Batch Extract Date from post title and put into ACF custom field

I have a custom post type called 'events' with around 700 posts, the titles are consistently formatted like this:

Event Title - January 1st 2019

I need to isolate the date in another field. I am using Advanced custom fields and have added a date field to the events custom post type.

I need to write a script to extract the date from each title and insert it into the custom field.

How would I do this? I have tried writing SQL statements but just cant get it to work. I need some guidance.

I have a custom post type called 'events' with around 700 posts, the titles are consistently formatted like this:

Event Title - January 1st 2019

I need to isolate the date in another field. I am using Advanced custom fields and have added a date field to the events custom post type.

I need to write a script to extract the date from each title and insert it into the custom field.

How would I do this? I have tried writing SQL statements but just cant get it to work. I need some guidance.

• custom-post-types
• posts
• post-meta
• advanced-custom-fields

Share Improve this question asked Feb 16, 2019 at 14:52 onei0120onei0120 3944 bronze badges 3

• Have you looked into wp_ update_post and update_post_meta? – birgire Commented Feb 16, 2019 at 17:28
• @birgire these filters won't solve the problem. I think that OP has added a new field (when he already have many posts) and now he want's to automatically modify all of old posts so that they use this new field. But maybe I'm getting it all wrong... – Krzysiek Dróżdż Commented Feb 16, 2019 at 21:16
• thanks @KrzysiekDróżdż, I meant the functions within some loop, but was I was writing on mobile and didn't have time to find the parentheses, sorry about that :-) Hopefully OP can further add what's been tried. – birgire Commented Feb 16, 2019 at 21:54

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1 Answer 1

Sorted by: Reset to default 1

OK, so here's the function that should do the trick:

function modify_events_to_use_new_field() {
    $events = get_posts( array(
        'post_type' => 'event',
        'post_status' => 'any',
        'posts_per_page' => -1
    ) );

    foreach ( $events as $event ) {
        if ( preg_match('@^(.*) - ([^-]*)$@', $event->post_title, $matches) ) { 
            // you'll have to modify the POST_META_KEY to the real name of your custom field
            update_post_meta( $event->ID, '<POST_META_KEY>', date('Ymd', strtotime($matches[2]) ) );
        }
    }
}

Now you have to change the name of custom field in there and run that function.