Creating the Custom Content Types

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 41 views

Introduction

When working with custom content types in Drupal, it's not uncommon to encounter scenarios where you need to display a list of child nodes on a parent node. This can be particularly useful in scenarios where you're creating a hierarchical structure, such as a blog or a knowledge base. In this article, we'll explore how to display all children on a parent node for a custom content type.

Understanding the Problem

Let's assume we have two custom content types: 'parent' and 'child'. The 'parent' content type represents a top-level node, while the 'child' content type represents a node that is a child of the 'parent' node. We want to display a list of all child nodes on the parent node.

Creating the Custom Content Types

To begin, we need to create the custom content types. We can do this by navigating to the Structure section of our Drupal site and clicking on Content types. From here, we can add a new content type by clicking on the Add content type button.

For our 'parent' content type, we can add the following fields:

Title: A text field to store the title of the parent node.
Body: A text area field to store the body of the parent node.

For our 'child' content type, we can add the following fields:

Title: A text field to store the title of the child node.
Body: A text area field to store the body of the child node.
Parent: A reference field to store the parent node.

Creating the Template File

Once we have created our custom content types, we can create a template file to display the child nodes on the parent node. We can do this by navigating to the Theme section of our Drupal site and clicking on Theme settings. From here, we can select the theme we want to use and click on the Create button.

In the theme directory, we can create a new file called parent-node.html.twig. This file will contain the template code for displaying the parent node and its child nodes.

Displaying the Child Nodes

To display the child nodes on the parent node, we can use the following code in our parent-node.html.twig file:

{% if parent_node.children %}
  <ul>
    {% for child_node in parent_node.children %}
      <li>{{ child_node.title }}</li>
    {% endfor %}
  </ul>
{% endif %}

This code checks if the parent node has any child nodes. If it does, it loops through the child nodes and displays their titles.

Using the Entity Reference Field

However, the above code assumes that we have a reference field on the child node that points to the parent node. If we don't have this field, we can use the entity_reference module to create a reference field on the child node.

To do this, we can navigate to the Structure section of our Drupal site and click on Fields. From here, we can add a new field by clicking on the Add field button.

For our 'child' content type, we can add a new field called Parent. We can set the field type to Entity reference and select the Parent content type as the target entity.

Using the Views Module

Another way to display the child nodes on the parent node is to use the Views module. We can create a view that displays the child nodes and then use the Display option to display the view on the parent node.

To do this, we can navigate to the Structure section of our Drupal site and click on Views. From here, we can create a new view by clicking on the Add view button.

For our view, we can select the Child content type as the view's base table and add a Title field to the view. We can then use the Display option to display the view on the parent node.

Conclusion

Displaying all children on a parent node for a custom content type can be a complex task, but it's achievable with the right tools and techniques. In this article, we've explored how to create custom content types, create a template file to display the child nodes, and use the Entity reference and Views modules to display the child nodes on the parent node.

Best Practices

When working with custom content types and displaying child nodes on a parent node, it's essential to follow best practices to ensure that your code is maintainable and scalable. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:

Use a consistent naming convention: Use a consistent naming convention for your fields and variables to make your code easier to read and understand.
Use comments: Use comments to explain what your code is doing and why. This will make it easier for others to understand your code and will also help you to remember what you did in the future.
Use a consistent coding style: Use a consistent coding style to make your code easier to read and understand.
Test your code: Test your code thoroughly to ensure that it's working as expected.

Q: What is the best way to display all children on a parent node for a custom content type?

A: The best way to display all children on a parent node for a custom content type is to use a combination of the Entity reference and Views modules. You can create a reference field on the child node that points to the parent node, and then use the Views module to display the child nodes on the parent node.

Q: How do I create a reference field on the child node that points to the parent node?

A: To create a reference field on the child node that points to the parent node, you can navigate to the Structure section of your Drupal site and click on Fields. From here, you can add a new field by clicking on the Add field button. For the field type, select Entity reference and select the Parent content type as the target entity.

Q: How do I use the Views module to display the child nodes on the parent node?

A: To use the Views module to display the child nodes on the parent node, you can navigate to the Structure section of your Drupal site and click on Views. From here, you can create a new view by clicking on the Add view button. For the view's base table, select the Child content type, and add a Title field to the view. You can then use the Display option to display the view on the parent node.

Q: Can I use a template file to display the child nodes on the parent node?

A: Yes, you can use a template file to display the child nodes on the parent node. You can create a new file called parent-node.html.twig in the theme directory, and use the following code to display the child nodes:

{% if parent_node.children %}
  <ul>
    {% for child_node in parent_node.children %}
      <li>{{ child_node.title }}</li>
    {% endfor %}
  </ul>
{% endif %}

This code checks if the parent node has any child nodes, and if it does, it loops through the child nodes and displays their titles.

Q: How do I ensure that my code is maintainable and scalable?

A: To ensure that your code is maintainable and scalable, you should follow best practices such as:

Using a consistent naming convention: Use a consistent naming convention for your fields and variables to make your code easier to read and understand.
Using comments: Use comments to explain what your code is doing and why. This will make it easier for others to understand your code and will also help you to remember what you did in the future.
Using a consistent coding style: Use a consistent coding style to make your code easier to read and understand.
Testing your code: Test your code thoroughly to ensure that it's working as expected.

Q: What are some common issues that I may encounter when displaying child nodes on a parent node?

A: Some common issues that you may encounter when displaying child nodes on a parent node include:

Child nodes not being displayed: This can be due to a variety of reasons, including the child nodes not being referenced correctly, or the view not being configured correctly.
Child nodes being displayed incorrectly: This can be due to a variety of reasons, including the child nodes not being sorted correctly, or the view not being configured correctly.
Performance issues: Displaying a large number of child nodes can cause performance issues, especially if the view is not optimized correctly.

Q: How can I troubleshoot issues with displaying child nodes on a parent node?

A: To troubleshoot issues with displaying child nodes on a parent node, you can try the following:

Check the view configuration: Make sure that the view is configured correctly, and that the child nodes are being referenced correctly.
Check the template file: Make sure that the template file is correct, and that the child nodes are being displayed correctly.
Check the database: Make sure that the database is correct, and that the child nodes are being stored correctly.
Test the view: Test the view thoroughly to ensure that it's working as expected.

By following these tips and best practices, you can ensure that your code is maintainable and scalable, and that you can easily display all children on a parent node for a custom content type.