Field Extract Values

This module is for module writers and has no UI of its own. Unless some other module uses it, it won't add anything to your site. Only install this module if another module requires it.

Drupal 8 converts all entities to full objects so there will be no D8 version of this module.

The field_extract module provides a couple of easy-to-use functions that make extracting data from entity fields much easier - as a developer you don't have to worry about languages and deltas, you just make the call.

It's worth noting that the functionality in this module overlaps with the Entity API wrapper. The object-based wrapper is more elegant than this procedural solution but it's heavier and slower, so you have a choice.

For clarity: this module does not load individual Field API fields for entities, it accesses the contents of Field API fields that are already loaded into entities. That's important because the $user object and taxonomy terms are often loaded by Drupal without their Field API fields. You may need to use the field_attach_load() call to get the fields before using field_extract_value().

Features

• Easy to use - just two functions to choose from
• Support for core fields and popular third party fields built-in
• Support for the Date module included (so important it gets its own bullet point)
• Easy to extend for other third party fields
• Easy to include support in new field modules

Requirements

None. It extends the Drupal 7 Field module.

Important developer's note

This module makes it easier to extract values from fields, but to do this it
requires extraction settings in the field's field_info. This implementation
contains extraction support for most common fields (including the core fields)
but may not support some 3rd party modules.

Creating new extraction field_info is quite easy (see the includes directory)
or ask the 3rd party field module developer to include support in their next release.
Examples of use

Using the field_extract_value() function to fetch a single value:

  // Extract the zeroeth (first) value from a simple value field,
  // could be a string or a number
  $value = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'field_just_a_value');

  // Extract the "one-th" (second) value from a simple value field,
  // could be a string or a number
  $value = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'field_just_a_value', 1);

  // Extract from a term reference field, this fetches the first value
  // and extracts the actual 'tid' - see next example
  $tid = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'field_term_ref', 0, array('key' => 'tid'));

  // Extract from a term reference field, this fetches the whole term
  // by default. If a field references an entity in some way
  // the whole entity is returned
  $term = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'field_term_ref');

  // Extract from a date, this extracts the first value and provides a
  // formatted date output, defaults to 'medium' format
  $event_time = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'field_event_time');

  // Extract from a date, this extracts the first value and provides a
  // formatted date output, uses the specified format, by name.
  $event_time = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'field_event_time', 0, array('format' => 'my_format'));

  // Extract a different quantity from the field, other than the main value.
  $format = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'body', 0, array('key' => 'format'));

  // The formatter option causes the field data to be formatted for output using
  // the specified formatter for that field without the field 'label'.
  $output = field_extract_value('node', $node, 'body', 0, array('formatter' => 'default'));

Using the field_extract_values() function to get multiple values:

  // Extract all the values from a simple value field, could be strings
  // or numbers
  $values = field_extract_values('node', $node, 'field_just_a_value');

  // Extract the "one-th" (second) value from a simple value field, could be a
  // string or a number. Same as field_extract_value('node', $node, 'field_just_a_value', 1)
  $value = field_extract_values('node', $node, 'field_just_a_value', array('delta' => 1));

  // Extract from a term reference field, this fetches all values as an array
  $tids = field_extract_values('node', $node, 'field_term_ref', array('key' => 'tid'));

  // Extract from a term reference field, this fetches all terms as an array
  $terms = field_extract_values('node', $node, 'field_term_ref');

  // The formatter option causes the field data to be formatted for output using
  // the specified formatter for that field without the field 'label'.
  $outputs = field_extract_values('node', $node, 'body', array('formatter' => 'default'));

Credits

This module was developed with the support of Catch Digital. And why not read my Drupal 7 blog.