Can I use more than one layout field per page?

• glenn

• November 19, 2016 at 9:10 am

Update I removed all PHP code from inside the IF statement and adding multiple of the same layout sections/rows is working. Then I did test the switch statement and it works really well.

New Q: Can I use PHP require_once inside the if/switch statement to keep the code a little more manageable?

1. The goal, use Flexible Content as a semi-page builder. So example, I want to use the same layout content twice. To this point, I have successfully created 4 layouts (Slider, Cards, Dynamic Post, and Custom HTML). Each section successfully displays and is able to be reordered, however, if I try to add an additional section of the same type it will not output.

<php?
   $row = have_rows('row');
   
   if ( $row ) :

     while ( $row ) : the_row();
       if ( get_row_layout() == 'slider' ) :

       endif;
       if ( get_row_layout() == 'cards' ) :

       endif;
       if ( get_row_layout() == 'custom_block' ) :

       endif;
       if ( get_row_layout() == 'dynamic_post' ) :

       endif;  
     
     endwhile;

   endif;
?>

This only allows me to use each flexible layout once. Should I use some sort of foreach loop? Is there ACF documentation on using a foreach layout loop?

2. Off-topic question, would I see some improved performance by changing the IF statements to switch statements?

<?php
   $row = have_rows('row');
   
   if ( $row ) :

     while ( $row ) : the_row();
       switch ( get_row_layout() ) :
         case 'slider':
           // Slider PHP
           break;
         case 'cards':
           // Card PHP
           break;
         case 'custom_block':
           // Custom Block PHP
           break;
         case 'dynamic_post':
           // Dynaic Post PHP
           break;

       endswitch;  
     
     endwhile;

   endif;
?>

• James

• November 19, 2016 at 12:19 pm

Hi @glenn

The foreach() method is just like while() method, it just have a different format. Also, while() method should loop through all of your flexible content rows. Could you please share the JSON export file of your field group so I can test it out?

Regarding the switch() method, the performance should be equal. It’s just a matter of preference. Please check this thread to learn more about it: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10773047/which-is-faster-and-better-switch-case-or-if-else-if.

I hope this makes sense 🙂

• glenn

• November 20, 2016 at 1:47 pm

Hey @acf-support,

I have narrowed down the issue to be this PHP code which is query the_post(). When this code is in my front-page.php it will display the HTML for my categories, but layout rows after will not output.

switch ( get_row_layout() ) :
case 'slider':
echo '<div class="slider">';
echo 'THE SLIDER';
echo '</div><!-- @end slider -->';
break;
case 'cards':
echo '<div class="cards">';
echo 'THE CARDS';
echo '</div><!-- @end cards -->';
break;
case 'custom_html':
echo '<div class="custom-html">';
echo 'THE CUSTOM HTML';
echo '</div><!-- @end custom html -->';
break;
case 'dynamic_post':

$section_container = get_sub_field('section_container');
$section_padding = get_sub_field('section_padding');
$section_background = get_sub_field('section_background');
$section_bg_image = get_sub_field('section_bg_image');
$section_bg_color = get_sub_field('section_bg_color');
$section_bg_color_stop = get_sub_field('section_bg_color_stop');
$color_transparency = get_sub_field('color_transparency');
$gradient_direction = get_sub_field('gradient_direction');
$section_title = get_sub_field('display_section_title');

$component_type = get_sub_field('content_style');
$content_type = get_sub_field('content_type');
$orderby = get_sub_field('order_by');
$number_of_posts = get_sub_field('number_of_post');
$categories = get_sub_field('category');
$name_of_post = get_sub_field('post');
$name_of_page = get_sub_field('page');

$slider_class = get_sub_field('slider_class');

if ( $content_type === 'category' ) :
foreach ( $categories as $category ) :
$cat_slug = $category->slug;
endforeach;

$args = array(
'posts_per_page' => (int)$number_of_posts,
'orderby' => $orderby,
'category_name' => $cat_slug
);

$query = new WP_query( $args );

switch ( $component_type ) :
case 'cards':

if ( $query->have_posts() ) :
while ( $query->have_posts() ) : $query->the_post();
											echo '<div class="card--quote">';

												$imgSrc = get_field('image');

												if ( !empty($imgSrc) ) :
													$imgUrl = $imgSrc['url'];
													$imgTitle = $imgSrc['title'];
													$imgAlt = $imgSrc['alt'];
													$caption = $imgSrc['caption'];

													$imgSize = 'testimonial-thumb';
													$imgThumb = $imgSrc[ 'sizes' ][ $imgSize ];
													$imgWidth = $imgSrc['sizes'][ $imgSize . '-width' ];
													$imgHeight = $imgSrc['sizes'][ $imgSize . '-height' ];

													echo '<div class="card__image">';
														echo '<img src="' . $imgUrl . '" alt="' . $imgAlt . '" width="' . $imgWidth . '" height="' . $imgHeight . '" />';
													echo '</div>';
												endif;

												if ( get_field('quote') ) :
													echo '<blockquote class="card__quote">';
														echo '<p>';
														the_field('quote');
														echo '<cite>';
														the_field('cite');
														echo '</cite>';
														echo '</p>';
													echo '</blockquote>';
												endif;

											echo '</div><!-- @end card quote -->';
										endwhile;
endif;
break;

• glenn

• November 20, 2016 at 1:48 pm

This reply has been marked as private.

• glenn

• November 20, 2016 at 2:28 pm

Hey @acf-support,

I forget to reset the custom query. Once I added wp_reset_query(); after the if/while loop, everything worked.