Exploring Drupal Views Hooks: Leveraging hook_views_pre_render() for Custom Output

In the world of Drupal Views, the hook_views_pre_render($view) hook stands as a pivotal point in the view rendering process. It allows you to step in just before the view output is rendered and apply your custom logic to fine-tune the presentation. In this guide, we will take a closer look at this hook, provide a real-world use case, and demonstrate the expected output when used effectively

Understanding hook_views_pre_render($view)

The hook_views_pre_render($view) hook is called just before the view's output is rendered. This is the perfect moment to apply custom logic to the view's results, manipulate the output array, and ensure that the presentation aligns with your specific requirements. It opens up a wealth of possibilities for customizing how your content is displayed.

Example: Applying hook_views_pre_render() to Highlight Featured Content

Imagine you have a Drupal 9 website with a "News" section that includes both featured and regular articles. You want to apply special styling to the featured articles in a view. Here's how you can achieve this using the hook_views_pre_render($view) hook:

/**
 * Implements hook_views_pre_render().
 */
function YOUR_MODULE_views_pre_render($view) {
  // Check if the view is for your "Featured News" display.
  if ($view->name == 'news' && $view->current_display == 'featured_news') {
    // Loop through the view results and add a custom CSS class to featured articles.
    foreach ($view->result as $row) {
      if ($row->node_field_data_field_featured[0]['value'] == 1) {
        $row->_field_data['nid']['entity']->content['#attributes']['class'][] = 'featured-article';
      }
    }
  }
}

In this example, we've applied the hook_views_pre_render($view) hook to target a view called "news" with a display named "featured_news." The hook loops through the view results and checks if the article is marked as "featured." If so, it adds a custom CSS class, "featured-article," to the article's HTML output.

Expected Output:

With the hook_views_pre_render() hook and the code above, the featured articles within the "News" view will now have the "featured-article" class applied to them. You can then use this class to apply specific styling, such as a highlighted background or a special border, to make these articles stand out.

Conclusion:

The hook_views_pre_render($view) hook in Drupal Views offers a powerful mechanism to fine-tune the presentation of your content. Whether it's adding CSS classes, modifying HTML markup, or applying custom logic to the view output, this hook gives you full control over how your content is displayed. By mastering this hook, you can create dynamic and highly customized views that meet your site's unique design and functionality requirements.

Further Reading:

• Drupal Views API Documentation

With the hook_views_pre_render($view) hook at your disposal, you can take your Drupal site's display customization to the next level, ensuring that your content shines just the way you want it to.