'transition_post_status' is executed before 'save_post'

[M66B]

The action 'transition_post_status' is incorrectly executed before 'save_post' for custom post types

[nacin]

I understand why it may make more sense to fire transition_post_status after save_post (in some situations), but that's not how wp_insert_post() is architected. We can't change it now.

[M66B]

But what is the reason this is done differently for custom post types?

The problem is that 'transition_post_status' is called before the post meta values can be saved, resulting in ​this problem.

[nacin]

It isn't done differently for custom post types. wp_insert_post() is used for pages, posts, custom post types.

You'll need to check your checkbox on transition_post_status in order to have the value ready for those hooks.

[M66B]

I have tested it again and it is really like this:

Regular post type: save_post, then transition_post_status and another save_post

Custom post types: transition_post_status, then save_post

Maybe wp_insert_post does it the right way, but the fact remains the order is different for custom post types.

You'll need to check your checkbox on transition_post_status in order to have the value ready for those hooks

The checkbox is checked in transition_post_status already, but the problem is that this works for the regular post type, but not for custom post types, because of the order the hooks are called.

[nacin]

Check the post type of the post objects before doing anything.

If your post type supported revisions, you'd see both actions fire twice -- transition then save for the revision, transition then save for the post.

[M66B]

Thanks for your support!

[nhangen]

I hate to necro an old ticket, but I've been struggling for 3 days to discern why wp_transition_post_status wasn't working on new posts, and finally found this ticket, which points to the answer.

Because wp_transition_post_status fires early, we don't have access to a new post's post->ID, which means we can't grab metadata or a legitimate post object. We also don't actually know if the post was saved at all.

I understand that you can't modify this method, but the documentation should be updated in order to reflect the deficiencies of this hook. It's basically useless on anything but saved posts.