ACF has_field() not detecting field presence

The has_field() function in Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) is used to check if a specific field exists within a given context. However, there are cases where has_field() may not detect the presence of a field correctly. To overcome this issue, you can use a custom PHP function that directly interacts with ACF’s internal functions to accurately determine if a field exists.

Here’s an example of a custom PHP function, wpsnippets_has_acf_field(), that can be used as a reliable alternative to has_field():

function wpsnippets_has_acf_field($field_name, $post_id = null) {
    if (function_exists('get_field_object')) {
        $field_object = get_field_object($field_name, $post_id);
        return !empty($field_object);
    }
    return false;
}

This function takes two parameters: $field_name (required) and $post_id (optional). It checks if the ACF function get_field_object() exists and retrieves the field object for the given field name and post ID. If the field object is not empty, it means the field exists, and the function returns true. Otherwise, it returns false.

To use this function, simply call it with the field name you want to check:

if (wpsnippets_has_acf_field('my_field')) {
    // Field exists, do something
} else {
    // Field does not exist, handle accordingly
}

This custom function provides a more reliable way to determine if an ACF field exists, ensuring accurate detection even in cases where has_field() may not work as expected.