An advanced meta_query looking for multiple custom field values

• 

  • jack1

  • December 20, 2015 at 3:39 am

  I have two custom fields:

  1) custom_field (text field)
  2) custom_checkbox (checkbox)

  I don’t want posts to be returned if A) custom_field is NOT filled in, or B) if custom_checkbox is ticked.

  So far I have successfully achieved this with the following custom query:

  
              $meta_query = array(
                  'meta_query' => array(
                  array(
                      'key' => 'custom_field',
                      'value'   => '',
                      'compare' => 'NOT IN'
                  ), array(
                      'key' => 'custom_checkbox',
                      'value'   => true,
                      'compare' => 'NOT LIKE'
              )));    
              $query->set('meta_query', $meta_query);
              $query->set( 'posts_per_page',-1 );
          }

  However, I now have two more fields to throw into the equation:

  1) custom_field_2
  2) custom_checkbox_2

  I now don’t want posts to be returned if A) both custom_fields are NOT filled in, or B) if both custom_checkboxes are ticked.

  For example, if custom_checkbox is ticked but custom_checkbox2 is not, I’d still like the post to be returned. And vice versa.

  But if both checkboxes are ticked, that post should not be returned.

  Any guidance much appreciated.
• 

  

  • James

  • January 8, 2016 at 4:49 pm

  Hi @jack1,

  I believe you can use this query:

  $meta_query = array(
      'meta_query' => array(
          'relation' => 'OR',
          array(
              'relation' => 'AND',
              array(
                  'key' => 'custom_field',
                  'value'   => '',
                  'compare' => 'NOT IN'
              ),
              array(
                  'key' => 'custom_field2',
                  'value'   => '',
                  'compare' => 'NOT IN'
              ),
          ),
          array(
              'relation' => 'AND',
              array(
                  'key' => 'custom_checkbox',
                  'value'   => true,
                  'compare' => 'NOT LIKE'
              ),
              array(
                  'key' => 'custom_checkbox2',
                  'value'   => true,
                  'compare' => 'NOT LIKE'
              ),
          ),
      ),
  );    
  

  To learn more about meta_query, please take a look at this page: https://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_Query#Custom_Field_Parameters

  I hope this helps.