Add PageFieldValueInterface as an implementation option for objects supporting page field values. Basically a helper for certain object-based values like Pagefiles/Pageimages, and likely others.

wire/core/.phpstorm.meta.php

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ namespace PHPSTORM_META {
 		\wire('') => [
 			'' == '@',
 			'config' instanceof \ProcessWire\Config,
+			'cache' instanceof \ProcessWire\WireCache,
 			'wire' instanceof \ProcessWire\ProcessWire,
 			'log' instanceof \ProcessWire\WireLog,
 			'notices' instanceof \ProcessWire\Notices,
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ namespace PHPSTORM_META {
 			// this one does not appear to work, leaving in case someone knows how to make it work
 			'' == '@',
 			'config' instanceof \ProcessWire\Config,
+			'cache' instanceof \ProcessWire\WireCache,
 			'wire' instanceof \ProcessWire\ProcessWire,
 			'log' instanceof \ProcessWire\WireLog,
 			'notices' instanceof \ProcessWire\Notices,

wire/core/Interfaces.php

@@ -455,6 +455,56 @@ interface FieldtypeLanguageInterface {
 	 */
 }
 
+/**
+ * Interface for objects that carry a Field value for a Page
+ * 
+ * Optional, but enables Page to do some of the work rather than the Fieldtype
+ *
+ */
+interface PageFieldValueInterface {
+	
+	/**
+	 * Get or set formatted state
+	 * 
+	 * @param bool|null $set Specify bool to set formatted state or omit to retrieve formatted state
+	 * @return bool
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function formatted($set = null);
+
+	/**
+	 * Set the Page
+	 * 
+	 * @param Page $page
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function setPage(Page $page);
+
+	/**
+	 * Set the Field
+	 * 
+	 * @param Field $field
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function setField(Field $field);
+
+	/**
+	 * Get the page or null if not set
+	 * 
+	 * @return Page|null
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function getPage();
+
+	/**
+	 * Get the field or null if not set
+	 * 
+	 * @return Field|null
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function getField();
+}
+
 /**
  * Interface for tracking runtime events
  *

wire/core/Page.php

@@ -630,8 +630,7 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 			$value2 = clone $value; 
 			$this->set($name, $value2); // commit cloned value
 			// if value is Pagefiles, then tell it the new page
-			if($value2 instanceof Pagefiles) $value2->setPage($this); 
-
+			if($value2 instanceof PageFieldValueInterface) $value2->setPage($this);
 		}
 		$this->instanceID .= ".clone";
 		if($track) $this->setTrackChanges(true); 
@@ -656,7 +655,7 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 	 *
 	 * @param string $key Name of property to set
 	 * @param mixed $value Value to set
-	 * @return Page Reference to this Page
+	 * @return Page|WireData Reference to this Page
 	 * @see __set
 	 * @throws WireException
 	 *
@@ -783,9 +782,9 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 	 * 
 	 * #pw-internal
 	 * 
-	 * @param string $key
-	 * @param mixed $value
-	 * @return $this
+	 * @param string $key Name of field/property to set
+	 * @param mixed $value Value to set
+	 * @return Page|WireData Returns reference to this page
 	 * 
 	 */
 	public function setForced($key, $value) {
@@ -804,7 +803,7 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 	 * @param string $key
 	 * @param mixed $value
 	 * @param bool $load Should the existing value be loaded for change comparisons? (applicable only to non-autoload fields)
-	 * @return $this
+	 * @return Page|WireData Returns reference to this Page
 	 * @throws WireException
 	 *
 	 */
@@ -855,15 +854,24 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 			// retrieve old value first in case it's not autojoined so that change comparisons and save's work 
 			if($load && $this->isLoaded) $this->get($key); 
 
-		} else if($this->outputFormatting && $field->type->formatValue($this, $field, $value) != $value) { 
-			// The field has been loaded or dereferenced from the API, and this field changes when formatters are applied to it. 
-			// There is a good chance they are trying to set a formatted value, and we don't allow this situation because the 
-			// possibility of data corruption is high. We set the Page::statusCorrupted status so that Pages::save() can abort.
-			$this->set('status', $this->status | self::statusCorrupted); 
-			$corruptedFields = $this->get('_statusCorruptedFields');
-			if(!is_array($corruptedFields)) $corruptedFields = array();
-			$corruptedFields[$field->name] = $field->name;
-			$this->set('_statusCorruptedFields', $corruptedFields); 
+		} else {
+			// check if the field is corrupted
+			$isCorrupted = false;
+			if(is_object($value) && $value instanceof PageFieldValueInterface) {
+				if($value->formatted()) $isCorrupted = true;
+			} else if($this->outputFormatting && $field->type->formatValue($this, $field, $value) != $value) {
+				$isCorrupted = true;
+			}
+			if($isCorrupted) {
+				// The field has been loaded or dereferenced from the API, and this field changes when formatters are applied to it. 
+				// There is a good chance they are trying to set a formatted value, and we don't allow this situation because the 
+				// possibility of data corruption is high. We set the Page::statusCorrupted status so that Pages::save() can abort.
+				$this->set('status', $this->status | self::statusCorrupted);
+				$corruptedFields = $this->get('_statusCorruptedFields');
+				if(!is_array($corruptedFields)) $corruptedFields = array();
+				$corruptedFields[$field->name] = $field->name;
+				$this->set('_statusCorruptedFields', $corruptedFields);
+			}
 		}
 
 		// isLoaded so sanitizeValue can determine if it can perform a typecast rather than a full sanitization (when helpful)
@@ -1223,13 +1231,13 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 				// note: we do not store this blank value in the Page, so that
 				// the real value can potentially be loaded later without output formatting
 				$value = $field->type->getBlankValue($this, $field); 
-				return $field->type->formatValue($this, $field, $value);
+				return $this->formatFieldValue($field, $value);
 			}
 		}
 
 		if(!is_null($value) && empty($selector)) {
 			// if the non-filtered value is already loaded, return it 
-			return $this->outputFormatting ? $field->type->formatValue($this, $field, $value) : $value;
+			return $this->formatFieldValue($field, $value);
 		}
 		
 		$track = $this->trackChanges();
@@ -1261,8 +1269,40 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 		if(is_object($value) && $value instanceof Wire) $value->resetTrackChanges(true);
 		if($track) $this->setTrackChanges(true); 
 	
+		return $this->formatFieldValue($field, $value);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Return a value consistent with the page’s output formatting state
+	 * 
+	 * This is primarily for use as a helper to the getFieldValue() method. 
+	 * 
+	 * @param Field $field
+	 * @param mixed $value
+	 * @return mixed
+	 * 
+	 */
+	protected function formatFieldValue(Field $field, $value) {
+	
+		$hasInterface = is_object($value) && $value instanceof PageFieldValueInterface;
 		
-		return $this->outputFormatting ? $field->type->formatValue($this, $field, $value) : $value; 
+		if($hasInterface) {
+			$value->setPage($this);
+			$value->setField($field);
+		}
+
+		if($this->outputFormatting) {
+			// output formatting is enabled so return a formatted value
+			$value = $field->type->formatValue($this, $field, $value);
+			if($hasInterface) $value->formatted(true);
+			
+		} else if($hasInterface && $value->formatted()) {
+			// unformatted requested, and value is already formatted so load a fresh copy
+			$this->__unset($field->name);
+			$value = $this->getFieldValue($field->name);
+		}
+		
+		return $value;
 	}
 	
 	/**
@@ -2570,6 +2610,7 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 	 * 
 	 * @return string Returns page URL, for example: `/my-site/about/contact/`
 	 * @see Page::path(), Page::httpUrl(), Page::editUrl(), Page::localUrl()
+	 * @todo add $options support
 	 *
 	 */
 	public function url() {
@@ -3099,7 +3140,7 @@ class Page extends WireData implements \Countable, WireMatchable {
 	 *  - `true` (boolean): To return an array of status names (indexed by status number).
 	 *  - `integer|string|array`: Status number(s) or status name(s) to set the current page status (same as $page->status = $value)
 	 * @param int|null $status If you specified `true` for first argument, optionally specify status value you want to use (if not the current).
-	 * @return int|array|$this If setting status, `$this` is returned. If getting status: current status or array of status names is returned.
+	 * @return int|array|Page If setting status, `$this` is returned. If getting status: current status or array of status names is returned.
 	 * @see Page::addStauts(), Page::removeStatus(), Page::hasStatus()
 	 * 
 	 */

wire/core/Pagefile.php

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
  * @property-read string $name Returns the filename without the path, same as the "basename" property.
  * @property-read string $hash Get a unique hash (for the page) representing this Pagefile.
  * @property-read string $tagsArray Get file tags as an array. #pw-group-tags @since 3.0.17
- * @property-read int $sort Sort order in database. #pw-group-other
+ * @property int $sort Sort order in database. #pw-group-other
  * @property string $basename Returns the filename without the path.
  * @property string $description Value of the file’s description field (string), if enabled. Note you can also set this property directly.
  * @property string $tags Value of the file’s tags field (string), if enabled. #pw-group-tags
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ class Pagefile extends WireData {
 	 *
 	 * @param string $key
 	 * @param mixed $value
-	 * @return $this
+	 * @return Pagefile|WireData
 	 *
 	 */
 	public function set($key, $value) {

wire/core/Pagefiles.php

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
  *
  */
 
-class Pagefiles extends WireArray {
+class Pagefiles extends WireArray implements PageFieldValueInterface {
 
 	/**
 	 * The Page object associated with these Pagefiles
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ class Pagefiles extends WireArray {
 	 *
 	 */
 	protected $hookIDs = array();
+
+	/**
+	 * Whether or not this is a formatted value
+	 * 
+	 * @var bool
+	 * 
+	 */
+	protected $formatted = false;
 	
 	/**
 	 * Construct a Pagefiles object
@@ -161,7 +169,7 @@ class Pagefiles extends WireArray {
 	 * 
 	 * #pw-internal
 	 *
-	 * @return WireArray
+	 * @return Pagefiles|WireArray
 	 * 
 	 */
 	public function makeNew() {
@@ -310,10 +318,13 @@ class Pagefiles extends WireArray {
 	public function add($item) {
 
 		if(is_string($item)) {
+			/** @var Pagefile $item */
 			$item = $this->wire(new Pagefile($this, $item)); 
 		}
 
-		return parent::add($item); 
+		/** @var Pagefiles $result */
+		$result = parent::add($item); 
+		return $result;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -522,10 +533,11 @@ class Pagefiles extends WireArray {
 	 * @return $this
 	 * 
 	 */
-
 	public function trackChange($what, $old = null, $new = null) {
 		if($this->field && $this->page) $this->page->trackChange($this->field->name); 
-		return parent::trackChange($what, $old, $new); 
+		/** @var Pagefiles $result */
+		$result = parent::trackChange($what, $old, $new); 
+		return $result;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -677,13 +689,14 @@ class Pagefiles extends WireArray {
 	 * @return $this
 	 * 
 	 */
-	
 	public function resetTrackChanges($trackChanges = true) {
 		$this->unlinkQueue = array();
 		if($this->page && $this->page->id && $this->field) {
 			$this->page->untrackChange($this->field->name);	
 		}
-		return parent::resetTrackChanges($trackChanges);
+		/** @var Pagefiles $result */
+		$result = parent::resetTrackChanges($trackChanges);
+		return $result;
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -696,6 +709,17 @@ class Pagefiles extends WireArray {
 		//$this->page = null;		
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Get or set formatted state
+	 * 
+	 * @param bool|null $set
+	 * @return bool
+	 * 
+	 */
+	public function formatted($set = null) {
+		if(is_bool($set)) $this->formatted = $set;
+		return $this->formatted;
+	}
 
 
 }

wire/core/Pages.php

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
  * ================
  * @method PageArray find() find($selectorString, array $options = array()) Find and return all pages matching the given selector string. Returns a PageArray. #pw-group-retrieval
  * @method bool save() save(Page $page) Save any changes made to the given $page. Same as : $page->save() Returns true on success. #pw-group-manipulation
- * @method bool saveField() saveField(Page $page, $field) Save just the named field from $page. Same as: $page->save('field') #pw-group-manipulation
+ * @method bool saveField() saveField(Page $page, $field, array $options = array()) Save just the named field from $page. Same as: $page->save('field') #pw-group-manipulation
  * @method bool trash() trash(Page $page, $save = true) Move a page to the trash. If you have already set the parent to somewhere in the trash, then this method won't attempt to set it again. #pw-group-manipulation
  * @method bool restore(Page $page, $save = true) Restore a trashed page to its original location. #pw-group-manipulation
  * @method int emptyTrash() Empty the trash and return number of pages deleted. #pw-group-manipulation
@@ -843,10 +843,11 @@ class Pages extends Wire {
 	 * #pw-internal
 	 *
 	 * @param Page $page
+	 * @return void
 	 *
 	 */
 	public function cache(Page $page) {
-		return $this->cacher->cache($page);
+		$this->cacher->cache($page);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -1141,7 +1142,7 @@ class Pages extends Wire {
 	 *
 	 */
 	public function executeQuery(\PDOStatement $query, $throw = true, $maxTries = 3) {
-		$this->wire('database')->execute($query, $throw, $maxTries);
+		return $this->wire('database')->execute($query, $throw, $maxTries);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -1152,7 +1153,7 @@ class Pages extends Wire {
 	 * When given an array, it calls $pages->getById($key);
 	 * 
 	 * @param string|int|array $key
-	 * @return Page|PageArray
+	 * @return Page|Pages|PageArray
 	 *
 	 */
 	public function __invoke($key) {
@@ -1262,7 +1263,9 @@ class Pages extends Wire {
 		$str = "Saved page";
 		if(count($changes)) $str .= " (Changes: " . implode(', ', $changes) . ")";
 		$this->log($str, $page);
-		$this->wire('cache')->maintenance($page);
+		/** @var WireCache $cache */
+		$cache = $this->wire('cache');
+		$cache->maintenance($page);
 		if($page->className() != 'Page') {
 			$manager = $page->getPagesManager();
 			if($manager instanceof PagesType) $manager->saved($page, $changes, $values);
@@ -1395,7 +1398,9 @@ class Pages extends Wire {
 	 */
 	public function ___deleted(Page $page) { 
 		$this->log("Deleted page", $page); 
-		$this->wire('cache')->maintenance($page);
+		/** @var WireCache $cache */
+		$cache = $this->wire('cache');
+		$cache->maintenance($page);
 		if($page->className() != 'Page') {
 			$manager = $page->getPagesManager();
 			if($manager instanceof PagesType) $manager->deleted($page);

wire/core/PagesLoaderCache.php

@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class PagesLoaderCache extends Wire {
 	 * Cache the given page.
 	 *
 	 * @param Page $page
+	 * @return void
 	 *
 	 */
 	public function cache(Page $page) {