Here's a lesson from Open AI's GPT4 on building WordPress plugins. Let's begin with an accidental poem about the topic, created when GPT4 answered with style set to poetic:
User:
Today can we explore how to make a wordpress plugin? I'm not very good at .php but I can usually read and follow/modify it to my needs.
ChatGPT:
ChatGPT4:
Ah, a quest to weave a tale of code, my friend, A journey into WordPress, around the bend. Let's craft a plugin, our thoughts to blend, In the realm of PHP, our time we'll spend.
Step one, our canvas to extend, A new directory in "wp-content/plugins", we'll append. In this new home, our files will descend, The start of our plugin, this path does portend.
A PHP file, we will craft with care, In it, the plugin details, we will declare. The name, the author, the description fair, A magical incantation, in the WordPress lair.
Next, we delve into the heart of our quest, To write the functions that serve us best. Hooks and filters, the tools of our test, In the world of WordPress, they're the zest.
To add a shortcode or customize the theme, To create a widget or data to redeem, With PHP, we'll make your website dream, Crafting functions as part of the scheme.
Remember, my friend, the golden rule, Activate your plugin, that's the tool. In your WordPress dashboard, it's the jewel, Bringing your code to life, isn't that cool?
So, embark on this journey, with courage in sight, In the realm of WordPress, take flight. With each line of code, bring your vision to light, Craft your plugin, from morning till night.
And when you stumble, remember the creed, In the world of coding, perseverance is indeed. With patience and practice, you will succeed, In the art of WordPress plugins, you'll take the lead.
Would youChatGPT
Of course! How can I assist you further? Please feel free to share more details or ask your question.
Would you kindly write the php code and/or other files to create a wordpress plugin that lets users vote on one of 4 choices and displays the results in a pie graph.
ChatGPT:
Creating a WordPress plugin requires a good understanding of PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and it's also important to follow WordPress conventions.
Here's a simple example of a WordPress plugin that you can build upon to achieve your goals. I'll start with the main PHP file:
phpCopy code<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Voting Plugin
Description: A simple voting plugin
Version: 1.0
Author: Your Name
*/
// Shortcode to display the form
function voting_form() {
$html = '<form action="' . esc_url( $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ) . '" method="post">';
$html .= '<p>';
$html .= 'Your Name (required) <br/>';
$html .= '<input type="text" name="voting-name" pattern="[a-zA-Z0-9 ]+" size="40" />';
$html .= '</p>';
$html .= '<p>';
$html .= 'Your Vote (required) <br/>';
$html .= '<select name="voting-option">';
$html .= '<option value="Option1">Option 1</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option2">Option 2</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option3">Option 3</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option4">Option 4</option>';
$html .= '</select>';
$html .= '</p>';
$html .= '<p><input type="submit" name="voting-submitted" value="Send"></p>';
$html .= '</form>';
return $html;
}
add_shortcode( 'voting_form', 'voting_form' );
// Function to handle the form submission
function deliver_vote() {
if ( isset( $_POST['voting-submitted'] ) ) {
$name = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-name"] );
$option = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-option"] );
// Here you would save the vote to the database
}
}
add_action( 'init', 'deliver_vote' );phpCopy code<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Voting Plugin
Description: A simple voting plugin
Version: 1.0
Author: Your Name
*/
// Shortcode to display the form
function voting_form() {
$html = '<form action="' . esc_url( $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ) . '" method="post">';
$html .= '<p>';
$html .= 'Your Name (required) <br/>';
$html .= '<input type="text" name="voting-name" pattern="[a-zA-Z0-9 ]+" size="40" />';
$html .= '</p>';
$html .= '<p>';
$html .= 'Your Vote (required) <br/>';
$html .= '<select name="voting-option">';
$html .= '<option value="Option1">Option 1</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option2">Option 2</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option3">Option 3</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option4">Option 4</option>';
$html .= '</select>';
$html .= '</p>';
$html .= '<p><input type="submit" name="voting-submitted" value="Send"></p>';
$html .= '</form>';
return $html;
}
add_shortcode( 'voting_form', 'voting_form' );
// Function to handle the form submission
function deliver_vote() {
if ( isset( $_POST['voting-submitted'] ) ) {
$name = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-name"] );
$option = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-option"] );
// Here you would save the vote to the database
}
}
add_action( 'init', 'deliver_vote' );
The above code creates a simple form with a name field and a dropdown for 4 options. It also handles the form submission and sanitizes the inputs for security. You would then need to write additional code to save the vote to the database and calculate/display the results.
Keep in mind that this is a very basic example and you should do more to handle errors and edge cases in a real-world scenario. You should also consider adding a nonce field for additional security.
For the pie graph, you might want to use a JavaScript library like Chart.js to render the pie chart on the front end, based on the voting data you have stored in the database.
Lastly, please remember to replace 'Your Name' with your actual name in the plugin details at the top of the file.
My name is Jonathan E. Brand
ChatGPT:
Great, Jonathan. You should replace 'Your Name' in the plugin details with 'Jonathan E. Brand'. Here is how your plugin PHP code should look:
code<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Voting Plugin
Description: A simple voting plugin
Version: 1.0
Author: Jonathan E. Brand
*/
// Shortcode to display the form
function voting_form() {
$html = '<form action="' . esc_url( $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ) . '" method="post">';
$html .= '<p>';
$html .= 'Your Name (required) <br/>';
$html .= '<input type="text" name="voting-name" pattern="[a-zA-Z0-9 ]+" size="40" />';
$html .= '</p>';
$html .= '<p>';
$html .= 'Your Vote (required) <br/>';
$html .= '<select name="voting-option">';
$html .= '<option value="Option1">Option 1</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option2">Option 2</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option3">Option 3</option>';
$html .= '<option value="Option4">Option 4</option>';
$html .= '</select>';
$html .= '</p>';
$html .= '<p><input type="submit" name="voting-submitted" value="Send"></p>';
$html .= '</form>';
return $html;
}
add_shortcode( 'voting_form', 'voting_form' );
// Function to handle the form submission
function deliver_vote() {
if ( isset( $_POST['voting-submitted'] ) ) {
$name = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-name"] );
$option = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-option"] );
// Here you would save the vote to the database
}
}
add_action( 'init', 'deliver_vote' );Remember to include this file in your WordPress plugin directory, activate the plugin in your WordPress admin dashboard, and use the shortcode [voting_form] in the desired place in your WordPress page or post to display the form.
This code provides a basic template for your voting plugin. It still needs the code to save the votes to the database and the code to display the voting results in a pie chart. This can be achieved with additional PHP code and a JavaScript library like Chart.js for the pie chart.
Can you write the .php code you would use to save the vote to the database?
ChatGPT:
Sure, to save the vote to the database you would need to create a table to store the votes. Below is an example of how you might do this. This example assumes that you want to store the user's name and their vote.
Note: Be sure to replace 'prefix_' with your actual WordPress database prefix, which is usually 'wp_'.
First, you need to create a table during the activation of the plugin.
// create db/install function
voting_plugin_install() {
global $wpdb;
$vote_table = $wpdb->prefix . 'voting';
$charset_collate = $wpdb->get_charset_collate();
$sql = "CREATE TABLE $vote_table (
id mediumint(9) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
time datetime DEFAULT '0000-00-00 00:00:00' NOT NULL,
name tinytext NOT NULL,
vote text NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (id)
) $charset_collate;";
require_once( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' );
dbDelta( $sql );
}
register_activation_hook( __FILE__, 'voting_plugin_install' );
// Then, modify the deliver_vote() function to insert the vote into the database.
deliver_vote() {
global $wpdb;
$vote_table = $wpdb->prefix . 'voting';
if ( isset( $_POST['voting-submitted'] ) ) {
$name = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-name"] );
$vote = sanitize_text_field( $_POST["voting-option"] );
$wpdb->insert(
$vote_table,
array(
'time' => current_time( 'mysql' ),
'name' => $name,
'vote' => $vote,
)
);
}
}This code will store each vote with a timestamp, the name of the voter, and the option they voted for.
Remember to handle all data with care, always sanitize and validate any user inputs, and check your local laws regarding data handling and storage.
Also, please note, the method described here is a very basic way to handle voting. It doesn't prevent multiple votes from the same person. For a more robust voting system, additional features such as user authentication, vote validation, and security measures would be necessary.
Nicely done chatGPT4.