Module: Page Query Boss

[Noel Boss 126]

Page Query Boss

Build complex nested queries containing multiple fields and pages and return an array or JSON. This is useful to fetch data for SPA and PWA.

You can use the Module to transform a ProcessWire Page or PageArray – even RepeaterMatrixPageArrays – into an array or JSON. Queries can be nested and contain closures as callback functions. Some field-types are transformed automatically, like Pageimages or MapMarker.

Installation

Via ProcessWire Backend

It is recommended to install the Module via the ProcessWire admin "Modules" > "Site" > "Add New" > "Add Module from Directory" using the PageQueryBoss class name.

Manually

Download the files from Github or the ProcessWire repository: https://modules.processwire.com/modules/page-query-builder/

1. Copy all of the files for this module into /site/modules/PageQueryBoss/
2. Go to “Modules > Refresh” in your admin, and then click “install” for the this module.

Module Methods

There are two main methods:

Return query as JSON

$page->pageQueryJson($query);

Return query as Array

$page->pageQueryArray($query);

Building the query

The query can contain key and value pairs, or only keys. It can be nested and 
contain closures for dynamic values. To illustrate a short example:

// simple query:
$query = [
	'height',
	'floors',
];
$pages->find('template=skyscraper')->pageQueryJson($query);

Queries can be nested, contain page names, template names or contain functions and ProcessWire selectors:

// simple query:
$query = [
	'height',
	'floors',
	'images', // < some fileds contain default sub-queries to return data
	'files' => [ // but you can also overrdide these defaults:
		'filename'
		'ext',
		'url',
	],
	// Assuming there are child pages with the architec template, or a
	// field name with a page relation to architects
	'architect' => [ // sub-query
		'name',
		'email'
	],
	// queries can contain closure functions that return dynamic content
	'querytime' => function($parent){
		return "Query for $parent->title was built ".time();
	}
];
$pages->find('template=skyscraper')->pageQueryJson($query);

Keys:

1. A single fieldname; height or floors or architects 
   The Module can handle the following fields:

   • Strings, Dates, Integer… any default one-dimensional value
   • Page references
   • Pageimages
   • Pagefiles
   • PageArray
   • MapMarker
   • FieldtypeFunctional

2. A template name; skyscraper or city

3. Name of a child page (page.child.name=pagename); my-page-name

4. A ProcessWire selector; template=building, floors>=25

5. A new name for the returned index passed by a # delimiter:

    // the field skyscraper will be renamed to "building":
    $query = ["skyscraper`#building`"]

    

Key value pars:

1. Any of the keys above (1-5) with an new nested sub-query array:

   $query = [
   	'skyscraper' => [
   		'height',
   		'floors'
   	],
   	'architect' => [
   		'title',
   		'email'
   	],
   ]

    

2. A named key and a closure function to process and return a query. The closure gets the parent object as argument:

   $query = [
   	'architecs' => function($parent)
   		{
   			$architects = $parent->find('template=architect');
   			return $architects->arrayQuery(['name', 'email']);
   			// or return $architects->explode('name, email');
   		}
   ]

Real life example:

$query = [
	'title',
	'subtitle',
	// naming the key invitation
	'template=Invitation, limit=1#invitation' => [
		'title',
		'subtitle',
		'body',
	],
	// returns global speakers and local ones...
	'speakers' => function($page){
		$speakers = $page->speaker_relation;
		$speakers = $speakers->prepend(wire('pages')->find('template=Speaker, global=1, sort=-id'));

		// build a query of the speakers with
		return $speakers->arrayQuery([
			'title#name', // rename title field to name
			'subtitle#ministry', // rename subtitle field to ministry
			'links' => [
				'linklabel#label', // rename linklabel field to minlabelistry
				'link'
			],
		]);
	},
	'Program' => [ // Child Pages with template=Program
		'title',
		'summary',
		'start' => function($parent){ // calculate the startdate from timetables
			return $parent->children->first->date;
		},
		'end' => function($parent){ // calculate the endate from timetables
			return $parent->children->last->date;
		},
		'Timetable' => [
			'date', // date
			'timetable#entry'=> [
				'time#start', // time
				'time_until#end', // time
				'subtitle#description', // entry title
			],
		],
	],
	// ProcessWire selector, selecting children > name result "location"
	'template=Location, limit=1#location' => [
		'title#city', // summary title field to city
		'body',
		'country',
		'venue',
		'summary#address', // rename summary field to address
		'link#tickets', // rename ticket link
		'map', // Mapmarker field, automatically transformed
		'images',
		'infos#categories' => [ // repeater matrix! > rename to categories
			'title#name', // rename title field to name
			'entries' => [ // nested repeater matrix!
				'title',
				'body'
			]
		],
	],
];

if ($input->urlSegment1 === 'json') {
	header('Content-type: application/json');
	echo $page->pageQueryJson($query);
	exit();
}

Module default settings

The modules settings are public. They can be directly modified, for example:

$modules->get('PageQueryBoss')->debug = true;
$modules->get('PageQueryBoss')->defaults = []; // reset all defaults

Default queries for fields:

Some field-types or templates come with default selectors, like Pageimages etc. These are the default queries:

// Access and modify default queries: $modules->get('PageQueryBoss')->defaults['queries'] …
public $defaults = [
	'queries' => [
		'Pageimages' => [
			'basename',
			'url',
			'httpUrl',
			'description',
			'ext',
			'focus',
		],
		'Pagefiles' => [
			'basename',
			'url',
			'httpUrl',
			'description',
			'ext',
			'filesize',
			'filesizeStr',
			'hash',
		],
		'MapMarker' => [
			'lat',
			'lng',
			'zoom',
			'address',
		],
		'User' => [
			'name',
			'email',
		],
	],
];

These defaults will only be used if there is no nested sub-query for the respective type. If you query a field with complex data and do not provide a sub-query, it will be transformed accordingly:

$page->pageQueryArry(['images']);

// returns something like this
'images' => [
	'basename',
	'url',
	'httpUrl',
	'description',
	'ext',
	'focus'=> [
		'top',
		'left',
		'zoom',
		'default',
		'str',
	]
];

You can always provide your own sub-query, so the defaults will not be used:

$page->pageQueryArry([
	'images' => [
		'filename',
		'description'
	],
]);

Overriding default queries:

You can also override the defaults, for example

$modules->get('PageQueryBoss')->defaults['queries']['Pageimages'] = [
	'basename',
	'url',
	'description',
];

Index of nested elements

The index for nested elements can be adjusted. This is also done with defaults. There are 3 possibilities:

1. Nested by name (default)
2. Nested by ID
3. Nested by numerical index

Named index (default):

This is the default setting. If you have a field that contains sub-items, the name will be the key in the results:

// example
$pagesByName = [
	'page-1-name' => [
		'title' => "Page one title",
		'name' => 'page-1-name',
	],
	'page-2-name' => [
		'title' => "Page two title",
		'name' => 'page-2-name',
	]
]

ID based index:

If an object is listed in $defaults['index-id'] the id will be the key in the results. Currently, no items are listed as defaults for id-based index:

// Set pages to get ID based index:
$modules->get('PageQueryBoss')->defaults['index-id']['Page'];
// Example return array:
$pagesById = [
	123 => [
		'title' => "Page one title",
		'name' => 123,
	],
	124 => [
		'title' => "Page two title",
		'name' => 124,
	]
]

Number based index

By default, a couple of fields are transformed automatically to contain numbered indexes:

// objects or template names that should use numerical indexes for children instead of names
$defaults['index-n'] => [
	'Pageimage',
	'Pagefile',
	'RepeaterMatrixPage',
];

// example
$images = [
	0 => [
		'filename' => "image1.jpg",
	],
	1 => [
		'filename' => "image2.jpg",
	]
]

Tipp: When you remove the key 'Pageimage' from $defaults['index-n'], the index will again be name-based.

 

Help-fill closures & tipps:

These are few helpfill closure functions you might want to use or could help as a
starting point for your own (let me know if you have your own):

Get an overview of languages:

    $query = ['languages' => function($page){
        $ar = [];
        $l=0;
        foreach (wire('languages') as $language) {
            // build the json url with segment 1
            $ar[$l]['url']= $page->localHttpUrl($language).wire('input')->urlSegment1;
            $ar[$l]['name'] = $language->name == 'default' ? 'en' : $language->name;
            $ar[$l]['title'] = $language->getLanguageValue($language, 'title');
            $ar[$l]['active'] = $language->id == wire('user')->language->id;
            $l++;
        }
        return $ar;
    }];

Get county info from ContinentsAndCountries Module

Using the [ContinentsAndCountries Module](https://modules.processwire.com/modules/continents-and-countries/) you can extract iso
code and names for countries:

    $query = ['country' => function($page){
        $c = wire('modules')->get('ContinentsAndCountries')->findBy('countries', array('name', 'iso', 'code'),['code' =>$page->country]);
        return count($c) ? (array) $c[count($c)-1] : null;
    }];

Custom strings from a RepeaterTable for interface

Using a RepeaterMatrix you can create template string for your frontend. This is
usefull for buttons, labels etc. The following code uses a repeater with the
name `strings` has a `key` and a `body` field, the returned array contains the `key` field as,
you guess, keys and the `body` field as values:

    // build custom translations
    $query = ['strings' => function($page){
        return array_column($page->get('strings')->each(['key', 'body']), 'body', 'key');
    }];

Multilanguage with default language fallback

Using the following setup you can handle multilanguage and return your default
language if the requested language does not exist. The url is composed like so:
`page/path/{language}/{content-type}` for example: `api/icf/zurich/conference/2019/de/json`
 

    // get contenttype and language (or default language if not exists)
    $lang = wire('languages')->get($input->urlSegment1);
    if(!$lang instanceof Nullpage){
        $user->language = $lang;
    } else {
        $lang = $user->language;
    }

    // contenttype segment 2 or 1 if language not present
    $contenttype = $input->urlSegment2 ? $input->urlSegment2 : $input->urlSegment1;

    if ($contenttype === 'json') {
        header('Content-type: application/json');
        echo $page->pageQueryJson($query);
        exit();
    }

Debug

The module respects wire('config')->debug. It integrates with TracyDebug. You can override it like so:

// turns on debug output no mather what:
$modules->get('PageQueryBoss')->debug = true;

Todos

Make defaults configurable via Backend. How could that be done in style with the default queries?

Module in alpha Stage: Subject to change

This module is in alpha stage … Query behaviour (especially selecting child-templates, renaming, naming etc)  could change

[Sergio 498]

@noelboss, this is BEAUTIFUL!!

Very easy to understand. I'm eager to play with it and create a front-end using Vuejs and another with Gatsbyjs.

Many thanks for this module!!

[Noel Boss 126]

2 minutes ago, Sergio said:

create a front-end using Vuejs

Thats what I built it for

[dragan 745]

Wow, da hätt glaubs öpper gschaffed... trotz de Früehligs-Polle 

From just a very quick first glance, this looks really nice. I'm sure I'll install this when I have some spare time and play around with it.

I don't actually have a real use-case myself atm, but since we're experimenting with conversational interface stuff lately (chatbots etc.), Dialogflow Webhooks etc., this could come in very handy for REST/API-like scenarios.

[flydev 1,152]

Totally useful 👍

Thanks you !

[kongondo 5,745]

@Noel Boss,

Looks great, thanks!

I've just had a quick look. Any reason why the module is autoload?

[Noel Boss 126]

18 hours ago, kongondo said:

Looks great, thanks!

I've just had a quick look. Any reason why the module is autoload?

Thank you @kongondo  No, no reason – I'm new to PW and Module development and had issues with Modules without autoload before – and the module I was taking clues from had autoload true as well. I probably have to look into it a bit more. Any good resources about that? Should I not use it?

[kongondo 5,745]

3 hours ago, Noel Boss said:

Thank you @kongondo  No, no reason – I'm new to PW and Module development and had issues with Modules without autoload before – and the module I was taking clues from had autoload true as well. I probably have to look into it a bit more. Any good resources about that? Should I not use it?

You only use autoload if the module needs to load automatically when ProcessWire boots so that you can listen to every single request and typically attach hooks to some event of interest. Don't let this confuse you though. Modules can hook into events without being autoload modules. An example autoload module is Blog module's Publish Date. It listens to when Blog Posts are published and sets a publish date. As such, it needs to be auto-loaded.

Does your module need to boot with ProcessWire or does one call it when one needs it? If the latter, then it means presently, it is just loading and using up resources when it doesn't need to. Can your module work like this?

$pageQuery = $modules->get('PageQueryBoss');
$query = $pages->find('template=skyscraper');
$json = $pageQuery->pageQueryJson($query);

It doesn't seem to me like it needs to autoload, but I've only had a brief look, so I could be wrong.

You can read a bit more about autoload modules in the module class docs here.

[Noel Boss 126]

Thank you for the detailed response @kongondo ! The above code does not work, the plugin extends $page so you can directly call ‚pageQueryJson‘ on a Page or a PageArray you call it - altough you need to specify what results you‘d like to receive;

$json = $pages->find('template=skyscraper')->pageQueryJson(['title']);

from what you describe, it probably does not need to autoload  I’ll change that with the next release. Thanks again!

[Noel Boss 126]

On 4/28/2018 at 5:22 PM, kongondo said:

@Noel Boss,

Looks great, thanks!

I've just had a quick look. Any reason why the module is autoload?

I have just released an updated version without autoload. I also added a few helpfull closures to the readme, as well as hook-able methods:

https://github.com/noelboss/PageQueryBoss#helpfull-closures--tipps

[kongondo 5,745]

On 4/29/2018 at 5:47 PM, Noel Boss said:

The above code does not work, the plugin extends $page so you can directly call ‚pageQueryJson‘ on a Page or a PageArray you call it - altough you need to specify what results you‘d like to receive;

Hi @Noel Boss,

In your case, if the module extends (not in a PHP technical sense) $page, then it will have to be an autoload module. Your module adds methods to the  Page and WireArray classes. Hence, if it is not an autoload module, I don't see how it will work just by doing this:

$json = $pages->find('template=skyscraper')->pageQueryJson(['title']);

You will definitely get a PHP error about Method PageArray::pageQueryJson does not exist etc.

Maybe I'm missing something. Did it work for you with the new changes? 

Sorry if I am taking your round in circles .