Wordpress preg_replace ' ' tags in post_content with insert_post_data not working

Question

I have   tags as spaces in autocreated posts in Wordpress and trying to replace them before posting/saving. Text sample below:

This&nbsp;is&nbsp;an&nbsp;Example&nbsp;of&nbsp;how&nbsp;my&nbsp;text&nbsp;looks

Believe this code placed in "functions.php" should replace the tags with spaces

add_filter( 'wp_insert_post_data' , 'nbsp_remover' , '99', 2 );

function nbsp_remover($data) {
    $pattern = '/\&nbsp\;/';
    $data['post_content'] = preg_replace($pattern, ' ', $data['post_content']);
    return $data;
}

But this doesn't work.

I tested the regex and it works.
when I change the pattern to a word in the text it works

But not with the   tags in the html...

Any idea?

EDIT 1

when dumping $data as suggested using var_dump($data['post_content']); die;

creating a new post manually, opens blank window with:

array(21) { ["post_author"]=> int(1) ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2021-01-26 17:15:29" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["post_content"]=> string(0) "" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_title"]=> string(10) "Auto Draft" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(10) "auto-draft" ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(0) "" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2021-01-26 17:15:29" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["guid"]=> string(0) "" }

EDIT 2 This with \xA0or ' ' did not work

add_filter( 'wp_insert_post_data' , 'nbsp_remover' , '99', 2 );

function nbsp_remover($data) {
    return str_replace('\xA0', '', $data); 
}

The text sample is the what you have in $data? Can you add the output of var_dump($data['post_content']); before your preg_replace? — Chin Leung
– Chin Leung, Commented Jan 26, 2021 at 16:20
I forgot to add I'm an beginner at WP and this is first time ever trying a php script so not sure what you are suggesting @ChinLeung — Carlos Qonthair
– Carlos Qonthair, Commented Jan 26, 2021 at 16:25
Add var_dump($data['post_content']); die; as the first line in your nbsp_remover function, and try to create a new post. It will display the content of $data['post_content'], and copy paste it into your question. :) — Chin Leung
– Chin Leung, Commented Jan 26, 2021 at 16:29
I added the line - Now when I try to add new post manually i get a white screen stating: - string(0) "" - — Carlos Qonthair
– Carlos Qonthair, Commented Jan 26, 2021 at 16:37
It is highly probably all your   are already turned into \xA0, try return str_replace('\xA0', '', $data);. BTW, you are not using the $postarr variable in the function. — Wiktor Stribiżew
– Wiktor Stribiżew, Commented Jan 26, 2021 at 16:37

Carlos Qonthair · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-31 18:38:52Z

0

Ok, I solved my issue by circumventing it...

As noted above I couldn't find a way to remove the   tags from the post content.

I was able to edit the posts before they got send and read by wordpress. So I replaced all spaces with a special character before the post got created in WP and than used the regex code to replace that character with spaces.

answered Jan 31, 2021 at 18:38

Carlos Qonthair

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