Meta data – default value

[ldecoker]

Hello!

When you add a meta field as attribute, it does not take into account the default value specify in the attributes definition.

Example:

const attributes = {
	identifier: {
		type: 'string',
		default: 'home',
		source: 'meta',
		meta: 'blocks_identifier'
	},
};
export default attributes;

The default value is ignored and the meta field is displayed empty.
I found in gutenberg github a solution for that:

register_meta(
			'post',
			'blocks_identifier',
			[
				'type'         => 'string',
				'single'       => true,
				'show_in_rest' => [
					'schema' => [
						'type'    => 'string',
						'default' => 'home',
					]
				],
			]
		);

When adding the block on the page, the meta field has the default value BUT if you do not change it, it’s not saved in database.
I checked the POST request when saving the post and I can see that the meta are included in it.

Any idea?

Thx!

[Zac Gordon]

Correct. I believe you do not want to have a default value for the meta field.

One simple way here is if the value of the attribute is empty you can just write a conditional to use another value.

[ldecoker]

Thx Zac, but looking in the POST request, I can see that the attribute has a value : the default one. So I do not understand why it’s not saved in database.

[Zac Gordon]

If you load a default value then save the post does that save the default value to meta?

Sorry not fully understanding what you’re asking!

[ldecoker]

Sorry to not be so clear 🙂
When I load a default value and save the post, it does not save the default value to meta but the value is present in the POST request.

POST request URL:
/wp-json/wp/v2/pages/62?_locale=user

POST request meta section:

meta {
blocks_identifier: "home"
}

When checking the database, in postmeta, the meta has not been added.
Hope this is more clear.

Thx!

[Zac Gordon]

Okay, so I believe what you’ve determined is it doesn’t work.

If this is expected behavior from GB then you would need to create a work around to have this actually work. I’d suggest pinging the WP Core Editor Slack Channel to ask if this is a bug or expected.

As mentioned initially I didn’t think default would work with meta fields, but it may be that this is a bug..

[ldecoker]

okidoki. I will keep you informed about their answer.

have a nice day!

[Author]

Posts