Using add_action before add_filter on a plugin?

Question

I'm writing a plugin and having a problem. I have add_action('publish_post', 'sender'); and I want this function to run first before the add_filter function, although it won't. Is there a way to do this? I've tried moving the add_filter below add_action but that doesn't work. Also pasting the add_filter one into the add_action function doesn't work. Thanks for the help.

Edit:
For example, if this would work it would be great.

  if (add_action('publish_post', 'sender'))
  {
      add_filter('wp_insert_post_data','changePost','99',2);
  }

But it doesn't and somehow still runs the add_filter function first.

Answer 1

It doesn't matter the order in which you call add_action() and add_filter().

What matters is the order in which the corresponding do_action() and apply_filters() are called.

So, if apply_filters('wp_insert_post_data') is run before do_action('save_post'), tough luck. You'll have to think of another way to achieve the desired result.