Multiple Custom Meta Boxes & Fields

  • I have a Custom Post Type that has multiple Custom Meta Boxes, each with multiple Custom Fields. The code is a bit overwhelming and I wondering if there might be a better way to go about doing this.

    // Add the DATE OF BIRTH and DEATH DATE Meta Box
function add_bldob_meta_box() {
    add_meta_box(
        'bldob_meta_box', // $id
        'Date of Birth and Death', // $title
        'show_bldob_meta_box', // $callback
        'obituaries', // $page
        'normal', // $context
        'default'); // $priority
}
add_action('add_meta_boxes', 'add_bldob_meta_box');

// Field Array
$prefix = 'bldob_';
$bldob_meta_fields = array(
	array(
    	'label' => 'Date of Birth',
    	'desc'  => '',
    	'id'    => $prefix.'bdate',
    	'type'  => 'date'
	),
	array(
    	'label' => 'Date of Death',
    	'desc'  => '',
    	'id'    => $prefix.'ddate',
    	'type'  => 'date'
	)
);

function show_bldob_meta_box() {
global $bldob_meta_fields, $post;

// Use nonce for verification
echo '<input type="hidden" name="bldob_meta_box_nonce" value="'.wp_create_nonce(basename(__FILE__)).'" />';

    // Begin the field table and loop
    echo '<table class="form-table">';
    foreach ($bldob_meta_fields as $field) {
        // get value of this field if it exists for this post
        $meta = get_post_meta($post->ID, $field['id'], true);
        // begin a table row with
        echo '<tr>
                <th><label for="'.$field['id'].'">'.$field['label'].'</label></th>
                <td>';
                switch($field['type']) {
                    // case items will go here

					// Date of Birth
					case 'date':
						echo '<input type="text" class="datepicker" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
							<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;
					// Date od Death
					case 'date':
						echo '<input type="text" class="datepicker" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
							<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

                } //end switch
        echo '</td></tr>';
    } // end foreach
    echo '</table>'; // end table
}

// Save the Data
function save_bldob_meta($post_id) {
    global $bldob_meta_fields;

    // verify nonce
    if (!wp_verify_nonce($_POST['bldob_meta_box_nonce'], basename(__FILE__)))
        return $post_id;
    // check autosave
    if (defined('DOING_AUTOSAVE') && DOING_AUTOSAVE)
        return $post_id;
    // check permissions
    if ('page' == $_POST['post_type']) {
        if (!current_user_can('edit_page', $post_id))
            return $post_id;
        } elseif (!current_user_can('edit_post', $post_id)) {
            return $post_id;
    }

    // loop through fields and save the data
    foreach ($bldob_meta_fields as $field) {
        $old = get_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], true);
        $new = $_POST[$field['id']];
        if ($new && $new != $old) {
            update_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], $new);
        } elseif ('' == $new && $old) {
            delete_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], $old);
        }
    } // end foreach
}
add_action('save_post', 'save_bldob_meta');

// Add the VISITATION Meta Box
function add_blvis_meta_box() {
    add_meta_box(
        'blvis_meta_box', // $id
        'Visitation Information', // $title
        'show_blvis_meta_box', // $callback
        'obituaries', // $page
        'normal', // $context
        'default'); // $priority
}
add_action('add_meta_boxes', 'add_blvis_meta_box');

// Field Array
$prefix = 'blvis_';
$blvis_meta_fields = array(
	array(
    	'label' => 'Date',
    	'desc'  => '',
    	'id'    => $prefix.'date',
    	'type'  => 'date'
	),

	array(
        'label'=> 'Time',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'time',
        'type'  => 'text'
    ),

	array(
        'label'=> 'Location Name',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'text',
        'type'  => 'text'
    ),

    array(
        'label'=> 'Location Address',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'address',
        'type'  => 'textarea'
    ),

    array(
        'label'=> 'Details',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'textarea',
        'type'  => 'textarea'
    )
);

function show_blvis_meta_box() {
global $blvis_meta_fields, $post;

// Use nonce for verification
echo '<input type="hidden" name="blvis_meta_box_nonce" value="'.wp_create_nonce(basename(__FILE__)).'" />';

    // Begin the field table and loop
    echo '<table class="form-table">';
    foreach ($blvis_meta_fields as $field) {
        // get value of this field if it exists for this post
        $meta = get_post_meta($post->ID, $field['id'], true);
        // begin a table row with
        echo '<tr>
                <th><label for="'.$field['id'].'">'.$field['label'].'</label></th>
                <td>';
                switch($field['type']) {
                    // case items will go here

					// Date
					case 'date':
						echo '<input type="text" class="datepicker" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
							<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// Time
            		case "time":
    					echo '<input type="text" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// location name
					case 'text':
    					echo '<input type="text" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// address
					case 'address':
    					echo '<textarea name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" cols="60" rows="4">'.$meta.'</textarea>
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// details
					case 'textarea':
    					echo '<textarea name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" cols="60" rows="4">'.$meta.'</textarea>
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

                } //end switch
        echo '</td></tr>';
    } // end foreach
    echo '</table>'; // end table
}

// Save the Data
function save_blvis_meta($post_id) {
    global $blvis_meta_fields;

    // verify nonce
    if (!wp_verify_nonce($_POST['blvis_meta_box_nonce'], basename(__FILE__)))
        return $post_id;
    // check autosave
    if (defined('DOING_AUTOSAVE') && DOING_AUTOSAVE)
        return $post_id;
    // check permissions
    if ('page' == $_POST['post_type']) {
        if (!current_user_can('edit_page', $post_id))
            return $post_id;
        } elseif (!current_user_can('edit_post', $post_id)) {
            return $post_id;
    }

    // loop through fields and save the data
    foreach ($blvis_meta_fields as $field) {
        $old = get_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], true);
        $new = $_POST[$field['id']];
        if ($new && $new != $old) {
            update_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], $new);
        } elseif ('' == $new && $old) {
            delete_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], $old);
        }
    } // end foreach
}
add_action('save_post', 'save_blvis_meta');

// Add the SERVICE Meta Box
function add_blser_meta_box() {
    add_meta_box(
        'blser_meta_box', // $id
        'Service Information', // $title
        'show_blser_meta_box', // $callback
        'obituaries', // $page
        'normal', // $context
        'default'); // $priority
}
add_action('add_meta_boxes', 'add_blser_meta_box');

// Field Array
$prefix = 'blser_';
$blser_meta_fields = array(
	array(
    	'label' => 'Date',
    	'desc'  => '',
    	'id'    => $prefix.'date',
		'key' => 'servicedate',
    	'type'  => 'date'
	),

	array(
        'label'=> 'Time',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'time',
        'type'  => 'text'
    ),

	array(
        'label'=> 'Location Name',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'text',
        'type'  => 'text'
    ),

    array(
        'label'=> 'Location Address',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'address',
        'type'  => 'textarea'
    ),

    array(
        'label'=> 'Details',
        'desc'  => '',
        'id'    => $prefix.'textarea',
        'type'  => 'textarea'
    )
);

function show_blser_meta_box() {
global $blser_meta_fields, $post;

// Use nonce for verification
echo '<input type="hidden" name="blser_meta_box_nonce" value="'.wp_create_nonce(basename(__FILE__)).'" />';

    // Begin the field table and loop
    echo '<table class="form-table">';
    foreach ($blser_meta_fields as $field) {
        // get value of this field if it exists for this post
        $meta = get_post_meta($post->ID, $field['id'], true);
        // begin a table row with
        echo '<tr>
                <th><label for="'.$field['id'].'">'.$field['label'].'</label></th>
                <td>';
                switch($field['type']) {
                    // case items will go here

					// Date
					case 'date':
						echo '<input type="text" class="datepicker" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
							<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// Time
            		case "time":
    					echo '<input type="text" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// location name
					case 'text':
    					echo '<input type="text" name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" value="'.$meta.'" size="30" />
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// address
					case 'address':
    					echo '<textarea name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" cols="60" rows="4">'.$meta.'</textarea>
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

					// details
					case 'textarea':
    					echo '<textarea name="'.$field['id'].'" id="'.$field['id'].'" cols="60" rows="4">'.$meta.'</textarea>
        					<br /><span class="description">'.$field['desc'].'</span>';
					break;

                } //end switch
        echo '</td></tr>';
    } // end foreach
    echo '</table>'; // end table
}

// Save the Data
function save_blser_meta($post_id) {
    global $blser_meta_fields;

    // verify nonce
    if (!wp_verify_nonce($_POST['blser_meta_box_nonce'], basename(__FILE__)))
        return $post_id;
    // check autosave
    if (defined('DOING_AUTOSAVE') && DOING_AUTOSAVE)
        return $post_id;
    // check permissions
    if ('page' == $_POST['post_type']) {
        if (!current_user_can('edit_page', $post_id))
            return $post_id;
        } elseif (!current_user_can('edit_post', $post_id)) {
            return $post_id;
    }

    // loop through fields and save the data
    foreach ($blser_meta_fields as $field) {
        $old = get_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], true);
        $new = $_POST[$field['id']];
        if ($new && $new != $old) {
            update_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], $new);
        } elseif ('' == $new && $old) {
            delete_post_meta($post_id, $field['id'], $old);
        }
    } // end foreach
}
add_action('save_post', 'save_blser_meta');

    Here is a link to the site

    I want to make sure I am doing things the best efficient way. The site currently works great for the client but I really want to be able to showcase it as an awesome custom WordPress solution (like in the WP community & with other developers).
    Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • Moderator bcworkz

    (@bcworkz)

    You’ve already done the important thing, structure the fields and use loops to manage the structure. Large amounts of disparate data often require a lot of code to deal with it, it’s just the way it is.

    If all the meta boxes always appear together, you could combine everything into one meta box that uses tabs to keep the various groups organized. It’s just as organized as separate boxes, but takes up less screen space. It should reduce you code volume at least by the extra code for multiple boxes.

    Thread Starter tmw27529

    (@tmw27529)

    Thanks bcworkz for the input! I really appreciate it!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
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