Title: cell shortcode generated by php Last modified: January 29, 2020 --- # cell shortcode generated by php * Resolved [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/) * (@webmotivated) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/) * Hello * MY CURRENT STATE: Value of my php variable $txt is formatted as standard TablePress shortcode, example: [table-cell id=1 cell=D2/]. This value depends on user input which is why I used some php to generate the required shortcode. I’ve tested the output of $txt variable – comes out exactly as the above shortcode. * MY PURPOSE: I now want to 1)pass the value of this $txt variable (as a shortcode) to a table cell (in table id=2) so that then hopefully 2)the above shortcode can do its job: pull data from another table cell (ie pull data from cell D2 in the id=1 table). * QUESTIONS: -Can you please guide me what syntax in the table cell I should use when doing 1) so that then 2)happens successfully? -Any other steps I need take to make this happen? -Do I need [https://tablepress.org/extensions/php-in-tables/](https://tablepress.org/extensions/php-in-tables/) plugin for my purpose? * Please advise Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12377338) * Hi, * thanks for your post, and sorry for the trouble. * To be honest, I don’t yet understand. Where does that `$txt` variable live? What does it contain? Does it contain a Shortcode? Why are you then not evaluating that Shortcode? Why don’t you use your own Shortcode (like `[my-var]`) to retrieve the variable’s value? * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/) * (@webmotivated) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12377485) * Hi Tobias * Thanks for your reply. * The `$txt` lives in my custom-page.php template. Yes indeed – `$txt` contains`[ table-cell id=1 cell=D2/]`. I need to pass this schortcode to a cell in one table so that then data gets pulled from another table. How can I evaluate the Shortcode/ what steps required for this please? New to this and interested in the most efficient way. * Re: `[my-var]`, did did you mean I shall input `[$txt]` into the cell? If yes, then some concerns: 1)this did not bring up the Shortcode (tried `[$txt]` and`[ txt]` what am I doing wrong?). 2)I am not sure if this is fit for purpose. Please note my end goal is for the shortcode, once it’s successfully passed, is to trigger data pull from another dable. Please share more info if this would be the most efficient way? * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12378460) * Hi, * ok, I’m still missing the point as to why you are not directly putting `[table- cell id=1 cell=D2/]` into the other table. Or is the Shortcode (the parameters) dynamically created/changing? * With evaluating, I simply mean to add an extra `do_shortcode()`, i.e. instead of * ``` $txt = '[table-cell id=1 cell=D2/]'; ``` * use * ``` $txt = do_shortcode( '[table-cell id=1 cell=D2/]' ); ``` * With that `[my-var]`, I meant to define your own Shortcode using the WordPress functions: * ``` add_shortcode( 'my-var', 'webmotivated_handle_my_var_shortcode' ); function webmotivated_handle_my_var_shortcode() { global $txt; return $txt; } ``` * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/) * (@webmotivated) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12379180) * Tobias, Thanks for your builds. * Yes exactly. The reason why I’m doing this is because “the Shortcode (the parameters) are dynamically created/changing”. * –`echo $txt;` in below code drops “Ruby” **onto my web page** which uses custom- page.php as template (by this I mean on a page, yet I need it in my tablepress table as well). You’ll see in below code I’m using non-dynamic shortcode, this is temporary while I’m solving this. -[my-var] (entered either into a TablePress cell like shown below or just into plain WP shortcode) still displays as [my- var] and that’s my main problem (expecting “Ruby”, because expected result of[ table-cell id=1 cell=D2/] = “Ruby”). -And so where I’m struggling is pushing “ Ruby” into the tablepress cell using the shortcode [my-var]. * This php code is in custom-page.php template (…so NOT in the TablePress cell). * ``` <...> $TablePress_Table_ID = 1; //$txt = sprintf("[table-cell id=%u cell=D%u/]",$TablePress_Table_ID, $sat_day); // generates dynamic shortcode, temporarily off. $txt = do_shortcode( '[table-cell id=1 cell=D2/]' ); // Tobias's example add_shortcode( 'my-var', 'webmotivated_handle_my_var_shortcode' ); function webmotivated_handle_my_var_shortcode() { global $txt; return $txt; } echo $txt; ``` * This php code is inside the cell @ TablePress `[my-var]` * Bit lost here… -how do I code the custom-page.php template so that I can then enter `[my-var]` into the desired tablepress cell and see “Ruby” (cell D2 in table 1 = Ruby and so [table-cell id=1 cell=D2/]=”Ruby”)? -alternatively, in what syntax do I need to reference $txt inside desired tablepress cell so that I can see “Ruby” as a result. (asking because `echo $txt` in the custom-page. php drops “Ruby” onto my page (just on a page, not in tablepress table)) * Please advise * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12380436) * Hi, * this could be a load order problem, i.e. the Shortcode definition might have to come before the tables are printed to the page. * Alternatively, you could experiment with the TablePress PHP in tables Extension here. Then, your PHP code would go into the table cells, without having to use an extra Shortcode. It’s a bit uglier, but also reduces possible points of error. * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/) * (@webmotivated) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12381455) * Tobias, ok i see * RE: PHP IN CELLS. I’ve activated the extension [https://tablepress.org/extensions/php-in-tables/](https://tablepress.org/extensions/php-in-tables/). So given `echo $txt` fires what I need into the page OK, **how can i now make use of `$txt` variable in the TablePress cell so that it works??** In other words, in what syntax shall i put it? Asking because `` inside TablePress Cell doesn’t work. Details below. * ``causes: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected ‘>’, expecting end of file in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/tablepress-php-in-tables/tablepress- php-in-tables.php(26) : eval()’d code on line 1 * `` way of doing things or just one of these ways? * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12382794) * Hi, * you might have to access this variable as a global variable. Also, note that the closing PHP delimiter is `?>` and not just `>`: * ``` ``` * Yes, the load order plays a role here as well. Your definition of the `$txt` variable needs to be finished before it is shown in the table. * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/) * (@webmotivated) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12383216) * Tobias * Noticed `?` is missing at the end in your last post, so should be ``, yes?. * It still does not work; error once `` is pasted into a TablePress cell: Notice: Undefined index: txt in /var/www/wp-content/ plugins/tablepress-php-in-tables/tablepress-php-in-tables.php(26) : eval()’d code on line 1 * — * `$txt` is defined as follows in the custom-page.php template: * ``` $TablePress_Table_ID = 1; $txt = do_shortcode( '[table-cell id=1 cell=D2/]' ); // Tobias's example add_shortcode( 'my-var', 'webmotivated_handle_my_var_shortcode' ); function webmotivated_handle_my_var_shortcode() { global $txt; return $txt; } ``` - This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/). - This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/). - This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/). * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12384346) * Hi, * ah, of course I made the same typo now… 🙂 Yes, `` would be correct. * If you are getting that “undefined index” error, this means that you have not yet defined your variable in the global scope. You could also try adding * ``` global $txt; ``` * in your code. You can also remove the code for the Shortcode definition, as we are no longer using that. * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/) * (@webmotivated) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12384884) * Tobias * Struggling here as you can see. Your instructions not clear, sorry. * When you say “try adding `global $txt;` in your code”, did you mean adding it in the TablePress cell like so: ``? Please clarify. * If not, presume you meant adding `global $txt;` to my custom-page.php template used by the page + while keeping `` in the TablePress cell? Yes? * If yes, then already tried `` in TablePress + below code in the custom-page.php without luck: option 1 [Error message: Notice: Undefined index: txt…] * ``` global $txt; $txt = 1; echo $txt; ``` * option 2 [Error message: Notice: Undefined index: txt…] * ``` $txt = 1; //Global stuff function global_stuff() { global $txt; return $txt; } echo $txt; ``` * Code in all these options outputs 1 onto the page successfully, however `` fails @ TablePress. * I guess what would help me since I’m so lost now, is some quick example which works on your side and so should work on my side. In case it wouldn’t work on my side, but i knew it should work (because you told me so), then I would keep pushing my WP environment until it works. Looks like I need to sort out the basics before I start handling shortcodes with PHP into TablePress. Otherwise I’m now in situation where I haven’t seen even the tinny example of success of using php in the TablePress cell. By example I mean: 1) what should I put in my custom- page.php so to create a global $txt 2)what should I put in the tablepress cell– > kind of clear now that it should be ``. So then I’d appreciate if you could send me quick example of 1) which should definitely work with 2). Possible? - This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/). - This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/). * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [6 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12386042) * Hi, * I’m afraid that I can’t really help here with your code. The Extension works fine and PHP code is evaluated (as the notice shows). What you do with it and how to debug it is up to you, I’m afraid. * Putting `` in a cell is usually enough. You need to make sure that your variables are declared/defined before they are used here. You could for example try defining your variable earlier, e.g. in your theme’s“ functions.php” file, i.e. the * ``` global $txt; $txt = 1; ``` * part. * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [webmotivated](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webmotivated/) * (@webmotivated) * [6 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12444162) * Tobias Thank you for your help. The last one worked. * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [6 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12444334) * Hi, * great! Thanks for the confirmation! * Best wishes, Tobias Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) The topic ‘cell shortcode generated by php’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://ps.w.org/tablepress/assets/icon.svg?rev=3192944) * [TablePress - Tables in WordPress made easy](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tablepress/) * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tablepress/#faq) * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/reviews/) ## Tags * [php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php/) * [shortcode](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/shortcode/) * [variable](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/variable/) * 13 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * Last activity: [6 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/cell-shortcode-generated-by-php/#post-12444334) * Status: resolved