How to customize wildcards using meta_query

  • Resolved Joms

    (@jomsky)


    12 years, 10 months ago

    I’m trying to use the LIKE operator for the meta_query parameter but it seems that it automatically wraps “%” on the meta value.

    An example:

    'meta_query' => array(
                    array(
                        'key' => 'surname',
                        'compare' => 'LIKE',
                        'value' => 'ab'
                    )
                )

    This functions as LIKE '%ab%' in the generated SQL.

    What I want to do is only use wildcards AFTER the the meta value, so it should be: LIKE 'ab%'. I can’t find a way to achieve this though, is there a built-in function for this that I missed somewhere? Or am I better off using a direct query to the database?

    Thanks!

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Moderator keesiemeijer

    (@keesiemeijer)

    12 years, 10 months ago

    You can try and filter the (meta) query and do a replace on the where clause:
    http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/get_meta_sql

    Try it with this in your functions.php:

    function filter_meta_query( $pieces ) {

	if ( !empty( $pieces['where'] ) ) {
		$pieces['where'] = preg_replace( '/(.*?)LIKE \'\%(.*?)\%\'/', "\$1LIKE '\$2%'", $pieces['where'] );
	}

	return $pieces;
}

    Use the filter just before you use the meta query and remove it after the query:

    <?php
add_filter( 'get_meta_sql', 'filter_meta_query' );

$args = array(
	'meta_query' => array(
		array(
			'key' => 'surname',
			'compare' => 'LIKE',
			'value' => 'ab'
		)
	)
);

// the query
$query = new WP_Query( $args );

// remove it after the query.
remove_filter( 'get_meta_sql', 'filter_meta_query' );

// the loop
while (  $query->have_posts() ) :  $query->the_post(); ?>

    Thread Starter Joms

    (@jomsky)

    12 years, 10 months ago

    This worked well! The filterget_meta_sql will surely be helpful to my queries from now on. Thanks!

    Moderator keesiemeijer

    (@keesiemeijer)

    12 years, 10 months ago

    You’re welcome. I’m glad you’ve got it resolved.

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

The topic ‘How to customize wildcards using meta_query’ is closed to new replies.