WP_insert_term how to insert multiple values as taxonomny term?

Question

I have this script (found online) to import the values of an input form field as a taxonomy term. I got it working, but now I'd like to import/save the values of multiple form fields. Now all it does is import the value of the field 'input_name' as a taxonomy term. But, lets say, I'd like to import the values of 'input_name2' and 'input_name3' as well. I should be able to do that with an array and a foreach right? I am just quite new to PHP so could someone help me out here? Below is the code (also notice the replace function to replace spaces with -). Thanks a lot!

//Custom field to custom taxonomy script
$parent_term2 = term_exists( 'the_tax' ); // array is returned if taxonomy is given
$parent_term_id2 = $parent_term2['term_id']; // get numeric term id
$plaats2 = $_POST['input_name'];
$plaatsn2 = ucwords(strtolower( $plaats2 ));
$plaatsn3 = array(" ");
$plaatsn4   = array("-");

$plaatsn5 = str_replace($plaatsn3, $plaatsn4, $plaatsn2);

$cid2 = wp_insert_term(
$plaatsn5, // the term 
  'the_tax', // the taxonomy
  array(
    'description'=> 'Tax term '.$plaatsn5.'!',
    'slug' => $plaatsn5, 
    'parent'=> $parent_term2['term_id']
  )
);

wp_set_object_terms( $listing_id, $plaatsn5, 'the_tax', false);

Answer 1

I would build the input fields for terms as array of inputs. Like this (note the [] inthe name attribute:

<input name="input_name[]" type="text" value="">
<input name="input_name[]" type="text" value="">
<input name="input_name[]" type="text" value="">

Then, in PHP:

//Now $_POST['input_name']; is an array
//get the array and sanitize it
$input_terms = array_map( 'sanitize_text_field', $_POST['input_name'] );
//Set the array of terms for later use on wp_set_object_terms
$terms = array();
foreach( $input_terms as $term ) {

    $existent_term = term_exists( $term, 'the_tax' );

    if( $existent_term && isset($existent_term['term_id']) ) {

        $term_id = $existent_term['term_id'];

    } else {

        //intert the term if it doesn't exsit
        $term = wp_insert_term(
            $term, // the term 
            'the_tax' // the taxonomy
        );
        if( !is_wp_error($term ) && isset($term['term_id']) ) {
             $term_id = $term['term_id'];
        } 

   }

   //Fill the array of terms for later use on wp_set_object_terms
   $terms[] = (int) $term_id;

}

//I assume that $listing_id is correct, you didn't shou it in your code
wp_set_object_terms( $listing_id, $terms, 'the_tax' );

UPDATE

I think is not very good approach, but as you asked about it:

<input name="input_name1" type="text" value="">
<input name="input_name2" type="text" value="">
<input name="input_name3" type="text" value="">

Then, in PHP:

//Populate an array with the input fields
$input_terms = array();
$input_terms[] = sanitize_text_field( $_POST['input_name1'] );
$input_terms[] = sanitize_text_field( $_POST['input_name2'] );
$input_terms[] = sanitize_text_field( $_POST['input_name3'] );

//Set the array of terms for later use on wp_set_object_terms
$terms = array();
foreach( $input_terms as $term ) {

    $existent_term = term_exists( $term, 'the_tax' );

    if( $existent_term && isset($existent_term['term_id']) ) {

        $term_id = $existent_term['term_id'];

    } else {

        //intert the term if it doesn't exsit
        $term = wp_insert_term(
            $term, // the term 
            'the_tax' // the taxonomy
        );
        if( !is_wp_error($term ) && isset($term['term_id']) ) {
             $term_id = $term['term_id'];
        } 

   }

   //Fill the array of terms for later use on wp_set_object_terms
   $terms[] = (int) $term_id;

}

//I assume that $listing_id is correct, you didn't shou it in your code
wp_set_object_terms( $listing_id, $terms, 'the_tax' );

NOTE: You don't need the str_replace function to replace white spaces for "-". wp_insert_term generates the slug from the term name.

Answer 2

You can do it with foreach loop.. for example please checkbelow example

private function set_post_terms( $post, $value, $taxonomy ) {

/* First check to see if there are multiple terms and,
 * if so, then loop through the values and update each
 * term. 
 */
if ( $this->has_multiple_terms( $value ) ) {
    $this->set_multiple_terms( $post, $value, $taxonomy );
} else {

    $term = term_exists( strtolower( $value ), $taxonomy );

    // If the taxonomy doesn't exist, then we create it
    if ( 0 === $term || null === $term ) {

        $term = wp_insert_term(
            $value,
            $taxonomy,
            array(
                'slug' => strtolower( str_ireplace( ' ', '-', $value ) )
            )
        );

    }

}

    // Then we can set the taxonomy
    wp_set_post_terms( $post['ID'], $term, $taxonomy, true );

}