Title: populate cells from post data Last modified: August 21, 2016 --- # populate cells from post data * Resolved [LoriD1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lorid1/) * (@lorid1) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/) * I want to use post categories or taxonomies to enter data into table cells. I need your sorting feature, for my application. I see to be able to get one feature or the other but not both. * My site is in development so sending a link to view doesn’t help, I can give you access but the site is a mess due to so much trouble shooting. thank you Lori * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/tablepress/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tablepress/) Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total) * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097385) * Hi Lori, * thanks for your post, and sorry for the trouble. * Unfortunately, I’ll have to disappoint you here. Something like this is not possible with TablePress, simply because it’s not a database management system. It can only show static tabular data, but is not a storage system for other dynamic data like this. * I can only suggest to check out a custom PHP/mySQL solution here. With that, you can render the necessary HTML code for a table and then manually add the sorting feature by loading the DataTables JS library from [http://datatables.net](http://datatables.net) directly. That’s the JS library that TablePress uses. * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [LoriD1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lorid1/) * (@lorid1) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097521) * Thank you so much for the help. I have attempted to go down this path, I am clearly missing something. This must be over my head, 1) Because you are mentioning PHP I am assuming i need to add the jquery file via php but not sure if I add it to my funtions.php or separate. 2) I can’t seem to down load any jquery plugin, I get an error telling me it there is no plugin in the zip file. So I am a bit confused. I have not been able to find documentation the has worked. If I add stuff to my functions.php my site breaks. I can’t seem to name a table in the WP Views table. I have looked at datatables.net but frankly it always seems like they think we know what we are doing. I really am to the point I need step by step instructions. I know this is beyond your plugin but I would appreciate any guidance as I am hitting brick walls everywhere, and this is really a requirement for my site. By the way I really do love your plugin, my disappointment is only that I have to deal with another table program other than yours for this issue. thank you Lori * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097522) * Hi Lori, * unfortunately, it’s not that easy. jQuery plugins are not WordPress plugins, which is why you can’t simply install them by uploading them. * And yes, this will require programming, mainly with PHP, as you will need to use that to generate the HTML table you want (from those categories/taxonomies). Only after you have that, you’ll be able to add that jQuery DataTables library. * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [LoriD1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lorid1/) * (@lorid1) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097523) * Thank you!! okay I get that, I have 2 concerns, 1) that I will mess it up. and 2) finding the information on how to do this properly. I have seriously contemplated just using your tables, but I don’t think I can just copy a line from one and paste it to another, so it will mean manually inputting a lot of content a number of times. I know I am asking a lot, but can you steer me to good instructions on how to handle the php. I do get some of it, I have created custom pages for custom posts in php. but jquery is an entirely different aspect. Again any guidance is greatly appreciated thank you again. Lori * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [11 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097525) * Hi, * yes, copying a row from one table to another automatically is not possible, you would have to do that manually on the table’s “Edit” screen or e.g. on the exported table in Excel. * Depending on how much knowledge you have about PHP/mySQL programming, that’s where you’ll need to get started. Either start by looking for some books or tutorials on that, or, if you are familiar with PHP already, start by getting to know the WordPress APIs for the things that you are interested in. That could also include reading about WordPress plugin development, for which there are good overviews in the WordPress Codex at [http://codex.wordpress.org/](http://codex.wordpress.org/) Don’t worry about jQuery too much! You won’t really need that (for the DataTables JS library) until you have your HTML tables set up. And then you can easily follow the instructions on the DataTables website for that. * Regards, Tobias * Thread Starter [LoriD1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lorid1/) * (@lorid1) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097526) * YOU ROCK, thank you so very much, I really really appreciate it. I will look into this direction, hopefully I can figure it out. * Thank you again Lori * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097527) * Hi, * no problem, you are very welcome! 🙂 Always glad when I can help! * Best wishes, Tobias * Thread Starter [LoriD1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lorid1/) * (@lorid1) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097539) * Thank you so very much for all your help. I GOT IT to work. I stumbled on some very well laid out instructions and basically created a plugin to get it to work. * I do have another question for you. I use boarders for the tablepress tables. But what seems to be happening is the inside boarders are thicker than the outside. I would prefer if possible to have them be the same. I am assuming the collapsing aspect might be the cause but I would rather ask then mess it up at this point. * Thank you Lori * Plugin Author [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * (@tobiasbg) * [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097540) * Hi Lori, * that’s great news! I’m really happy for you! 🙂 * Regarding those borders: Can you please post a link to the page with the table where this problem happens, so that I can take a direct look? Thanks! * Regards, Tobias Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total) The topic ‘populate cells from post data’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://ps.w.org/tablepress/assets/icon.svg?rev=3192944) * [TablePress - Tables in WordPress made easy](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tablepress/) * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/tablepress/#faq) * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/tablepress/reviews/) * 9 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [Tobias Bäthge](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tobiasbg/) * Last activity: [11 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/populate-cells-from-post-data/#post-5097540) * Status: resolved