WordPress: How to return value when use add_filter?

Question

I\'ve read WordPress codex many times but still don\'t understand how to return the value if more than one arguments involved. For example:

function bbp_get_         


        

Answer 1

Practice add_filter and apply_filters

First thing to know is that apply_filters returns its second argument, try this in functions.php:

echo apply_filters('cat_story', 'A cat'); // echoes "A cat"

Second thing to know is that before apply_filters returns "A cat", it applies filters where the "A cat" can be modified, add filters with add_filter:

function add_chasing_mice($cat) {
    return $cat . ' is chasing a mice';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'add_chasing_mice');

echo apply_filters('cat_story', 'A cat'); // echoes "A cat is chasing a mice"

Third thing to know is that we can add multiple filters:

// #1
function add_chasing_mice($cat) {
    return $cat . ' is chasing a mice';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'add_chasing_mice');

// #2
function add_something_else($cat) {
    return $cat . ', but it\'s not gonna catch it';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'add_something_else');

echo apply_filters('cat_story', 'A cat'); // echoes "A cat is chasing a mice but it\'s not gonna catch it"

Forth thing to know is that you can apply filters in specific order:

// #1
function add_chasing_mice($cat) {
    return $cat . ' is chasing a mice';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'add_chasing_mice', 10); // 10 - is priority

// #2
function add_something_else($cat) {
    return $cat . ', but it\'s not gonna catch it';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'add_something_else'); // 10 as well, if omitted 

// The filter will be applied before `add_chasing_mice` and `add_something_else`
function replace_the_cat($cat) {
    return 'A dog';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'replace_the_cat', 9); // 9 < 10, so the filter will be applied first

echo apply_filters('cat_story', 'A cat'); // echoes "A dog is chasing a mice but it's not gonna catch it";

Fifth thing to know is that you can pass additional arguments to your filters:

function add_chasing_mice($cat) {
    return $cat . ' is chasing mice';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'add_chasing_mice', 10); // 10 - is priority

function add_something_else($cat, $exclam, $wft) {
    return $cat . ', but it\'s not gonna catch it' . $exclam . $wft;
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'add_something_else', 10, 3); // 3 arguments

function replace_the_cat($cat) {
    return 'A dog';
}
add_filter('cat_story', 'replace_the_cat', 9); // 9 < 10, so the filter will be applied first

echo apply_filters('cat_story', 'A cat', '!!!', '!1wTf!?'); 
// 3 arguments are: 'A cat', '!!!', '!1wTf!?'.
// echoes "A dog is chasing a mice but it's not gonna catch it!!!!1wTf!?";