How to: Default-value hack for more flexibility (Part 2)

In Part 1 we have seen how to change a value on inserting a new record. Now we are going to change multiple values at once using the same technique.

• Part 1: Technique + Changing single fields
• Part 2: Changing multiple fields at once

Step 1 and Step 2

Pease follow Step1 and Step 2 from Part 1 of this tutorial.

Step 3: Define fieldnames and values

A good way for defining multiple fieldname+value tuples in PHP is by using associative arrays:

$my_array = [];
$my_array["key1"] = "value1";
$my_array["key2"] = "value2";
// ...

A shorter variant:

$my_array = [
  "key1" => "value1",
  "key2" => "value2"
  // ...
];

Please note the assignment operator => between key and value! From my own experience, sometimes you are searching for a bug for minutes and it's just that you have been using equal-sign = instead of assignment => operator.

I am using an associative array for defining my tuples of fieldname and default value like this:

Once again, this is an example and not a real world scenario.

$init_data = [
  "label" => $memberInfo["custom"][0],
  "last_name" => "Io",
  "first_name" => "Europa",
  "middle_names" => "Ganymed",
  "memberID" => $memberInfo["username"]
];

Step 4: Change the values

For multiple values I'm using the same technique as shown in Part 1, Step 4. But with multiple values it is a bit more complicated. I have put the code into a single PHP line which you can copy and paste:

$html .= '<script>' . implode("\r\n", array_map(function($fieldname, $value) { return "jQuery('#{$fieldname}').val('{$value}');"; }, array_keys($init_data), $init_data )) . '</script>';

Complete Code

function contacts_dv($selectedID, $memberInfo, &$html, &$args)
{
  // multiple fields
  if (!$selectedID) {
    $init_data = [
      "label" => $memberInfo["custom"][0],
      "last_name" => "Io",
      "first_name" => "Europa",
      "middle_names" => "Ganymed",
      "memberID" => $memberInfo["username"]
    ];
    $html .= '<script>' . implode("\r\n", array_map(function($fieldname, $value) { return "jQuery('#{$fieldname}').val('{$value}');"; }, array_keys($init_data), $init_data )) . '</script>';
  }
}

Final Result

All fields have been populated with default values.

This should work for all fields which can be modified using jquery’s val("new value") function.