Viewfield with [node:nid] argument suppresses the node containing this viewfield

This behavior is by design.

For better field formatting, you might consider writing a custom formatter. (See hook_field_formatter_info() to get started.) There is also a module that might help: http://drupal.org/project/custom_formatters.

Hope this helps.

There is a recent code change that loosened the restriction on recursion; see the discussion in #1181226: Remove viewfield_views_query_alter() function. It was committed yesterday so if you upgrade to the latest 7.x-2.x-dev you'll get it.

@wbue: Is the current version 7.x-2.x-dev insufficient for your purposes? It wouldn't be particularly difficult to allow recursion per viewfield or viewfield/instance but I would like to know there's at least one use case for it :)

This might work in the latest code already, but will ultimately be fixed with the patch in #1071212: Fix viewfield rendering

@keithm: Here's a use case for recursion:

1. I'm creating a hierarchical data structure, a book let's say.
2. I don't want to use the Book module because it's got its own custom table instead of using Entity Reference.
3. I add a parent node reference field, "Parent", to my new content type called "Section".
4. I can display the table of contents with Views tree.
5. When I click on a particular section, a top-level chapter, I end up on a node view page for the section I chose.
6. I expect to see all subsections of the node in question, but only the current node is displayed.
7. In order to display these child sections along with the node, I install Viewfield.
8. I create a new view, "Subsections", that displays all nodes with a given parent node ID (passed in as an argument).
9. I add a Viewfield field to my Section content type defined as the Subsections view, with the current node ID as the argument.
10. Now when I look at a Section node, I see all subsections as well, including sub-subsections and sub-sub-subsections etc. because of recursion; each child node displayed in the parent node recursively because of Viewfield.

This recursion described in the last step will only work if it is unblocked. It's a very simple means by which to display entire subtrees. No coding should be required.

@colan: It sounds to me that #1071212: Fix viewfield rendering should make that use-case work. Can you test the patch?

@colan: Viewfield has supported recursion for a long time. I myself have a site that uses viewfield to recursively list chapters and subsections in just the way you describe. It works fine for that. The current issue is concerned with the fact that Viewfield used to disallow the node containing the viewfield from being rendered at all in the viewfield output. In #1181226: Remove viewfield_views_query_alter() function we removed that restriction too, so as I said in #5, I'm not sure if there's still a problem any longer, and if so what the use case for it is.

I'm actually still working in D6 for this stuff, but I'll try to quickly throw together what I need to test this in D7. Stand by...

#1181226: Remove viewfield_views_query_alter() function applies to both 6.x-2.x and 7.x-2.x but not 6.x-1.x.

well, you could also do us a favor and test the 6.x-1.x to 6.x-2.x upgrade path ;) (of course, make sure to do a backup first)

But it looks like I need to do this on D7, as there's no D6 patch for #1071212: Fix viewfield rendering? I'm running 6.x-2.x-dev now, and the recursion isn't showing up.

I'll have to get to the upgrade path checking later. sorry. :)

If you're running on the latest 6.x-2.x-dev and your particular recursion isn't producing expected results, we'd like to understand the specifics of your case. Can you do a little more digging or produce a test install that illustrates your problem?

Also, FWIW, in my experience it's important to make sure the views are correct. I have often had a wrong argument or filter cause viewfield to produce no results.

I'll see what I can figure out.

Also, FWIW, in my experience it's important to make sure the views are correct. I have often had a wrong argument or filter cause viewfield to produce no results.

Thanks for that tip, as that was exactly the problem. I forgot to include the viewfield in the fields list. ;)

It's all good now. I suppose we can say that this is fixed in D6 at least? I didn't test the D7 version.

Thanks! 6.x-2.x and 7.x-2.x are more or less the same right now.