Assign meta_query value to php variable

Question

I am using this code for a meta_query

  $values = shortcode_atts( array('category'  => 'Test',), $atts );
   $args = array(
    'post_type' => 'mytype',
    'post_status' => 'publish',
    'meta_query' => array(
        array(
          'key'     => 'br_type',
          'value'   => esc_attr($values['category']),
          'compare' => '='
        ),
    ),
  );
   $query = new WP_Query( $args );

How could I assign the result of br_type to a php variable?

Answer 1

Sorry if I'm being dumb but your query says that br_type must be equal to esc_attr($values['category']) so to put it in a variable you would just:

$br_type = esc_attr($values['category']);

Or if you want to get it from $query you would look in one of the places mentioned here:

How do I get a meta value from WP_Query?

Answer 2

In your $args array you are defining what content you want to show with WP_Query. You are saving your new query to the $query variable.

So now you are able to loop through the posts that fit your defined arguments:

<?php

// The Query
$query = new WP_Query( $args );

// The Loop
if ( $query->have_posts() ) {
    echo '<ul>';
    while ( $query->have_posts() ) {
        $query->the_post();
        echo '<li>' . get_the_title() . '</li>';
    }
    echo '</ul>';
} else {
    // no posts found
}
/* Restore original Post Data */
wp_reset_postdata();

If you want to save the value of "br_type" you will need an array, because for every post there is a value for this meta field.

You can create an empty array and a counter variable and loop through your posts. On every loop your are saving the value of your meta field inside the array at an index position.

$br_type_values = []; // empty array
$counter = 0; // counter variable for array

// The Loop
if ( $query->have_posts() ) {
    while ( $query->have_posts() ) {
        $query->the_post();
        $your_post = get_the_ID();
        $br_type_values[$counter] = get_post_meta( $your_post , 'br_type', true );
        $counter++;
    }
} else {
    // no posts found
}

This way you have all the values of "br_type" inside a php variable.

Answer 3

I'm not 100% sure what you mean, but you could loop through the posts and add the br_type meta value to an array:

// your query code here

if ( $query->have_posts() ) {
    while ( $query->have_posts() ) {
        $query->the_post();
        $br_type[] = get_post_meta(get_the_ID(), 'br_type');
    }
}

wp_reset_postdata();

Then $br_type should be an array with all the values of br_type from your posts.