Events Directory Stabilization & Filter Architecture Simplification

1. Context

A filterable Events directory was implemented using:

• Custom Post Type (Events)
• ACF fields (including Google Map + Date Picker)
• Elementor Loop Grid
• JetSmartFilters

However, the system exhibited instability:

• Google Maps errors in admin and front-end
• Overcomplicated location logic (distance-based approach)
• Conflicting Google API key configurations
• Event ordering and date display inconsistencies in the Loop

The stack worked in theory — but not reliably in production.

2. Operational Constraints

The directory needed to:

• Allow editors to add events easily
• Provide simple, predictable front-end filtering
• Avoid fragile API dependencies in the UX
• Remain scalable as new event locations were added
• Require minimal long-term technical maintenance

The existing implementation was technically ambitious — but operationally heavy.

3. Platform Strategy

Rather than forcing map/distance filtering to behave predictably, the system was simplified.

Key decisions:

• Remove distance-based location filtering logic
• Base filtering on scalable taxonomies instead of geolocation
• Keep filtering UX intentionally minimal

Final filtering model:

• Event Categories (taxonomy)
• Event Locations (taxonomy-based city grouping)
• Remove Filters control (clear/reset state)

This reduced complexity, improved reliability, and made the directory easier to maintain.

4. Content & Filtering Architecture

4.1 Event Entry Model

Editors create events using:

• Event Category taxonomy
• Event Location taxonomy
• ACF fields as needed (including map and date picker)

Event Location taxonomy replaced map-based filtering logic.

This enables:

• Clean filtering
• Predictable queries
• Scalable city/location management without hard-coded lists

4.2 Front-End Filtering Model

The directory uses:

• Elementor Loop Grid
• JetSmartFilters (Category + Location filters)
• A clear Remove Filters action

Result:

Filtering is fast, predictable, and scalable — without geolocation complexity.

5. Google Maps Stabilization

Google Maps was retained only for editor usability (optional location input), not for filtering.

API conflicts were resolved by:

• Connecting the project to an active billing account
• Enabling required APIs
• Consolidating API key usage across plugin/theme components
• Correcting referrer restrictions to prevent front-end and admin conflicts

Maps stability was restored, while filtering remained taxonomy-driven — reducing fragility.

6. Chronological Ordering & Data Integrity Architecture

After the filtering architecture was stabilized, an additional issue remained:

Event ordering and date display behavior were inconsistent.

The directory uses an ACF Date Picker field:

• Field name: event_date
• Stored format: Ymd (e.g. 20260226)

6.1 Identified Problems

1) Incorrect date output in the Loop
Elementor Loop Item occasionally displayed the raw stored value (20260226) instead of a formatted date.

2) Incorrect event ordering
Even when Loop UI was set to “Order By: Date,” it sorted by publish date — not event date.

Also, Loop UI query controls were irrelevant because a Query ID override (events_by_date) was being used.

6.2 Architectural Solution

A) MU Plugin: Display field synchronization
A MU plugin was created: event-date-display-sync.php

Purpose: keep display formatting separate from storage logic.

What it does:

• Runs on acf/save_post
• Only for numeric post IDs (not autosaves/revisions)
• Only for CPT event
• Reads raw Date Picker value from event_date using get_field(..., false) (returns Ymd)
• Converts it to the desired display format d/m - Y
• Saves it into a dedicated ACF text field: event_date_display
• Clears event_date_display if date is missing

Result: Elementor outputs event_date_display reliably (no raw Ymd values on the frontend).

B) Elementor Query ID hook for chronological sorting
In the child theme functions.php, the query hook:

• elementor/query/events_by_date

Forces:

• post_type = event
• meta_key = event_date
• orderby = meta_value_num (since Ymd sorts correctly numerically)
• order = ASC (soonest events first)
• meta_query requiring the meta key to exist

Result:

• Loop Grid sorts chronologically by real event date
• Publish date no longer affects ordering
• Query ID overrides the Loop UI settings deterministically

7. Implementation Notes

• CPT architecture validation
• Taxonomy-based filtering structure (Category + Location)
• JetSmartFilters configuration cleanup + reset control
• Removal of unnecessary distance/geolocation logic
• API key consolidation for Maps stability
• MU-plugin display sync for consistent date output
• Query ID ordering by event_date

The system was simplified rather than expanded.

8. Outcome

The directory now provides:

• Clean taxonomy-based filtering (Category + Location + Remove Filters)
• Stable Google Maps configuration (editor usability only)
• Correct chronological ordering by ACF event date
• Clean, formatted date display in Loop templates
• Reduced system fragility
• Scalable and maintainable structure

Editors only update the Date Picker and taxonomies — formatting and ordering remain automated and controlled.