Question

I am working with a hook_form_alter on a CCK type (for you drupal-ers). I have a field that is normally a select list in my node form. However, in this instance, I want to hide the select list, and populate its value in the form with an SQL query.

Everything was going nicely. I could see that my desired value was showing up in the HTML source, so I knew my query was executing properly. However, when I submit the form, it only inserts the first character of the value. A few of my tests were values of 566, 784, 1004 – the column values were 5,7,1, respectively.

At first I thought it had to be the DB column attributes, but when I removed my form_alter that makes the field hidden and select the value manually, the correct value is inserted?!?

   <?php
function addSR_form_service_request_node_form_alter(&$form, $form_state) {
       if (arg(0) == 'user' && is_numeric(arg(1))) {
        $account = arg(1);
        $club = 2589;
        $form['field_sr_account'] = array( '#type' => 'hidden',
        '#value' => $club
        );

           }
}


?>

Can anyone see why only the first character would be inserted??

Note: I have tried deleting and recreating the column, using #value & #default_value, and it is still submitting only the first character of the integer. Also, I eliminated the submit handler as a possible cause by removing it, which still resulted in only one character being submitted

More Updates – Still Searching!
Okay, some good questions. Allow me to answer them:

1. The DB column type is integer(4)

2. The HTML the hook produces is :

   input type=”hidden” name=”field_sr_account” id=”edit-field-sr-account” value=”2589″

Latest Update: I think the issue has been narrowed to the structure of the array. When I do var_dump on this field after the form alter has been processed, this is what I get..

[43] => Array
        (
            [#type] => hidden
            [#default_value] => 2589
            [#post] => Array
                (
                )

            [#programmed] =>
            [#tree] =>
            [#parents] => Array
                (
                    [0] => field_sr_account
                )

            [#array_parents] => Array
                (
                    [0] => field_sr_account
                )

            [#weight] => 0.016
            [#processed] => 1
            [#description] =>
            [#attributes] => Array
                (
                )

            [#required] =>
            [#input] => 1
            [#process] => Array
                (
                    [0] => form_expand_ahah
                )

            [#name] => field_sr_account
            [#id] => edit-field-sr-account
            [#value] => 2589
            [#defaults_loaded] => 1
            [#sorted] => 1
        )

What is the structure of the field that I can set the form value to. It’s gotta be something like what abhaga is suggesting..

Answer 1

Since the field you are trying to change was originally using a select widget, CCK will be looking for $form_state['values']['field_sr_account'][0]['value']. By setting the field to a #hidden type and setting #value, you will get its value in $form_state['values']['field_sr_account']. CCK will try to access the first element of that and end up with the first character of the value.

Updated: The easiest way to achieve what you need would be to do something:

function addSR_form_service_request_node_form_alter(&$form, $form_state) {
   if (arg(0) == 'user' && is_numeric(arg(1))) {
    $account = arg(1);
    $club = 2589;
    // Use this property to store the value to restore back
    $form['#field_sr_account'] = $club;
    $form['field_sr_account'] = array( '#type' => 'hidden','#value' => $club);
   }
}

/*in your submit handler, restore the value in the proper format*/
$form_state['values']['field_sr_account'] = array('0' => array('value' => $form['#field_sr_account']));

Old Answer

One way of accomplishing what you are
trying to do is to copy the whole
$form['field_sr_account'] into
$form['#field_sr_account'] and then
provide the value through the SQL
query in the right format in the
submit handler itself.