Title: allow html in plugin input
Last modified: August 31, 2016

---

# allow html in plugin input

 *  [mavisdouglass](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mavisdouglass/)
 * (@mavisdouglass)
 * [10 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-html-in-plugin-input/)
 * Hi. I am using a plugin called “Oxford Debates.”
 * I think this question might be general coding, though. In one of the plugin’s
   input fields I would like to add some html – really just some well-placed [br/]
   codes. (Brackets instead of <> so it will display here instead of execute.)
 * I have found a part of the plugin code for sanitizing inputs. I commented out
   the relevant sanitize_text_area but that did not help.
 * Any ideas?
 * THANK YOU!!
 *     ```
       // Checks for input and sanitizes/saves if needed
       if( isset( $_POST[ 'titlepa-text' ] ) ) {
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, 'titlepa-text', sanitize_text_field( $_POST[ 'titlepa-text' ] ) );
       	//update_post_meta( $post_id, 'textpa-text', sanitize_text_field( $_POST[ 'textpa-text' ] ) );
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, 'titlepb-text', sanitize_text_field( $_POST[ 'titlepb-text' ] ) );
       	//update_post_meta( $post_id, 'textpb-text', sanitize_text_field( $_POST[ 'textpb-text' ] ) );
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, 'duration-check', sanitize_text_field( $_POST[ 'duration-check' ] ) );
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, 'initduration-text', sanitize_text_field( $_POST[ 'initduration-text' ] ) );
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, 'endduration-text', sanitize_text_field( $_POST[ 'endduration-text' ] ) );
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, "usera", $_POST["usera"]);
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, "userb", $_POST["userb"]);
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, "votea", $_POST["votea"]);
       	update_post_meta( $post_id, "voteb", $_POST["voteb"]);
       }
       ```
   

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [Bob Cristello](https://wordpress.org/support/users/gntmidnight/)
 * (@gntmidnight)
 * [10 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-html-in-plugin-input/#post-7389411)
 * Hopefully this will give you an idea of how to accomplish this.
 * [http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/205577/allow-html-in-settings-api-input-field](http://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/205577/allow-html-in-settings-api-input-field)
 *  Thread Starter [mavisdouglass](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mavisdouglass/)
 * (@mavisdouglass)
 * [10 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-html-in-plugin-input/#post-7389420)
 * Thanks for the reply, Bob. I really appreciate that you took the time to post
   that.
 * However, I hate to say, I have no idea how to relate that post on stack exchange
   with my own code.
 * Honestly, I know quite a bit about WP. But still half of the time I can’t make
   heads or tails of the code.
 * In an effort to avoid troubling you, I tried a (yet another) plugin that is supposed
   to allow html into posts via shortcode. That didn’t work either. All I need to
   do is insert some line breaks in the relevant text area (of the plugin). It does
   not offer the option to input as text/code mode.
 * Could you please be so kind as to offer a clue (feel so dumb for asking) how 
   to relate that stack exchange post to the code I’m using?
 * Eternal thanks,
    Mavis
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [10 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-html-in-plugin-input/#post-7389593)
 * Don’t worry, the way forward is not clear at all. You found the problem code,
   but just commenting out the entire line means the fields are not updated at all.
   You still want the `update_post_meta()` part, but without the `sanitize_text_field()`
   part.
 * Do not simply delete the function call though, it provides some extremely important
   sanitization that needs to be replicated in part. That is where Bob’s link is
   useful, it suggests a viable alternate sanitization. Here is the modified second
   update line (first commented out):
    `update_post_meta( $post_id, 'textpa-text',
   stripslashes( wp_filter_post_kses( $_POST[ 'textpa-text' ] ) ) );`
 * Apply a similar change to other update lines where you need HTML allowed. I removed
   the `wp_slash()` call used in the SE example because `$_POST` values are usually
   already slashed where necessary. The kses filter still strips possibly harmful
   HTML, the allowed tags are the same as those allowed for post content.
 * Note that your changes may be lost when the plugin updates. Ideally plugin authors
   would provide ways for other devs to alter their code’s functionality without
   risking loss, but such thoughtfulness seems to be rather rare.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘allow html in plugin input’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Hacks](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/plugins-and-hacks/hacks/)
 * 3 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * Last activity: [10 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/allow-html-in-plugin-input/#post-7389593)
 * Status: not resolved

## Topics

### Topics with no replies

### Non-support topics

### Resolved topics

### Unresolved topics

### All topics