Possible to save a node using a multi-step form?

Question

I'm building a Drupal based site that requires the communication of a node ID to a seperate web service. This web service handles the uploading of files to a seperate server (from the one Drupal is on).

This creates a problem where in if I create a new node, the Node ID is not generated until the form is submitted - meaning I can't attach the files until I save the node and open it back up to edit it. I'd like to remove that step.

Is it possible to create a two step node creation process where the basics of the node are submitted and saved, and then the form re-directs to step two where I can attach the files?

I'd also consider an AJAX enabled node submission form - but that seems to add even more complexity to the situation.

Any advice, examples will be appreciated!

Answer 1

I ran into exactly this same issue and did it the wrong way. I added the hook myself.

http://drupal.org/node/313389

Answer 2

you could do this with a multi-step form. see http://pingv.com/blog/ben-jeavons/2009/multi-step-forms-drupal-6-using-variable-functions for the canonical way to do this (besides the code, also check the comments).

you could also do it by adding a second submit handler to the form. the first, default one (node_form_submit) saves your node (including the attached file) the standard Drupal way. the second handler could upload the file to the separate server, do upload error checking, delete the file from the Drupal DB, etc. you can add an additional submit handler to a Drupal 6 form by adding it to the form's #submit property, either in the form definition or via hook_form_alter / hook_form_FORM_ID_alter.

Answer 3

Depending on what exactly you want to do, you might use hook_nodeapi on its 'insert' operation. It is fired after successful node creation, so the node object will contain the newly assigned nid there already.

NOTE: The wording of the API documentation is a bit ambiguous concerning the 'insert' and 'update' operations:

"insert": The node is being created (inserted in the database).

This sounds like it is right in the middle of the process, whereas the node has already been created at this point.

Answer 4

I guess the node_save function can help you.