I have a custom content type (event), within that type I have a custom date field, with the name: 'date'. In my template I am running the WP_Query to return a list of events. I would like to only get events that are in the future (according to my custom 'date' field) and then order the list by that same field.
I have tried the following but it simply returns a list of all the 'events' in the system, regardless of date
$today = date('d M, y');
$args = array (
'post_type' => 'event',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'date',
'value' => $today,
'compare' => '>',
'type' => 'CHAR',
),
),
'meta_key' => 'date',
'orderby' => 'meta_value_num',
'order' => 'ASC'
);
As a note: if I replace the type from 'CHAR' to 'DATE' I get no results returned...
I have a custom content type (event), within that type I have a custom date field, with the name: 'date'. In my template I am running the WP_Query to return a list of events. I would like to only get events that are in the future (according to my custom 'date' field) and then order the list by that same field.
I have tried the following but it simply returns a list of all the 'events' in the system, regardless of date
$today = date('d M, y');
$args = array (
'post_type' => 'event',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'date',
'value' => $today,
'compare' => '>',
'type' => 'CHAR',
),
),
'meta_key' => 'date',
'orderby' => 'meta_value_num',
'order' => 'ASC'
);
As a note: if I replace the type from 'CHAR' to 'DATE' I get no results returned...
Share Improve this question asked Feb 8, 2014 at 17:41 KevKev 1871 gold badge4 silver badges10 bronze badges 7 | Show 2 more comments4 Answers
Reset to default 3I found the actual issue so I thought I'd update.
ACF documentation says to use $today = date ('Ymd') to compare dates but you really need to use current_time('Ymd') so I removed the functions.php code that I added and fixed the problem rather than work around it.
Here's my query now
$event1 = current_time('Ymd');
$args = array(
'post_type' => 'events',
'post_status' => 'publish',
'posts_per_page' => '10',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'event_date_ends',
'compare' => '>=',
'value' => $event1,
)
),
'meta_key' => 'event_date_ends',
'orderby' => 'meta_value',
'order' => 'ASC',
'paged' => ( get_query_var('paged') ? get_query_var('paged') : 1 ),
);
So for your query try this
$today = current_time('d M, y');
$args = array (
'post_type' => 'event',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'date',
'value' => $today,
'compare' => '>=',
),
),
'meta_key' => 'date',
'orderby' => 'meta_value',
'order' => 'ASC'
);
Just make sure the current_time ('d M, y') is how you have your data being stored via whatever date picker you're using or if you're typing it in each event in a field that's how you're typing it in. d M, y would read 19 Jun, 14. Remember your display date and stored date can read differently. I hope this helps.
Here's what I did. I am using the Advance Custom Fields plugin for the custom fields. I followed the instructions here: http://wordpress/support/topic/plugin-advanced-custom-fields-sorting-by-date-picker, which states the easiest way to do this is to compare dates in unix timestamp format.
My date field in ACF is called: event_start
The date is being saved in my database in yymmdd format
I have the Custom Post Type: events
Step 1 is to create the Start Date Field in ACF.
Step 2 is to add this function to your functions.php (assuming PHP > 5.3) This function takes my human readable front-end input and converts to Unix timestamp and saves it in another post meta row.
function custom_unixtimesamp ( $post_id ) {
if ( get_post_type( $post_id ) == 'events' ) {
$startdate = get_post_meta($post_id, 'event_start', true);
if($startdate) {
$newdate = DateTime::createFromFormat('Ymd', $startdate)->getTimestamp();
update_post_meta($post_id, 'unixstartdate', $newdate );
}
}
}
add_action( 'save_post', 'custom_unixtimesamp', 100, 2);
Step 3, now you can sort and compare on the Unix Timestamp
$today = time();
$args = array(
'post_type' => 'events',
'posts_per_page' => '50',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'unixstartdate',
'compare' => '>=',
'value' => $today,
)
),
'meta_key'=>'event_start',
'orderby' => 'meta_value_num',
'order' => 'ASC'
);
$wp_query = new WP_Query( $args );
Marc's suggestion was pretty close.
Here's what worked for me and you can try too.
functions.php
function custom_unixtimesamp ( $post_id ) {
if ( get_post_type( $post_id ) == 'events' ) {
$startdate = get_post_meta($post_id, 'event_date_begins', true);
if($startdate) {
$dateparts = explode('/', $startdate);
$newdate1 = strtotime(date('d.m.Y H:i:s', strtotime($dateparts[1].'/'.$dateparts[0].'/'.$dateparts[2])));
update_post_meta($post_id, 'unixstartdate', $newdate1 );
}
}
}
add_action( 'save_post', 'custom_unixtimesamp', 100, 2);
then query
$today = time();
$args = array(
'post_type' => 'events',
'post_status' => 'publish',
'posts_per_page' => '10',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'unixstartdate',
'compare' => '>=',
'value' => $today,
)
),
'meta_key' => 'event_date_begins',
'orderby' => 'meta_value',
'order' => 'ASC',
'paged' => ( get_query_var('paged') ? get_query_var('paged') : 1 ),
);
You don't need to worry about putting anything into your functions.php file, or saving timestamps, etc. All you need to do is add the correct 'type' value into your meta_query array, to let it know that you are comparing dates. So the value of 'type' sould be "DATE"...
Eg...
$today = current_time('Y-m-d');
$args = array (
'post_type' => 'event',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'event_date',
'value' => $today,
'compare' => '>=',
'type' => 'DATE',
),
),
'meta_key' => 'event_date',
'orderby' => 'meta_value',
'order' => 'ASC'
);
...In this example, my date-storing meta field is called 'event_date' and I am checking for entries with dates in the future (or today).
14 Feb, 14– Kev Commented Feb 8, 2014 at 18:19