Advanced Conditions: {if:else} tag not getting read

Question

So, I think I've caught on that advanced conditions and EE tags don't play like expected.

So, I downloaded Mark C's "IfElse" plugin and things are looking up.

However, my default condition, doesn't work. EE is NOT parsing the "last/default" condition so therefore the content is not appearing from the channel and only text versions of the field names (e.g. {title}, {body}) appear.

Any help would be appreciated.

{exp:ifelse parse="inward"}               

        {if segment_3 =="1"}
           {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="33"} 

        {if:elseif segment_3=="2"} 
           {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="32"} 

        {if:elseif segment_3=="3"}
           {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="34"} 

        {if:elseif segment_3=="4"}
           {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="35"}     

        {/if}
{/exp:ifelse}

{title}
{body}

{/exp:channel:entries}

Also, for the last condition, I've tried the normal:

 {if:else}
   {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="35"}     

 {/if}
 {/exp:ifelse}

But no cigar.

Answer 1

You don't need any add-on to make this to work.

Take a look at the docs.

Segment variables as parsed before any module tags. Advanced conditionals are parsed after, but you can use simple conditionals.

So:

{exp:channel:entries channel ="about"
    {if segment_3 == "1"}
        entry_id="33"
    {/if}
    {if segment_3 == "2"}
        entry_id="32"
    {/if}
    {if segment_3 == "3"}
        entry_id="34"
    {/if}
    {if segment_3 == "4"}
       entry_id="35"
    {/if}
} 

    {title}
    {body}

{/exp:channel:entries}

Isn't all that beautiful, I know, but is fast, simple and DRY.

Answer 2

Yikes! With all due respect, this is an extremely inelegant approach. You should never attempt to output different opening tags in this way. Even if you are able to somehow make it work, the next developer to look at this code will be cursing your name!

Here are some alternatives:

• Use the url_titles or the entry_ids directly in segment_3 instead of 1/2/3, which would automatically show the right entry due to the default dynamic nature of the channel:entries tag.

• Use the native Pages module to assign whatever URI/template combination you like to an entry, which will also allow a single channel entries tag to work dynamically

• Alternatively, use Stash to set a variable which you then pass to the channel:entries tag like so:

--

{exp:stash:set name="the-entry"}
    {if segment_3 == '1'}31{/if}
    {if segment_3 == '2'}32{/if}
    {if segment_3 == '3'}34{/if}
    {if segment_3 == '4'}35{/if}
{/exp:stash:set}

{exp:stash:parse}
    {exp:channel:entries entry_id="{stash:the-entry}"}
        <h1>{title}</h1>
        {body}
    {/exp:channel:entries}
{/exp:stash:parse}

Answer 3

As someone else has said this is an inelegant approach and there are better ways to do it.

But for starters try putting the complete tag pair within each condition and see if that works. i.e.

    {if segment_3 =="1"}
       {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="33"} 
           stuff
       {/exp:channel:entries}
    {if:elseif segment_3=="2"} 
       {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="32"} 
           stuff
       {/exp:channel:entries}
    {if:elseif segment_3=="3"}
       {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="34"} 
           stuff
       {/exp:channel:entries}
    (if:elseif segment_3=="4"}
       {exp:channel:entries channel ="about" entry_id="35"}
           stuff
       {/exp:channel:entries}
    {/if}     

If that works you can then think about how to make the code more efficient. Try using stash, switchee or as someone said, use the entry IDs/url_title in your URL which will negate the need for this approach.