How to create a new field collection+fields in a programmatically added content type

Question

I'm very new to creating modules and I'm creating a content type for the first time programmatically.

Creating the content type works fine, I've even added some fields. But now I'd like to create a new field in that content type which is a field collection.

I can't find a good spot on the internet that explains how I can add a new field collection to a new content type. All programmatically in one run.

Can anyone help me out how to achieve this?

It involves this contributed module.

Answer 1

I googled _create field_collection programmatically_ and this example was from my first search result.

Thought I would post my solution for programmatically creating a field collection, along with an attached field, during a module install. The example is specific to my use, but easily modified to add the field types you need. Of course, if there is an easier way please feel free to add your thoughts. This works with the current 7.x-1.x-dev branch.

/**
 * Create a Field Collection field and attach collection node reference
 */
function _create_field_collection() {
  $t = get_t();

  $fields_array = array(
    array(
      'field' => array(
        'field_name' => 'bir_collection',
        'label' => $t('BIR Collection Nodes'),
        'cardinality' => -1,
        'type' => 'field_collection',
      ),
      'instance' => array(
        'field_name' => 'bir_collection',
        'entity_type' => 'node',
        'bundle' => 'article',
        'label' => $t('BIR Collection Nodes'),
        'description' => '',
        'widget' => array('type' => 'field_collection_embed'),
        'required' => 1,
      ),
    ),
    array(
      'field' => array(
        'field_name' => 'bir_collection_node',
        'type' => 'node_reference',
        'label' => '',
        'cardinality' => 1,
        'settings' => array(
          'referenceable_types' => array(
            'bir_specimen' => 'bir_specimen',
            'bir_image' => 'bir_image',
            'bir_locality' => 'bir_locality',
            'bir_view' => 'bir_view',
          ),
        ),
      ),
      'instance' => array(
        'field_name' => 'bir_collection_node',
        'entity_type' => 'field_collection_item',
        'bundle' => 'bir_collection',
        'label' => '',
        'cardinality' => 1,
        'description' => '',
        'widget' => array('type' => 'node_reference_autocomplete'),
        'display' => array('default' => array('type' => 'node_reference_default')),
      )
    ),
  );

  // Loop through fields array and create field and instance
  foreach ($fields_array as $field) {
    // Check if field already exists
    if (!field_info_field($field['field']['field_name'])) {
      field_create_field($field['field']);
    }

    // Check if instance exists
    if (!field_info_instance($field['instance']['entity_type'], $field['instance']['field_name'], $field['instance']['bundle'])) {
      field_create_instance($field['instance']);
    }
  }  
}

First field in the $fields_array array is the field_collection type field that you add to your node entity. (field_name: bir_collection)

The second field in the array is the field which is added to your field_collection_item entity (Notice the bundle in the instance is same as your field_name on node: bir_collection. This is how the connection is made). In this particular example, it's a node_reference type field, but this can be any other field type that's available to your Drupal instance.

The order has to be in this sequence, since you need to add the field_collection type field to your node to create the field_collection_item entity, then you add the fields to your field_collection_item entity.