Replace WordPress Submit Meta Box For Multiple Post Types

Today we’re going to replace wordpress submit meta box for multiple custom posts at once. First we’re going to hook into ‘admin_menu’ action, removing the old submit meta_box, and replacing it with new one.

This will be achieved with standard add_meta_box(), and remove_meta_box() wordpress functions. The id of the submit meta box is ‘submitdiv’. The callback function when adding meta new box will be adapted code, taken from WordPress core file – /includes/metaboxes.php

In this example I will be using following custom post types – ‘tf_highlights’, ‘tf_team’ and ‘tf_testimonials’. You can apply this code to as many custom post types as you like, you just need to add them to the <code>$items</code> array. Also, this applies to the single post type, only instead of array, use it’s values when appropriate (replacing the $item, and $value variables).

You can download gist here.

Now, let’s take a look at the code:

/*=========================================
         Custom Submit Box
  ==========================================*/
      /**
      * Loop throught custom post types and 
      * replace default submit box
      *
      * @since  1.0
      *
      */      
      function themeflection_replace_submit_meta_box() 
      {
         // create a multidimensional array that will hold 
         // each custom post_type as a key, and custom 
         // post_type name will be it's value.
          $items = array( 
           'tf_highlights' => 'Highlight',
           'tf_team' => 'Team Member', 
           'tf_testimonials' => 'Testimonial'
          );
          
          // now loop through $items array and remove, then
          // add submit meta box for each post type, by using
          // values from array to complete this.  
          foreach( $items as $item => $value )
          {
             remove_meta_box('submitdiv', $item, 'core'); // $item represents post_type
             add_meta_box('submitdiv', sprintf( __('Save/Update %s'), $value ), 'themeflection_submit_meta_box', $item, 'side', 'low'); // $value will be the output title in the box
          }
      }

      add_action( 'admin_menu', 'themeflection_replace_submit_meta_box' );

 
      /**
      * Custom edit of default wordpress publish box callback
      * loop through each custom post type and remove default
      * submit box, replacing it with custom one that has
      * only submit button with custom text on it (add/update)
      *
      * @global $action, $post
      * @see wordpress/includes/metaboxes.php
      * @since  1.0
      *
      */ 
      function themeflection_submit_meta_box() {
        global $action, $post;
       
        $post_type = $post->post_type; // get current post_type
        $post_type_object = get_post_type_object($post_type);
        $can_publish = current_user_can($post_type_object->cap->publish_posts);

        // again, use the same array. It is important
        // to put it in same order, so that it can
        // follow the right meta box
        $items = array( 
           'tf_highlights' => 'Highlight', 
           'themeflection_team' => 'Team Member', 
           'tf_testimonials' => 'Testimonial'
        );

        // now create var $item that will take only right
        // post_type information for currently displayed
        // post_type. Because $post_type var will store
        // only current post_type, it will correspond to
        // the appropriate 'key' from the $items array.
        // This $item will hold only the string name of 
        // the post_type which will be used further in context
        // on appropriate places.
        $item = $items[$post_type];

        ?>
        <div class="submitbox" id="submitpost">
         <div id="major-publishing-actions">
         <?php
         do_action( 'post_submitbox_start' );
         ?>
         <div id="delete-action">
         <?php
         if ( current_user_can( "delete_post", $post->ID ) ) {
           if ( !EMPTY_TRASH_DAYS )
                $delete_text = __('Delete Permanently');
           else
                $delete_text = __('Move to Trash');
         ?>
         <a class="submitdelete deletion" href="<?php echo get_delete_post_link($post->ID); ?>"><?php echo $delete_text; ?></a><?php
         } //if ?>
        </div>
         <div id="publishing-action">
         <span class="spinner"></span>
         <?php
         if ( !in_array( $post->post_status, array('publish', 'future', 'private') ) || 0 == $post->ID ) {
              if ( $can_publish ) : ?>
                <input name="original_publish" type="hidden" id="original_publish" value="<?php esc_attr_e('Add Tab') ?>" />
                <?php submit_button( sprintf( __( 'Add %' ), $item ), 'primary button-large', 'publish', false, array( 'accesskey' => 'p' ) ); ?>
         <?php   
              endif; 
         } else { ?>
                <input name="original_publish" type="hidden" id="original_publish" value="<?php esc_attr_e('Update ') . $item; ?>" />
                <input name="save" type="submit" class="button button-primary button-large" id="publish" accesskey="p" value="<?php esc_attr_e('Update ') . $item; ?>" />
         <?php
         } //if ?>
         </div>
         <div class="clear"></div>
         </div>
         </div>
        <?php
      } //themeflection_submit_meta_box()

Note that themeflection_submit_meta_box() function is a callback function of add_meta_box().

For Further refference:

• add_meta_box()
• remove_meta_box()