Wordpress meta query with meta serialized data array value

Question

Looking for a method to nest AND/OR relation in meta_query based on array serialized values.

Reviewed these already: Query multiple meta key values? WP Meta Query for some meta (array) values

I understand that the serialized data 'should not' be used to search/filter (or first needs to be pulled out to do so outside the SQL) BUT I would like to put it out there so see if nesting could do the trick.

E.g. Data [ meta_value field1 = 'abc' , meta_value field2 a:2:{i:0;s:1:"1";i:1;s:1:"4";} ]

This holds the values [ "1", "4"] as string array.

The search I would like to perform is something like

$metaSearchQuery = [
            'relation'    => 'AND',
            [
               'key' => '<FIELDNAME1>',
                'value' => 'abc'
            ],
            [
            'relation'    => 'OR',
               [
                  'key'          => '<FIELDNAME2>',
                  'value'        => serialize(strval(1)),
                  'compare'      => 'like',
               ],
               [
                  'key'          => '<FIELDNAME2>',
                  'value'        => serialize(strval(4)),
                  'compare'      => 'like',
               ],
               ...............
            ]
        ];

With the output SQL something like

... where meta_value.field1 = 'abc' and (field2 like 's:1:"1"' or field2 like 's:1:"4"')

That way you could use the main 'AND' condition for other fields and nest 'OR' for array values...? Is this even possible using meta_query?

The reason is that I do have to filter and the values could be 1, 2, 3, 4 or any combination of there. Taxonomy better , yes but this has been written already so would like to utilise the meta structure if possible.

Answer 1

Probably should have waited a bit but after posting the question I found a solution based on my points above and repeated here:

https://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_Meta_Query

https://generatewp.com/filtering-data-with-wp_meta_query/

My Solution:

$metaSearchSubQuery = [
            'relation' => 'OR'    
        ];

foreach($eventTypeId as $id) {
    $metaSearchSubQuery[] = [
        'key'          => 'EventId',
        'value'        => serialize($id),
        'compare'      => 'like'
    ];
}

$metaSearchQuery[] = $metaSearchSubQuery;