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Using Custom Format Tags for Calculation Fields

Calculation Fields in Participants Database provide a way to generate field values based on data in the record. A prime example is the “age” field, which shows a person’s age based on their birth date and calculated against the current date. Another example would be a field that shows an average value from a list… (read)

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Clearing the Participants Database Table

If you want to start with a clean slate on Participants Database, you need to reset the main database table. One way to do this is to use phpMyAdmin, an application for managing databases. This application is usually available in your hosting control panel: Open the application, select your WordPress database, then select the Participants… (read)

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Placing Dynamic Shortcodes using do_shortcode()

Sometimes it is necessary to place a shortcode where the attributes of the shortcode are set according to the current context. For example, if you need to show a logged-in user the list of records that belong to them, you need to use a dynamic shortcode something like this: echo do_shortcode(‘ First NameLast NameClub RoleCityStateMain… (read)

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Generating Unique Member IDs for New Registrations

Update 1/16/19: this plugin had to be rewritten to work with versions of Participants Database later than 1.8.0. I often get questions about how to set up member IDs in Participants Database. It is possible to use the built in “id” or “private_id” fields, but in most cases, you’ll want to be able to generate… (read)

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Matching Multiple Fields with CSV Import or Signup Submission

When importing a CSV, it is possible to configure it to match and update existing records. The same process can also be used when a new record is submitted via the signup form. Normally, this is done by matching a single identifying field such as an ID or email address. In some cases, it’s desirable… (read)

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Using the PDb_Template Helper Class in a Custom List Template

The PDb_Template helper class makes setting up a custom display for a Participants Database record much easier in situations where you don’t want to just loop through the values. Sometimes you don’t want to treat each value the same, you want to lay out each value in a way that fits the information better. This… (read)

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Changing the Length of the Private ID

Participants Database uses a “private id” value as a key for users to edit their own record. The plugin uses a short 5-character code for this purpose, it’s not meant to be airtight security, just something impractical to guess. Some administrators may want to use a larger term for their install, and it’s possible to… (read)