How to add a class to the <a> link elements within a Multiple Values field in a View?

I have a Views field (in this case, taxonomy term references) with Multiple Values set to “Display all values in the same row”, using the Link formatter and a seperator. I want to add a class to each “multiple values” <a> element within this one field. My output currently looks like this:

<div class="field-content">   <a href="/some/path" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Some name</a>   ,    <a href="/another/path" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Another name</a> </div>    

I simply want to add classes to the multiple links within the field (and not the the wrapper), like this:

<div class="field-content">   <a class="some-class" href="/some/path" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Some name</a>   ,    <a class="some-class" href="/another/path" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Another name</a> </div> 

While my fields are taxonomy term references ideally I’d like to know how to do this with any of the many fields that use the “Link” formatter.

Note that this field is included with other fields using a replacement pattern in a custom text field, which unfortunately seems to prevent field tpl.php options from working.


This seems like it should be simple, but I can’t find a way even after trying all these things:

  • Every combination of Views Multiple Field Settings (which contain no means to add a class) and Style Settings (which only affect the field wrapper, not each of the multiple items)
  • Reading about twenty related questions on here, none of which combine all the elements in my question (CSS class, views, multiple value field), I couldn’t find anything that actually works, and the only suggestions that sound like they might work were to use Display Suite, which is a great module but way too big an added overhead for something so minor as adding some classes to some links, or giving up, cheating and adding the class client-side in jQuery, or brute force with Views PHP. Most answers don’t apply to Multiple Values fields (even when the asker specified such). This suggestion based on hook_preprocess_field looks perfect, but it doesn’t get called from Views.
  • Hacking through the objects available in hook_preprocess_views_view_field() and hook_views_view_field__[view_name]__[view_style]__[field_name](). The former seems to treat multiple field items as a lump and not allow changes to each, the latter, when trying to do something like this, just wouldn’t change anything at all
  • Scouring Views and Drupal Core’s tpl.php files, and Views’ handler for links. No changes here seemed to make any difference.
  • Checking the Views issue queue. I found a feature request and non-committed patch, adding the ability to set a class like this – but it only applies to multiple field items that are set to be a list item, not seperator-separated items.
  • I’ve considered creating a custom Views field formatter, but that seems like a terrible solution given that I’d simply be duplicating the existing Link formatter then adding a class. I’ve looked for a way to hook in to an existing formatter but haven’t found one.
Sponsored by SupremePR
This article was republished from its original source.
Call Us: 1(800)730-2416

Pixeldust is a 20-year-old web development agency specializing in Drupal and WordPress and working with clients all over the country. With our best in class capabilities, we work with small businesses and fortune 500 companies alike. Give us a call at 1(800)730-2416 and let’s talk about your project.

FREE Drupal SEO Audit

Test your site below to see which issues need to be fixed. We will fix them and optimize your Drupal site 100% for Google and Bing. (Allow 30-60 seconds to gather data.)

Powered by

How to add a class to the &lt;a&gt; link elements within a Multiple Values field in a View?

On-Site Drupal SEO Master Setup

We make sure your site is 100% optimized (and stays that way) for the best SEO results.

With Pixeldust On-site (or On-page) SEO we make changes to your site’s structure and performance to make it easier for search engines to see and understand your site’s content. Search engines use algorithms to rank sites by degrees of relevance. Our on-site optimization ensures your site is configured to provide information in a way that meets Google and Bing standards for optimal indexing.

This service includes:

  • Pathauto install and configuration for SEO-friendly URLs.
  • Meta Tags install and configuration with dynamic tokens for meta titles and descriptions for all content types.
  • Install and fix all issues on the SEO checklist module.
  • Install and configure XML sitemap module and submit sitemaps.
  • Install and configure Google Analytics Module.
  • Install and configure Yoast.
  • Install and configure the Advanced Aggregation module to improve performance by minifying and merging CSS and JS.
  • Install and configure Schema.org Metatag.
  • Configure robots.txt.
  • Google Search Console setup snd configuration.
  • Find & Fix H1 tags.
  • Find and fix duplicate/missing meta descriptions.
  • Find and fix duplicate title tags.
  • Improve title, meta tags, and site descriptions.
  • Optimize images for better search engine optimization. Automate where possible.
  • Find and fix the missing alt and title tag for all images. Automate where possible.
  • The project takes 1 week to complete.