=== GigaOM Custom Post Type Factory ===
Contributors: misterbisson
Tags: custom post types, posts, post types, custom posts, developers
Requires at least: 3.3
Tested up to: 3.4.1
Stable tag: trunk

Makes defining custom post types as easy as creating a widget. Includes example code to get you started.

== Description ==

This is a convenience class and collection of methods to make creating new custom post types with their own metaboxes easy. 

The general idea is to define a function that's hooked to the `register_post_types` action. The function defines a class for your post type that extends the `GO_Cpt` class. This follows a design pattern established by the modern widgets API (as introduced in WP 2.8) http://codex.wordpress.org/Widgets_API#Developing_Widgets .

The result is a new custom post type and much easier creation and updating of custom meta associated with that post type. You'll also have a convenient object you can use to access the metadata associated with each post.


`
function my_customposttype()
{
	class My_CustomPostType extends GO_Cpt
	{
		function __construct()
		{
			// execute the parent constructor with the name 
			// and definition for the custom post type
			parent::__construct( $post_type_name , $post_type_definition );
		}
	
		function metabox( $post , $meta )
		{
			// print out the form here
			// 
			// this method is optional, only use it if you want to 
			// add a metabox to your custom post type
		}

		function update( $new_meta , $old_meta )
		{
			// sanitize and validate the metadata
			// then return $meta so it can be saved
			//
			// this method is required if a 
			// metabox() method is included
			
		}
	}

	global $my_customposttype;
	$my_customposttype = new My_CustomPostType;
}

// hook that function to the register_post_types action
add_action( 'register_post_types' , 'my_customposttype' );

`

Backstory: defining the post type class inside the function avoids issues with loading order and fatal errors resulting from attempting to extend a class that might not exist yet. Isn't PHP awesome?

See the included hello world example: http://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/go-cptfactory/trunk/example-helloworld-cpt.php

To access the meta associated with a post, you can call `$my_customposttype->get_meta( $post_id );`

You can easily add a method and hook to filter `the_content` or `the_excerpt` to insert custom values that may have been entered in the post meta. Simply add `add_filter( 'the_content' , array( $this , 'the_content' ));` in the `__construct()` and then define another method in the `My_CustomPostType` class such as:`

		function the_content( $content )
		{ 
			$meta_print = print_r( $this->get_meta( get_the_ID() ) , TRUE ); 
			return $meta_print . $content 
		}
`

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Q: Code is complex, is there an easier way to do this? = 

A: You should consinder Pods: http://podsframework.org

= Q: If Pods is out there, why did you bother with this? = 

A: Pods is cool, but this keeps the problem in code, without any dependency on configuration information stored in the database. This also fits the architecture I like where the code related to a post type is associated with the post type definition. In my use, custom post type classes actually have many more methods to collect, validate, and display their data.

== Installation ==

1. Place the plugin folder in your `wp-content/plugins/` directory and activate it.
1. To actually use it, you'll have to define a custom post type class. See more: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/go-cptfactory/