Loading a specific node revision for view

Question

I am trying to load a specific revision for viewing by the end user. Drupal 7.

I have the following in my .module ;

function mymodule_node_load($nodes, $types) {
  if ($nodes[821]->vid != 5928) {
    $nodes[821] = node_load(821, 5928);
  }
}

function mymodule_node_view($node, $view_mode, $langcode) {
   $node = node_load(821, 5928);
}

If I dpm/var_dump the node after doing this, its perfect and is the correct revision but when it comes to rendering, the page chooses the older revision. So something is happening between these functions and the page rendering. What is it? And how can I stop it?

Thanks in advance, much appreciated.

EDIT Anybody know if there is a hook load order chart somewhere? That would be super handy.

EDIT #2 It seems that even the node.tpl.php has the correct revision but what is displayed is not the correct revision ... See image (body['und'][0]['value'] != what is displayed.)

EDIT #3 Ok, so I worked out how to do it (code below) its an awful solution and its because of this that I am going to have a look at the Workbench module because I think it might just do what I need. Thanks for all the help!

/**
 * Implements hook_node_view_alter().
 */
function mymodule_node_view_alter(&$build) {
  $latest_revision = _get_latest_published_revision($build['#node']);

  if ($latest_revision) {
    $build['#node'] = node_load($build['#node']->nid, $latest_revision);
    node_build_content($build['#node']);

    $build['body'] = $build['#node']->content['body'];
  }
}

Answer 1

What mongolito404 says is right; hook_node_load() and hook_node_view() are not thought to be used to alter the fields already loaded of the node object.

As the documentation reports, they should be used to add additional information.
The documentation of those hooks contains the following sentences:

This hook should only be used to add information that is not in the node or node revisions table, not to replace information that is in these tables […]. [hook_node_load()]

The module may add elements to $node->content prior to rendering. [hook_node_view()]

If you really want to show a different revision of a node basing on some conditions, you could implement hook_menu_alter() to alter the menu callback that handles node/%node, and replace it with your own menu callback that verifies which revision of the node should be shown, and shows it.

Answer 2

I think you have misunderstood the usage and intent of hook_node_load. What you do is changing the revision ID (vid) after the node has been fully loaded. Same for hook_node_view(), you are not supposed to replace $node in there, but add additional content to render to $node->content.