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Meta Box Columns

Meta Box Columns helps you put custom fields into columns in a 12-column grid. You can create nested columns for sub-fields in groups or put multiple fields into one column.

put custom fields in columns

Simple syntax

To specify number of columns for each field, add columns parameter for that field. The plugin will automatically calculate number of columns and wrap fields into a div "row" and apply styles for them.

The code below registers some fields and make each field obtain 4 columns of the grid (thus, you'll see 3 columns layout):

add_filter( 'rwmb_meta_boxes', 'prefix_columns_demo_register' );
function prefix_columns_demo_register( $meta_boxes ) {
$meta_boxes[] = array(
'title' => 'Meta Box Columns Demo',
'fields' => array(
array(
'name' => 'Name',
'id' => 'name',
'type' => 'text',
// Number of columns (in grid 12)
'columns' => 4,
),
array(
'name' => 'Email',
'id' => 'email',
'type' => 'email',
'columns' => 4,
),
array(
'name' => 'Mobile',
'id' => 'mobile',
'type' => 'text',
'columns' => 4,
),
),
);
return $meta_boxes;
}

Advanced syntax

The advanced syntax is helpful if you need to put multiple fields in 1 column.

add_filter( 'rwmb_meta_boxes', 'prefix_register_meta_boxes' );
function prefix_register_meta_boxes( $meta_boxes ) {
$meta_boxes[] = array(
'id' => 'test-columns',
'title' => 'Meta Box Columns Demo',
'columns' => array(
'column-1' => 4, // Define the size of the column (from 1 to 12)
'column-2' => array( // More advanced syntax
'size' => 8, // Column size (1-12)
'class' => 'custom-css-class', // Custom CSS class for the column
),
),
'fields' => array(
array(
'name' => 'Name',
'id' => 'name',
'type' => 'text',
'column' => 'column-1',
),
array(
'name' => 'Email',
'id' => 'email',
'type' => 'email',
'column' => 'column-1',
),
array(
'name' => 'State',
'id' => 'state',
'type' => 'select_advanced',
'options' => array(
'NY' => 'New York',
'CA' => 'California',
),
'column' => 'column-2',
),
array(
'name' => 'Description',
'id' => 'description',
'type' => 'textarea',
'column' => 'column-2',
),
),
);

return $meta_boxes;
}

In the advanced syntax, you need to define a parameter columns for the meta box. It's the list of columns for all fields in the following format:

'columns' => array(
'column-1' => 4, // Define the size of the column (from 1 to 12)
'column-2' => array( // More advanced syntax
'size' => 4, // Column size (1-12)
'class' => 'custom-css-class', // Custom CSS class for the column
),
),

Then each field in the meta box need to specify which column it belongs to by setting 'column' => 'column-0'.

Notes

This extension uses 12-columns grid, so when defining number of columns, you must define them so that the total columns for each row equals to 12.

For example:

  • Row 1: field 1 (3 columns), field 2 (3 columns), field 3 (3 columns), field 4 (3 columns)
  • Row 2: field 5 (6 columns), field 6 (6 columns)
  • Row 3: field 7 (12 columns)