Set post status to draft after validating post meta values in save_post hook

Question

I have some custom meta values to a custom post type ('event'). The custom post type is displayed in the admin and the custom meta fields are appearing fine. I am using save_post_{$post->post_type} hook to validate the meta fields and change the post_status to draft (using wp_update_post) depending upon the validation of the meta fields and the newly set post_status.

Problem:

All things are working except the top right section (in the admin post edit page) do not reflect the change of status. If I publish a post, the validation is working fine with the post_status set to draft depending upon the set condition inside save_post_{$post->post_type}. But the top right corner of UI shows 'the post is now live', 'visit links' etc.(Screens #1). Upon refreshing the page, the proper draft status view is reflected (Screens #2).

Screens #1:

Although the post_status is successfully set to draft from save_post_{$post->post_type}, the UI view reflects the 'published' status.

---

Screens #2:

Upon refreshing, the actual draft status is restored:

public function __construct()
{
    $this->sconfig= ['post_type'=> 'event', 'slug'=>'events'];
    /*
    ... 
    post type and meta declarations
    ...
    */
    add_action('save_post_'.$this->sconfig['post_type'], array($this, 'event_mbox_save'), 10, 2);
}

function event_mbox_save($post_id, $post=false)
{
    if (!isset($_POST['event_mbox_nonce']) || !wp_verify_nonce($_POST['event_mbox_nonce'], basename(__FILE__)))
        return $post_id;
    
    $valstat= $this->get_meta_posted_vals($_POST); // Validates the custom meta values. Returns $valstat['stat']= 0 if invalid and $valstat['log']= 'error message'.
    
    $original_pstat= $_POST['original_post_status'];
    $new_pstat= $_POST['post_status'];
    
    $insmeta= true;
    $errmsg= '';

    if(($valstat['stat'] == 0) && (!empty($original_pstat)))
    {
         if(($new_pstat == 'publish') || ($new_pstat == 'future'))
         {
            remove_action('save_post_'.$this->sconfig['post_type'], array($this, 'event_mbox_save'), 10, 3);
            wp_update_post(array( 'ID' => $post_id, 'post_status' => 'draft') ); // Setting the post to draft
            add_action('save_post_'.$this->sconfig['post_type'], array($this, 'event_mbox_save'), 10, 3);
            $errmsg= 'ERROR: '.$valstat['log'].' ('.$this->sconfig['post_type'].' reverted to '.$original_pstat.' status.)';
            $insmeta= false; // setting meta insertion false
        }
    }
    
    if(!empty($errmsg))
        setcookie('event8273_add_notice', $errmsg, 0, '/' );
    

    if($insmeta)
    {
        $evabstract = isset($postVal['evabstract']) ? $postVal['evabstract'] : '';
        if (empty($evabstract))
            add_post_meta($post_id, 'evabstract', $_POST['evabstract'], true);
        else
            update_post_meta($post_id, 'evabstract', $_POST['evabstract']);
    }
}

Note:

I have tried using wp_insert_post_data alongwith redirect_post_location which did not work either.

Answer 1

After some research, I altered my approach to validate the meta values in the following way:

1. Create a new meta key(for post type) to store the validation (0 and 1).
2. Initiate it with 0.
3. This need not be kept/shown in the meta form.
4. While saving the meta fields (preferably within save_post hook), set its value depending upon the validation.
5. Use this meta value to detect the validation status of the post. For example you can display/hide the post depending upon this value.