Meta boxes

Meta boxes are data fields containers. They can have a one-level structure, or be divided in multiple subsections as tabs.

To create a meta box you should refer to the add_meta_box method in the Ev_AdminController class; for example:

ev_fw()->admin()->add_meta_box( "theme-options", __( "Theme options", "textdomain" ), array( "post", "page" ), array() );

The method is defined as follows:

• add_menu_page( $handle, $title, $post_types = 'post', $fields = array() )
  • handle, a unique name for the meta box (no spaces, slug-like),
  • title, the meta box title that's shown in admin editing screens,
  • post_types, an array of post types that will display the meta box,
  • fields, an array of fields that composes the meta box.

Check the data types documentation for more information about what fields can be added to meta boxes.

To create a meta box you would write something like:

function my_theme_options_meta_box() {
    ev_fw()->admin()->add_meta_box( "options", __( "Options", "textdomain" ), array( "post", "page" ), array(
        array(
            "handle" => "copyright_text",
            "label" => __( "Copyright text", "textdomain" ),
            "type" => "text",
        )
    ) );
}

add_action( "init", "my_theme_options_meta_box" );

To create a meta box that's organized in tabs:

function my_tabbed_theme_options_meta_box() {
    ev_fw()->admin()->add_meta_box( "options", __( "Options", "textdomain" ), array( "post", "page" ), array(
        array(
            "handle" => "first-tab",
            "label"  => __( "First tab", "textdomain" ),
            "type"   => "group",
            "fields" => array(
                array(
                    "handle" => "copyright_text",
                    "label" => __( "Copyright text", "textdomain" ),
                    "type" => "text",
                )
            )
        ),
        array(
            "handle" => "second-tab",
            "label"  => __( "Second tab", "textdomain" ),
            "type"   => "group",
            "fields" => array(
                array(
                    "handle" => "another_text_field",
                    "label" => __( "Another text field", "textdomain" ),
                    "type" => "text",
                )
            )
        ),
    ) );
}

add_action( "init", "my_tabbed_theme_options_meta_box" );

If only one tab is defined, the meta box won't show the tabs navigation.

Since the meta box name is set to options, its fields can also be manipulated using the following filters:

• ev[post_type:$post_type][metabox:options],
• ev[post_type:$post_type][template:{$page_template}][metabox:options], for pages only.

Adding a meta box to a different post type

When you, or a plugin you happen to be using, is declaring a Custom Post Type, you can attach a previously declared meta box to that post type as well.

In order to do it, you might use the following filter:

function my_custom_post_types( $types ) {
    $types[] = "test-post-type";

    return $types;
}

add_filter( "ev_metabox_post_types[metabox:options]", "my_custom_post_types" )

Validation

See the validation section in the documentation page about Options pages.