WPDB SQL query with prepare() returning variable, not db value

Question

I have been trying to get this to work for awhile now and I cannot seem to get any farther on my own. It seems to work fine as a normal SQL query but not within the WP framework using prepare(). Basically I am trying to insert a PHP variable within the SQL query but instead of returning the value I SELECTed, the function returns the value of the variable.

I have searched for others having the same problem but most of them are dealing with problems with LIKE and the % wildcard. I cannot figure out what my problem is.

I am using a bbPress variable which is the forum id.

Any help would be appreciated.

global $wpdb;
$countquery = $wpdb->get_var($wpdb->prepare(
"SELECT meta_value FROM $wpdb->postmeta 
WHERE meta_key = '_bbp_forum_subforum_count' 
AND post_id=%d", bbp_forum_id()));
echo $countquery;

If you run var_dump( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT meta_value FROM $wpdb->postmeta WHERE meta_key = '_bbp_forum_subforum_count' AND post_id=%d", bbp_forum_id() ) );, does it look the way you expect? Does bbp_forum_id() return a number, or a string that contains a number? If the latter, try using (int) bbp_forum_id(). — Pat J
– Pat J, Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 20:52
The loop returns the same using (int) or not with var_dump [the first number changes, which is the what bbp_forum_id returns]: 518string(93) "SELECT meta_value FROM cd_postmeta WHERE meta_key = '_bbp_forum_subforum_count' AND post_id=0" — Michael Brittlebank
– Michael Brittlebank, Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 20:56

Milo · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-16 21:14:15Z

2

The function bbp_forum_id() will directly echo its value, you want to use bbp_get_forum_id() which will return the value for use in the context of an API call.

answered Sep 16, 2013 at 21:14

Milo

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Ah, that makes sense.

Pat J
– Pat J

2013-09-16 21:22:11 +00:00
Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 21:22

Add a comment |

Pat J · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-16 21:23:11Z

1

Try this:

global $wpdb;
$forum_id = bbp_get_forum_id();
$countquery = $wpdb->get_var( 
    $wpdb->prepare(
       "SELECT meta_value FROM $wpdb->postmeta 
        WHERE meta_key = '_bbp_forum_subforum_count' 
        AND post_id=%d",
    $forum_id 
    ) 
);
echo $countquery;

For some reason the bbp_forum_id() within the $wpdb->prepare() is either returning 0 or a non-decimal value. (Some quick experimentation shows me that [sprintf()](http://php.net/sprintf), on which $wpdb->prepare() is based, will interpolate 0 into the returned string if the %d value is not a number.)

Edited -- uses bbp_get_forum_id() per @Milo's answer.

edited Sep 16, 2013 at 21:23

answered Sep 16, 2013 at 21:11

Pat J

12.6k2 gold badges29 silver badges36 bronze badges

Thank you for your help. Milo's different function ended up being easier to implement.

Michael Brittlebank
– Michael Brittlebank

2013-09-16 21:22:51 +00:00
Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 21:22
NP. Milo's is the correct answer; in fact I've changed mine to use the proper bbp_get_forum_id() function in case anyone stumbles across it later.

Pat J
– Pat J

2013-09-16 21:23:59 +00:00
Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 21:23

Add a comment |

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