Similar tags module with image and introtext

Question

For the native Joomla module "Similar Tags", we have only the article title. How to have also the introtext and the intro image?

Here is the native code with my code tests :

defined('_JEXEC') or die;

JLoader::register('TagsHelperRoute', JPATH_BASE . '/components/com_tags/helpers/route.php');

if ($list) : ?>
    <ul class="tagssimilar">
    <?php foreach ($list as $i => $item) : ?>
        <?php if (empty($item->core_title)) continue; ?>
        <li>
        <?php if (($item->type_alias == 'com_users.category') || ($item->type_alias == 'com_banners.category')) : ?>
            <?= htmlspecialchars($item->core_title, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8') ?>
        <?php else: $item->route = new JHelperRoute; ?>
            <a href="<?= JRoute::_(TagsHelperRoute::getItemRoute($item->content_item_id, $item->core_alias, $item->core_catid, $item->core_language, $item->type_alias, $item->router)) ?>">
                <?= htmlspecialchars($item->core_title, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8') ?>
            </a>
        <?php endif

My first attempt (part 1): Modify Joomla Tags Result Page

    //image
    $images  = json_decode($item->core_images);
    echo '<p><img class="intro-image" src="'.$images->image_intro.'"></p>';                  
    //introtext
    $limit =300;
    if (strlen($item->text) > $limit) {
        echo (substr($item->text, 0, $limit)) ?> <a href="<?php echo JRoute::_(TagsHelperRoute::getItemRoute($item->content_item_id, $item->core_alias, $item->core_catid, $item->core_language, $item->type_alias, $item->router)); ?>">...</a>
        <?php
    }
    else {
        echo $item->text;
    }

My first attempt (part 2) : Modify Joomla Tags Result Page

//introtext
echo $item->text;
//image
$images  = json_decode($item->core_images);
echo '<img src="'.$images->image_intro.'">';
//get category name by id
$db = JFactory::getDbo();
$id = $item->core_catid;
$db->setQuery("SELECT cat.title FROM #__categories cat WHERE cat.id='$id'");
$category = $db->loadResult();
echo '<p>'.$category.'</p>';

My second attempt: Adding Images to Latest Articles module ?>

    // This gets the image data associated with the article and processes it so PHP can use it properly.
    $images = json_decode($item->images);

    // This checks the Intro Image exists and isn't empty.
    if (isset($images->image_intro) && !empty($images->image_intro)) :
        // This displays it.
        ?>
        <div class="thumbnail item-image">
            <img src="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($images->image_intro); ?>" alt="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($images->image_intro_alt); ?>" itemprop="image"/>
        </div>
    <?php endif; ?>

My third attempt: https://www.joomlashack.com/blog/joomla/most-read-intro-images/

$images = json_decode($item->images);
?>  
<div class="span4">
    <?php if( $images->image_intro ) : ?>
        <img src="/<?php echo $images->image_intro; ?>" alt="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($item->title); ?>" />
    <?php endif; ?>

    <a href="/<?php echo $item->link; ?>">
        <?php echo $item->title; ?></a>
</div>

...and the end of the first code block...

    </li>
<?php endforeach ?>
</ul>
<?php else : ?>
<span><?= JText::_('MOD_TAGS_SIMILAR_NO_MATCHING_TAGS') ?></span>
<?php endif ?>

Answer 1

In the template override, before the item loop query the database to get the data you need. This will return an array of objects indexed on core_content_id.

$db = JFactory::getDbo();
$query = $db->getQuery(true)
    ->select($db->quoteName(array('core_content_id', 'core_images', 'core_body')))
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__ucm_content'))
    ->where($db->quoteName('core_content_id') . ' IN (' . implode(',', array_column($list, 'core_content_id')) . ')');
$extraData = $db->setQuery($query)->loadObjectList('core_content_id');

Then, inside the item loop, you can use the data in a few different ways. You can merge the item with the data:

$item = (object) array_merge((array) $item, (array) $extraData[$item->core_content_id]);

Or you can assign the properties separately:

$item->images    = $extraData[$item->core_content_id]->core_images;
$item->introtext = $extraData[$item->core_content_id]->core_body;

Or you can use the data directly:

<?php // Display introtext ?>
<?php echo $extraData[$item->core_content_id]->core_body; ?>

<?php // Display intro image ?>
<?php $images = json_decode($extraData[$item->core_content_id]->core_images); ?>
<?php if (!empty($images->image_intro)) : ?>
    <img src="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($images->image_intro, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8'); ?>" alt="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($images->image_intro_alt, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8'); ?>">
<?php endif; ?>

By the way, I can see this feature being implemented in core. If you agree, you can try submitting a feature request to the issue tracker.