Archive SEO

Archive SEO wp_options keys

(get_option / update_option / delete_option)

options are created on first update_option, No add_option( 'scos_seo_*' )

Fixed option keys

Dynamic option keys (pattern)

Notes on Usage

{slug} values come from Archive_Settings::get_archives()

Each option stores a merged array (fields vary by slug).

• Admin query param ?scos_seo=disabled in Admin_UI.php 

• post — blog archive
• Every public, non–built-in CPT (e.g. project, service, faq, … — site-specific)
• author, date, search, 404 — special archives

Each option stores a merged array (fields vary by slug).

Common keys inside the array:  title, description, breadcrumb_title, robots, tldr, sitemap_exclude, og_image_id, pagination_noindex, canonical_paged, rel_prevnext; author/date/search also disabled, redirect_url; author also author_slug.

Not an option: 

scos_seo_title_sep is a apply_filters() hook name in Archive_Settings.php, not get_option.

Archive SEO Template Tokens & Use

Example title: %title% %sep% %sitename%

Important: Do not run values through sanitize_text_field() in a way that breaks % tokens (e.g. %description% is valid). Plain strings are fine for MCP; PHP admin uses sanitize_template_field() which preserves tokens.

Filling SEO Archive Options (Meta Tags tab)

Admin UI:  wp-admin/admin.php?page=site-essentials-seo&tab=meta
Storage: one option per archive slug: scos_seo_archive_{slug}
Same tab also sets: scos_seo_freeze_modified_date (global, not per archive)

AI/MCP task: fill SEO Archive Options (Meta Tags tab)

Storage: one option key per archive slug: scos_seo_archive_{slug},

Each option stores a merged array (fields vary by slug).

1. Discover slugs on this site (run first)

Do not guess CPT/taxonomy names. Build the slug list the same way Archive_Settings::handle_save() does:

# Post type archives: always includes “post” + public non-builtin CPTs

wp post-type list –_builtin=0 –public=1 –field=name

# Special archives (fixed)

# author | date | search | 404

# Taxonomy archives: category, post_tag, then other public taxonomies

wp taxonomy list –public=1 –field=name

Option key rule: scos_seo_archive_ + sanitize_key( $slug )
Examples: scos_seo_archive_post, scos_seo_archive_project, scos_seo_archive_category, scos_seo_archive_scos_content_cluster (if that taxonomy exists).

2. Read before write (merge, do not blind overwrite)

wp option get scos_seo_archive_post --format=json

If missing, treat as {}. When updating one slug, only change that option key; other scos_seo_archive_* keys are independent (unlike the admin form, which re-saves every slug on one submit).

3. Write with wp option update (preferred)

Use JSON and WordPress will store the PHP array correctly:

wp option update scos_seo_archive_post '{

"title": "%title% %sep% %sitename%",

"description": "%description%",

"breadcrumb_title": "Blog",

"tldr": "",

"robots": [],

"sitemap_exclude": [],

"og_image_id": 0,

"pagination_noindex": false,

"canonical_paged": false,

"rel_prevnext": false

}' --format=json

Global on same tab (optional):

wp option update scos_seo_freeze_modified_date '1' # enable

# or

wp option update scos_seo_freeze_modified_date '' # disable

4. Payload schema by slug type

A. Post type archives — slug post or any public CPT name

B. Taxonomy archives — slug = taxonomy name (category, post_tag, custom)

Same fields as A (taxonomies are not “special” slugs).

Extra tokens useful here: %term%, %taxonomy%, %description%.

C. Special archives — author, date, search, 404

Base fields only: title, description, breadcrumb_title, robots
(No tldr, sitemap_exclude, og_image_id, pagination flags — admin save strips them for special slugs except author partial extras.)

author, date, search also:

author also:

404: base fields only (no disable/redirect).

6. Verify after write

wp option get scos_seo_archive_post --format=json

wp eval 'var_export( \SiteEssentials\Modules\SeoMeta\Archive_Settings::get("post") );'

Second line confirms merged defaults + saved values (only works if Site Essentials is loaded in CLI — otherwise option get is enough).

Frontend output is consumed by Head_Output.php via Archive_Settings::get( $slug ) — no separate meta keys.

7. What NOT to do

8. Optional: mimic admin save (usually worse for MCP)

Only if you must use the UI pipeline:

URL: admin-post.php

action: site_essentials_save_archive_meta

nonce: scos_archive_meta_nonce / action scos_save_archive_meta

Capability: manage_options

Body: scos_archive[{slug}][title], etc., plus scos_global[freeze_modified_date] if needed

Requires a logged-in admin session or nonce generation. wp option update per slug is simpler and safer.

Copy-paste (Short) MCP system prompt

Task: Fill SCOS SEO archive settings for {site}.

1. List slugs: wp post-type list –_builtin=0 –public=1 –field=name;

add “post”; add special author,date,search,404;

wp taxonomy list –public=1 –field=name.

2. For each slug in scope, read wp option get scos_seo_archive_{slug} –format=json.

3. Write with wp option update scos_seo_archive_{slug} ‘<json>’ –format=json

using the correct schema (CPT/tax vs special vs author).

4. Use template tokens in title/description where appropriate.

5. Optionally set scos_seo_freeze_modified_date to “1” or “”.

6. Verify with wp option get. Do not use post meta. Do not POST admin form unless updating all slugs at once.

Reference: site-essentials/Modules/SeoMeta/Archive_Settings.php

10. Author slug side effect

If you set author_slug onscos_seo_archive_author, the next normal admin save (or code path that calls Archive_Settings::set_author_slug()) may flush rewrite rules. After CLI-only author slug changes, tell the operator to visit Settings → Permalinks → Save once if author URLs look wrong.