Add Text Field To Wordpress Media Meta

Adding a Custom Text Field to WordPress Media Meta

Want to add extra information to your WordPress media library entries? This guide shows you how to effortlessly add a custom text field to your media meta boxes, enhancing organization and workflow. This is perfect for adding details like copyright information, model releases, or source attribution directly alongside your images, videos, and other media files. This will improve your workflow and help you manage your media library more efficiently.

Adding a custom text field directly into the WordPress media meta box allows you to store additional metadata beyond the standard fields provided by WordPress. This extra data can be incredibly useful for various purposes, from better organizing your media library to enriching your content with more detailed information. This tutorial will guide you through the process, helping you tailor your media library to your specific needs.

Understanding the Code

The core of this process involves creating a plugin that utilizes WordPress's action hooks. We'll be using the add_meta_box function to add a custom meta box to the media upload screen, and add_action to save the entered data. The code itself isn't overly complex, but understanding the fundamentals of WordPress plugin development is beneficial.

Step-by-Step Guide: Creating the Plugin

1. Create the Plugin File: Create a new file named add-custom-media-field.php (or a similar descriptive name) in your /wp-content/plugins/ directory.

2. Add the Plugin Header: At the top of the file, add the plugin header information:

function add_custom_media_field() {
    add_meta_box(
        'custom_media_field', // Unique ID
        'Custom Media Information', // Title
        'render_custom_media_field', // Callback function
        'attachment', // Post type
        'side' // Context
    );
}
add_action('add_meta_boxes_attachment', 'add_custom_media_field');

function render_custom_media_field($post) {
    $value = get_post_meta($post->ID, 'custom_media_text', true); ?>
    Custom Text:
    

    

function save_custom_media_field($post_id) {
    if (isset($_POST['custom_media_text'])) {
        update_post_meta($post_id, 'custom_media_text', sanitize_text_field($_POST['custom_media_text']));
    }
}
add_action('save_post_attachment', 'save_custom_media_field');