I have been attempting to disable the ability to collapse admin meta boxes. By the looks of it WordPress creates this functionality in postbox.js /wp-admin/js/ but I have been unable to find a hook or suitable JavaScript to overwrite the built in functions.

This is a some test code I am working with:

jQuery('.postbox h3, .postbox .handlediv, .hndle').bind('click', function(e) {

    e.preventDefault();
    return false;

});

Any thoughts on how this could be achieved?

I have been attempting to disable the ability to collapse admin meta boxes. By the looks of it WordPress creates this functionality in postbox.js /wp-admin/js/ but I have been unable to find a hook or suitable JavaScript to overwrite the built in functions.

This is a some test code I am working with:

jQuery('.postbox h3, .postbox .handlediv, .hndle').bind('click', function(e) {

    e.preventDefault();
    return false;

});

Any thoughts on how this could be achieved?

• jquery
• admin
• metabox

3 Answers 3

Add this to your functions file and it will kill the metabox toggles:

function kill_postbox(){
    global $wp_scripts;
    $footer_scripts = $wp_scripts->in_footer;
    foreach($footer_scripts as $key => $script){
        if('postbox' === $script)
            unset($wp_scripts->in_footer[$key]);
    }
}
add_action('admin_footer', 'kill_postbox', 1);

For current Wordpress version (4.5.3) I come up with the following solution which removes closing metaboxes handler and opens all previously closed metaboxes.

php (plugin.php)

function add_admin_scripts( $hook ) {    
  wp_register_script( 'disable_metabox_toggling', plugin_dir_url(__FILE__) . 'index.js', 'jquery', '1.0.0', true);
  wp_enqueue_script( 'disable_metabox_toggling' );
}
add_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', 'add_admin_scripts', 10, 1 );

js (index.js)

(function($){
  $(document).ready(function() {
     $('.postbox .hndle').unbind('click.postboxes');
     $('.postbox .handlediv').remove();
     $('.postbox').removeClass('closed');
  });
})(jQuery);

If you want to use it inside theme you should replace plugin_dir_url(__FILE__) with get_template_directory_uri() or get_stylesheet_directory_uri() for a child theme.

Simplified & best version :

function disable_metabox_folding()
{ ?><script>
    jQuery(window).load(function() {
       jQuery('.postbox .hndle').css('pointer-events', 'none');
       jQuery('.postbox .hndle').unbind('click.postboxes');
       jQuery('.postbox .handlediv').remove();
       jQuery('.postbox').removeClass('closed');
    });
    </script><?php
}

add_action('admin_footer', 'disable_metabox_folding'); 

//thanks to @jmarceli for hints