delete_metadata() WordPress Function

The delete_metadata() function allows you to delete metadata for a given object. You can specify the object type and ID, as well as the meta key to delete. This function returns true on success or false on failure.

delete_metadata( string $meta_type, int $object_id, string $meta_key, mixed $meta_value = '', bool $delete_all = false ) #

Deletes metadata for the specified object.


Parameters

$meta_type

(string)(Required)Type of object metadata is for. Accepts 'post', 'comment', 'term', 'user', or any other object type with an associated meta table.

$object_id

(int)(Required)ID of the object metadata is for.

$meta_key

(string)(Required)Metadata key.

$meta_value

(mixed)(Optional) Metadata value. Must be serializable if non-scalar. If specified, only delete metadata entries with this value. Otherwise, delete all entries with the specified meta_key. Pass null, false, or an empty string to skip this check. (For backward compatibility, it is not possible to pass an empty string to delete those entries with an empty string for a value.)

Default value: ''

$delete_all

(bool)(Optional) If true, delete matching metadata entries for all objects, ignoring the specified object_id. Otherwise, only delete matching metadata entries for the specified object_id.

Default value: false


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Return

(bool) True on successful delete, false on failure.


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Source

File: wp-includes/meta.php

function delete_metadata( $meta_type, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value = '', $delete_all = false ) {
	global $wpdb;

	if ( ! $meta_type || ! $meta_key || ! is_numeric( $object_id ) && ! $delete_all ) {
		return false;
	}

	$object_id = absint( $object_id );
	if ( ! $object_id && ! $delete_all ) {
		return false;
	}

	$table = _get_meta_table( $meta_type );
	if ( ! $table ) {
		return false;
	}

	$type_column = sanitize_key( $meta_type . '_id' );
	$id_column   = ( 'user' === $meta_type ) ? 'umeta_id' : 'meta_id';

	// expected_slashed ($meta_key)
	$meta_key   = wp_unslash( $meta_key );
	$meta_value = wp_unslash( $meta_value );

	/**
	 * Short-circuits deleting metadata of a specific type.
	 *
	 * The dynamic portion of the hook name, `$meta_type`, refers to the meta object type
	 * (post, comment, term, user, or any other type with an associated meta table).
	 * Returning a non-null value will effectively short-circuit the function.
	 *
	 * Possible hook names include:
	 *
	 *  - `delete_post_metadata`
	 *  - `delete_comment_metadata`
	 *  - `delete_term_metadata`
	 *  - `delete_user_metadata`
	 *
	 * @since 3.1.0
	 *
	 * @param null|bool $delete     Whether to allow metadata deletion of the given type.
	 * @param int       $object_id  ID of the object metadata is for.
	 * @param string    $meta_key   Metadata key.
	 * @param mixed     $meta_value Metadata value. Must be serializable if non-scalar.
	 * @param bool      $delete_all Whether to delete the matching metadata entries
	 *                              for all objects, ignoring the specified $object_id.
	 *                              Default false.
	 */
	$check = apply_filters( "delete_{$meta_type}_metadata", null, $object_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $delete_all );
	if ( null !== $check ) {
		return (bool) $check;
	}

	$_meta_value = $meta_value;
	$meta_value  = maybe_serialize( $meta_value );

	$query = $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT $id_column FROM $table WHERE meta_key = %s", $meta_key );

	if ( ! $delete_all ) {
		$query .= $wpdb->prepare( " AND $type_column = %d", $object_id );
	}

	if ( '' !== $meta_value && null !== $meta_value && false !== $meta_value ) {
		$query .= $wpdb->prepare( ' AND meta_value = %s', $meta_value );
	}

	$meta_ids = $wpdb->get_col( $query );
	if ( ! count( $meta_ids ) ) {
		return false;
	}

	if ( $delete_all ) {
		if ( '' !== $meta_value && null !== $meta_value && false !== $meta_value ) {
			$object_ids = $wpdb->get_col( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT $type_column FROM $table WHERE meta_key = %s AND meta_value = %s", $meta_key, $meta_value ) );
		} else {
			$object_ids = $wpdb->get_col( $wpdb->prepare( "SELECT $type_column FROM $table WHERE meta_key = %s", $meta_key ) );
		}
	}

	/**
	 * Fires immediately before deleting metadata of a specific type.
	 *
	 * The dynamic portion of the hook name, `$meta_type`, refers to the meta object type
	 * (post, comment, term, user, or any other type with an associated meta table).
	 *
	 * Possible hook names include:
	 *
	 *  - `delete_post_meta`
	 *  - `delete_comment_meta`
	 *  - `delete_term_meta`
	 *  - `delete_user_meta`
	 *
	 * @since 3.1.0
	 *
	 * @param string[] $meta_ids    An array of metadata entry IDs to delete.
	 * @param int      $object_id   ID of the object metadata is for.
	 * @param string   $meta_key    Metadata key.
	 * @param mixed    $_meta_value Metadata value.
	 */
	do_action( "delete_{$meta_type}_meta", $meta_ids, $object_id, $meta_key, $_meta_value );

	// Old-style action.
	if ( 'post' === $meta_type ) {
		/**
		 * Fires immediately before deleting metadata for a post.
		 *
		 * @since 2.9.0
		 *
		 * @param string[] $meta_ids An array of metadata entry IDs to delete.
		 */
		do_action( 'delete_postmeta', $meta_ids );
	}

	$query = "DELETE FROM $table WHERE $id_column IN( " . implode( ',', $meta_ids ) . ' )';

	$count = $wpdb->query( $query );

	if ( ! $count ) {
		return false;
	}

	if ( $delete_all ) {
		$data = (array) $object_ids;
	} else {
		$data = array( $object_id );
	}
	wp_cache_delete_multiple( $data, $meta_type . '_meta' );

	/**
	 * Fires immediately after deleting metadata of a specific type.
	 *
	 * The dynamic portion of the hook name, `$meta_type`, refers to the meta object type
	 * (post, comment, term, user, or any other type with an associated meta table).
	 *
	 * Possible hook names include:
	 *
	 *  - `deleted_post_meta`
	 *  - `deleted_comment_meta`
	 *  - `deleted_term_meta`
	 *  - `deleted_user_meta`
	 *
	 * @since 2.9.0
	 *
	 * @param string[] $meta_ids    An array of metadata entry IDs to delete.
	 * @param int      $object_id   ID of the object metadata is for.
	 * @param string   $meta_key    Metadata key.
	 * @param mixed    $_meta_value Metadata value.
	 */
	do_action( "deleted_{$meta_type}_meta", $meta_ids, $object_id, $meta_key, $_meta_value );

	// Old-style action.
	if ( 'post' === $meta_type ) {
		/**
		 * Fires immediately after deleting metadata for a post.
		 *
		 * @since 2.9.0
		 *
		 * @param string[] $meta_ids An array of metadata entry IDs to delete.
		 */
		do_action( 'deleted_postmeta', $meta_ids );
	}

	return true;
}


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Changelog

Changelog
VersionDescription
2.9.0Introduced.

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