extends Base_Object
Extends Base_Object with a meta table — an arbitrary key/value store attached to the object. Contacts, emails, funnels, steps, broadcasts, and submissions all extend this class. Meta values can store any serialisable data and are retrieved or updated using a simple key-based API.
Methods
| Method | Returns | Description |
|---|---|---|
get_meta( $key = false, $single = true ) | mixed | Returns a meta value by key. If $key is omitted, returns all meta as an associative array. If $single is false, returns an array of all values for that key. |
update_meta( $key, $value = false ) | bool | Updates (or creates) a meta key/value pair. |
update_meta_if_empty( $key, $value = false ) | bool | Updates a meta value only if the key does not already have a value. |
add_meta( $key, $value = false ) | bool | Adds a new meta entry without overwriting existing values for the same key. |
delete_meta( $key ) | bool | Deletes all meta entries for the given key. |
get_all_meta() | array | Returns all meta key/value pairs for this object. |
schedule_meta_redaction( string $key, int $ttl ) | bool | Schedules a meta key to be automatically deleted after $ttl seconds. |
Usage
Here’s a pseudo code example for a hypothetical integration that stores and reads custom meta on a contact.
<?php
$contact = \Groundhogg\get_contactdata( 'jane@example.com' );
// Store a custom value
$contact->update_meta( 'crm_external_id', 'EXT-00123' );
// Only set a default if not already stored
$contact->update_meta_if_empty( 'lead_source', 'organic' );
// Read it back
$external_id = $contact->get_meta( 'crm_external_id' );
// Sync to an external CRM
if ( $external_id ) {
my_plugin_sync_to_crm( $external_id, [
'email' => $contact->get_email(),
'first_name' => $contact->get_first_name(),
] );
}
// Schedule the external ID to be redacted after 90 days
$contact->schedule_meta_redaction( 'crm_external_id', 90 * DAY_IN_SECONDS );
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