Settings API updated messages won't show if custom admin page not hooked into add_options_page()

Question

Been playing around with the Settings API and found that messages (for success or errors) are only displayed when a settings page is hooked into WordPress menu via add_options_page(). Anything else will not work e.g. add_dashboard_page(). Would like to know if this is true? Sample code I tried with is the answer containing the "RegisteredSettingsTest" class at Where to hook register_settings for Settings API when also want to update options outside of Settings API?

Answer 1

Thanks Chip (excellent Settings API tutorial) and t31os (great snippet of code for quick testing) for both your suggestions.

I did some further digging and found that the default messages can indeed be displayed if I hook into any menu but only if the function settings_errors() is called.

For example, modifying t31os code as follows:

<div class="wrap">
  <?php screen_icon('index'); ?>
  <h2>Test</h2>
  <?php settings_errors(); ?>
  <form action="options.php" method="post">

Custom error messages can also be added by calling the add_settings_error() function for displaying success or failure message by specifying the $type parameter as either 'error' or 'updated'.

Answer 2

I use Settings API integration with my Theme,use add_theme_page(), and have no problem displaying admin notices.

I suspect that it is a problem with your code rather than a Settings API limitation.

Can you post your actual code, so we can help you resolve any code-related issues?

EDIT

You may need to output your admin notices explicitly. For example, here is what I use in my settings page markup function:

<?php if ( isset( $_GET['settings-updated'] ) ) {
    echo "<div class='updated'><p>Theme settings updated successfully.</p></div>";
} ?>

I assume you could do something similar for error notices, as well.