Error messages from date_entity_metadata_struct_getter()

I got this error when evaluating a Date field in a Rules Component.

I added a condition to check that the value was not empty.

Example Rule order:

• Entity has field (ex: Parameter: Entity: [node], Field: field_publish_on )
• NOT Data value is empty (ex: Parameter: Data to check: [node:field-publish-on] This is the condition that prevents the warning)
• Data comparison (ex. Data to compare: [node:field-publish-on], Operator: is less than, Data value: +15 minutes

I am also getting this error when using a rules component to check if the data value is empty.

I changed this line
$value = trim($item[$name]);

To
$value = (isset($item[$name])) ? trim($item[$name]) : '';

This prevented the error message for me.
I don't know how to test it or submit a patch yet, will do so asap, unless someone else would like to.

I have noticed the same warning on two of my sites using version 2.8. In both cases, the fields are empty by default, they're set to #access = FALSE and an entity_metadata_wrapper is created in hook_node_update.

Please find my patch attached. I think the value for a date field can't be a string, it should be an array. Using NULL as default value also removes the warnings - not sure what's better here.

I currently have Drupal version: 7.50 and I get 2 messages:

Warning: Illegal string offset 'value' in date_entity_metadata_struct_getter() (line 649 of ../sites/all/modules/contrib/date/date.module).

Notice: Uninitialized string offset: 0 in date_entity_metadata_struct_getter() (line 649 of ../sites/all/modules/contrib/date/date.module).

@rovo89 the patch worked successfully!!!

Patch works for me as well

Rerunning the tests, lets see how this works.

I get the same errors as @crstnkal at #4.
Unfortunately, even with patch at #3, I still get:
Warning : Illegal string offset 'value' in date_entity_metadata_struct_getter()

Here's a new patch.

#9 fixes the problem in Date 7.x-2.10

FYI the changes in #3's date-default-value-2074457-3.patch are also present in the patch in Issue: String Offset errors on edit page using PHP 7.1.0

Even with https://www.drupal.org/project/date/issues/2843367#comment-12929035 patch applied I am still getting the PHP Notices & Warnings mentioned by #4 on version 7.x-2.10.

Warning: Illegal string offset 'value' in date_entity_metadata_struct_getter() (line 649 of ../sites/all/modules/contrib/date/date.module).

Notice: Uninitialized string offset: 0 in date_entity_metadata_struct_getter() (line 649 of ../sites/all/modules/contrib/date/date.module).

Patch supplied in #9 stops the PHP notices and warnings but I wonder if it is just fixing the symptom and not the root cause.

Applying patch #3 stops the PHP notices and warnings with Date version 7.x-2.10, Drupal 7.67 and PHP 7.2.

I am thinking this is a better patch than #9 because it is fixing the root cause.

@anrikun I would be interested in knowing more details of when you were getting the php warnings.

@tame4tex
It's been a while ago so I can't remember precisely.
I think I had found cases when value was simply not set yet, so checking isset() seemed to be the best protection.

On PHP 7.4 the same bug may produce a different error message:

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in date_entity_metadata_struct_getter()

+++ b/date.module
@@ -651,7 +651,9 @@ function date_entity_metadata_field_getter($entity, array $options, $name, $enti
+  if (isset($item[$name])) {
+    $value = trim($item[$name]);
+  }

Setting $value within the if control structure means it will be undefined in the FALSE case.

Attaching a new patch that combines the new isset() test with the existing one for an empty value and returns early.

You shouldn't use empty() on the return from another function, it is only meant to be used on variables.

How about this?

I think we should add this to 2.12.

Committed. Thank you.

I tried the patch on comment #16 on and the Undefined index PHP notice still persisted on every save of a content type with event dates and times.

Notice: Undefined index: field in date_entity_metadata_struct_getter() (line 669 of /code/docroot/sites/all/modules/contrib/date/date.module).

Drupal 7.80
Date 7.x-2.11
PHP 7.3.27

@zevarix: Please open a new issue, that's something else.