load wordpress wp_editor dynamically (ajax)

Question

This is an answer/solution rather than a question, still there maybe some bugs, even I tried on my dev env.

I recently try to use wp_editor in widget/menu, after some search, I did not find a complete solution as I want.

I would share my solution in below after I dig into wp's code by hours:

Answer 1

There maybe hacking involved, however, I tried to minimize them.

To make wp_editor can work in dynamic html (which means without reload page, js changes the page structure), there are two major issues need to take care:

1. tinymce
2. qucik-tags

For [tinymce]:

a. need reset UI properly

• solution is [remove mce instance] -> [get proper mce settings] -> [re-init a new mce instance]

• in js code (id means textarea id):

  tinymce.execCommand('mceRemoveEditor', true, id);
  var init = tinymce.extend( {}, tinyMCEPreInit.mceInit[ id ] );
  try { tinymce.init( init ); } catch(e){}
  

b. need data write back to textarea before submit

• solution is [bind click to button] -> on submt :: [turn off mce] -> [turn on submit]

• in js code:

  jq('textarea[id="' + id + '"]').closest('form').find('input[type="submit"]').click(function(){
      if( getUserSetting( 'editor' ) == 'tmce' ){
          var id = mce.find( 'textarea' ).attr( 'id' );
          tinymce.execCommand( 'mceRemoveEditor', false, id );
          tinymce.execCommand( 'mceAddEditor', false, id );
      }
      return true;
  });
  

For [Quick Tags]:

a. Re-init tags

• [Get settings] -> [setup mouse event] -> [re-init QTags]

b. Switch to proper tab (mce tab or quick tag tab)

• [switch to current tab mode]

• both above in js code:

  if ( typeof(QTags) == 'function' ) {
      jq( '[id="wp-' + id + '-wrap"]' ).unbind( 'onmousedown' );
      jq( '[id="wp-' + id + '-wrap"]' ).bind( 'onmousedown', function(){
          wpActiveEditor = id;
      });
      QTags( tinyMCEPreInit.qtInit[ id ] );
      QTags._buttonsInit();
      switchEditors.switchto( jq( 'textarea[id="' + id + '"]' ).closest( '.widget-mce' ).find( '.wp-switch-editor.switch-' + ( getUserSetting( 'editor' ) == 'html' ? 'html' : 'tmce' ) )[0] );
  }
  

Also, please remember if you use ajax, every time post back mce UI, you need re-do [reset mce UI] and [Qtags] in you js. A easy solution is using js code in you post back html, and detect in php of:

$isAjax = defined( 'DOING_AJAX' ) && DOING_AJAX == true );

About default settings in js value:

1. mce : tinyMCEPreInit.mceInit

2. qtags : tinyMCEPreInit.qtInit

If you try to use default setting for widget mode, you need locate default settings.

To get widget template id, in js code:

function getTemplateWidgetId( id ){
        var form = jQuery( 'textarea[id="' + id + '"]' ).closest( 'form' );
        var id_base = form.find( 'input[name="id_base"]' ).val();
        var widget_id = form.find( 'input[name="widget-id"]' ).val();
        return id.replace( widget_id, id_base + '-__i__' );
}

So you can get settings by:

1. for mce:

   var init;
   if( typeof tinyMCEPreInit.mceInit[ id ] == 'undefined' ){
       init = tinyMCEPreInit.mceInit[ id ] = tinymce.extend( {}, tinyMCEPreInit.mceInit[ getTemplateWidgetId( id ) ] );
   }else{
       init = tinyMCEPreInit.mceInit[ id ];
   }
   

2. For Qtags:

   var qInit;
   if( typeof tinyMCEPreInit.qtInit[ id ] == 'undefined' ){
       qInit = tinyMCEPreInit.qtInit[ id ] = jq.extend( {}, tinyMCEPreInit.qtInit[ getTemplateWidgetId( id ) ] );
       qInit['id'] = id;
   }else{
       qInit = tinyMCEPreInit.qtInit[ id ];
   }
   

For the complete code sample, please check : https://github.com/hezachary/wordpress-wysiwyg-widget/blob/master/widget_wp_editor.class.php

If anyone want use wp_editor in menu walk for admin, the principle should be the same.

If you have any question or better solut please comment, thanks.

Answer 2

Working solution:

p.s. you'd have asked at WP.SE: https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/a/192132/33667

---

add action in wordpress, lets say My_Action_Name (also note, textarea ID My_TextAreaID_22 ):

add_action('wp_ajax_My_Action_Name', function(){
    wp_editor( $_POST['default_text'], 'My_TextAreaID_22',      $settings = array( 'tinymce'=>true, 'textarea_name'=>'name77', 'wpautop' =>false,   'media_buttons' => true ,   'teeny' => false, 'quicktags'=>true, )   );    exit;
});

now, in Dashboard, execute this function (note, using of My_TextAreaID_22 and My_Action_Name):

function start_Ajax_request() { 
    Alert("I have started");
    My_New_Global_Settings =  tinyMCEPreInit.mceInit.content;       // Get default Wordpress SETTINGS  ( I cant confirm, but if you will need to change target ID, then add this line:  My_New_Global_Settings.selector = "My_TextAreaID_22";   )
    jQuery.post(ajaxurl,
        { action: "My_Action_Name",     default_text: "Hello World"}, 
        function(response,status){ 
            Alert("I have Finished");
            tinymce.init(My_New_Global_Settings); 
            tinyMCE.execCommand('mceAddEditor', false, "My_TextAreaID_22"); 
            quicktags({id : "My_TextAreaID_22"});
        }
    );

}   
start_Ajax_request();     // < ---- EXECUTE