Create new post via PHP including external feature image in WordPress - php

Question

I've heard it's kind of impossible to do, but I had to ask anyway.
I use PHP to create new posts in WP, like so:
<?php
$postType = 'post'; // set to post or page
$userID = 1; // set to user id
$categoryID = '4'; // set to category id.
$postStatus = 'publish'; // set to future, draft, or publish
$leadTitle = $post_title;
$leadContent = $post_content;
/*******************************************************
** TIME VARIABLES / CALCULATIONS
*******************************************************/
// VARIABLES
$timeStamp = $minuteCounter = 0; // set all timers to 0;
$iCounter = 1; // number use to multiply by minute increment;
$minuteIncrement = 1; // increment which to increase each post time for future schedule
$adjustClockMinutes = 0; // add 1 hour or 60 minutes - daylight savings
// CALCULATIONS
$minuteCounter = $iCounter * $minuteIncrement; // setting how far out in time to post if future.
$minuteCounter = $minuteCounter + $adjustClockMinutes; // adjusting for server timezone
$timeStamp = date('Y-m-d H:i:s', strtotime("+$minuteCounter min")); // format needed for WordPress
/*******************************************************
** WordPress Array and Variables for posting
*******************************************************/
$new_post = array(
'post_title' => $leadTitle,
'post_content' => $leadContent,
'post_status' => $postStatus,
'post_date' => $timeStamp,
'post_author' => $userID,
'post_type' => $postType,
'post_category' => array($categoryID)
);
// /*******************************************************
// ** WordPress Post Function
// *******************************************************/
$post_id = wp_insert_post($new_post);
?>
I need to also include an image, say from another website, and set it as Feature Image. How can I do that?

Answer 1

Try to use this code:
// Add Featured Image to Post
$image_url = 'http://s.wordpress.org/style/images/wp-header-logo.png'; // Define the image URL here
$image_name = 'wp-header-logo.png';
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir(); // Set upload folder
$image_data = file_get_contents($image_url); // Get image data
$unique_file_name = wp_unique_filename( $upload_dir['path'], $image_name );
// Generate unique name
$filename = basename( $unique_file_name ); // Create image file name
// Check folder permission and define file location
if( wp_mkdir_p( $upload_dir['path'] ) ) {
$file = $upload_dir['path'] . '/' . $filename;
} else {
$file = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/' . $filename;
}
// Create the image file on the server
file_put_contents( $file, $image_data );
// Check image file type
$wp_filetype = wp_check_filetype( $filename, null );
// Set attachment data
$attachment = array(
'post_mime_type' => $wp_filetype['type'],
'post_title' => sanitize_file_name( $filename ),
'post_content' => '',
'post_status' => 'inherit'
);
// Create the attachment
$attach_id = wp_insert_attachment( $attachment, $file, $post_id );
// Include image.php
require_once(ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/image.php');
// Define attachment metadata
$attach_data = wp_generate_attachment_metadata( $attach_id, $file );
// Assign metadata to attachment
wp_update_attachment_metadata( $attach_id, $attach_data );
// And finally assign featured image to post
set_post_thumbnail( $post_id, $attach_id );
Code taken from this article.