ACF load_field action not executing

The acf/load_field action in Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) allows you to modify the field settings before they are rendered on the edit screen. However, if you find that the acf/load_field action is not executing as expected, there are a few possible reasons and solutions to consider.

One common reason for the acf/load_field action not executing is that the ACF plugin might not be activated or installed on your WordPress site. Make sure that you have the ACF plugin installed and activated before using this action.

Another reason could be that you are not using the correct hook to add your action. The acf/load_field action should be added using the add_action function with the appropriate hook. For example, if you want to modify a field on a specific post type, you can use the acf/load_field action with the acf/load_field/key={$field_key} hook, where {$field_key} is the key of the field you want to modify.

Here’s an example of how to use the acf/load_field action to modify a field’s settings:

function wpsnippets_modify_field_settings( $field ) {
    // Modify the field settings here
    $field['label'] = 'New Label';

    return $field;
}
add_action( 'acf/load_field/key=field_1234567890', 'wpsnippets_modify_field_settings' );

In this example, the wpsnippets_modify_field_settings function is hooked to the acf/load_field/key=field_1234567890 action. Inside the function, you can modify the $field array to change the field’s settings. In this case, we are changing the field’s label to “New Label”.

Remember to replace field_1234567890 with the actual key of the field you want to modify.

By using the acf/load_field action, you can dynamically modify ACF field settings before they are rendered on the edit screen, allowing you to customize the behavior and appearance of your fields based on specific conditions or requirements.

Examples

Example #1: Customizing ACF Field Loading Behavior

This example demonstrates how to use the acf/load_field action hook to customize the loading behavior of Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) fields. By hooking into this action, you can modify the field settings or even replace the field entirely before it is rendered on the admin or front-end side.

add_action('acf/load_field', 'wpsnippets_custom_load_field', 10, 1);

function wpsnippets_custom_load_field($field) {
    // Modify the field settings
    $field['label'] = 'Custom Label';
    $field['instructions'] = 'Enter your custom instructions here';

    return $field;
}

In this code example, we define a custom function wpsnippets_custom_load_field and hook it to the acf/load_field action using add_action. Inside the function, we modify the $field array to customize the field’s label and instructions. Finally, we return the modified $field array.

Example #2: Conditionally Loading ACF Field

This example demonstrates how to conditionally load an ACF field based on specific criteria. By utilizing the acf/load_field action hook, you can dynamically control whether a field should be loaded or not.

add_action('acf/load_field', 'wpsnippets_conditional_load_field', 10, 1);

function wpsnippets_conditional_load_field($field) {
    // Check if the field should be loaded
    if (is_admin() && current_user_can('edit_posts')) {
        return $field;
    }

    return false;
}

In this code example, we define a custom function wpsnippets_conditional_load_field and hook it to the acf/load_field action. Inside the function, we use conditional logic to determine whether the field should be loaded or not. In this case, we check if the current user is in the admin area and has the capability to edit posts. If the condition is met, we return the $field array as is. Otherwise, we return false to prevent the field from being loaded.

Example #3: Replacing ACF Field with Custom HTML

This example demonstrates how to replace an ACF field with custom HTML using the acf/load_field action hook. By intercepting the field loading process, you can completely override the default behavior and provide your own custom markup.

add_action('acf/load_field', 'wpsnippets_replace_field_with_html', 10, 1);

function wpsnippets_replace_field_with_html($field) {
    // Create custom HTML markup
    $custom_html = '<div class="custom-field">';
    $custom_html .= '<label for="' . $field['name'] . '">Custom Field:</label>';
    $custom_html .= '<input type="text" id="' . $field['name'] . '" name="' . $field['name'] . '">';
    $custom_html .= '</div>';

    return $custom_html;
}

In this code example, we define a custom function wpsnippets_replace_field_with_html and hook it to the acf/load_field action. Inside the function, we create a custom HTML markup using the field’s name to generate unique IDs and names for the input element. We then return the custom HTML markup, effectively replacing the original ACF field with our custom HTML.