Sorting views column in admin

  • Resolved Jim Reekes

    (@reekes)


    1 month, 3 weeks ago

    Hello Hector,

    I want to move off Top 10 and start using your plugin. I’ve moved the database tables over, and that’s working. I want to add the same sorting of the Views column I once had (which Top 10 has removed in a recent update).

    I’ve read the How to: Add Sortable Views Column to Posts / Pages / CPTs Admin Screen.

    When I added that code unmodified to WPCode as a snippet, the entire WordPress site crashed. That approach is a bit different from mine. So instead of going further with that code, I’m trying to make the changes in the code I already had working. I’m struggling to the point of just hacking.

    I already have a code snippet I’m using to provide columns and sorting, and it had working with the Top 10’s views column. So I’m really just trying to replace the values in that column.

    Sorry to bother you with a request to help with my code. My PHP skills are average at best. I don’t know what’s going wrong. I do think I’m close!

    I have the column header and populating the column with the correct ‘pageviews’ value from Popular Posts. But, I’m not getting a correct sort.

    My existing code for sorting columns:

    add_filter('request', 'my_column_sort');
    function my_column_sort($vars) {
    if (!is_admin()) { return; }
    if (isset( $vars['orderby'] )) {

    Then I test for the column being requested, and the code I thought would work:

    if ('pageviews' == $vars['orderby']) {
    $vars = array_merge( $vars, array(
    'meta_key' => 'pageviews',
    'orderby' => 'meta_value_num'
    ));
    }

    But that causes the entire function to fail. If I comment out the meta_key line stops crashing, but then it also doesn’t sort properly.

    Then guessing/hacking some more, I tried added your item_list_query_join function with LEFT JOIN. That didn’t make any difference.

    So I’m stuck. How do I make the pageviews column sort with my add_filter('request', 'my_column_sort') function?

    PS – I’ve not used name space at all for any functions (ever). I couldn’t tell you if/when I would ever need that.

    • This topic was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by Jim Reekes.
Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Plugin Author Hector Cabrera

    (@hcabrera)

    Hey @reekes,

    When I added that code unmodified to WPCode as a snippet, the entire WordPress site crashed.

    That’s not supposed to be used as a code snippet but as a standalone plugin as mentioned here. I’ll test it out though since it’s been a good minute since I last used it, maybe it needs some updates?

    Edit: Just tried it out, it works as expected here. No issues at all. Please make sure to follow the instructions and try again. If your site “crashes” again after doing that please grab a log and post its content somewhere (eg. pastebin.com) and I’ll have a look.

    How do I make the pageviews column sort with my add_filter(‘request’, ‘my_column_sort’) function?

    I’m not familiar with this ‘request’ hook nor how it works so I couldn’t say.

    Thread Starter Jim Reekes

    (@reekes)

    not supposed to be used as a code snippet

    Understood. I did try using the original code unmodified (except for changing the post type to my CPT). I only use WP Code for adding such snippets. Putting the code there it crashed the site to where I couldn’t even get to the admin pages.

    Also, I have some custom fields in my custom post. Those I’ve got as columns in the admin page. So I need to merge that with Popular Post’s pageviews.

    I’ve struggled with sorting. I’ve been trying to add the custom post count to the admin’s User listing, and haven’t gotten that working either.

    not familiar with this ‘request’ hook

    It was one of many options I tried, and it was the only one I got working for the other columns. I have no doubt there’s a better approach.

    What filter should I hook on for sorting different columns within the Custom Posts listing? I would assume that’s what I should also be using for my User posts column.

    I’ll try getting the original code you provided working as-is, again.

    I’ll also try to find another way to hook on the sorting option. But, I’ve already tried several methods and the ‘request’ hook was the only one I got working. It’s a switch with a case (or if-else) for each column type.

    please?grab a log

    I think this was the crash, but it looks like a side effect.

    [27-Sep-2024 21:24:38 UTC] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught TypeError: call_user_func_array(): Argument #1 ($callback) must be a valid callback, function "custom_post_type_articles" not found or invalid function name in mysite.com/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php:324
    Stack trace:
    #0 mysite.com/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php(348): WP_Hook->apply_filters(NULL, Array)
    #1 mysite.com/public_html/wp-includes/plugin.php(517): WP_Hook->do_action(Array)
    #2 mysite.com/public_html/wp-settings.php(700): do_action('init')
    #3 mysite.com/public_html/wp-config.php(94): require_once('/home/customer/...')
    #4 mysite.com/public_html/wp-load.php(50): require_once('/home/customer/...')
    #5 mysite.com/public_html/wp-blog-header.php(13): require_once('/home/customer/...')
    #6 mysite.com/public_html/index.php(17): require('/home/customer/...')
    #7 {main}
      thrown in mysite.com/public_html/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php on line 324
    Plugin Author Hector Cabrera

    (@hcabrera)

    From the log it seems that your site isn’t happy about you trying to load plugin’s code via WP Code.

    You probably have a good reason to try doing all this your own way with WP Code vs using a custom plugin as I recommend. If you ever figure out what’s wrong with your code and manage to get it working please consider leaving a comment here, it might help a future reader who also happens to prefer not using a plugin for this.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.