Modifying the main editor priority

Question

I want the main WordPress post editor to appear below some of my meta boxes (generated by Advanced Custom Fields).

I know there are the add_meta_box() and remove_meta_box() functions, however it'd be really awesome if I could just modify the editor meta box priority without having to remove and add it again.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

The editor is hard-coded into the form. It isn't inserted by add_meta_box.

There is a hook called edit_form_after_title which you should be able to use though.

Proof of concept:

// use the action to create a place for your meta box
function add_before_editor($post) {
  global $post;
  do_meta_boxes('post', 'pre_editor', $post);
}
add_action('edit_form_after_title','add_before_editor');

// add a box the location just created
function test_box() {
    add_meta_box(
        'generic_box', // id, used as the html id att
        __( 'Generic Title' ), // meta box title
        'generic_cb', // callback function, spits out the content
        'post', // post type or page. This adds to posts only
        'pre_editor', // context, where on the screen
        'low' // priority, where should this go in the context
    );
}
function generic_cb($post) {
  var_dump($post);
  echo 'generic content';
}
add_action( 'add_meta_boxes', 'test_box' );

Answer 2

To answer my own question, I'll first explain why @s_ha_dum's answer doesn't work for me.

I'm using Advanced Custom Fields to add the extra meta boxes, the ones I need to appear above the WordPress editor.

@s_ha_dum pointed out that the WordPress editor is hardcoded within the template, but I noticed it can be disabled by removing support for the editor. With this in mind I've disabled support for the editor, then added the code for the editor in a new meta box.

Et voila:

add_action('init', function () {
    remove_post_type_support('post', 'editor');
});

add_action('add_meta_boxes', function () {

    $screens = array('post');

    foreach ($screens as $screen) {

        add_meta_box(
            'moved_editor',
            'Moved Editor',
            'moved_editor_custom_box',
            $screen
        );

    }

});

function moved_editor_custom_box( $post ) {

    // Use nonce for verification
    wp_nonce_field( plugin_basename( __FILE__ ), 'myplugin_noncename' );

    ?>

        <style>

            #moved_editor {
                border: none;
            }

            #moved_editor h3 {
                display: none;
            }

            #moved_editor .inside {
                padding: 0;
            }

        </style>

        <div id="postdivrich" class="postarea">

            <?php wp_editor($post->post_content, 'content', array('dfw' => true, 'tabfocus_elements' => 'sample-permalink,post-preview', 'editor_height' => 360) ); ?>

            <table id="post-status-info" cellspacing="0">

                <tbody>

                    <tr>

                        <td id="wp-word-count"><?php printf( __( 'Word count: %s' ), '<span class="word-count">0</span>' ); ?></td>
                        <td class="autosave-info">

                            <span class="autosave-message">&nbsp;</span>

                                <?php if ( 'auto-draft' != $post->post_status ) : ?>

                                    <span id="last-edit">'

                                        <?php if ( $last_id = get_post_meta($post_ID, '_edit_last', true) ) : ?>

                                            <?php

                                                $last_user = get_userdata($last_id); 
                                                printf(__('Last edited by %1$s on %2$s at %3$s'), esc_html( $last_user->display_name ), mysql2date(get_option('date_format'), $post->post_modified), mysql2date(get_option('time_format'), $post->post_modified));

                                            ?>

                                        <?php else : ?>

                                            <?php printf(__('Last edited on %1$s at %2$s'), mysql2date(get_option('date_format'), $post->post_modified), mysql2date(get_option('time_format'), $post->post_modified)); ?>

                                        <?php endif; ?>

                                    </span>

                                <?php endif; ?>

                            </td>

                        </tr>

                </tbody>

            </table>

        </div>

    <?
}