Sorry if I missed this in the documentation.  Are you able to automatically filter data on the front-end without requiring the user do so?  For example, on my website the user will be able to create several courses.  In each course, I'd like them to enter data into a wpDataTable.  However, I only want the data shown for the specific course their viewing (none others).  Is there a way to do this such as passing a filter value through the shortcode?  I can't do it based on author because the author may have more than one course created.  Also, I don't want them to be able to change the filter themselves.  Thanks for any tips.

Hi Milan,

I did look at that documentation, but was feeling a little confused on one piece.  I created a manual table, and I don't see the placeholders option appear in the table configuration.  Do I need to create a second table using a MySQL Query instead?  If so, do you need to create a column in the manual table that stores the post ID and then query off it using the MySQL table?  Ideally, I'd have a table that had three columns: AssignmentType, AssignmentWeight, and PostID.  Then I would have the table only display rows where the PostID was equal to the current WordPress post being displayed.  Can you just clarify how I do this with placeholders?  Thanks.

- Aaron

PS - I played around with it a bit more and can add an additional column to my manual table called PostID and have it default to the Post ID Placeholder, but when I try to hide the field so the user can't edit it or doesn't see it when adding a new row, it doesn't store the Post ID.

Hi Milan,

Thanks for this explanation.  The only thing I'm not sure how to do is to get new entries to have the PostID without the user needing to enter it.  If I setup a MySQL table and have PostID='%VAR1%' will the user be able to add new rows without typing the PostID, and without being able to see it?  I do not want this field to be visible to the user.  Thanks.

- Aaron

Even if the PostID field is hidden in the table, it still shows up in the "Add New Entry" pop-up window.  I'm nervous that users will accidentally (or purposefully) change the value of the PostID field, which could cause problems.  The only way I can figure to hide the field from the "Add New Entry" screen is to change Editor Input Type to "None" but when I do that it no longer sets the default value to %CURRENT_POST_ID% OR %VAR1%.  Instead, you get an error message saying that the PostID field cannot be blank.

Thanks, Milan.  I was able to find the element and add some CSS that successfully hid the input field.  However, I'm having some trouble hiding the label.  Here is the code.  Can you spot what I'm doing wrong?  First line works, second doesn't.

#table_1_courseid { display: none;}  <-- this successfully hides the input

#table_1_courseid_label { display: none;}   <-- this one isn't working

Hi Milan,

I tried inserting the following code but the label is still appearing.  Below is the code and attached is a screen shot of the label still appearing along with the ID.  Am I still doing something wrong in the code?  Thanks.

/*HOUSEHOLD-COURSE - HIDE THE POST ID IN THE WEIGHTING TABLE */

#table_1_courseid { display: none;}
label[for=table_1_courseid] { display: none;}

/*HOUSEHOLD-COURSE - HIDE THE POST ID IN THE ASSIGNMENTS TABLE */

#table_3_courseid { display: none;}
label[for=table_3_courseid] { display: none;}

No worries on the timing.  Adding !important had no effect on the form.  Also, the whole entry form now looks all messed up, even with all the special CSS removed.  I have no idea what would have triggered this to stop working.  See attached image.  The lines don't seem to match up with the field names any more.  Is it possible there is a plugin conflict?  I recently installed some plugins such as Autoptimize, WP Hide & Security, and WP-Optimize.  Maybe I will try deactivating them one at a time.  Do you have any other ideas?  Thanks again for the help.  Hopefully we can figure it out soon.

- Aaron

Okay - when I deactivated Autoptimize the styling went back to normal.  Then I reactivated it and went through each setting to see what triggers the problem.  Optimizing HTML causes the styling to get messed up, so I have disabled this feature in Autoptimize.

Adding !important still has no effect and I cannot seem to get the course ID label to hide:

<code>

/*HOUSEHOLD-COURSE - HIDE THE POST ID IN THE WEIGHTING TABLE */

#table_1_courseid { display: none;}
label[for=table_1_courseid] { display: none;}

/*HOUSEHOLD-COURSE - HIDE THE POST ID IN THE ASSIGNMENTS TABLE */

#table_3_courseid { display: none !important;}
label[for=table_3_courseid] { display: none !important;}

</code>

Hi Milan,

It seems like I've managed to get it to work.  I think some recent plugins I was installing (like Autoptimize) were wreaking havoc on some of the CSS.  I've cleaned up all the plugins and the Course ID label has now gone away.  Thanks for all your help.  I very much appreciate it.

- Aaron