Function to change meta value in database for each post

Question

I have a meta key called 'prijs' in each post. The value of this meta key consist of numbers in the follow structure: 2,100.00

I want to remove the comma in the meta value to get this output: 2100.00

So, i created a function but it doesn't work:

add_action('wp_insert_post', 'deleteCommaDB');
function deleteCommaDB($postID){
    $price_key = 'prijs';
    $getPrice = get_post_meta($postID, $price_key, true);
    $newPrice = str_replace(array(','), '', $getPrice);

    update_post_meta($postID, $price_key, $newPrice);

    return true;
}

I created the function deleteCommaDB. This function gets the post meta from the meta key 'prijs', and replaces the comma for nothing. This new value is saved in the variable $newPrice. Next thing to do, is update the post meta with the new value.

What am i doing wrong?

Answer 1

You'll only need to run it once, but this should get all your posts, and then loop through them and update the meta.

add_action('admin_init', 'deleteCommaDB');

function deleteCommaDB(){

    // The Query
    $args = array ( 'posts_per_page' => -1 );
    $the_query = new WP_Query( $args );

    // The Loop
    while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) :
        $the_query->the_post();

         $price_key = 'prijs';
        $getPrice = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), $price_key, true);
        $newPrice = str_replace(array(','), '', $getPrice);
        update_post_meta(get_the_ID(), $price_key, $newPrice);

    endwhile;

}

Your function runs only when a post is inserted. You might want to consider running on save_post and sanitizing the $_POST input in the first place.

Answer 2

add_action('wp_insert_post', 'deleteCommaDB'); - this line calls your function only on post creation.

In order to change all previously saved posts, you will need to add your function in a wordpress loop that gets all the posts.

Answer 3

Always take the right tool for the right job

No need for str_replace() and other complicated or slow things. Use what PHP or WordPress deliver for such cases:

• number_format_i18n()
• number_format()

For the record: There's also a function called money_format().