Using a custom PHP variable in a channel entry start_on and stop_before

Question

I am attempting to display entries from a specific channel 7 days before and 7 days after an entry_date from another entry. I don't want to use a plugin because.

Here's how I am getting / calculating the 7 days prior / 7 days after:

{exp:channel:entries channel="pd_request_form" entry_id="{segment_2}"} <?php $php_7_days_before = date ("Y-m-d H:i", floor('{entry_date}' - 604800)); ?>{/exp:channel:entries}
{exp:channel:entries channel="pd_request_form" entry_id="{segment_2}"} <?php $php_7_days_after = date ("Y-m-d H:i", floor('{entry_date}' + 604800)); ?>{/exp:channel:entries}

Here's what works:

{exp:channel:entries channel="pd_request_form" dynamic="no" start_on="2013-01-10 00:00" stop_before="2013-01-24 00:00"}

    {title} - {entry_date}<br />

{/exp:channel:entries}

The dynamic="no" is there because the URL has an entry_id in it. I see entries I would expect to see.

Here's what also works:

<?php echo $php_7_days_before; ?>
<?php echo $php_7_days_after; ?>

When I say it works I mean, it produces output that looks correct to me.

But here is what isn't working:

{exp:channel:entries channel="pd_request_form" dynamic="no" start_on="<?php echo $php_7_days_before; ?>" stop_before="<?php echo $php_7_days_after; ?>"}

    {title} - {entry_date}<br />

{/exp:channel:entries}

I think I'm missing something simple, but I'm not seeing it.

Answer 1

Your issue here is one of parse order. Changing to php on input won't help. Leave it on output.

I just tested this:

{exp:channel:entries channel="blog" limit="1"}
 <?php $php_7_days_before = date ("Y-m-d H:i", floor('{entry_date}' - 604800)); ?>
 {/exp:channel:entries}
 {embed="site/php_test" 7daysbefore="<?php echo $php_7_days_before; ?>" }

Then in your embedded template you can call start_on="{embed:7daysbefore}"

Answer 2

Set PHP Parsing Stage to 'Input' in your template file.