Logic Hooks in SuiteCRM: A Comprehensive Developer’s Guide

Every Suite developer needs to work with Logic Hooks—they are amazing and truly a life saver.

It's tweaking. It's awesome!!

Now it's time to learn more about SuiteCRM deeply. There are 2 types of hooks:

Types of Logic Hooks in SuiteCRM

1. Application-level Hooks

These hooks are best used in the following scenario:

after_ui_frame: After providing the UI frame

after_ui_footer: After providing the UI footer

server_roundtrip: During a server request-response cycle

before_logout: Before a user logs out

after_logout: After a user logs out

before_login: Before a user logs in

after_login: After a user logs in 

login_failed: Where a login attempt fails 

after_session_start: After a session starts

after_entry_point: After an entry point is accessed

2. Module Level Hooks

Best to use for :

after_save: Executes after saving a record

before_save: Executes before saving a record

before_retrieve: Executes before retrieving a record (triggered on EditView and DetailView)

after_retrieve: Executes after retrieving a record (triggered on EditView and DetailView)

process_record: Used for ListView, Popup View, and Subpanels.

before_delete: Executes before deleting a record

after_delete: Executes after deleting a record

before_restore: Executes before restoring a record

After_restore: Executes after restoring a record

Note: About Logic Hooks

All logic hooks must have $hook_version and $hook_array variables defined.

The following sections cover each required variable. Hooks should be placed in the Extension directory—it is advisable to use an extension-based hook structure.

Implementing Module Level Hook: Example

Let’s walk through an example where we automatically update the status of an opportunity to "Closed Won" if the amount is more than $500.

Step 1: Create a Logic Hook File:

Navigate to the following path

custom/Extension/modules/Opportunities/Ext/LogicHooks/my_win_opp.php

Put the following code into the file named my_win_opp.php

<?php
$hook_array['before_save'] = Array();
$hook_array['before_save'][] = Array(
1,
'Store values',
'custom/modules/Opportunities/my_win_opp_win_sales.php',
'my_win_opp_class',
'my_win_opp_method'
);
?>

Step 2: Create the Hook Logic File

Now create a file in

custom/modules/Opportunities/my_win_opp_win_sales.php

Put this code:

$bean->sales_stage ='Closed Won';

Step 3: Run the Code for Quick Repair

Go to Admin Panel
Select repair, then quick repair and rebuild

Step 4: Test the Hook

Create an opportunity
Put an amount figure greater than 500
Check the “sales stage” field—this should automatically change to "Closed Won."

Implementing Application Level Hook: Example

Now, it's time to make some application-level hooks—use the same strategy with a few changes.

Path for application hook:

custom/Extension/application/Ext/Logic Hooks

Key Differences:

Application-level hooks will only use 2 variables—$event and $arguments.
$bean is not available there as it is application level—since it does not apply for a specific module or record.

Final Thoughts

Logic hooks in SuiteCRM are extensively powerful, but some factors make differences, such as path structure, file names, and small syntax errors. By repeating the above steps correctly and structuring your hooks properly, you can enhance and automate SuiteCRM functionality with ease. However, the above process is simple but sometimes hard to learn paths, names, etc. Mistakes are obvious, and tiny mistakes are killing our time.

Go ahead and try it out today to tweak SuiteCRM and customise it exactly how you want.

Here is a much simpler solution. "Outright deve l oper tools." It allows you to make all files, classes, and methods your own. Even more, it allows you to start/stop hooks without going into files. Moreover, you can start testing mode so you can build a hook that will work only on your test records.

It always seems impossible until it is done, so keep doing it!