Shopify API from PHP: problem with linked metafields in a productCreate call

I'm trying to create a productCreate mutation which specifies the available colours for the product, but I'm getting the error 'The 'shopify.color-pattern' metafield has no values and none were passed in for this linked option'.

I'm passing in variables as follows (closing brackets elided) which are then json-encoded.

[variables] => stdClass Object
(
[product] => stdClass Object
(
[title] => Herring Sittaford Chelsea boots
[productOptions] => Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[name] => Color
[position] => 1
[linkedMetafield] => stdClass Object
(
[key] => color-pattern
[namespace] => shopify
)

[values] => Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[linkedMetafieldValue] => gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330016585
[name] => Caramel Suede
)

[1] => stdClass Object
(
[linkedMetafieldValue] => gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330049353
[name] => Honey Suede
)

[2] => stdClass Object
(
[linkedMetafieldValue] => gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330114889
[name] => Ocean Suede
)

[3] => stdClass Object
(
[linkedMetafieldValue] => gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330606409
[name] => Olive Suede
)

[4] => stdClass Object
(
[linkedMetafieldValue] => gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330639177
[name] => Sand Suede
)

[5] => stdClass Object
(
[linkedMetafieldValue] => gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330671945
[name] => Wheat Nubuck
)

The shopify dox are not helpful on this. I've tried various tweaks on this and nothing helps. Pass in values as an array on the linkedMetafieldobject and I get 'Cannot specify 'values' for an option linked to a metafield'.

This works if I don't use linked metafields, but I want this to be nailed down to the defined colours we've set up programmatically, I don't want duplicates.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

G

first of all this has nothing to do with php

you are just using the wrong mutation for your scope

as you can read in the official documentation:

https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productcreate

The productCreate mutation only supports creating a product with its initial product variant.

your best bet is replace productCreate with productSet

this are two good starting point:

https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/graphql/migrate/new-product-model/metafield-linked

https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/mutations/productset

    mutation productSet {
      productSet(synchronous: true, input: {
        title: "Herring Sittaford Chelsea boots"
        productOptions: [
          {
            name: "Color",
            linkedMetafield: {
              namespace: "shopify",
              key: "color-pattern",
            }
          }
        ],
        variants: [
          {
            position: 0
            optionValues: [
              { optionName: "Color", linkedMetafieldValue: "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330016585" }
            ]
          },
          {
            position: 1
            optionValues: [
              { optionName: "Color", linkedMetafieldValue: "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330049353" }
            ]
          },
          {
            position: 2
            optionValues: [
              { optionName: "Color", linkedMetafieldValue: "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330114889" }
            ]
          },
          {
            position: 3
            optionValues: [
              { optionName: "Color", linkedMetafieldValue: "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330606409" }
            ]
          }
          ,
          {
            position: 4
            optionValues: [
              { optionName: "Color", linkedMetafieldValue: "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330639177" }
            ]
          },
          {
            position: 5
            optionValues: [
              { optionName: "Color", linkedMetafieldValue: "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330671945" }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }) {
        userErrors { message }
        product {
          id
        }
      }
    }

or if you want stick on productCreate you could create a product with the first default variant in this way:

    mutation productCreate {
      productCreate(input: {
        title: "Herring Sittaford Chelsea boots",
        productOptions: [
          { 
            name: "Color",
            linkedMetafield: {
              namespace: "shopify",
              key: "color-pattern",
              values: [
                "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330016585",
                "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330049353",
                "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330114889",
                "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330606409",
                "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330639177",
                "gid://shopify/Metaobject/169330671945"
              ]
            }
          }
        ]
      }), {
        userErrors { message }
        product {
          id
          metafields(first: 10) {
            nodes {
              namespace
              key
              value
            }
          }
          options {
            name
            optionValues {
              name
              linkedMetafieldValue
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }