Channel Entry Model Not Saving Custom Fields

Question

EE 5.2.4

I am using the ee model class to save channel entries via AJAX.

Everything is working well except for custom fields, which don't save.

Here is the code:

      $entry = ee('Model')->make('ChannelEntry');
      $entry->title = $title;
      $entry->url_title = $url_title;
      $entry->site_id =  ee()->config->item('site_id');
      $entry->author_id = ee()->session->userdata('member_id');
      $entry->ip_address = ee()->session->userdata['ip_address'];
      $entry->entry_date = ee()->localize->now;
      $entry->edit_date = ee()->localize->now;
      $entry->custom_field = $custom_field_value;
      $entry->channel_id = $channel_id;
      $entry->save();

Everything works except for the custom_field part. It will create the new entry and save all of the correct data, but just not that.

Is there a step I'm missing?

Answer 1

You may be using the incorrect field name. You can't access it via its short name, it has to be by it's field_id. Here is an example of how I do something like this:

// these are usually set at the top of my add-on, function, whatever, 
// for reference through out this PHP file, and also in case different site
// instances (staging, dev, whatever) happen to have different field_ids
// for the same fields, so it's easier to change when pushing around
$first_name_field_id = "field_id_10";
$last_name_field_id  = "field_id_20";

// ...

// then later, after instantiating the Channel Entry model, you apply field values like so:
$entry->$first_name_field_id = "Eric";
$entry->$last_name_field_id  = "Idle";