How to use WordPress update_post_meta with JSON string?

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I have this WooCommerce shop that I have to integrate with an external stock system. Therefore I need to create/update products through PHP/WordPress. This part i have figured out.
Problem is the product variations. They are stored in the database as JSON strings.

Example:

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a:1:{s:10:"size";a:6:{s:4:"name";s:10:"Size";s:5:"value";s:17:"42";s:8:"position";s:1:"0";s:10:"is_visible";i:1;s:12:"is_variation";i:1;s:11:"is_taxonomy";i:0;}}

However, when i insert it like this 

update_post_meta($product_id, '_product_attributes', 'a:1:{s:10:"size....');

It adds s:173:" a:1:{s:10:"siz.... ";

I have tried with json_encode() which removes the “s:173” but keeps the double quotes at the beginning and end.

Any help on how to store this JSON string without the additional stuff? Would be much appreciated

Post Views: 4

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2 comments

  1. What you’re seeing in the database is a serialised array. The post meta functions handle all of this for you.

    Use get_post_meta to get the array and simply pass in the array to update_post_meta.

    You don’t need to use serialize / unserialize functions.

  2. I have found some code in woocommerce plugin,

    You can do something like this:-

    $attributes['size'] = array(
    'name'          => "Size",
    'value'         => "42",
    'position'      => "0",
    'is_visible'    => 1,
    'is_variation'  => 1,
    'is_taxonomy'   => 0
);

update_post_meta( $post_id, '_product_attributes', $attributes );

    Hope this help you…