Title: Need to add variable to function
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# Need to add variable to function

 *  Resolved [ekajatik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ekajatik/)
 * (@ekajatik)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/)
 * I need to do the following:
 * <?php wp_list_bookmarks(‘categorize=0&category=X&before=<span>&after=</span>&
   show_images=1&show_description=1&orderby=url’); ?>
 * I need to replace the X in category= with the content of a custom field, what
   is the syntax? I guess use:
 * <?php the_field(‘links’); ?> to output the custom field value, but how do I put
   them together, every way I’ve tried so far gives errors?
 * Thanks

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 33 total)

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 *  [kz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kz/)
 * (@kz)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247520)
 *     ```
       <?php
       $link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );
       wp_list_bookmarks(
         "categorize=0&category=$link&before=<span>&after=</span>&show_images=1&show_description=1&orderby=url"
       );
       ?>
       ```
   
 *  [Big Bagel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/big-bagel/)
 * (@big-bagel)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247521)
 * Assuming the custom field is a string, that you don’t want the bookmarks to show
   if the field wasn’t set, and that you’re in the loop, I’d try something like:
 *     ```
       <?php
       $custom_field = get_post_meta( $post->ID, 'links', true );
       if ( $custom_field ) {
           wp_list_bookmarks( 'categorize=0&category=' . $custom_field . '&before=<span>&after=</span>&show_images=1&show_description=1&orderby=url' );
       }
       ?>
       ```
   
 * *not tested
 * Edit:
    Dangit! That’s what I get for taking so long to post.
 *  Thread Starter [ekajatik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ekajatik/)
 * (@ekajatik)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247526)
 * Works great using this:
 *     ```
       <?php
       $link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );
       wp_list_bookmarks(
       "title_li=0&categorize=0&category_name=0&category=$link&show_images=0&show_description=1&after=<br />&orderby=url"
       );
       ?>
       ```
   
 * One more question: How do I get a hyphen between the link and the description?
 * (example here, see the links tab: [http://www.heritagetraveller.com/north-america-world-heritage-site/yellowstone-national-park/](http://www.heritagetraveller.com/north-america-world-heritage-site/yellowstone-national-park/))
 *  Thread Starter [ekajatik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ekajatik/)
 * (@ekajatik)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247527)
 * Oops, just realised that this will now show all links if the custom field is 
   blank. How to make it default to some standard text if there is no custom field
   value?
 *  [Big Bagel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/big-bagel/)
 * (@big-bagel)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247528)
 *     ```
       <?php
       $link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );
       if ( $link ) {
           wp_list_bookmarks( "title_li=0&categorize=0&category_name=0&category=$link&show_images=0&show_description=1&after=<br />&orderby=url" );
       } else {
           echo 'No bookmarks.';
       }
       ?>
       ```
   
 * With the “between” argument you can add whatever string you want between the 
   link and the description.
 *  Thread Starter [ekajatik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ekajatik/)
 * (@ekajatik)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247541)
 *     ```
       <?php
       $link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true )
       if ( $link ) {
       wp_list_bookmarks(
       "title_li=0&categorize=0&category_name=0&category=$link&show_images=0&show_description=1&after=<br />&between=  &orderby=url" );
       } else {
       echo '<em>No links have been submitted and approved yet.</em>';
       }
       ?>
       ```
   
 * posts with no CF value showing the default text, fine. However, posts with CF
   value and links in that category are also showing the ‘else’ version. Example:
   [http://www.heritagetraveller.com/europe-world-heritage-site/fortifications-vauban/](http://www.heritagetraveller.com/europe-world-heritage-site/fortifications-vauban/)
   definitely has links in the category defined in the CF
 *  [Big Bagel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/big-bagel/)
 * (@big-bagel)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247616)
 * Just tested it in my dev site; works fine for me.
 * Assuming what you posted is the exact code you’re using, make sure to add a semicolon
   on the second line:
 * `$link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );`
 * And just to triple check: Make sure that the post’s custom field name is exactly“
   links”, that the post’s custom field value is the ID number for the link category
   you want (ex: 3), and that you’re using this code in the loop.
 *  Thread Starter [ekajatik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ekajatik/)
 * (@ekajatik)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247647)
 * Hi Bagel
 * All the above, check.
    Working? No.
 * Have triple checked. The code block contains the semi colon (not sure how it 
   disappeared in my post above), it is in the loop, the CF field name is definitely‘
   links’, the Value is 366 which corresponds to links category 366 which contains
   one link with description.
 * Tried:
 * 1. Removing this line:
    `else { echo '<em>No links have been submitted and approved
   yet.</em>'; }` still does not return the link, just has a blank space where the
   link should be.
 * 2 Key problem is that this does not work and returns all links regardless of 
   category:
 *     ```
       <?php
       $link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );
       wp_list_bookmarks("title_li=0&categorize=0&category_name=0&category=$link&show_images=0&show_description=1&after=<br />&between=&nbsp;&nbsp;&orderby=url"
       );
       ?>
       ```
   
 * so &category=$link is not working?
 *  Thread Starter [ekajatik](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ekajatik/)
 * (@ekajatik)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247648)
 * Must be the $link that is the issue as the following outputs only the links in
   category 366:
 * `<?php wp_list_bookmarks('title_li=0&categorize=0&category_name=0&category=366&
   show_images=0&show_description=1&after=<br />&orderby=url'); ?>`
 *  [Big Bagel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/big-bagel/)
 * (@big-bagel)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247651)
 * The problem seems to be that `get_post_meta` is retuning an empty string (it 
   does this when it can’t find the key requested), which would result in exactly
   what you’re seeing. Everything looks good and is set correctly…bah.
 * If you want to try a little troubleshooting, you could put this bit in:
 *     ```
       $test_id = get_the_ID();
       $test_keys = get_post_custom_keys( get_the_ID() );
       $test_value = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );
       echo '<!--' . $test_id . '-->';
       echo '<!--' . $test_keys[0] . '-->';
       echo '<!--' . $test_value . '-->';
       ```
   
 * Then you can check the page’s source code to see the values (after clearing any
   cache of course). Maybe the key is getting stored strangely? After all the troubleshooting
   someone will probably show up and find the problem in 5 seconds.
 *  [Digital Raindrops](https://wordpress.org/support/users/adeptris/)
 * (@adeptris)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247652)
 * Two suggestions,
    First the $link should be outside the “” and added with a period.`"
   html text ".$link."more html text"`
 * Second use isset() to test the variable is not null!
 * Untested:
 *     ```
       <?php
       $link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );
       if( isset($link) && $link && is_int($link) ) :
       	wp_list_bookmarks("title_li=0&categorize=0&category_name=0&category=".$link."&show_images=0&show_description=1&after=<br />&between==  &orderby=url");
       endif;
       ?>
       ```
   
 * Untested ‘easy read’ Code:
 *     ```
       <?php
       $link = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'links', true );
       if(isset($link) && $link ) :
       	$args=array(
       		'title_li' => 0,
       		'categorize' => 0,
       		'category_name' => 0,
       		'category' => $link,
       		'show_images' => 0,
       		'show_description' => 1,
       		'after' => '<br />',
       		'between' => '  ',
       		'orderby' => 'url'
       	);
       	wp_list_bookmarks( $args );
       endif;
       ?>
       ```
   
 * HTH
 * David
 *  [Big Bagel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/big-bagel/)
 * (@big-bagel)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247653)
 * The double quotes causes any variables to be processed:
 * `"text...$link...text"`
    and `'text' . $link . 'text'` and `"text" . $link . "
   text"`
 * will all have the same result.
 * Also, `get_post_meta` (what $link is being set to) never returns null (it’s good
   to check if a variable is null before using it, but is a bit unnecessary here).
   If it can’t find anything it returns an empty string (which is why, if you get
   rid of the conditional, wp_list_bookmarks still works as if the category argument
   was set as an empty sting).
 *  [Digital Raindrops](https://wordpress.org/support/users/adeptris/)
 * (@adeptris)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247654)
 * Hi Big Bagel,
 * Have a look at the replies from **ekajatik** there are no periods in the code!
 * no .$link. or ..$link..
 * So the `$args = array()` may be a better managable solution, rather than a long
   string.
 * Also there is no test to see if the value is an integer and if the category exists.
 * should also add `is_int($link)`
 * Regards
 * David
 *  [Big Bagel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/big-bagel/)
 * (@big-bagel)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247655)
 * Yes, using an array is more readable. I was using the periods in my first example
   as an ellipsis. Until his last post (which I believe was probably a just a mistake)
   he was using double quotes. There’s no problem there.
 * You don’t need to use periods to concatenate a string with a variable if you 
   use double quotes.
 * All of these work:
    `wp_list_bookmarks("category=$link");` `wp_list_bookmarks("
   category=" . $link);` `wp_list_bookmarks('category=' . $link);`
 * Using his current code, he would want a string rather than an int, which is exactly
   what `get_post_meta` with it’s last argument set to true will return every time.
   Checking that it is a string (or int) is not needed.
 *  [Digital Raindrops](https://wordpress.org/support/users/adeptris/)
 * (@adeptris)
 * [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/#post-2247656)
 * > You don’t need to use periods to concatenate a string with a variable if you
   > use double quotes.
 * [@big](https://wordpress.org/support/users/big/) Bagel:
    Cheers, I did not know
   that `wp_list_bookmarks("category=$link");` would work!
 * I have seen variables in database queries like {$link}, and I have always used“
   string “.$variable.” string”
 * `category => $link` expects a string with an integer value or an array of integer
   strings, that is why I suggested the integer check, category ’12’ will works,
   category ‘news’ will not!
 * If they put the category name into the custom field then nothing will be returned.
 * Regards
 * David

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 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 33 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [Digital Raindrops](https://wordpress.org/support/users/adeptris/)
 * Last activity: [14 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/need-to-add-variable-to-function/page/3/#post-2247708)
 * Status: resolved

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