I'd like to retrieve the meta_key names, (and values), for all wp_usermeta records for 1 specific user. While I can do this by querying the database with the proper SQL I can't get it with the get_user_meta function call.

1. Using '$wpdb->get_result'

$all_user_meta = $wpdb->get_results ( "SELECT * FROM wp_usermeta WHERE user_id = $user_id " );
if ( !empty($all_user_meta) )
{
     $cnt = 0 ;      
     $idx = -1 ;      
     foreach ( $all_user_meta as $one_meta )
     {
           $meta_key = $one_meta->meta_key ;
           echo('Meta Key: '.$meta_key.'<br/>');

           // THIS WORKS !!
     }
}

2. Using Wordpress function Call

$user_meta_array = get_user_meta($user_id) ;
foreach($user_meta_array as $user_meta)
{
    $meta_key = $user_meta->meta_key ;
    echo('Meta Key: '.$meta_key.'<br/>');

     // THIS DOES NOT WORK !!
     // The loop does execute the proper number of times
}

I'd like to retrieve the meta_key names, (and values), for all wp_usermeta records for 1 specific user. While I can do this by querying the database with the proper SQL I can't get it with the get_user_meta function call.

1. Using '$wpdb->get_result'

$all_user_meta = $wpdb->get_results ( "SELECT * FROM wp_usermeta WHERE user_id = $user_id " );
if ( !empty($all_user_meta) )
{
     $cnt = 0 ;      
     $idx = -1 ;      
     foreach ( $all_user_meta as $one_meta )
     {
           $meta_key = $one_meta->meta_key ;
           echo('Meta Key: '.$meta_key.'<br/>');

           // THIS WORKS !!
     }
}

2. Using Wordpress function Call

$user_meta_array = get_user_meta($user_id) ;
foreach($user_meta_array as $user_meta)
{
    $meta_key = $user_meta->meta_key ;
    echo('Meta Key: '.$meta_key.'<br/>');

     // THIS DOES NOT WORK !!
     // The loop does execute the proper number of times
}

• php

1 Answer 1

I just figured it out. I didn't understand associative arrays properly and after doing more research I came up with the following that works:

$user_id = 6 ;
$user_meta_array = array() ;

/* the following Wordpress function outputs an associative array  */

$user_meta_array = get_user_meta($user_id);

$meta_cnt = -1 ;

/* You need the following loop structure to output nicely */

foreach($user_meta_array as $user_meta =>$mk)
{
   $meta_cnt = $meta_cnt + 1 ;
   echo('Meta Key: '.$user_meta.'<br/>');

/* Each wp_usermeta key can have multiple values  */

   $meta_vals_found = false ;
   foreach($mk as $mk_each)
   {
      if(!empty($mk_each))
      {
         $meta_vals_found = true ;
         echo('Meta Value----> '.$mk_each.'<br/>');
      } 
   }
   if(!$meta_vals_found)
   {
       echo('----> No Meta Values Entered<br/>');
   }   
}