The WP 4.8.3 update broke the query on sub field values

• alessandroweb

• November 1, 2017 at 7:35 pm

After the update of WordPress to the version 4.8.3 the code at section 4. (Sub custom field values) at this page: https://www.advancedcustomfields.com/resources/query-posts-custom-fields/ is broken.

$the_query->have_posts() returns false now.

• alessandroweb

• November 1, 2017 at 8:32 pm

Inspecting the $the_query I noticed a difference on the select. Previously was something like this:
cnfn_postmeta.meta_key = \'locations_%_city\'

but now it looks like:
cnfn_postmeta.meta_key = \'locations_{f12d517a894ce203cd99a63423903c99584233ad4535dc2d10f20cb2029ad0e7}_city\'

So… removing the % on the filter I fixed the bug (that means now $the_query->have_posts() returns posts) but I’m not sure is a real fix.

old code:
$where = str_replace("meta_key = 'locations_%", "meta_key LIKE 'locations_%", $where);

new code:
$where = str_replace("meta_key = 'locations_", "meta_key LIKE 'locations_", $where);

Please, someone more expert can confirm if it’s correct?

• [email protected]

• November 1, 2017 at 8:52 pm

Hi !
I have a same bug !
if I delete % it does not work either.
what would be the good issue
thx

$date = DateTime::createFromFormat(‘Ymd’, get_field(‘date’));
$args = array(
‘post_type’ => ‘programmation’,
‘posts_per_page’ => 1,
‘order’ => ‘ASC’,
‘orderby’ => ‘meta_value’,
‘meta_query’ => array(
array(
‘key’ => ‘dates_%_date’,
‘value’ => date(‘Ymd’),
‘compare’ => ‘>=’,
)
)
);
//var_dump($args);
$query = new WP_Query( $args );

• alessandroweb

• November 1, 2017 at 9:24 pm

Try to remove the % only on the filter here:
$where = str_replace("meta_key = 'dates_", "meta_key LIKE 'dates_", $where);

Can you execute the following and then send to us after $query?
<?php echo '<pre>'; var_export($the_query); echo '</pre>'; ?>

• [email protected]

• November 1, 2017 at 10:11 pm

it’s ok !!!!!!!
Thank you so much !!!

• Eric

• November 3, 2017 at 1:33 am

Same issue here since the 4.8.3 update, except I have not found a workaround.

    $args = shortcode_atts( array(
		'post_type' => 'my_menu',
		'post_status' => 'publish',
		'posts_per_page' => '-1',
		'orderby' => 'menu_order',
		'order' => 'ASC',
		'season' => '',
		'menu' => '',
		'section' => '',
		'section_title' => '',
		'subtitle' => '',
		'meta_query' => '',
    ), $atts );
    
    // Get any parameters from the shortcode call
    $season = $args['season'];
    $menu = $args['menu'];
    $section = $args['section'];
    $section_title = $args['section_title'];
    $subtitle = $args['subtitle'];

    // Add query args based on ACF
	if ( function_exists('get_field') ) {
	    // Season (checkbox)
	    $season_array = '';
		if ( $season != '' ) {
			$season_array = array(
				'key'		=> 'season',
				'value'		=> $season,
				'compare'	=> 'LIKE'
			);
		}

	    // Menu (repeater)
	    $menu_array = '';
		if ( $menu != '' ) {
			$menu_array = array(
				'key'		=> 'menu_repeater_%_menu',
				'value'		=> $menu,
				'compare'	=> 'LIKE'
			);
		}
		
	    // Section (checkbox)
	    $section_array = '';
		if ( $section != '' ) {
			$section_array = array(
				'key'		=> 'section',
				'value'		=> $section,
				'compare'	=> 'LIKE'
			);
		}
		
		// Output meta_query args
		$meta_query = array(
			'relation' => 'AND',
			$season_array,
			$menu_array,
			$section_array,
		);

		$args['meta_query'] = $meta_query;
	}

If I remove $menu_array from the $meta_query array, the query works (but retrieves more posts than I want, obviously). I have tested different keys for $menu_array, but nothing works.

• Eric

• November 3, 2017 at 2:17 am

Update: Found a workaround on https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/10/31/changed-behaviour-of-esc_sql-in-wordpress-4-8-3/#comment-33136 (adjusted to match my key)

//fix WP 4.8.3 bug with repeater
function my_posts_where( $where ) {
    global $wpdb;
    $where = str_replace(
              "meta_key = 'menu_repeater_%_menu", 
              "meta_key LIKE 'menu_repeater_%_menu",
              $wpdb->remove_placeholder_escape($where)
    );
    return $where;
}

• eclipsecreative

• November 4, 2017 at 6:55 pm

Thanks for the pointer in Eric’s version ^ the add_filter line is missing;
add_filter(‘posts_where’, ‘my_posts_where’);

Otherwise, works like a charm, just wait till your WP is 4.8.3 to implement as it’ll kill 4.8.2 and lower.