Title: Insert PHP in Content Area When PHP Includes a Shortcode
Last modified: August 24, 2016

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# Insert PHP in Content Area When PHP Includes a Shortcode

 *  Resolved [cameldance](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cameldance/)
 * (@cameldance)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/)
 * I’m using a PHP function that dynamically displays what phone number a website
   visitor should call based on whether or not a cookie has been set by the visitor
   arriving at the site through an affiliate link. The function is working fine 
   outside of page and post content areas, such as in header.php and in an advanced
   text widget in the sidebar.
 * Inside the content area however it produces nothing. All the rest of the content
   before and after where the phone number should be is there, but the phone number
   is nowhere to be seen. I have installed the plugin “Allow PHP in Posts and Pages”
   for inserting my PHP code into the page/post content area. Here is what I’m using
   inside the content area to call my function:
 * `[php]<?php display_phone_number (); ?>[/php]`
 * The `[php]` shortcode is what the plugin calls for to insert php code into the
   content area.
 * Here is the function `display_phone_number` that is working fine elsewhere on
   the site:
 *     ```
       function display_phone_number () {<br />
       if(!isset($_COOKIE['ap_id'])) {<br />
           echo "(800) 123-4567";<br />
       } else {<br />
           echo do_shortcode( '[wp_affiliate_referrer_details info="phone"]' );<br />
       }<br />
       }
       ```
   
 * I suspect the problem may be that I’m already having to use a shortcode `[php][/
   php]` to insert the PHP, and then the actual PHP I’m inserting calls a function
   that incorporates another shortcode.
 * Here is the function that is called by the shortcode `[wp_affiliate_referrer_details
   info="phone"]`:
 *     ```
       function wp_affiliate_referrer_details_handler($atts){<br />
           extract(shortcode_atts(array(<br />
               'ap_id' => '',<br />
               'info' => '',<br />
           ), $atts));<br />
           if(empty($ap_id)){//Set it to current referrer<br />
               $ap_id = wp_affiliate_get_referrer();<br />
           }<br />
           if(empty($ap_id)){<br />
               return AFF_NONE;<br />
           }<br />
           return wp_aff_get_affiliate_details($ap_id,$info);<br />
       }
       ```
   
 * If I knew how to incorporate into my function display_phone_number the actual
   code for the function `wp_affiliate_referrer_details_handler` and tell it that
   I want to look up “phone”, rather than using the following…
 * `do_shortcode( '[wp_affiliate_referrer_details info="phone"]' )`
 * …then I would do so and see if that solved the problem, but I don’t know how.
   Does anyone know how I can make this work inside my page/post content area just
   like it’s already working outside of the content area?
 * Thanks!

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

 *  [Pioneer Web Design](https://wordpress.org/support/users/swansonphotos/)
 * (@swansonphotos)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974393)
 * Anyone attempting to do above should ensure they comply (worldwide, if international)
   with such _use of cookies_, then review a _basic part of any wordpress theme_,
   namely **Page Templates**. Please review the Codex for more on this.
 * Also, I find most of the code you provided to not work as is.
 *  Thread Starter [cameldance](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cameldance/)
 * (@cameldance)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974397)
 * Is anyone able to provide more specific help? We’re assuming for these purposes
   that the cookies we’re using are fine, and I have a pretty good handle on page
   templates. If this issue relates to the template I guess I’m not seeing how.
 * I can verify that the code provided does work as-is everywhere _outside_ of the
   content area of pages and posts (while allowing that there may be another piece
   to the code that’s part of making it work that I haven’t copied and pasted here),
   but when I try to bring it _inside_ the content area, i.e. enter it in the page
   editor so it’s part of the main, editable content of any page, it fails to work.
 * I’m assuming that this issue has something to do with the fact that, by default,
   raw php code entered into the content area of pages doesn’t work.
 *  [Justin Greer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justingreerbbi/)
 * (@justingreerbbi)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974398)
 * Using cookies is completely fine and there is no law to comply or conform to.
   Cookies are a fundamental aspect of browsing the internet.
 * I am not to sure what plugin you are using for the [php] but I am not seeing 
   any obvious reason why it would not work with a shortcode inside a shortcode 
   since the function being called is technically wrapped in a function and rendered
   before it is returned back into your initial shortcode (confusing).
 * Here is what the shortcode would look like without the second level you mentioned(
   completely untested):
 *     ```
       function display_phone_number () {
       if(!isset($_COOKIE['ap_id'])) {
           echo "(800) 123-4567";
       } else {
          $ap_id = wp_affiliate_get_referrer();
          if(empty($ap_id)){
               return AFF_NONE;
           }
           echo wp_aff_get_affiliate_details($ap_id,'phone');
       }
       }
       ```
   
 * Where is the code located that is creating the cookie?
 *  [Pioneer Web Design](https://wordpress.org/support/users/swansonphotos/)
 * (@swansonphotos)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974399)
 * > Using cookies is complexity fine and there is no law to comply or conform to.
   > Cookies are a fundamental aspect of browsing the internet.
 * Yes there is when one reads what I wrote and understands it.
 *  [Justin Greer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justingreerbbi/)
 * (@justingreerbbi)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974400)
 * > Yes there is when one reads what I wrote and understands it.
 * Are you referring to the theme guidelines? If so, it only applies for themes 
   being submited to the .org repo. Not to people customizing the theme once installed.
 *  Thread Starter [cameldance](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cameldance/)
 * (@cameldance)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974420)
 * Thanks for chiming in [@justin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justin/)!
   The plugin I’m using for the `[php]` shortcode is called Allow PHP in Posts and
   Pages.
 * The code that’s creating the cookie is located in the plugin folder for the WordPress
   Affiliate Platform plugin.
 * I think the code you provided is what I didn’t know how to do…figure out what
   would be the actual straight up PHP code if I weren’t using a shortcode.
 * I’ll give it a shot and report back what happens.
 * Thanks!
 *  Thread Starter [cameldance](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cameldance/)
 * (@cameldance)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974421)
 * Well, I got this solved, and it was a very dumb mistake on my part. With the `[
   php]` shortcode plugin I was using, the shortcode serves as the opening and closing`
   <?php` and `?>` tags, so those tags didn’t need to be included. I was placing
   those tags inside the shortcode, which was breaking it.
 * [@justin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justin/), your code does work though.
   I am now using it in place of my code that was calling the shortcode inside my
   function.
 * Thanks for the help!
 *  [Justin Greer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justingreerbbi/)
 * (@justingreerbbi)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974426)
 * I wanted to update you on the cookie matter. In EU there is a thing that you 
   must disclose why you are using cookies. It was brought to my attention by another
   mod here on the forums. If you live in the EU, this applies to you, if not, don’t
   worry about it.
 *  [Pioneer Web Design](https://wordpress.org/support/users/swansonphotos/)
 * (@swansonphotos)
 * [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974433)
 * [@justin](https://wordpress.org/support/users/justin/),
 * Thank for the clarification and confirmation.

Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

The topic ‘Insert PHP in Content Area When PHP Includes a Shortcode’ is closed to
new replies.

## Tags

 * [content area](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/content-area/)
 * [php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php/)
 * [shortcode](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/shortcode/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 9 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Pioneer Web Design](https://wordpress.org/support/users/swansonphotos/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/insert-php-in-content-area-when-php-includes-a-shortcode/#post-5974433)
 * Status: resolved

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