How to add to a user_meta field (append)

Question

Is this possible? I want to use Gravity Forms or another hook to somehow write to the END of a user_meta field - not overwrite it.

For example...

Before:

$purchase_history = get_the_author_meta('purchase_history', $user->ID);
echo $purchase_history; ('Concert in the Park 01/12/2004')

After:

echo $purchase_history; ('Concert in the Park 01/12/2004', 'Pancake Breakfast 05/15/2005')

Any ideas? Thanks.

Answer 1

Use get_user_meta():

$original = get_user_meta( 
    $user->ID, 
    'purchase_history', 
    TRUE 
);

echo $original . ' Pancake Breakfast 05/15/2005';

To update the value use update_user_meta():

update_user_meta( 
    $user->ID,  
    'purchase_history',   
    $original . 'Pancake Breakfast 05/15/2005' 
);