How to Hack the Core for Longer Titles?

Question

My client needs longer titles/URL titles/Structure url titles, but there is no add-on available with this specific functionality. I already know about these add-ons, but they don't do what I need. A support request with Title Master is already filed, it extends titles in Structure, but the url_title is still cut-off at the shorter length, all three components needed to be extended.

So I need to hack the core, but I'm not sure which files I need to modify. So far, I've found these 2 files:

• /system/expressionengine/controllers/cp/content_publish.php, lines 2279 & 2291
• /system/expressionengine/third-party/structure/tab.structure.php, line 156

Those files seem to update the "maxlength" parameter on the HTML for the 3 title input fields.

And I've found these database tables:

• exp_channel_titles > title
• exp_channel_titles > url_title
• exp_structure_listings > uri

So I think I just need to change a few more files, but I don't know where they are:

• Javascript file that controls the URL Title auto-fill on the publish page.
• Javascript file that controls the Structure URL Title auto-fill on the publish page.
• Structure Page URL database column.

Does anybody know where these are, and possibly what line number I need to edit? Am I forgetting anything? Thanks.

Answer 1

I've had the need to do this a number of times, particularly on sites that have press releases. For some reason, press release titles can be insanely long. This is all we ever have to do:

In system/expressionengine/controllers/cp/content_publish.php, appx line 2279, change this to what you desire:

'title' => array(
  ...
  'field_maxl' => 255
),

If you need to alter the URL title too, look for the same thing in the url_title array below it, around line 2292:

'url_title' => array(
  ...
  'field_maxl' => 75
),

The only other thing we do is alter the database column in exp_channel_titles accordingly.

Unless I'm missing something, that's all we've ever needed to do. As for updating this to work on Structure titles, I'm sure the method is similar, but I don't use Structure very often so I can't really speak to it. Sounds like you're on the right path with where you're looking. I'm not sure why you would need to alter any of the JavaScript around the title fields.

As always, you should document your core hacks, no matter how simple they are.

Answer 2

Note: The Title Master add-on should take care of all of this, but if you can't use that for whatever reason, here is the procedure for the hack:

Update 10/10/14: Title Master appears to be abandonware at this point.

This works as of EE 2.9

Always back up your files and database before hacking the core!

Native EE Titles & URL Titles

• /system/expressionengine/controllers/cp/content_publish.php:

  $deft_fields = array(
      'title'         => array(
          /* ... */
          'field_maxl'            => 100 // update to desired max title length
      ),
      'url_title'     => array(
          /* ... */
          'field_maxl'            => 75 // update to desired max url title length
      ),
  
      /* ... */
  

  This updates the maxlength attribute on the input fields so you can type longer titles/URL titles.

• /system/expressionengine/libraries/Api.php:

  $url_title = substr($url_title, 0, 75); // update to desired max url title length
  
  /* ... */
  
  if (strlen($url_title) > 70) // update to desired max url title length minus 5
  {
      $url_title = substr($url_title, 0, 70); // update to desired max url title length minus 5
  
  /* ... */
  
  if (strlen($url_title.$url_title_suffix) > 75) // update to desired max url title length
  

  This updates the function that actually publishes the entry to the database to allow a longer URL title.

• /themes/javascript/compressed/jquery/plugins/ee_url_title.js:

  Near the end of the code, find .val(a.substring(0,75)) and update "75" to your desired URL title length. This allows the URL title to autofill to the correct length.

• Go into the database and update the length of the following columns:

  • exp_channel_titles.title
  • exp_channel_titles.url_title

  This will allow your longer titles to be stored correctly in the database columns.

Structure URL Titles

• /system/expressionengine/third_party/structure/tab.structure.php, inside the publish_tabs() method, in the "Field: Page URI/Slug" section:

  $settings[] = array(
      /* ... */
      'field_maxl'            => 100, // update to your desired max url title length
  
      /* ... */
  

  This updates the maxlength attribute in the input field.

• Update the length of this database column:

  • exp_structure_listings.uri

  This allows for longer URL titles on Structure listing-type entries. Page-type entry URL titles are encrypted and stored in the exp_sites table, and I do not believe you need to make any modifications there for longer URL titles to work.

Document, Document, Document!

Be sure to document the changes you made so they don't get overwritten when you update EE. It's also just the professional thing to do. If you leave the project and another developer has to take your place and figure out what you did, good documentation will keep them from cursing your black soul. I recommend Focus Lab's Dev Docs module.

Answer 3

I'm not certain why Title Master would be insufficient for your needs. It handles increasing title length, url_title length, and works with Structure. Maybe if you state what it doesn't do that you need, that could help in identifying an alternative.

Otherwise, if you're going to hack, I think you've hit all the main spots, obviously making sure the database will handle the new size is also necessary, but it looks like you've got that covered. We hacked once for a client, in EE1, but the areas were similar, except no Structure.

Answer 4

I ran into the need for longer titles (eg. scientific paper titles), and (shameless plug) Zenbu Studio's Kyara module did the trick. Structure url titles are not supported as of this writing, however.

Answer 5

This plugin doesn't support Structure i don't think, but it still works for making titles longer. http://devot-ee.com/add-ons/mx-title-control. The Title Master plugin looks to be no longer supported.

Just adding this info for future searchers.