Wordpress: using wp_insert_post () to populate custom message type fields

Question

I created a custom wrestling message type and created the corresponding custom fields using additional custom fields. Now, I wanted users to fill out this custom form on the front panel, so that when they send, the data is automatically updated in a custom message type in the control panel. For this purpose, I created a custom page and assigned a custom template for it containing the required form. There are four HTML form fields that users must fill in, called name , venue , main_event and fee respectively.

Custom form fields created by me using additional custom fields are called promotion_name , venue , main_event_ and price respectively. Now, to fill in the data entered by users on the front panel into the fields of the user-defined type of message on the control panel, I tried to use the wp_insert_post() function as follows:

 $post_information = array( 'promotion_name' => $_POST['name'], 'venue' => $_POST['venue'], 'main_event_' => $_POST['main_event'], 'price' => $_POST['fee'], 'post_type' => 'wrestling', ); wp_insert_post( $post_information ); 

However, after the user submits the form, a new entry (no_title) appears in my custom message type, but the fields of the user form are still empty (see images below :)

I am sure this is due to the fact that I am using wp_insert_post() incorrectly to update custom post types. I would really appreciate help here. Thanks.

PS: This is how I defined my custom post type in functions.php :

 <?php function wrestling_show_type() { register_post_type('wrestling', array('labels' => array('name' => 'Wrestling Shows', 'singular_name' => 'Wrestling Show'), 'public' => true, 'has_archive' => true, 'rewrite' => array('slug' => 'wrestling'))); flush_rewrite_rules(); } add_action('init', 'wrestling_show_type'); ?> 

Answer 1

If you used ACF, you should use their API to interact with fields. There is an update_field() method that does exactly what you are looking for. This method takes 3 parameters:

 update_field($field_key, $value, $post_id) 

$field_key is the ACF identifier for each field you create. This image, taken from their own documentation, shows you how to get it:

$value and $post_id quite complex, they represent the value with which you want to set the field, and the message that you are updating.

In your case, you have to do something to extract this $post_id . Fortunately, this is what wp_insert_post() returns. So you can do something like this:

 $post_information = array( //'promotion_name' => $_POST['name'], 'post_type' => 'wrestling' ); $postID = wp_insert_post( $post_information ); //here the catch 

With an identifier, then everything will be easy, just call update_field() for each field that you want to update.

 update_field('whatever_field_key_for_venue_field', $_POST['venue'], $postID); update_field('whatever_field_key_for_main_event_field', $_POST['main_event'], $postID); update_field('whatever_field_key_for_fee_field', $_POST['fee'], $postID); 

So basically what you are doing is first creating a message and then updating it with values.

I made this stuff in the functions.php file and it worked fine. From what I saw, I think you are using this procedure in some kind of template file. I think that everything will be fine, you just have to make sure that the ACF plugin is activated.

EDIT:

I forgot the promotion_name field. I commented on the line inside $post_information , as it will not work. Instead, you should use update_field() , like the other 3.

 update_field('whatever_field_key_for_promotion_name_field', $_POST['name'], $postID);