findFirstEntryWithValue( (int | string | object) $element_identifier, (string) $value, (string) $operator = “=”, (array) $scope_uids = array() )

Description

Gets the first entry id where the value for a given element matches the value specified. Entry ids are an auto incrementing numeric value, so the lowest number will correspond to the first entry.

The value must match the raw value stored in the database, and won’t necessarily be human readable (could be an id number, etc).

Parameters

$element_identifier - either an element id, an element handle, or a Formulize element object
$value - the value to look for
$operator - Optional. the operator to use when querying for the value. Defaults to equals. Any valid SQL operator can be used. If LIKE is used, then the value will be automatically wrapped in % signs to support pattern matching.
$scope_uids - Optional. an array of allowable user ids. Results will be limited to user ids that match one of the declared ids in the array.

Return Values

Returns the first (earliest) entry id found.

Returns false if the element identifier is invalid, or if the query fails, or if the query finds no entries that match the value.

Example

// find the first entry created that has 'blue' as the value for the 'colour' element, in form 6
$form_id = 6;
$dataHandler = new formulizeDataHandler($form_id);
$entry_id = $dataHandler->findFirstEntryWithValue('colour', 'blue');

// find the first entry created where the value for element 33 is greater than 100, in form 6
$form_id = 6;
$dataHandler = new formulizeDataHandler($form_id);
$entry_id = $dataHandler->findFirstEntryWithValue(33, 100, ">");

// find the first entry created where the order_customer value is 56, in form 6
$form_id = 6;
$dataHandler = new formulizeDataHandler($form_id);
$entry_id = $dataHandler->findFirstEntryWithValue('order_customer', 56);