Plugin settings page checkbox not saving - one options array with sub array

Question

I'm driving myself crazy here trying to get a checkbox to save on a plugin settings page.

Right now, as a template, I'm working through the excellent example given here: Settings API with arrays example

I'm also referring to a very useful tutorial at https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016/04/three-approaches-to-adding-configurable-fields-to-your-plugin/ with a detailed git at https://github.com/rayman813/smashing-custom-fields/blob/master/smashing-fields-approach-1/smashing-fields.php

I've also read about a half dozen posts with similar questions but none have my answer, at least that I can find and understand.

I think I'm stumbling on the syntax of a checked() function.

--- Updated code ---

Here are the key pieces of code:

The overall data in the function that calls register_setting(), add_settings_section() and add_settings_fields

 $option_name = 'rpq_plugin_option_name'; // free to choose this name // Fetch existing options. $option_values = get_option( $option_name ); $default_values = array ( 'number' => 500, 'color' => 'blue', 'long' => '', 'activity' => array( 'baseball' => '', 'golf' => '', 'hockey' => '') ); $data = shortcode_atts( $default_values, $option_values ); 

The add_settings_field() for the checkboxes:

 add_settings_field( 'section_2_field_2', 'Checkboxes', 'rpq_plugin_render_section_2_field_2', // callback to render html 'rpq-default-settings', // menu slug 'section_2', array ( 'label_for' => 'label4', // makes the field name clickable, 'name' => 'activity', // value for 'name' attribute 'value' => array_map( 'esc_attr', $data['activity'] ) , 'options' => array ( 'baseball' => 'Baseball', 'golf' => 'Golf', 'hockey' => 'Hockey' ), 'option_name' => $option_name ) ); 

The callback to render the html:

 function rpq_plugin_render_section_2_field_2( $args ) { $options_markup = ''; $iterator = 0; $values = $args['value']; $options = $args['options']; rpq_plugin_debug_var( $options, 'Options: ' ); rpq_plugin_debug_var( $values, 'Values: ' ); foreach ( $args['options'] as $key => $title ) { rpq_plugin_debug_var( $key, 'Key: ' ); rpq_plugin_debug_var( $title, 'Title: ' ); $checked = checked((in_array($title, $values)), true, false); rpq_plugin_debug_var($checked, 'Checked: '); $iterator ++; $options_markup .= sprintf( '<label for="%1$s_%6$s"><input id="%1$s_%6$s" name="%1$s[%2$s]" type="checkbox" value="%3$s" %4$s /> %5$s</label><br/>', $args['option_name'], $args['name'], $key, $checked, $title, $iterator ); } printf( '<fieldset>%s</fieldset>', $options_markup ); //print '</select>'; rpq_plugin_debug_var( $values, 'Values: '); } 

The output from the debug dump of the initial variables is as I'd expect:

Options: = array ( 'baseball' => 'Baseball', 'golf' => 'Golf', 'hockey' => 'Hockey', ) Values: = array ( 'baseball' => '', 'golf' => '', 'hockey' => '', ) Key: = 'baseball' Title: = 'Baseball' Checked: = '' Key: = 'golf' Title: = 'Golf' Checked: = '' Key: = 'hockey' Title: = 'Hockey' Checked: = '' 

After trying to save, i get:

Values: = NULL 

I've tried a host of variations on ways to get cjhecked set but I can't get the checkboxes to save.

Answer 1

I finally got this one. I'll write out the solution for any other inexperienced person, like me, who is trying to handle a checkbox array when using just one options array.

First, the two articles I linked two at the top of the question are good for learning the basic about the topic.

Solution - part one:

I am using an options array, with all the possible options, and a values array to hold just the items that are checked. I was creating the values array incorrectly. Rather than being an associative array, it needs to be just a "regular array" holding just the keys from the options array.

So, in my setup, instead of setting 'activities' in the default settings to

 array ( 'baseball' => '', 'golf' => '', 'hockey' => '' ), 

I want just

 array () 

Solution - part two

If no checkboxes are chosen, when the settings are saved the $values array becomes NULL. But I need to use functions that require an array to make my tests for validation and for evaluating the checkboxes. So I need to make sure $values is always an array. So I need

 if (is_null($data['activity'])) { $data['activity'] = array(); } 

Solution - part 3

My checked() function was wrong. Once I had fixed my array as discussed above, I am searching if the current $key from the $options array is a value from the $values array.

$checked = checked((in_array($key, $values)), true, false); 

Solution - part 4

Since 'activities' is a sub array of the option values, I need to set the name variable in the checkbox statements to reflect that.

So I use

name="%1$s[%2$s][]" 

which generates

name="rpq_plugin_option_name[activity][]" 

Now my checkboxes update and save.