Title: Coding : How to change post_format value
Last modified: August 30, 2016

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# Coding : How to change post_format value

 *  [LPD7Pkmxe6](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lpd7pkmxe6/)
 * (@lpd7pkmxe6)
 * [10 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-how-to-change-post_format-value/)
 * Hi,
 * I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong in the attached coding example.
 * I can successfully post to wordpress, but I can’t figure out how to change the
   post_format value to “link” successfully. No matter what I have tried, the post_format
   value is set to ‘standard’. I need it set to ‘link’ and also be able to designate
   a URL. I’ve spent lots of time looking at posts on the internet with no luck.
   I’m missing ‘something’.
 * The php file for testing resides in the root directory of my wordpress installation.
 *     ```
       <?php
       //figure out how to add a post with link format and URL
   
       error_reporting(-1);
       $location = $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'];
   
       echo $location;
       //exit;
       include ($location . '/wp-config.php');
       include ($location . '/wp-load.php');
       include ($location . '/wp-includes/pluggable.php');
       //include_once($location.'/wp-includes/post-formats.php');
   
       require($location . '/wp-blog-header.php');
       // Create post object
       $my_post = array();
       $my_post['post_title'] = 'Title of this Post';
       $my_post['post_content'] = 'Some Content to Add';
       $my_post['post_status'] = 'publish';
       $my_post['post_type']= 'post';
       //post_category is correct here
       $my_post['post_category'] = array(34);
       //post_format always goes to 'standard'
       //tried array(2) also with no luck
       $my_post['post_format']='link';
   
       //very array
       print_r ($my_post);
   
       //all the below commented options were tried with no success.
       //set_post_format('', 'link' ); //sets the given post to the 'link' format
       //set_post_format($mypost->'ID', 'link' ); //sets the given post to the 'link' format
       //$my_post['post_link_url'] = "http://www.SomeTestUrl.com";
       //$my_post['post_link'] = "http://www.SomeTestUrl.net";
   
       // Insert the post into the database
       if( null == get_page_by_title( $my_post['post_title'] ) ) {
       wp_insert_post( $my_post );
       }
   
       //Post is successfully added but can't change post_format value to 'link'
   
       ?>
       ```
   

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  [Chris Klosowski](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cklosows/)
 * (@cklosows)
 * [10 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-how-to-change-post_format-value/#post-6270518)
 * It looks liek you are using the `$post` object incorrectly:
    `$mypost->'ID'` 
   is invalid.
 * First off, you’d have to set the post format AFTER the post is created. It looks
   like you are doing it before `wp_insert_post`. I’d try the following to see if
   it works:
 *     ```
       //include_once($location.'/wp-includes/post-formats.php');
   
       require($location . '/wp-blog-header.php');
       // Create post object
       $my_post = array();
       $my_post['post_title'] = 'Title of this Post';
       $my_post['post_content'] = 'Some Content to Add';
       $my_post['post_status'] = 'publish';
       $my_post['post_type']= 'post';
       $my_post['post_category'] = array(34);
   
       // Insert the post into the database
       if( null == get_page_by_title( $my_post['post_title'] ) ) {
       	// wp_insert_post() returns the craeted post ID
       	$post_id = wp_insert_post( $my_post );
   
       	if ( ! empty( $post_id ) ) {
       		// Set the post format
       		set_post_format( $post_id, 'link' );
   
       		// Use post meta for the link you want to reference?
       		update_post_meta( $post_id, 'post_link_url', $url );
       	}
       }
       ```
   
 * I haven’t fully tested this, mainly for one reason, this is a REALLY insecure
   way to insert a post. You are directly hooking into functions that are meant 
   to be used by authenticated users only, however you are bypassing all the authentication.
 * If you are wanting to create a custom submission of a new post of a format, you
   might want to look at writing an extension to one of the popular form plugins.

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

The topic ‘Coding : How to change post_format value’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [link](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/link/)
 * [post_format](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/post_format/)

 * In: [Hacks](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/plugins-and-hacks/hacks/)
 * 1 reply
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Chris Klosowski](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cklosows/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/coding-how-to-change-post_format-value/#post-6270518)
 * Status: not resolved

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