Search user by custom fields ( user_meta ) in the front end

Question

I have a large amount of users which I\'m displaying on the front end with WP_User_Query.

I have a search function on this front end user database, and nee

Answer 1

Two errors you have in your code.

1. mentioned in the comment by @cabrerahector: you should remove all * from your meta_query value's.

2. You're trying to use search here:

   'role' => 'Subscriber', 
   'search' => '*' . $search . '*',
   

   But the problem is that search key will always try to find your $search from email address, URL, ID, username or display_name of your wp_users table with relation AND. This mean, that if your $search will not match with one of the mentioned columns, then your query will return nothing.

Here is working code to search from meta_values of users:

$search = ( isset($_GET['search-meta']) ) ? sanitize_text_field($_GET['search-meta']) : false ;

if ($search){

    $my_users = new WP_User_Query(

        array(
            'role' => 'Subscriber',
            'fields'     => 'all',
            'meta_query' => array(
                'relation' => 'OR',
                array(
                    'key'     => 'institution',
                    'value'   => $search,
                    'compare' => 'LIKE'
                ),
                array(
                    'key'     => 'equipment',
                    'value'   => $search,
                    'compare' => 'LIKE'
                )
            )

        ));

}