How can I ensure the stored meta value matches the frontend input in WordPress?

Frontend
1

I’m working on a WordPress project where I need to update a user meta value from the frontend. The problem is that the stored value in the database doesn’t match what I input. Here’s what’s happening:

I’ve set up a form using a shortcode that takes user input. When submitted, it should update a meta value for the current user. The input I’m trying to store looks like this:

a:1:{i:0;s:1:"1";}

But when I check the database, it’s stored as:

s:1"a:1:{i:0;s:1:"8";}"

I’ve tried sanitizing the input and even deleting the meta key before updating, but no luck. Any ideas on how to make sure the stored value is exactly the same as what’s entered in the form?

Here’s a simplified version of my code:

function my_custom_form() {
    $output = '<form method="post">';
    $output .= '<input type="text" name="user_input">';
    $output .= '<input type="submit" name="submit_form">';
    $output .= '</form>';
    return $output;
}
add_shortcode('custom_form', 'my_custom_form');

function handle_form_submission() {
    if (isset($_POST['submit_form'])) {
        $input = sanitize_text_field($_POST['user_input']);
        $user_id = get_current_user_id();
        update_user_meta($user_id, 'custom_meta_key', $input);
    }
}
add_action('init', 'handle_form_submission');

What am I missing here? How can I make sure the meta value is stored exactly as it appears on the frontend?

2

hmm, interesting problem! have you considered using wp_slash() before updating the meta value? it might help preserve those special characters. also, what happens if you try to print the value right after updating? could there be something else modifying it later? just some thoughts to explore!

3

hey dude, have u tried using maybe_unserialize() before updating? sometimes wordpress does weird stuff with serialization. also, make sure ur not double-serializing anywhere else in ur code. that could mess things up too. good luck!

4

I’ve encountered a similar issue before, and it seems like WordPress might be automatically serializing your input. This can happen when the data structure resembles a serialized array.

To fix this, you could try using maybe_unserialize() before updating the meta value. This function will unserialize the data if it’s serialized, or return it unchanged if it’s not. Here’s how you might modify your code:

function handle_form_submission() {
    if (isset($_POST['submit_form'])) {
        $input = sanitize_text_field($_POST['user_input']);
        $user_id = get_current_user_id();
        $unserialized_input = maybe_unserialize($input);
        update_user_meta($user_id, 'custom_meta_key', $unserialized_input);
    }
}

This approach should prevent double serialization and ensure that your meta value is stored as intended. Remember to use maybe_serialize() when retrieving the value to maintain consistency across your codebase.