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There are some values in Post Meta Data stored as a multi dimensional array. I want to update some of their data.

Here is the Post Meta value displayed using <?php the_meta(); ?>

voter: a:1:{s:5:"voter";a:5:
     {s:7:"post_id";s:6:"219585";s:8:"voter_id";s:4:"1540";s:8:"voter_ip";s:13:"182.4
     8.238.86";s:9:"author_id";s:4:"1540";s:4:"vote";s:1:"1";}}, 

     a:1:{s:5:"voter";a:5:          
     {s:7:"post_id";s:6:"219585";s:8:"voter_id";s:3:"832";s:8:"voter_ip";s:13:"182.48
     .238.86";s:9:"author_id";s:4:"1540";s:4:"vote";s:2:"-1";}}, 

     a:1:{s:5:"voter";a:5:
     {s:7:"post_id";s:6:"219585";s:8:"voter_id";s:2:"10";s:8:"voter_ip";s:13:"182.48.
     238.86";s:9:"author_id";s:4:"1540";s:4:"vote";s:1:"1";}}

Now I want to update the vote or voter_ip where user_id is 832 or 1540. I tried using update_post_meta() but its updating everything.

So how to update the post meta of single value stored in multi dimension array?

Update:

array using the-meta()

voter: a:1:{s:5:"voter";a:5:{s:7:"post_id";s:6:"219585";s:8:"voter_id";s:3:"832";s:8:"voter_ip";s:13:"182.48.238.86";s:9:"author_id";s:4:"1540";s:4:"vote";s:1:"1";}}, 
 a:1:{s:5:"voter";a:5:{s:7:"post_id";s:6:"219585";s:8:"voter_id";s:4:"1540";s:8:"voter_ip";s:13:"182.48.238.86";s:9:"author_id";s:4:"1540";s:4:"vote";s:2:"-1";}}, , , 
a:1:{s:5:"voter";a:5:{s:7:"post_id";s:6:"219585";s:8:"voter_id";s:3:"832";s:8:"voter_ip";s:13:"182.48.238.86";s:9:"author_id";s:4:"1540";s:4:"vote";s:1:"1";}}, 
a:1:{s:5:"voter";a:5:{s:7:"post_id";s:6:"219585";s:8:"voter_id";s:4:"1540";s:8:"voter_ip";s:13:"182.48.238.86";s:9:"author_id";s:4:"1540";s:4:"vote";s:2:"-1";}}

array using print_r()

Array( [0] => Array ( [voter] => Array ( [post_id] => 219585 [voter_id] =>
832 [voter_ip] => 182.48.238.86 [author_id] => 1540 [vote] => 1 ) ) [1] =>
Array ( [voter] => Array ( [post_id] => 219585 [voter_id] => 1540 [voter_ip]
=> 182.48.238.86 [author_id] => 1540 [vote] => -1 ) ) [2] => [3] => [4] =>
Array ( [voter] => Array ( [post_id] => 219585 [voter_id] => 832 [voter_ip]
=> 182.48.238.86 [author_id] => 1540 [vote] => 1 ) ) [5] => Array ( [voter] 
=> Array ( [post_id] => 219585 [voter_id] => 1540 [voter_ip] => 
182.48.238.86 [author_id] => 1540 [vote] => -1 ) )) 

1 Answer 1

1

You may need to unserialize the data to get the array and loop through it thus:

$userid = 832; // or 1540
$votes = get_post_meta($postid,'voter');
$votes = maybe_unserialize($votes);

if (is_array($votes)) {
    // votes is the array, key is numeric index, vote is subarray
    foreach ($votes as $key => $vote) {
         // subarray values are in another array with key 'voter'
         if ($vote['voter']['voter_id'] == $userid) {
             $votes[$key]['voter']['vote'] = $newvote;
             $votes[$key]['voter']['voter_ip'] = $newvoterip;
         }                 
    }
    update_post_meta($postid,'voter',$voter);
}
5
  • its blowing my mind. Can you please explain this to me? actually it's not working. Commented Jul 24, 2016 at 13:53
  • it is a little hard to read serialized data you should just try print_r(unserialize(get_post_meta($postid,'voter'))); to see the array structure properly. I will try to update me answer I think is slightly off but that will be more help for both of us to see.
    – majick
    Commented Jul 24, 2016 at 14:35
  • in serial, a: means array and s: means string, the rest is trying to read the array stucture from that, just much easier to read when the array is printed with print_r
    – majick
    Commented Jul 24, 2016 at 14:40
  • just updated the question. is it ok? Commented Jul 24, 2016 at 15:21
  • yes that matches what I have for my updated code, I am confused about your usage of the_meta though versus get_post_meta is your intention getting meta from a single post or are you getting it for all posts.
    – majick
    Commented Jul 25, 2016 at 3:53

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