[Resolved] Save text field value to repeating field if it doesn’t already exist

[Author]

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[davidS-53]

I have two text fields: a regular one called "item", and a repeatable one called "all items".

When a user submits a form with a value in the "item" field, I need to add it to "wpcf-all-items", but only if it doesn't already exist in there.

I'm using this:

function sf_save_items($post_id, $form_data) {
	add_post_meta( $post_id, 'wpcf-all-items', $_POST["wpcf-item"], false);
}
add_action( "cred_save_data", "sf_save_items", 10, 2 );

Problem is, that keeps adding the same item over and over, rather than recognising it already exists. Changing to true doesn't seem to allow you to add anything.

Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?

[Christian Cox]

Hi, you should get_post_meta on the repeating field, to access an array of values it currently stores. Something like this:

$itms = get_post_meta( $post_id, 'wpcf-all-items', false );

Now $itms is an array of instance values:

Array
(
    [0] => instance 1
    [1] => instance 2
    [2] => instance 3
)

Then you can use PHP's in_array function to check to see if the new value already exists. If not, add it. If so, skip adding it. I use in_array in the template code below, or you can find more info here: https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.in-array.php

Also it's usually a good idea to add a form ID check inside this callback so you can apply this code to only some specific Form or Forms. Otherwise, it will be triggered every time any Form is submitted. Here's a template you can use:

add_action('cred_save_data', 'my_save_data_action',10, 2);
function my_save_data_action($post_id, $form_data) {
  $forms = array( 12345 );
  if ( in_array( $form_data['id'], $forms ) )
  {
    // add your code here  
  }
}

Replace the 12345 with a numeric Form ID, or a comma-separated list of numeric Form IDs if you want to apply the code to more than one Form.

[davidS-53]

My issue is resolved now. Thank you!