See http://drupal.org/node/336355 ).

Without knowing the inner workings of CCK I figured this shouldn't be too tough so I had my function modify $element[0]['value']['#default_value'] to the value I wanted. Ahh... nothing happened.

Looking at the element array I also noticed the element $element[0]['#default_value']['value'] so I tried that. Hmmm... nothing. On a whim, I next tried modifying $element[0]['#value']['value'] and of course zip... nada.

After several more hours of pulling my hair out, I then tried modifying $element[0]['value']['#value'] and voila. It worked.

Let me recap. We have four different very similarly named array elements:

 $element[0]['value']['#default_value']; // This doesn't affect the default value.
 $element[0]['#default_value']['value']; // Nor does this.
 $element[0]['#value']['value']; //  Try again!
 $element[0]['value']['#value']; // Clearly this is the one!

What's the most frustrating is that neither of the elements with key of '#default_value' ended up having anything to do with the default value. Well, at least at this stage anyhow.

I love CCK and can only being to comprehend the complexities involved with creating such a big module. I also understand this might be partly to blame on FAPI. But, I would like to make the humble suggestion that an effort is made to make things easy as possible for other modules to integrate with CCK.

Besides that, I can't even begin to imagine how you CCK developers manage to have a clue with what's going on when the situation is like this :-) .

Thanks for listening to my rant.