getDefaultValue() fails with ConfigurableEntityReferenceFieldItemList

Updated: new

Problem/Motivation

In trying to set a default value for an entity reference field, the provided API does not function as expected.

Specifically, the problem is in ConfigurableEntityReferenceFieldItemList::getDefaultValue:

The loadByProperties method does not accept an array of values. However, it fails silently rather than throwing an exception.

Here's the existing code for ConfigStorageController::loadByProperties:

  public function loadByProperties(array $values = array()) {
    $entities = $this->loadMultiple();
    foreach ($values as $key => $value) {
      $entities = array_filter($entities, function($entity) use ($key, $value) {
        return $value === $entity->get($key);
      });
    }
    return $entities;
  }

This method is explicitly for loading a single entity. The calling method trying to load multiple entities. Doing so throws an error:

Error message
Notice: Undefined variable: entity_ids in Drupal\entity_reference\Plugin\Field\FieldType\ConfigurableEntityReferenceFieldItemList->getDefaultValue() (line 44 of core/modules/entity_reference/lib/Drupal/entity_reference/Plugin/Field/FieldType/ConfigurableEntityReferenceFieldItemList.php).

Setting the call to ->loadByProperties(array('uuid' => current($uuids))); fixes the issue, but this code needs rethinking.

Proposed resolution

Patch the faulty logic in ConfigurableEntityReferenceFieldItemList::getDefaultValue()

Remaining tasks

Patch needs to be written.

User interface changes

None

API changes

None.,

Original report by [agentrickard]