Custom Post Status Transition Issues With Get Post Meta

Question

I am trying to figure out to fire a hook for a custom post type called "bananas" when a new bananas post is published.

Requirements:

• Can't use $_POST
• Need to be able to get post statuses so I can prevent code from running again later and check if its already published
• Need to be able to get_post_meta

The action hook is working perfectly. The only issue is that NEW post can't seem to get_post_meta. If you go from pending to publish or vice versa getting the meta works. But getting the meta on new post does not work and returns an empty result.

Heres an example of what I am trying to do.

class bananas {

    public function __construct() {
        add_action( 'transition_post_status', array( $this, 'email_bananas_published' ), 10, 3 );
    }


    public function email_bananas_published( $new_status, $old_status, $post ) {
        if ( $post->post_type === 'bananas' && $new_status !== $old_status ) {
            $email    = get_post_meta( $post->ID, '_bananas_email', true );
            error_log( $email );
        }
    }


}

I have been stuck on this for a while and any help is much appreciated.

Answer 1

The following worked for me. I hooked my meta saving and retrieving to the same action (post_transition_status), but with different priorities.

//Save Your Custom Meta Meta, but hook it to transition_post_status instead of save_post, with a priority of 1
function save_yourpost_meta(){
  global $post;
      if($post -> post_type == 'your_post_type') {
          update_post_meta($post->ID, "your_meta_key", $_POST["your_meta_key"]);
      }
  }
add_action('transition_post_status', 'save_yourpost_meta',1,1);


//Then retrieve your custom meta only when the post is saved for the first time, not on updates. Hooked to the same action, with a lower priority of 100

function get_meta_on_publish($new_status, $old_status, $post) {
if('publish' == $new_status && 'publish' !== $old_status && $post->post_type == 'your_post_type') {
  //Get your meta info
  global $post;
  $postID = $post->ID;
  $custom = get_post_custom($postID);
  //You have your custom now, have fun.

  }
}
add_action('transition_post_status', 'get_meta_on_publish',100,3);

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Have you checked wp_insert_post hook in the codex?

I believe this is what you are looking for. (untested)

class bananas {

    public function __construct() {
        add_action( 'wp_insert_post', array( $this, 'email_bananas_published' ), 10, 3 );
    }


    public function email_bananas_published( $post_id, $post, $update ) {

        // If this is a revision, don't send the email.
        if ( wp_is_post_revision( $post_id ) || $update )
            return;


        if ( $post->post_type === 'bananas' && $post->post_status === 'publish' ) {
            $email = get_post_meta( $post_id, '_bananas_email', true );
            error_log( $email );
        }
    }
}