Trying to get custom field data in a simple plugin

The value is not fetching and displaying in this plugin. When I add the code elsewhere in the theme it's working properly.

<?php
    function related_posts( $atts ) {

    // set the category ID (or multiple category IDs)
    // you want to ignore in the following array
    $cats_to_ignore = array( 2 );
    $categories = wp_get_post_categories( get_the_ID() );
    $category_in = array_diff( $categories, $cats_to_ignore );
    // ignore only if we have any category left after ignoring
    if( count( $category_in ) == 0 ) {
        $category_in = $categories;
    }
    $cat_args = array(
        'category__in'   => $category_in,
        'posts_per_page' => 5,
        'orderby'        => 'date',
        'post__not_in'   => array( get_the_ID() )
        );
    $cat_query = new WP_Query( $cat_args );
    while ( $cat_query->have_posts() ) : $cat_query->the_post();
        /* just example markup for related posts */
        echo '<li style="list-style: none;"><a href="' . get_the_permalink() . '">' . get_the_title() . '</a></li>';
        $gread = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'read_time', true);
        $gdate = get_the_date();
        echo '<span style="font-size:12px; margin-left: 22px;"> Read Time: '.$gread.' Minutes </span>';
        echo '<span style="font-size:12px; margin-left: 22px;"> Posted: '.$gdate.' </span>';
    endwhile;
    // reset $post after custom loop end

}
add_shortcode( 'relatedpost', 'related_posts' );

The value is not fetching and displaying in this plugin. When I add the code elsewhere in the theme it's working properly.

<?php
    function related_posts( $atts ) {

    // set the category ID (or multiple category IDs)
    // you want to ignore in the following array
    $cats_to_ignore = array( 2 );
    $categories = wp_get_post_categories( get_the_ID() );
    $category_in = array_diff( $categories, $cats_to_ignore );
    // ignore only if we have any category left after ignoring
    if( count( $category_in ) == 0 ) {
        $category_in = $categories;
    }
    $cat_args = array(
        'category__in'   => $category_in,
        'posts_per_page' => 5,
        'orderby'        => 'date',
        'post__not_in'   => array( get_the_ID() )
        );
    $cat_query = new WP_Query( $cat_args );
    while ( $cat_query->have_posts() ) : $cat_query->the_post();
        /* just example markup for related posts */
        echo '<li style="list-style: none;"><a href="' . get_the_permalink() . '">' . get_the_title() . '</a></li>';
        $gread = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'read_time', true);
        $gdate = get_the_date();
        echo '<span style="font-size:12px; margin-left: 22px;"> Read Time: '.$gread.' Minutes </span>';
        echo '<span style="font-size:12px; margin-left: 22px;"> Posted: '.$gdate.' </span>';
    endwhile;
    // reset $post after custom loop end

}
add_shortcode( 'relatedpost', 'related_posts' );

• custom-field

Share Improve this question edited Dec 14, 2018 at 11:44 Max Yudin 6,39822 gold badges2626 silver badges3636 bronze badges asked Dec 14, 2018 at 11:12 Praveen KalarikkalPraveen Kalarikkal 1 6

• "Not working" is a bad explanation of the problem. Be more specific. – Max Yudin Commented Dec 14, 2018 at 11:24
• Hi Max, sorry for my language, Not working in the sense the value is not fetching and displaying in this plugin. When i add the code elsewhere in the theme its working properly. – Praveen Kalarikkal Commented Dec 14, 2018 at 11:32
• When you use the plugin what does get_the_ID() returns inside the function? – Max Yudin Commented Dec 14, 2018 at 12:10
• ok. i need to add the short code to widgets basically. it works well except the value from the custom field not displaying/fetching to the loop. but get_the_date() is working properly. my coding experience is limited. if u can help me to resolve this issue, that is appreciable. – Praveen Kalarikkal Commented Dec 14, 2018 at 13:29
• hi, got the solution. instead of calling default method tried this one -> $custom_fields = get_post_custom( get_the_ID() ); $my_custom_field = $custom_fields['time_to_read']; foreach ( $my_custom_field as $key => $value ) – Praveen Kalarikkal Commented Dec 14, 2018 at 13:52

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1 Answer 1

Sorted by: Reset to default 0

You don't have the $post object, but trying to use it in the code ($post->ID). Use get_the_ID() function instead:

<?php
while ( $cat_query->have_posts() ) : $cat_query->the_post();
    // $gread = get_post_meta( $post->ID, 'read_time', true );  // Wrong
    $gread = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'read_time', true );      // Right
endwhile;

}

From now forth always enable debugging when you develop. In such a way you'll avoid wasting your time and asking unpractical questions.