display post multiple times based on array of dates

Question

I have a custom post type for a simple schedule list and using the meta box plugin i have two meta boxes assigned to custom post type. 1 for an image and 1 for an array of date times .

In my functions.php file I have created a shortcode to retrieve and display the info. HOWEVER it is only showing the post once and where i display the date time it says "array". I want to show the post 3 times based on the fact that I have stored 3 date times with the meta box. I'm not sure how to adjust my query or loop to make the post show 3 times in order of date. Below is my shortcode from my functions.php file. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

// SCHEDULE LIST
add_shortcode( 'schedule', 'display_schedule' );

function display_schedule(){
    global $paged;

    $args = array(
        'post_type' => 'tbschedule',
        'post_status' => 'publish',
        'paged' => $paged,
        'posts_per_page' => 10
    );

    $string = '';
    $query = new WP_Query( $args );

    if( $query->have_posts() ){

        $string .= '<span class="schedules">';
        while( $query->have_posts() ){

            $query->the_post();
            $schedule_image = "";
            $schedule_image_url = "";
            $images = rwmb_meta( 'tbf_scheduleimage', 'type=image&size=full');

            foreach ( $images as $image ){ 
                $schedule_image = "<img src='{$image['url']}' class='first' alt='{$image['alt']}' title='{$image['title']}' />";
                $schedule_image_url = $image['url'];
            } 

            if($schedule_image_url == ""){

                $string .= '<div class="schedule"><span class="scheduletitle"><a href="'.get_permalink().'">' . get_the_title() . '<span class="scheduleDate">schedule date: '.rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime').'</span></a></span></div>';

            }else{

                $string .= '<div class="schedule">
                <a href="'.get_permalink().'"><span class="scheduleimage" style="background-image: url('. $schedule_image_url .');background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: center center;background-size: contain;"></span></a>
                <span class="newstitle"><p style="height: 122px;"><a href="'.get_permalink().'">' . get_the_title() . '<span class="scheduleDate">schedule date: '.rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime').'</span></a></p></span> 
                </div>';

            }
        }
    }

    $string .=  '</span>';

    // Paging      
    $q = $query;
    $big = 999999999; // need an unlikely integer
    $string .= '<p>&nbsp;</p>'.paginate_links( array(
        'base' => str_replace( $big, '%#%', esc_url( get_pagenum_link( $big ) ) ),
        'format' => '?paged=%#%',
        'current' => max( 1, get_query_var('paged') ),
        'total' => $q->max_num_pages //$q is your custom query
        ) );       

    wp_reset_postdata();

    return $string;
}
// END SCHEDULE LIST

Answer 1

I don't know what rwmb_meta() does. But if rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime') returns array, then try something like this:

...
$images = rwmb_meta( 'tbf_scheduleimage', 'type=image&size=full');
$dates = rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime');
var_dump( $dates );
... 

You'll probably want to loop thru $dates and repeat the post data for each element in $dates.

Answer 2

I also don't understand what rwmb_meta() does, but I can see a couple obvious problems in the code as written.

Apparently, you want the foreach to deliver as many "posts" as it finds $image in $images, and echo a result each time. If so, you would remove the bracket from:

$schedule_image_url = $image['url'];
            } 

and place it after each $image item being added to $string:

foreach ( $images as $image ){ 
    $schedule_image = "<img src='{$image['url']}' class='first' alt='{$image['alt']}' title='{$image['title']}' />";
    $schedule_image_url = $image['url'];
// } removing the bracket here

    if($schedule_image_url == ""){

        $string .= '<div class="schedule"><span class="scheduletitle"><a href="'.get_permalink().'">' . get_the_title() . '<span class="scheduleDate">schedule date: '.rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime').'</span></a></span></div>';

     } else {

       $string .= '<div class="schedule">
            <a href="'.get_permalink().'"><span class="scheduleimage" style="background-image: url('. $schedule_image_url .');background-repeat: no-repeat;background-position: center center;background-size: contain;"></span></a>
            <span class="newstitle"><p style="height: 122px;"><a href="'.get_permalink().'">' . get_the_title() . '<span class="scheduleDate">schedule date: '.rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime').'</span></a></p></span> 
            </div>';

     }
} //bracket added here means for each $image, you get one of the above two depending on whether $schedule_image_url is found

As for what's going on with rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime'), if it "just says array" when you try to output it, then that would be because it's an array, as I think shanebp is getting at. Without, like shanebp, knowing how it's set up, I have to guess how to access its content, but, if tbf_sheduledatetime is a simple sub-array with keys [0], [1] etc., then you could use an incrementing variable. So, when you're initializing variables prior to the foreach:

$i = 0;
$datetime_array = rwmb_meta('tbf_scheduledatetime');

Then inside the foreach loop (as above), the $string line would read:

$string .= '<div class="schedule"><span class="scheduletitle"><a href="'.get_permalink().'">' . get_the_title() . '<span class="scheduleDate">schedule date: '. $datetime_array[$i] .'</span></a></span></div>';
$i++;

so, the first time it finds $datetime_array['0'] and the next time $datetime_array['1'], etc.

Hope that helps, but offered without high confidence it's really what you're looking for!