In order to create (or update, whenever a post is updated) a unix-timestamp meta, I used following code to fire on save_post. I pasted this code in functions.php.

But I believe this is not working, as I can't access the related unix meta created by save_post in loop anywhere in a custom template.

EDIT: After answers and comments I added priority and arguments in save_post hook event and also updated the way of retrieval. The problem now seems as follows - When a post is created then the save_post does not fires, but if I update the post (after creating it) save-post fires.

Plus, on updation (at any point after creation) if I change values of start date and end date, it doesn't reflect, it always takes the value which was used while creating the post.

Code -

function vg_update_timestamp( $post_id, $post ) {

    $offerstartdate = get_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_from_textdate', true); //not unix timestamp
    $offerenddate =  get_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_till_textdate', true);  //not unix timestamp

    $timestamp_start = strtotime( $offerstartdate );
    $timestamp_end = strtotime( $offerenddate );

    update_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_from_textdate_unix', $timestamp_start );    
    update_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_till_textdate_unix', $timestamp_end );  
}
add_action( 'save_post', 'vg_update_timestamp', 0, 2 );

In Template (Custom Template) am using following code to retrieve the field -

$unix_version_s = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'offer_cmb_offer_from_textdate_unix', true);
$unix_version_e = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'offer_cmb_offer_till_textdate_unix', true);

$unix_start = strtotime($unix_version_s);
$unix_end = strtotime($unix_version_e);

/******
Converting date to desired format 
**************************************/

$offerstartdate = gmdate("l, M j, Y", $unix_start);
$offerenddate = gmdate("l, M j, Y", $unix_end);

/*****
and then am using $offerstartdate and $offerenddate wherever needed, but its returning Jan 1, 1970 [which i think is because the value is zero or nill]
*****/

In order to create (or update, whenever a post is updated) a unix-timestamp meta, I used following code to fire on save_post. I pasted this code in functions.php.

But I believe this is not working, as I can't access the related unix meta created by save_post in loop anywhere in a custom template.

EDIT: After answers and comments I added priority and arguments in save_post hook event and also updated the way of retrieval. The problem now seems as follows - When a post is created then the save_post does not fires, but if I update the post (after creating it) save-post fires.

Plus, on updation (at any point after creation) if I change values of start date and end date, it doesn't reflect, it always takes the value which was used while creating the post.

Code -

function vg_update_timestamp( $post_id, $post ) {

    $offerstartdate = get_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_from_textdate', true); //not unix timestamp
    $offerenddate =  get_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_till_textdate', true);  //not unix timestamp

    $timestamp_start = strtotime( $offerstartdate );
    $timestamp_end = strtotime( $offerenddate );

    update_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_from_textdate_unix', $timestamp_start );    
    update_post_meta($post_id, 'offer_cmb_offer_till_textdate_unix', $timestamp_end );  
}
add_action( 'save_post', 'vg_update_timestamp', 0, 2 );

In Template (Custom Template) am using following code to retrieve the field -

$unix_version_s = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'offer_cmb_offer_from_textdate_unix', true);
$unix_version_e = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'offer_cmb_offer_till_textdate_unix', true);

$unix_start = strtotime($unix_version_s);
$unix_end = strtotime($unix_version_e);

/******
Converting date to desired format 
**************************************/

$offerstartdate = gmdate("l, M j, Y", $unix_start);
$offerenddate = gmdate("l, M j, Y", $unix_end);

/*****
and then am using $offerstartdate and $offerenddate wherever needed, but its returning Jan 1, 1970 [which i think is because the value is zero or nill]
*****/

• posts
• functions
• hooks

• How are you retrieving the data in a template? Can you show us the code? Are you sure the variables are not being updated? – sri Commented Jan 30, 2014 at 12:43
• @sri I added the code am using for retrieval in the question. – vajrasar Commented Jan 30, 2014 at 12:49
• In your template, are you globally declaring $post? global $post; Also, how is $offerstartdate originally defined? Because when retrieving the meta, if it is null, then strtotime() probably kicks back a null, and so you end up in a loop. Your save_post routine with update_post_meta looks fine, so it is likely something else. – helgatheviking Commented Jan 30, 2014 at 13:17
• I have edited and updated the details. Please consider that. – vajrasar Commented Jan 30, 2014 at 13:36

1 Answer 1

Try this:

add_action( 'save_post', 'vg_update_timestamp', 0, 1 );

May be this will help...

I think i made a little mistake...But i am little confused about priorities...

so try this:

add_action( 'save_post', 'vg_update_timestamp', 10, 2 );

Because, Docs says

Lower numbers correspond with earlier execution, and functions with the same priority are executed in the order in which they were added to the action.