ACF programmatically add repeater - wordpress

Question

I'm using Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) and trying to add a repeater programmatically to an existing group (group_5621b0871e1b1), but it doesn't work. The same code works for a text field but not for the repeater.
In my plugin:
add_action( 'acf/init', 'acf_add_field_royalties' );
function acf_add_field_royalties() {
if ( function_exists( 'acf_add_local_field_group' ) ) {
acf_add_local_field( array (
'key' => 'field_store_royalties',
'label' => 'Royalties',
'name' => 'store_royalties1',
'type' => 'repeater',
'parent' => 'group_5621b0871e1b1',
'instructions' => '',
'required' => 0,
'conditional_logic' => 0,
'wrapper' => array (
'width' => '',
'class' => '',
'id' => '',
),
'collapsed' => '',
'min' => '',
'max' => '',
'layout' => 'table',
'button_label' => 'Add new royalty period',
'sub_fields' => array (
array (
'key' => 'field_start_date',
'label' => 'Start Date',
'name' => 'start_date1',
'type' => 'date_picker',
'instructions' => '',
'required' => 1,
'display_format' => 'F j, Y',
'return_format' => 'd/m/Y',
'first_day' => 1,
),
array (
'key' => 'field_end_date',
'label' => 'End date',
'name' => 'end_date1',
'type' => 'date_picker',
'instructions' => '',
'display_format' => 'F j, Y',
'return_format' => 'd/m/Y',
'first_day' => 1,
),
array (
'key' => 'field_royalty_rate',
'label' => 'Royalty Rate',
'name' => 'royalty_rate1',
'type' => 'number',
'instructions' => '',
'required' => 1,
'wrapper' => array (
'width' => '',
'class' => '',
'id' => '',
),
'default_value' => 0,
'placeholder' => '',
'prepend' => '',
'append' => '%',
'min' => 0,
'max' => 100,
'step' => 1,
'readonly' => 0,
'disabled' => 0,
)
)
));
}
}
It shows this error in the group_5621b0871e1b1 group:
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/share/nginx/html/wordpress4/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/pro/fields/repeater.php on line 255
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /usr/share/nginx/html/wordpress4/wp-content/plugins/advanced-custom-fields-pro/pro/fields/repeater.php on line 320
Am I doing something wrong?
Is it possible to add a repeater programmatically.

Answer 1

Since the repeater field was added using acf_add_local_field, each subfield needs to be added with acf_add_local_field as well.
Delete all of the subfields, including the 'subfields' => array
line, from the repeater field.
Add each subfield in a new acf_add_local_field
When adding subfields, Make sure to add 'parent' => 'repeater_field_key' to the subfields.
Your code would now look like:
add_action( 'acf/init', 'acf_add_field_royalties' );
function acf_add_field_royalties() {
if ( function_exists( 'acf_add_local_field_group' ) ) {
/**
* Initial Repeater Field
*
*/
acf_add_local_field( array (
'key' => 'field_store_royalties',
'label' => 'Royalties',
'name' => 'store_royalties1',
'type' => 'repeater',
'parent' => 'group_5621b0871e1b1',
'instructions' => '',
'required' => 0,
'conditional_logic' => 0,
'wrapper' => array (
'width' => '',
'class' => '',
'id' => '',
),
'collapsed' => '',
'min' => '',
'max' => '',
'layout' => 'table',
'button_label' => 'Add new royalty period'
));
/**
* Add Start Date Subfield
*
*/
acf_add_local_field( array (
'key' => 'field_start_date',
'label' => 'Start Date',
'name' => 'start_date1',
'parent' => 'field_store_royalties', // key of parent repeater
'type' => 'date_picker',
'instructions' => '',
'required' => 1,
'display_format' => 'F j, Y',
'return_format' => 'd/m/Y',
'first_day' => 1,
));
/**
* Add End Date Subfield
*
*/
acf_add_local_field( array (
'key' => 'field_end_date',
'label' => 'End date',
'name' => 'end_date1',
'parent' => 'field_store_royalties', // key of parent repeater
'type' => 'date_picker',
'instructions' => '',
'display_format' => 'F j, Y',
'return_format' => 'd/m/Y',
'first_day' => 1,
));
/**
* Add Royalty Rate Subfield
*
*/
acf_add_local_field( array (
'key' => 'field_royalty_rate',
'label' => 'Royalty Rate',
'name' => 'royalty_rate1',
'parent' => 'field_store_royalties', // key of parent repeater
'type' => 'number',
'instructions' => '',
'required' => 1,
'wrapper' => array (
'width' => '',
'class' => '',
'id' => '',
),
'default_value' => 0,
'placeholder' => '',
'prepend' => '',
'append' => '%',
'min' => 0,
'max' => 100,
'step' => 1,
'readonly' => 0,
'disabled' => 0,
));
}
}