How to set attribute as variation in Woocommerce

Question

I have a front-end form I am creating to allow users to publish a variable product to my shop from the front end with predefined attributes and variations.

I have found this very helpful question: here Which shows me how to set the product type as variable and assign my predefined attributes in the attributes section of the product data.

However when I am on the backend of Wordpress/Woocommerce and editing the product I click on variations and none are set, I look at the attributes and my "resolution" attribute is set with my 3 items.

How do I make this to where it will actually set those attributes to variations of my form? Do I need to use wp_insert_post? Looking in phpmyadmin it just looks like product variations are assigned to a parent_id (product id) and post type is product_varition and so on.

$new_post = array(
'post_title' => esc_attr(strip_tags($_POST['postTitle'])),
'post_content' => esc_attr(strip_tags($_POST['postContent'])),
'post_status' => 'publish',
'post_type' => 'product',
'tags_input' => array($tags)
);

$skuu = rand();
$post_id = wp_insert_post($new_post);
update_post_meta($post_id, '_sku', $skuu );

//my array for setting the attributes
$avail_attributes = array(
    'high-resolution',
    'medium-resolution',
    'low-resolution'
);

//Sets the attributes up to be used as variations but doesnt actually set them up as variations
wp_set_object_terms ($post_id, 'variable', 'product_type');
wp_set_object_terms( $post_id, $avail_attributes, 'pa_resolution' );


$thedata = array(
'pa_resolution'=> array(
                'name'=>'pa_resolution',
                'value'=>'',
                'is_visible' => '1',
                'is_variation' => '1',
                'is_taxonomy' => '1'
                )
);
update_post_meta( $post_id,'_product_attributes',$thedata);

update_post_meta( $post_id, '_visibility', 'search' );
update_post_meta( $post_id, '_stock_status', 'instock');

So just to be clear (I tend to be confusing) the above does create my variable product from the front end, and when I look at the product in the backend it is a variable product, it has the resolution attribute set and has my 3 terms (high-res, medium-res, low-res) as attributes. I just need to take this a step further where they are actually set as variations so people can place an order.

Answer 1

update_post_meta( $post_id, '_visibility', PARAM' ) 

It will have 3 or 4 parameters: hidden | search | catalog | visible

Try to set your _visibility to "visible" param.

Answer 2

I have been struggling for the last two days on implementing in my plugin the ability to set up product variation in Woocommerce.

I managed to get all correct data in DB but Woocommerce wasn't retrieving as I thought it would.

The problem were the 'transient' stored in wp_options table.

This is the code that had me up and running with WC 2.6.0:

CREATING VARIATION BASED UPON SELECTED ATTRIBUTES ($_POST['term_id_arr'] are a list of all attributes chosen from frontend for creating product. I'm sorry but I am not yet allowed to post images on stack.. Front-end form with variations created)

$opzioni_arr=$_POST['term_id_arr'];
$qta = count($opzioni_arr);
if ($qta>0){
    $ID = $post_id;
    //make product type be variable:
    wp_set_object_terms ($ID,'variable','product_type');


    foreach ($opzioni_arr as $opzioni_val){
        $new_arr = explode("/",$opzioni_val);
        $att_taxonomy = $new_arr[0];
        $att_slug = $new_arr[1];
        $att_id =$new_arr[2];
        $att_arr[$att_taxonomy][$att_id]=$att_slug;
        $att_due_arr[$att_taxonomy][$att_taxonomy.'*'.$att_id]=$att_slug;
    }
    //################### Add attributes to main product: ####################
    foreach ($att_arr as $att_arr_key=>$att_arr_val){

        //Array for setting attributes
        unset ($avail_attributes);
        foreach ($att_arr_val as $key_two=>$val_two){
            $avail_attributes[] = $val_two;
        }

        wp_set_object_terms($ID, $avail_attributes, $att_arr_key);

        $thedata [$att_arr_key]= Array(
                                                'name'=>$att_arr_key,
                                                'value'=>'',
                                                'is_visible' => 1, 
                                                'is_variation' => 1,
                                                'is_taxonomy' => 1,
                                                'position' => '1'
                                            );

    }

        update_post_meta( $ID,'_product_attributes',$thedata);
    //########################## Done adding attributes to product #################

    //function to create combinations from attributes
    $combinations=lasap_get_combinations($att_due_arr);     

    foreach ($combinations as $key=>$val){
    // Start creating variations
    // The variation is simply a post
    // with the main product set as its parent
    // you might want to put that in a loop or something
    // to create multiple variations with multiple values
    $parent_id = $ID;
    $variation = array(
                        'post_title'   => 'Prodotto #' . $parent_id . ' Variante',
                        'post_content' => '',
                        'post_status'  => 'publish',
                        'post_parent'  => $parent_id,
                        'post_type'    => 'product_variation'
                    );
    // The variation id
    $variation_id = wp_insert_post( $variation );


    // Regular Price ( you can set other data like sku and sale price here )

    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_sku', $sku);

    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_regular_price', $regular_price);

    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_sale_price', $sale_price);
    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_sale_price_dates_from', $datasaldodal_time);
    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_sale_price_dates_to', $datasaldoal_time);

    if (($sale_price!='' AND ($sale_price<=$regular_price))){$price=$sale_price;} else {$price=$regular_price;}
    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_price', $price);

    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_thumbnail_id', $thumbnail_id);

    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_manage_stock', $manage_stock);
    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_stock_status', $stock_status);
    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_stock', $stock);
    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_stock_soglia', $stock_soglia);
    update_post_meta($variation_id, '_backorders', $backorders);


    foreach ($val as $chiave=>$valore){
            $exp = explode ("*", $chiave);
            $attributo_nome = $exp[0];
            update_post_meta( $variation_id, 'attribute_' . $attributo_nome, $valore );
            $split_attributo = explode("_", $attributo_nome);
            $attributo_nome_due = $split_attributo[1];
            echo "<p>Variante #$variation_id: $attributo_nome_due ($valore)</p>";

        }
    }
    do_action( 'product_variation_linked', $variation_id );
    // Update parent if variable so price sorting works and stays in sync with the cheapest child
    lasap_woo_sync_varianti ($post_id, $stock_status_before);   

}
delete_transient( 'wc_product_children_' . $parent_id );

UPDATING VARIATIONS (SUCH AS PRICE, SALE PRICE AND SO ON...).

    $sku_arr = $_POST['sku'];
$prezzolistino_arr = $_POST['prezzolistino']; //regular_price
$prezzosaldo_arr = $_POST['prezzosaldo']; //sale_price
$datasaldoal_arr = $_POST['datasaldoal']; //sale_date_to
$datasaldodal_arr = $_POST['datasaldodal']; //sale_date_from
$manage_stock_arr = $_POST['manage_stock'];
$stock_arr = $_POST['stock'];
$stock_soglia_arr = $_POST['stock_soglia'];
$backorders_arr = $_POST['backorders'];

foreach ($sku_arr as $varID=>$sku){
    $prezzolistino = $prezzolistino_arr[$varID];
    $prezzosaldo = $prezzosaldo_arr[$varID];
    if (($prezzosaldo!='' AND ($prezzosaldo<=$prezzolistino))){$prezzoesposto=$prezzosaldo;} else {$prezzoesposto=$prezzolistino;}
        $prezzoesposto = $prezzoesposto * 1;
    $datasaldoal = $datasaldoal_arr[$varID];
    $datasaldodal = $datasaldodal_arr[$varID];
    $manage_stock = $manage_stock_arr[$varID];
    $stock = $stock_arr[$varID];
    $stock_soglia = $stock_soglia_arr[$varID];
    $backorders = $backorders_arr[$varID];
    switch ($manage_stock){
        case "on": $manage_stock = "yes"; break;
        default : $manage_stock = "no";
    }
    switch ($backorders){
        case "on": $backorders = "yes"; break;
        default : $backorders = "no";
    }

    update_post_meta ($varID, '_sku', $sku);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_regular_price', $prezzolistino);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_sale_price', $prezzosaldo);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_price', $prezzoesposto);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_sale_price_dates_to', $datasaldoal);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_sale_price_dates_from', $datasaldodal);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_manage_stock', $manage_stock);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_stock', $stock);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_stock_soglia', $stock_soglia);
    update_post_meta ($varID, '_backorders', $backorders);
}
// Update parent if variable so price sorting works and stays in sync with the cheapest child
    $tipo = $_POST['tipo'];//this is a value to check if I am updating main product or its children
    if ($tipo != 'parent'){
        lasap_woo_sync_varianti ($post_id, $stock_status_before);
    }

DELETING VARIATION(S)

$ID_arr = $_POST['ID'];
foreach ($ID_arr as $ID){
    $res = wp_delete_post($ID, true);
}
$variazioni = lasap_woo_check_variazioni($post_id);

if ($variazioni > 0){
    // Update parent if variable so price sorting works and stays in sync with the cheapest child
    lasap_woo_sync_varianti ($post_id, $stock_status_before);
} else {
    //clean up main product
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_product_attributes');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_min_variation_price');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_max_variation_price');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_min_price_variation_id');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_max_price_variation_id');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_min_variation_regular_price');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_max_variation_regular_price');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_min_regular_price_variation_id');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_max_regular_price_variation_id');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_min_variation_sale_price');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_max_variation_sale_price');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_min_sale_price_variation_id');
    delete_post_meta($post_id, '_max_sale_price_variation_id');

    update_post_meta($post_id, '_stock_status', 'instock');
    wp_set_object_terms ($post_id,'simple','product_type');
    wc_delete_product_transients( $post_id );
}

FUNCTION CALLED FOR SYNCING....

function lasap_woo_sync_varianti ($post_id, $stock_status_before){
//https://docs.woocommerce.com/wc-apidocs/class-WC_Product_Variable.html
//WC_Product_Variable::variable_product_sync( $post_id );//sync variable product prices with the children lowest/highest (calls :sync)
//WC_Product_Variable::sync_stock_status( $post_id );//sync the variable product stock status with children
//WC_Product_Variable::sync_attributes( $post_id );//sync the variable product's attributes with the variations (called by :sync)
WC_Product_Variable::sync( $post_id );//sync the variable product with it's children
wc_delete_product_transients( $post_id );
lasap_get_variation_prices ($post_id);

$stock_status_after = get_post_meta($post_id, '_stock_status', true);
update_post_meta($post_id, '_stock_status', $stock_status_before);

}

FUNCTION FOR SETTING TRANSIENT (EXTRACTED FROM woocommerce\includes\class-wc-product-variable.php)

function lasap_get_variation_prices( $post_id, $display = false ) {
    global $wp_filter, $woocommerce, $wpdb;
    $_product   = wc_get_product( $post_id );
    /**
     * Transient name for storing prices for this product (note: Max transient length is 45)
     * @since 2.5.0 a single transient is used per product for all prices, rather than many transients per product.
     */
    $transient_name = 'wc_var_prices_' . $post_id;

    /**
     * Create unique cache key based on the tax location (affects displayed/cached prices), product version and active price filters.
     * DEVELOPERS should filter this hash if offering conditonal pricing to keep it unique.
     * @var string
     */
    if ( $display ) {
        $price_hash = array( get_option( 'woocommerce_tax_display_shop', 'excl' ), WC_Tax::get_rates() );
    } else {
        $price_hash = array( false );
    }

    $filter_names = array( 'woocommerce_variation_prices_price', 'woocommerce_variation_prices_regular_price', 'woocommerce_variation_prices_sale_price' );

    foreach ( $filter_names as $filter_name ) {
        if ( ! empty( $wp_filter[ $filter_name ] ) ) {
            $price_hash[ $filter_name ] = array();

            foreach ( $wp_filter[ $filter_name ] as $priority => $callbacks ) {
                $price_hash[ $filter_name ][] = array_values( wp_list_pluck( $callbacks, 'function' ) );
            }
        }
    }

    $price_hash = md5( json_encode( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_get_variation_prices_hash', $price_hash, $_product, $display ) ) );


            // If the value has already been generated, we don't need to grab the values again.
    if ( empty( $post_id->prices_array[ $price_hash ] ) ) {

        // Get value of transient
        $prices_array = array_filter( (array) json_decode( strval( get_transient( $transient_name ) ), true ) );

        // If the product version has changed, reset cache

        if ( empty( $prices_array['version'] ) || $prices_array['version'] !== WC_Cache_Helper::get_transient_version( 'product' ) ) {
            $post_id->prices_array = array( 'version' => WC_Cache_Helper::get_transient_version( 'product' ) );
        }

        // If the prices are not stored for this hash, generate them
        //if ( empty( $prices_array[ $price_hash ] ) ) {
            if ( 1>0 ) {
            $prices         = array();
            $regular_prices = array();
            $sale_prices    = array();
            $variation_ids  = $wpdb->get_col("SELECT ID FROM $wpdb->posts WHERE post_type='product_variation' AND post_status='publish' AND post_parent=$post_id", 0);

            foreach ( $variation_ids as $variation_id ) {
                $post_meta = get_post_meta($variation_id);
                    $price         = $post_meta['_price'][0];
                    $regular_price = $post_meta['_regular_price'][0];
                    $sale_price    = $post_meta['_sale_price'][0];

                    // Skip empty prices
                    if ( '' === $price ) {
                        continue;
                    }

                    // If sale price does not equal price, the product is not yet on sale
                    if ( $sale_price === $regular_price || $sale_price !== $price ) {
                        $sale_price = $regular_price;
                    }

                    // If we are getting prices for display, we need to account for taxes
                    if ( $display ) {
                        if ( 'incl' === get_option( 'woocommerce_tax_display_shop' ) ) {
                            $price         = '' === $price ? ''         : $variation->get_price_including_tax( 1, $price );
                            $regular_price = '' === $regular_price ? '' : $variation->get_price_including_tax( 1, $regular_price );
                            $sale_price    = '' === $sale_price ? ''    : $variation->get_price_including_tax( 1, $sale_price );
                        } else {
                            $price         = '' === $price ? ''         : $variation->get_price_excluding_tax( 1, $price );
                            $regular_price = '' === $regular_price ? '' : $variation->get_price_excluding_tax( 1, $regular_price );
                            $sale_price    = '' === $sale_price ? ''    : $variation->get_price_excluding_tax( 1, $sale_price );
                        }
                    }

                    $prices[ $variation_id ]         = wc_format_decimal( $price, wc_get_price_decimals() );
                    $regular_prices[ $variation_id ] = wc_format_decimal( $regular_price, wc_get_price_decimals() );
                    $sale_prices[ $variation_id ]    = wc_format_decimal( $sale_price . '.00', wc_get_price_decimals() );

            }

            asort( $prices );
            asort( $regular_prices );
            asort( $sale_prices );

            $prices_array[ $price_hash ] = array(
                'price'         => $prices,
                'regular_price' => $regular_prices,
                'sale_price'    => $sale_prices,
            );
            echo "<br> 659) ";mostra_array($prices_array);
            set_transient( $transient_name, json_encode( $prices_array ), DAY_IN_SECONDS * 30 );
        }

        /**
         * Give plugins one last chance to filter the variation prices array which has been generated.
         */
        $post_id->prices_array[ $price_hash ] = apply_filters( 'woocommerce_variation_prices', $prices_array[ $price_hash ], $post_id, $display );
    }


}

FUNCTION I USE TO CHECK IF PRODUCT HAS VARIATIONS (RETURN QTY)

function lasap_woo_check_variazioni($post_id){
global $wpdb;
$qry_var="  SELECT COUNT(ID) FROM $wpdb->posts WHERE
                post_type='product_variation' AND
                post_parent=$post_id AND
                post_status='publish'";
$res_var=$wpdb->get_var($qry_var);
return $res_var;

}

After all this, another problem rose up (it NEVER happens, doesn'it?): I haven't figured it out why but after updating variations, parent product post_meta '_stock_status' was always set as 'outofstock'.

I have patched this retrieving at the beginning the correct status with get_post_meta and passing its value to the function lasap_woo_sync_varianti.

Any improvements are greatly appreciated and hope this will help someone to save his/her time!

Tested and working on WC 2.6.13. See link here

Answer 3

With the last actualization of woocommerce, This code does not work.

When I use this code :

$my_post = array(
'post_title'    => 'Variation #' . $i . ' of ' . esc_attr(strip_tags($_POST['postTitle'])),
'post_name'     => 'product-' . $post_id . '-variation-' . $i,
'post_status'   => 'publish',
'post_parent'   => $post_id,
'post_type'     => 'product_variation',
'guid' =>  home_url() . '/?product_variation=product-' . $post_id . '-variation-' . $i
);
wp_insert_post( $my_post );

three variations are inserted by default, and I am not able to delete or insert another variation.

Any solution?

Answer 4

I got it working for my situation by using update_post_meta and wp_insert_post. Because I already setup my attributes and terms all I needed was a way to add to the above code so that when the product is created it not only will assign the attributes to the product but insert them as variations in the database.

Here is my solution:

//insert variations post_type
$i=1;
while ($i<=3) {
$my_post = array(
      'post_title'    => 'Variation #' . $i . ' of ' . esc_attr(strip_tags($_POST['postTitle'])),
      'post_name'     => 'product-' . $post_id . '-variation-' . $i,
      'post_status'   => 'publish',
      'post_parent'   => $post_id,
      'post_type'     => 'product_variation',
      'guid'          =>  home_url() . '/?product_variation=product-' . $post_id . '-variation-' . $i
    );

    // Insert the post into the database
    wp_insert_post( $my_post );

    $variable_id = $post_id + 1;
    $variable_two = $variable_id + 1;
    $variable_three = $variable_two + 1;

    update_post_meta( $variable_id, 'attribute_pa_resolution', 'high-resolution');
    update_post_meta( $variable_id, '_price', 8.50 );
    update_post_meta( $variable_id, '_regular_price', '8.50');

    update_post_meta( $variable_two, 'attribute_pa_resolution', 'medium-resolution');
    update_post_meta( $variable_two, '_price', 5.50 );
    update_post_meta( $variable_two, '_regular_price', '5.50');

    update_post_meta( $variable_three, 'attribute_pa_resolution', 'low-resolution');
    update_post_meta( $variable_three, '_price', 3.50 );
    update_post_meta( $variable_three, '_regular_price', '3.50');

    $i++;
    }