WireArray::callUnknown() method

Handler for when an unknown/unhooked method call is executed

If interested in hooking this, please see the Wire::callUnknown() method for more details on the purpose and potential hooking implementation of this method.

The implementation built-in to WireArray provides a couple of handy capabilities to all WireArray derived classes (assuming that $items is an instance of any WireArray):

  • It enables you to call $items->foobar() and receive a regular PHP array containing the value of the "foobar" property from each item in this WireArray. It is equivalent to calling $items->explode('foobar'). Of course, substitute "foobar" with the name of any property present on items in the WireArray.

  • It enables you to call $items->foobar(", ") and receive a string containing the value of the "foobar" property from each item, delimited by the string you provided as an argument (a comma and space ", " in this case). This is equivalent to calling $items->implode(", ", "foobar").

  • Also note that if you call $items->foobar(", ", $options) where $options is an array, it is equivalent to $items->implode(", ", "foobar", $options).

Example

// Get array of all "title" values from each item 
$titlesArray = $items->title();

// Get a newline separated string of all "title" values from each item
$titlesString = $items->title("\n"); 

Usage

$mixed = $wireArray->callUnknown(string $method, array $arguments);

Arguments

NameType(s)Description
methodstring

Requested method name

argumentsarray

Arguments provided to the method

Return value

null mixed

Exceptions

Method can throw exceptions on error:

  • WireException


Hooking WireArray::callUnknown(…)

You can add your own hook events that are executed either before or after the WireArray::callUnknown(…) method is executed. Examples of both are included below. A good place for hook code such as this is in your /site/ready.php file.

Hooking before

The 'before' hooks are called immediately before each WireArray::callUnknown(…) method call is executed. This type of hook is especially useful for modifying arguments before they are sent to the method.

$this->addHookBefore('WireArray::callUnknown', function(HookEvent $event) {
  // Get the object the event occurred on, if needed
  $WireArray = $event->object;

  // Get values of arguments sent to hook (and optionally modify them)
  $method = $event->arguments(0);
  $arguments = $event->arguments(1);

  /* Your code here, perhaps modifying arguments */

  // Populate back arguments (if you have modified them)
  $event->arguments(0, $method);
  $event->arguments(1, $arguments);
});

Hooking after

The 'after' hooks are called immediately after each WireArray::callUnknown(…) method call is executed. This type of hook is especially useful for modifying the value that was returned by the method call.

$this->addHookAfter('WireArray::callUnknown', function(HookEvent $event) {
  // Get the object the event occurred on, if needed
  $WireArray = $event->object;

  // An 'after' hook can retrieve and/or modify the return value
  $return = $event->return;

  // Get values of arguments sent to hook (if needed)
  $method = $event->arguments(0);
  $arguments = $event->arguments(1);

  /* Your code here, perhaps modifying the return value */

  // Populate back return value, if you have modified it
  $event->return = $return;
});

WireArray methods and properties

API reference based on ProcessWire core version 3.0.236

Latest news

  • ProcessWire Weekly #554
    In the 554th issue of ProcessWire Weekly we'll check out the latest core updates, introduce a couple of new third party modules, and more. Read on!
    Weekly.pw / 21 December 2024
  • Custom Fields Module
    This week we look at a new ProFields module named Custom Fields. This module provides a way to rapidly build out ProcessWire fields that contain any number of subfields/properties within them.
    Blog / 30 August 2024
  • Subscribe to weekly ProcessWire news

“I am currently managing a ProcessWire site with 2 million+ pages. It’s admirably fast, and much, much faster than any other CMS we tested.” —Nickie, Web developer