Rules with Node Expire

Hi

I am basically having the same issues and need some help. I am not unpublishing my nodes, but I do need the expiration date to be reset every time the node is updated. I have tried using rules scheduler/rule sets but cannot find any action like "Reset expiry date"

Did you work this out joemaine? Or do you have any further detail fago?

Thanks,
Stephen

Hi joemaine

I figured out how to do this using a combination of triggered rules, rule sets and the rule scheduler. The key was figuring out how to manipulate the data using PHP code.

Let me know if you still want to need this sorted and you want all the details

Regards,
Stephen

Hi, Stephen.

I'd definitely like to see the details. I can do a simple "unpublish the expired nodes" rule with Node Expire, but resetting the expiration date on node edit would be really useful.

In my case, what I want is for a node to expire 60 days from the time the user posts or edits it. So if they just post, it unpublishes in 60 days (which is easy enough), but also they can go back and re-post it later on if they want, and it will stay published for another 60 days (which is the problem).

I wanted to use the default maximum expiration date field for that, but since it's based on the post date, that won't work. For example, if a node is published on day 1 and the maximum expiration is set to +60 days, then the user can't re-publish the node after 60 days, because you can't set the expiration date more than 60 days from the original post date.

If I could just have the expiration date set to today+60 each time the user edits the node, that would do the trick.

Update: This code doesn't work as expected... my testing procedures weren't catching a problem

Maybe this will help? Use this as a rules action to auto set an expiration date if there is an expired date on or before today, or if the node is flagged as "expired".

Enable PHP Filters in your modules page, and add this code to a new "Execute custom PHP code" action. As Stephen said above, don't include the "<?php ?>" tags.

I added this on a "Content is going to be saved" trigger with a conditional for the content type. It runs when creating, editing, publishing, unpublishing (and more?) a node of type "job_listing." Not quite what you wanted, but it should get you started.

Lastly, note that when creating/editing a node that has node_expire, you cannot give it an expiration date in the past. So, while this will help you out when publishing or unpublishing a node without opening it (via Publish Content for example), your users will still get an error if they open (edit) an expired node and try to save without fixing the expiration date. I believe, though, that you could automate/fix this using hook_form_alter and hook_nodeapi.

By the way... there seemed to be a problem with node_expire in my install. Please check this:
http://drupal.org/node/426636#comment-1651286.

My testing procedure wasn't catching a major problem:

The strtotime() function was turning a non-existent $node-expire into a valid-looking date. I overlooked the fact that the date was not correct. Timestamps! arg.

Sorry!

After reading Stephen's notes and keystr0k's suggestions, I'm 95% of the way there on this, but need help with Rule sets or cron-based Rules.

I think this is a support request (getting tokens to work with cron-based Rules), so I posted notes in the Rules queue, here: http://drupal.org/node/508224

Did you find a solution?
Just curious. I've been very busy and haven't had time to tinker.

toddwoof

To build upon what aeronox wrote, but hopefully not condescending to you, as you seem to be further on than than I, here is another explanation.



A simple Rule = Condition + Action
Or a Rule = If this is true + Then start doing this.

The Then part can be a Singular 'do this' or a Set of If/Then Rules (hence 'Rule Set').

Therefore a Rule Set = Set of Conditions + their Actions.

Some Rule Sets on a site may be the same applied to many Rules, therefore having a Rule Set or Sets that you can select when creating a new Rule saves you the time and hassle of setting it up per Rule.

So how do you do it?

(Best to ask aantonop http://drupal.org/node/430086 as he seems to know his stuff. The introductory video that Fago presented last year only glosses over Rule Sets at 11mins http://www.archive.org/details/aug_27_4_everything )

But I will have a go.

Rule Sets are created at /admin/rules/rule_sets/add

I am picking you know this bit from creating a rule but anyway: Give the Rule Set a name that will help you identify exactly what it does, and a machine readable name (usually the same).

Then for the arguments (think 'key group that this set applies to'), give this a name according to what the rules you are putting in the set are going to do, and choose the general group of rules that it will belong to, again giving it a personalised machine readable name.

I think the mental block (that at least I have) comes when you see only a limited listing of 'data types' in the drop down box for each 'argument'. You have to know which group your 'argument' or 'key group' belongs to. Whichever group your argument is chosen to belong to determines whether is shows in the drop-down selection box for the 'event' when creating a new rule. [A chart would be good here.] Save.

So to clarify - a Rule has a Condition (If) and an Action (Then). An Action can be a single action or be further qualified by If/Then Rules. These If/Then rules can often be grouped into a Rule Set.

The next screen defines each of the (sub) Rules in your Rule Set.

These will be familiar to you as they are Rules in themselves. [ Add as many rules to your Rule Set as you need, by clicking on the 'Add New Rule' tab.]

Rule Sets then appear in your Action drop-down when creating a new rule.

[Note: Is it possible to have more than 2 rules or 1 argument in a set - but the deeper you 'thread' the Rule the more complex it is!!!]






[Please 'critics' I am learning this as I type it trying to help someone else hence the subject title - kind correction though is helpful to us all.]

I tried to attach this image to my post earlier.

Sorry to those who got that message more than once.

Initially I uploaded an image that was too wide, and tried to replace it without success.

Hopefully it will attach now?

[Edit: No dice - can anyone help me figure out how to do an attachment/inline image? And sorry again to those that will get this twice. Well I will try to attach without preview and see if that works but I am not holding my breathe]

ANY notes on Rules and Rules Sets are good notes -- thanks!

But I should have been more clear on the specific need, which is Rules and/or Rules sets that are triggered based on either of two conditions:

Case 1: A user posts a new job, or publishes an expired/unpublished job listing to renew it. A Rule based on "content is going to be saved" (or a Rule Set, as aeronox notes) works fine for this: When content is going to be saved, check the date and set it to now +60 if it's less than or equal to now.

Case 2: The job listing just expires, based on the expiration date. In this case the "going to be saved" trigger won't work, whether the actions are in a Rule or a Rule Set, because nobody is saving the node.

I can think of three possible solutions:

1. A cron-based Rule: Check published jobs on cron run, and unpublish them if the date has passed. Perfect, but I can't get this to work. See notes here: http://drupal.org/node/508224 .

2. Some other trigger, like "about to view." This works, but it means people see access denied messages, which is inelegant. (Notes in that same entry.)

3. Rules Sets with Scheduling. This is probably what I should have asked about: How to set up a Scheduler arrangement that will cover the cases. It has to:
   (a) Schedule the unpublish event when the node is saved.
   (b) Un-schedule or re-schedule it if someone changes the date and saves.

Has anyone used Rule Sets with Scheduling, to unpublish nodes based on the value of a CCK date field? Or, am I missing some other, simpler approach?

What would trigger the daily or weekly check?

An interesting approach -- thanks for the notes.

But I can't fire a triggered rule based on "Saving new content" because it won't address the case where someone wants to re-post an old listing. Here's a similar approach that I'm testing right now, that uses one triggered rule and one rule set with two rules in it, fired based on "Content is going to be saved":

A. Triggered Rule: When Job is saved, update expiration date if needed and schedule the date check.
Event: Content is going to be saved
Conditions: Saved content is Job, Content is published
Actions: Execute custom PHP code (if expiration date < now, set it to now +60 days), Schedule the rule set for +X days.

B. Rule Set: date check -- Unpublish expired Jobs and re-schedule date check for non-expired jobs.
Argument: Content

Rule 1: (if expired, unpublish it)
Conditions: Content is Job, Content is published, Execute custom PHP code (return “true” if expiration < now)
Action: Unpublish content

Rule 2: (If not expired, re-fire the triggered rule to re-schedule the check)
Conditions: Content type is job, Content is published
Action: Save a content

Seems as if it should work... But "thinking like a computer," I don't like either approach, because it means checking over and over again to see if a date has been reached, when I know exactly what the date is. Also, I think it means scheduling multiple (redundant) tasks for the same node if someone edits/saves several times. I could add more conditions to check the last time saved, etc, but at some point it starts to look like I'm trying to build a module using Rules...

So, a follow-up question: Is there a way to schedule a rule to fire on a specific date (the date entered in the date field at the time you save the node), but to have the scheduled task canceled or updated accordingly if someone changes the expiration date and saves again?

Another question: how do I see the scheduled tasks?

I would like to use aeronox's method. But I'm still a newbie :-)

I've a little issue with the "number comparision" thing. I tried this but I'm doing something wrong;

if [node:field_cck_date-timestamp], srttotime('+1 day') equal to date('d-m-Y') is true unpublish node

What I'm doing wrong?

Thanx

mileZ

Thanks for all... this posts help me a lot.

My ruleset run every days this work great. But rules inside this ruleset with numeric comparison never run...

[node:field_property_expiration_date-timestamp] is less than

I add a capture her: http://www.2shared.com/file/11785237/9741101a/Picture_2.html (we can upload file on drupal group any more?)

EDIT: All my fault this work now. It's a stupid problem with an other rule.

@sergh27 Yeah rules is hard for newcomers. I think specially if you are not a programmer and the interface is not always crystal clear...

You can use this howto http://drupal.org/node/517674 and change the publish action to delete. You can also use http://drupal.org/project/auto_expire