Title: $wpdb not being defined in function
Last modified: August 20, 2016

---

# $wpdb not being defined in function

 *  [gzhmr](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gzhmr/)
 * (@gzhmr)
 * [13 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wpdb-not-being-defined-in-function/)
 * For some reason the $wpdb object is not being defined in one particular function.
   I’m working locally here and I have four other functions in the file that are
   using $wpdb and all are working fine except this one simple delete function where
   I get the error: **_Call to a member function query() on a non-object…_** The
   following is the function in question:
 *     ```
       function delete_gallery( $gallery_id ) {
           global $wpdb;
   
           $sql = "DELETE from galleries WHERE gallery_id = $gallery_id";
           $deleted = $wpdb->query( $sql );
   
       }
       ```
   
 * I have a link (delete gallery) on the plugin admin settings page that links to
   delete-gallery.php that calls the delete function and returns back to the admin
   page. The contents of that file are:
 *     ```
       include 'ga-functions.php';
   
       if (isset($_GET['gallery_id'])) {
       	$gallery_id = $_GET['gallery_id'];
       	delete_gallery($gallery_id);
   
       	wp_redirect( $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] );
       	exit();
       }
       ```
   
 * If I var_dump on the $wpdb after initializing I get the result of NULL. Anyone
   have any suggestions on what could be causing this in only one particular function
   like this.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  [michael.mariart](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelmariart/)
 * (@michaelmariart)
 * [13 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wpdb-not-being-defined-in-function/#post-3115735)
 * If that’s all the code that you have for that, then it means that your delete
   function is being run before anything is set up, so the $wpdb variable hasn’t
   been initialised by the WP core yet. Are you calling that finction directly from
   the plugin file, or is the function registered suing add_action()?
 *  Thread Starter [gzhmr](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gzhmr/)
 * (@gzhmr)
 * [13 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wpdb-not-being-defined-in-function/#post-3115738)
 * The function was being registered with the ‘init’ action hook but I could never
   get it to work. The anchor link that is clicked is on the plugin settings page
   which links to the delete-gallery.php file. This file is where the action hook
   is registered and the function is called.
 * I’ve since replaced the anchor link with a submit button on the settings page
   and have it working by just calling the function from the plugin file. Not sure
   if this is the best way to remedy the problem, but nonetheless, it solved it 
   and it’s updating the db as expected.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘$wpdb not being defined in function’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

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

 * In: [Hacks](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/plugins-and-hacks/hacks/)
 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [gzhmr](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gzhmr/)
 * Last activity: [13 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wpdb-not-being-defined-in-function/#post-3115738)
 * Status: not resolved

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