How to add column to wp_post table in database? - php

Question

I have a database named event-listing-db which contains a table wp_posts. Also i have a function for creating a form with method post with the following structure:
function ru_meta_callback() {
wp_nonce_field(basename(__FILE__), 'ru_jobs_nonce ');
?>
<form method="POST">
<div>
<div class="meta-row">
<div class="meta-th">
<label for="date_listed" class="ru-row-title">Event Date</label>
</div>
<div class="meta-td">
<input type="text" name="event_date" id="event_date" value=""/>
</div>
</div>
<div class="meta-row">
<div class="meta-th">
<label for="event_location" class="ru-row-title">Event Location</label>
</div>
<div class="meta-td">
<input type="text" name="event_location" id="event_location" value=""/>
</div>
</div>
<input type="submit" value="Add Event">
</div>
</form>
<?php
}
When I submit the form only the post_title column is filling. My question is: How can I create columns for event_date and event_location and fill'em when the data is submitted and save the new columns along with the original post?

Answer 1

You don't have to add a new column to the wp_posts table. But you can add a new meta for the post. If you want to add the field in the admin panel for the new field you want. You can use the add_meta_box to add a new meta box for post edit screen and then use the update_post_meta on the save_post hook. Hope that helps.
The meta fields can be used in the WP_Query in the meta_query index. But you can't use the custom field added to the wp_posts table to filter or search for the posts with the new meta added to the posts.

Answer 2

You have few options to have additional data to your post,
-> You can use hooks to add additional fields like here, WordPress - Add extra column to wp_posts, and post to it
-> You can make use of custom fields to add additional data to your post. And there is a good plugin too for this, https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-custom-fields/.
-> You can use the wp_postmeta table too to save your additional data for your post