Implementing automated compliance reporting for custom shipping tracking histories ledgers using TCPDF generator script
use TCPDF;
/**
* Generates a PDF report of shipping history for a given date range.
*
* @param string $start_date The start date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @param string $end_date The end date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @return string|false The PDF content as a string, or false on failure.
*/
function generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// 1. Fetch shipping data
// In a real scenario, this would query your database or custom post types.
// For this example, we'll use a placeholder function.
$shipping_data = get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( empty( $shipping_data ) ) {
// No data found for the specified period.
return false;
}
// 2. Initialize TCPDF
// Extend TCPDF to allow custom header/footer if needed.
class MYPDF extends TCPDF {
// Page header
public function Header() {
// Logo
$logo_path = K_PATH_IMAGES . 'logo_example.png'; // Ensure this path is correct or remove if no logo
if ( file_exists( $logo_path ) ) {
$this->Image( $logo_path, 10, 10, 30, '', '', '', 'T', false, 300, '', false, false, 0, false, false, false );
}
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 20 );
// Title
$this->Cell( 0, 15, 'Shipping Compliance Report', 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'M', 'M' );
$this->Ln( 10 ); // Add some space after the title
}
// Page footer
public function Footer() {
// Position at 15 mm from bottom
$this->SetY( -15 );
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'I', 8 );
// Page number
$this->Cell( 0, 10, 'Page ' . $this->getAliasNumPage() . '/' . $this->getAliasNbPages(), 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$this->SetX( -50 ); // Position for date
$this->Cell( 0, 10, date( 'Y-m-d H:i:s' ), 0, false, 'R', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
}
}
// Create new PDF document
// A4 page format, unit in millimeters, UTF-8 encoding
$pdf = new MYPDF( PDF_PAGE_ORIENTATION, PDF_UNIT, PDF_PAGE_FORMAT, true, 'UTF-8', false );
// Set document information
$pdf->SetCreator( PDF_CREATOR );
$pdf->SetAuthor( 'Your Company Name' );
$pdf->SetTitle( 'Shipping Compliance Report' );
$pdf->SetSubject( 'Shipping History Compliance' );
$pdf->SetKeywords( 'compliance, shipping, report, pdf' );
// Set default header data (if not using custom Header method)
// $pdf->SetHeaderData( PDF_HEADER_LOGO, PDF_HEADER_LOGO_WIDTH, PDF_HEADER_TITLE.' 001', PDF_HEADER_STRING );
// Set header and footer fonts
$pdf->setHeaderFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_MAIN, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_MAIN ) );
$pdf->setFooterFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_DATA, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_DATA ) );
// Set default monospaced font
$pdf->SetDefaultMonospacedFont( PDF_FONT_MONOSPACED );
// Set margins
$pdf->SetMargins( PDF_MARGIN_LEFT, PDF_MARGIN_TOP, PDF_MARGIN_RIGHT );
$pdf->SetHeaderMargin( PDF_MARGIN_HEADER );
$pdf->SetFooterMargin( PDF_MARGIN_FOOTER );
// Set auto page breaks
$pdf->SetAutoPageBreak( TRUE, PDF_MARGIN_BOTTOM );
// Set image scale factor
$pdf->setImageScale( PDF_IMAGE_SCALE_RATIO );
// Set some language-dependent strings (optional)
if ( @file_exists( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' ) ) {
require_once( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' );
$pdf->setLanguageArray( $l );
}
// Add a page
$pdf->AddPage();
// Set font
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 10 );
// Add report title and date range
$pdf->Ln( 5 ); // Space after header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 14 );
$pdf->Cell( 0, 10, 'Shipping History Log (' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date . ')', 0, 1, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$pdf->Ln( 5 );
// Add table header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 10 );
$pdf->SetFillColor( 220, 220, 220 ); // Light grey background for header
$pdf->Cell( 40, 7, 'Tracking #', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Ship Date', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Origin', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Destination', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 7, 'Status', 1, 1, 'C', 1 ); // 1 for newline
// Add table rows
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 9 );
$fill = 0; // To alternate row colors
foreach ( $shipping_data as $log_entry ) {
$pdf->SetFillColor( $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240 ); // Alternate row colors
$pdf->Cell( 40, 6, $log_entry['tracking_number'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, date( 'Y-m-d H:i', strtotime( $log_entry['shipment_date'] ) ), 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['origin'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['destination'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 6, $log_entry['status'], 1, 1, 'L', $fill ); // 1 for newline
$fill = !$fill; // Toggle fill
}
// 3. Output the PDF
// 'I': send the file inline to the browser.
// 'D': send to the browser and force a download.
// 'F': save the file on the server.
// 'S': return the document as a string.
$pdf_content = $pdf->Output( 'shipping_compliance_report.pdf', 'S' ); // Return as string
return $pdf_content;
}
/**
* Placeholder function to simulate fetching shipping log data.
* Replace this with your actual data retrieval logic.
*
* @param string $start_date
* @param string $end_date
* @return array
*/
function get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// Example data structure
return [
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK123456789',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-26 10:30:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address B',
'status' => 'Delivered',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 15:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK987654321',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 11:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse C',
'destination' => 'Customer Address D',
'status' => 'In Transit',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 16:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK555555555',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 14:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address E',
'status' => 'Exception',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 17:00:00',
],
];
}
Integrating with WordPress for Automated Triggering
To automate this process, we can hook into WordPress’s cron system (WP-Cron). This allows us to schedule the report generation at regular intervals (e.g., daily, weekly).
First, we need to define a custom cron schedule if the built-in ones (hourly, daily, twicedaily, weekly, monthly) are not sufficient. For instance, to run a report every Sunday at 2 AM:
/**
* Add a custom weekly Sunday schedule to WP-Cron.
*/
function add_custom_cron_schedule( $schedules ) {
$schedules['weekly_sunday'] = array(
'interval' => 604800, // 7 days in seconds
'display' => __( 'Weekly on Sunday' ),
);
return $schedules;
}
add_filter( 'cron_schedules', 'add_custom_cron_schedule' );
/**
* Schedule the report generation.
*/
function schedule_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Check if the event is already scheduled
if ( ! wp_next_scheduled( 'generate_shipping_report_event' ) ) {
// Schedule the event to run every Sunday at 2 AM.
// The timestamp is calculated for the next upcoming Sunday at 2 AM.
// For simplicity, we'll schedule it relative to now, but a more robust
// solution would calculate the exact next Sunday 2 AM.
// A common approach is to use strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00').
$next_run = strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00');
wp_schedule_event( $next_run, 'weekly_sunday', 'generate_shipping_report_event' );
}
}
add_action( 'wp', 'schedule_shipping_compliance_report' ); // Hook into WordPress initialization
/**
* The action that will trigger the report generation.
*/
function trigger_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Define the date range for the report.
// For a weekly report, we might want the previous week.
$end_date = date( 'Y-m-d' );
$start_date = date( 'Y-m-d', strtotime( '-7 days' ) );
$report_content = generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( $report_content ) {
// Handle the generated PDF content.
// For example, save it to a file, send it via email, or store it in media library.
save_report_to_file( $report_content, 'shipping_compliance_' . $start_date . '_' . $end_date . '.pdf' );
// Or send via email:
// send_report_email( $report_content, '[email protected]', 'Weekly Shipping Compliance Report' );
} else {
// Log that no data was found or an error occurred.
error_log( 'Shipping compliance report generation failed or no data found for ' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date );
}
}
add_action( 'generate_shipping_report_event', 'trigger_shipping_compliance_report' );
/**
* Helper function to save the report to a file.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $filename The desired filename.
*/
function save_report_to_file( $pdf_content, $filename ) {
// Ensure the uploads directory exists and is writable.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$report_dir = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/shipping-reports/';
if ( ! file_exists( $report_dir ) ) {
wp_mkdir_p( $report_dir ); // Create directory if it doesn't exist
}
$file_path = $report_dir . $filename;
if ( file_put_contents( $file_path, $pdf_content ) !== false ) {
// Optionally, add the file to the WordPress Media Library.
// This requires more complex handling of file metadata.
error_log( "Shipping compliance report saved to: " . $file_path );
} else {
error_log( "Failed to save shipping compliance report to: " . $file_path );
}
}
/**
* Helper function to send the report via email.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $to_email The recipient email address.
* @param string $subject The email subject.
*/
function send_report_email( $pdf_content, $to_email, $subject ) {
// Use WordPress's built-in mailer.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$temp_file_path = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/temp_report.pdf';
file_put_contents( $temp_file_path, $pdf_content );
$attachments = array( $temp_file_path );
$headers = array( 'Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8' );
// wp_mail( $to_email, $subject, 'Please find attached the shipping compliance report.', $headers, $attachments );
// Clean up the temporary file
// unlink( $temp_file_path );
// Note: For production, consider using a more robust email sending library
// or a transactional email service for better deliverability and tracking.
// The above wp_mail is a basic example.
}
// To manually trigger the cron job for testing:
// You can create a temporary URL or button that calls:
// do_action('generate_shipping_report_event');
// Be cautious with manual triggers in production.
Security and Compliance Considerations
When generating compliance reports, especially those containing sensitive shipping data, security and proper handling are paramount. Ensure the following:
- Data Access Control: The function fetching shipping data should only access records relevant to the authorized user or system.
- Secure Storage: If reports are saved to the server, ensure the directory is not publicly accessible and has strict file permissions. The
wp_upload_dir()function helps place files in a standard, albeit potentially public, location. For enhanced security, consider a private directory outside the webroot. - Email Security: If emailing reports, use authenticated SMTP and consider encrypting sensitive data if possible.
- Audit Trails: Log when reports are generated, by whom (if manually triggered), and to where they are sent. This is crucial for compliance audits.
- Data Retention Policies: Implement a policy for how long these reports are stored and ensure they are securely deleted when no longer needed.
- Error Handling: Robust error logging is essential. If a report fails to generate or send, the system should log the error for investigation.
By integrating TCPDF with WordPress’s scheduling and data handling capabilities, you can build a robust system for automated compliance reporting, ensuring your shipping history data is consistently documented and accessible.
// In your plugin's main file or a dedicated include file require_once __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';
Now, let’s define the report generation function. This example assumes you have a function get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date ) that returns an array of shipping log data.
use TCPDF;
/**
* Generates a PDF report of shipping history for a given date range.
*
* @param string $start_date The start date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @param string $end_date The end date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @return string|false The PDF content as a string, or false on failure.
*/
function generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// 1. Fetch shipping data
// In a real scenario, this would query your database or custom post types.
// For this example, we'll use a placeholder function.
$shipping_data = get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( empty( $shipping_data ) ) {
// No data found for the specified period.
return false;
}
// 2. Initialize TCPDF
// Extend TCPDF to allow custom header/footer if needed.
class MYPDF extends TCPDF {
// Page header
public function Header() {
// Logo
$logo_path = K_PATH_IMAGES . 'logo_example.png'; // Ensure this path is correct or remove if no logo
if ( file_exists( $logo_path ) ) {
$this->Image( $logo_path, 10, 10, 30, '', '', '', 'T', false, 300, '', false, false, 0, false, false, false );
}
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 20 );
// Title
$this->Cell( 0, 15, 'Shipping Compliance Report', 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'M', 'M' );
$this->Ln( 10 ); // Add some space after the title
}
// Page footer
public function Footer() {
// Position at 15 mm from bottom
$this->SetY( -15 );
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'I', 8 );
// Page number
$this->Cell( 0, 10, 'Page ' . $this->getAliasNumPage() . '/' . $this->getAliasNbPages(), 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$this->SetX( -50 ); // Position for date
$this->Cell( 0, 10, date( 'Y-m-d H:i:s' ), 0, false, 'R', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
}
}
// Create new PDF document
// A4 page format, unit in millimeters, UTF-8 encoding
$pdf = new MYPDF( PDF_PAGE_ORIENTATION, PDF_UNIT, PDF_PAGE_FORMAT, true, 'UTF-8', false );
// Set document information
$pdf->SetCreator( PDF_CREATOR );
$pdf->SetAuthor( 'Your Company Name' );
$pdf->SetTitle( 'Shipping Compliance Report' );
$pdf->SetSubject( 'Shipping History Compliance' );
$pdf->SetKeywords( 'compliance, shipping, report, pdf' );
// Set default header data (if not using custom Header method)
// $pdf->SetHeaderData( PDF_HEADER_LOGO, PDF_HEADER_LOGO_WIDTH, PDF_HEADER_TITLE.' 001', PDF_HEADER_STRING );
// Set header and footer fonts
$pdf->setHeaderFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_MAIN, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_MAIN ) );
$pdf->setFooterFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_DATA, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_DATA ) );
// Set default monospaced font
$pdf->SetDefaultMonospacedFont( PDF_FONT_MONOSPACED );
// Set margins
$pdf->SetMargins( PDF_MARGIN_LEFT, PDF_MARGIN_TOP, PDF_MARGIN_RIGHT );
$pdf->SetHeaderMargin( PDF_MARGIN_HEADER );
$pdf->SetFooterMargin( PDF_MARGIN_FOOTER );
// Set auto page breaks
$pdf->SetAutoPageBreak( TRUE, PDF_MARGIN_BOTTOM );
// Set image scale factor
$pdf->setImageScale( PDF_IMAGE_SCALE_RATIO );
// Set some language-dependent strings (optional)
if ( @file_exists( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' ) ) {
require_once( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' );
$pdf->setLanguageArray( $l );
}
// Add a page
$pdf->AddPage();
// Set font
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 10 );
// Add report title and date range
$pdf->Ln( 5 ); // Space after header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 14 );
$pdf->Cell( 0, 10, 'Shipping History Log (' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date . ')', 0, 1, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$pdf->Ln( 5 );
// Add table header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 10 );
$pdf->SetFillColor( 220, 220, 220 ); // Light grey background for header
$pdf->Cell( 40, 7, 'Tracking #', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Ship Date', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Origin', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Destination', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 7, 'Status', 1, 1, 'C', 1 ); // 1 for newline
// Add table rows
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 9 );
$fill = 0; // To alternate row colors
foreach ( $shipping_data as $log_entry ) {
$pdf->SetFillColor( $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240 ); // Alternate row colors
$pdf->Cell( 40, 6, $log_entry['tracking_number'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, date( 'Y-m-d H:i', strtotime( $log_entry['shipment_date'] ) ), 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['origin'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['destination'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 6, $log_entry['status'], 1, 1, 'L', $fill ); // 1 for newline
$fill = !$fill; // Toggle fill
}
// 3. Output the PDF
// 'I': send the file inline to the browser.
// 'D': send to the browser and force a download.
// 'F': save the file on the server.
// 'S': return the document as a string.
$pdf_content = $pdf->Output( 'shipping_compliance_report.pdf', 'S' ); // Return as string
return $pdf_content;
}
/**
* Placeholder function to simulate fetching shipping log data.
* Replace this with your actual data retrieval logic.
*
* @param string $start_date
* @param string $end_date
* @return array
*/
function get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// Example data structure
return [
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK123456789',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-26 10:30:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address B',
'status' => 'Delivered',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 15:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK987654321',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 11:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse C',
'destination' => 'Customer Address D',
'status' => 'In Transit',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 16:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK555555555',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 14:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address E',
'status' => 'Exception',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 17:00:00',
],
];
}
Integrating with WordPress for Automated Triggering
To automate this process, we can hook into WordPress’s cron system (WP-Cron). This allows us to schedule the report generation at regular intervals (e.g., daily, weekly).
First, we need to define a custom cron schedule if the built-in ones (hourly, daily, twicedaily, weekly, monthly) are not sufficient. For instance, to run a report every Sunday at 2 AM:
/**
* Add a custom weekly Sunday schedule to WP-Cron.
*/
function add_custom_cron_schedule( $schedules ) {
$schedules['weekly_sunday'] = array(
'interval' => 604800, // 7 days in seconds
'display' => __( 'Weekly on Sunday' ),
);
return $schedules;
}
add_filter( 'cron_schedules', 'add_custom_cron_schedule' );
/**
* Schedule the report generation.
*/
function schedule_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Check if the event is already scheduled
if ( ! wp_next_scheduled( 'generate_shipping_report_event' ) ) {
// Schedule the event to run every Sunday at 2 AM.
// The timestamp is calculated for the next upcoming Sunday at 2 AM.
// For simplicity, we'll schedule it relative to now, but a more robust
// solution would calculate the exact next Sunday 2 AM.
// A common approach is to use strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00').
$next_run = strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00');
wp_schedule_event( $next_run, 'weekly_sunday', 'generate_shipping_report_event' );
}
}
add_action( 'wp', 'schedule_shipping_compliance_report' ); // Hook into WordPress initialization
/**
* The action that will trigger the report generation.
*/
function trigger_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Define the date range for the report.
// For a weekly report, we might want the previous week.
$end_date = date( 'Y-m-d' );
$start_date = date( 'Y-m-d', strtotime( '-7 days' ) );
$report_content = generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( $report_content ) {
// Handle the generated PDF content.
// For example, save it to a file, send it via email, or store it in media library.
save_report_to_file( $report_content, 'shipping_compliance_' . $start_date . '_' . $end_date . '.pdf' );
// Or send via email:
// send_report_email( $report_content, '[email protected]', 'Weekly Shipping Compliance Report' );
} else {
// Log that no data was found or an error occurred.
error_log( 'Shipping compliance report generation failed or no data found for ' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date );
}
}
add_action( 'generate_shipping_report_event', 'trigger_shipping_compliance_report' );
/**
* Helper function to save the report to a file.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $filename The desired filename.
*/
function save_report_to_file( $pdf_content, $filename ) {
// Ensure the uploads directory exists and is writable.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$report_dir = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/shipping-reports/';
if ( ! file_exists( $report_dir ) ) {
wp_mkdir_p( $report_dir ); // Create directory if it doesn't exist
}
$file_path = $report_dir . $filename;
if ( file_put_contents( $file_path, $pdf_content ) !== false ) {
// Optionally, add the file to the WordPress Media Library.
// This requires more complex handling of file metadata.
error_log( "Shipping compliance report saved to: " . $file_path );
} else {
error_log( "Failed to save shipping compliance report to: " . $file_path );
}
}
/**
* Helper function to send the report via email.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $to_email The recipient email address.
* @param string $subject The email subject.
*/
function send_report_email( $pdf_content, $to_email, $subject ) {
// Use WordPress's built-in mailer.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$temp_file_path = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/temp_report.pdf';
file_put_contents( $temp_file_path, $pdf_content );
$attachments = array( $temp_file_path );
$headers = array( 'Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8' );
// wp_mail( $to_email, $subject, 'Please find attached the shipping compliance report.', $headers, $attachments );
// Clean up the temporary file
// unlink( $temp_file_path );
// Note: For production, consider using a more robust email sending library
// or a transactional email service for better deliverability and tracking.
// The above wp_mail is a basic example.
}
// To manually trigger the cron job for testing:
// You can create a temporary URL or button that calls:
// do_action('generate_shipping_report_event');
// Be cautious with manual triggers in production.
Security and Compliance Considerations
When generating compliance reports, especially those containing sensitive shipping data, security and proper handling are paramount. Ensure the following:
- Data Access Control: The function fetching shipping data should only access records relevant to the authorized user or system.
- Secure Storage: If reports are saved to the server, ensure the directory is not publicly accessible and has strict file permissions. The
wp_upload_dir()function helps place files in a standard, albeit potentially public, location. For enhanced security, consider a private directory outside the webroot. - Email Security: If emailing reports, use authenticated SMTP and consider encrypting sensitive data if possible.
- Audit Trails: Log when reports are generated, by whom (if manually triggered), and to where they are sent. This is crucial for compliance audits.
- Data Retention Policies: Implement a policy for how long these reports are stored and ensure they are securely deleted when no longer needed.
- Error Handling: Robust error logging is essential. If a report fails to generate or send, the system should log the error for investigation.
By integrating TCPDF with WordPress’s scheduling and data handling capabilities, you can build a robust system for automated compliance reporting, ensuring your shipping history data is consistently documented and accessible.
composer require tecnickcom/tcpdf
This command will download the TCPDF library and its dependencies into the vendor directory within your WordPress installation. Next, we need to include the Composer autoloader in our custom plugin or theme’s main file to make TCPDF classes available.
Structuring the Shipping History Data
Our automated compliance report will be based on custom shipping history data. For this example, we’ll assume this data is stored in a custom post type (e.g., ‘shipping_log’) or a custom database table. Each entry should contain at least the following fields:
- Tracking Number (e.g.,
TRK123456789) - Shipment Date (e.g.,
2023-10-27 10:30:00) - Origin (e.g.,
Warehouse A) - Destination (e.g.,
Customer Address B) - Status (e.g.,
Delivered,In Transit,Exception) - Timestamp of Status Update (e.g.,
2023-10-27 15:00:00)
For demonstration purposes, we’ll simulate fetching this data using a WordPress query. In a production environment, you would replace this with your actual data retrieval logic.
Creating the TCPDF Report Generation Function
We’ll create a PHP function that takes a date range as input and generates a PDF report. This function will instantiate TCPDF, add content, and output the PDF.
First, ensure you include the Composer autoloader. If you’re building a plugin, this would typically be in your main plugin file:
// In your plugin's main file or a dedicated include file require_once __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';
Now, let’s define the report generation function. This example assumes you have a function get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date ) that returns an array of shipping log data.
use TCPDF;
/**
* Generates a PDF report of shipping history for a given date range.
*
* @param string $start_date The start date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @param string $end_date The end date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @return string|false The PDF content as a string, or false on failure.
*/
function generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// 1. Fetch shipping data
// In a real scenario, this would query your database or custom post types.
// For this example, we'll use a placeholder function.
$shipping_data = get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( empty( $shipping_data ) ) {
// No data found for the specified period.
return false;
}
// 2. Initialize TCPDF
// Extend TCPDF to allow custom header/footer if needed.
class MYPDF extends TCPDF {
// Page header
public function Header() {
// Logo
$logo_path = K_PATH_IMAGES . 'logo_example.png'; // Ensure this path is correct or remove if no logo
if ( file_exists( $logo_path ) ) {
$this->Image( $logo_path, 10, 10, 30, '', '', '', 'T', false, 300, '', false, false, 0, false, false, false );
}
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 20 );
// Title
$this->Cell( 0, 15, 'Shipping Compliance Report', 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'M', 'M' );
$this->Ln( 10 ); // Add some space after the title
}
// Page footer
public function Footer() {
// Position at 15 mm from bottom
$this->SetY( -15 );
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'I', 8 );
// Page number
$this->Cell( 0, 10, 'Page ' . $this->getAliasNumPage() . '/' . $this->getAliasNbPages(), 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$this->SetX( -50 ); // Position for date
$this->Cell( 0, 10, date( 'Y-m-d H:i:s' ), 0, false, 'R', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
}
}
// Create new PDF document
// A4 page format, unit in millimeters, UTF-8 encoding
$pdf = new MYPDF( PDF_PAGE_ORIENTATION, PDF_UNIT, PDF_PAGE_FORMAT, true, 'UTF-8', false );
// Set document information
$pdf->SetCreator( PDF_CREATOR );
$pdf->SetAuthor( 'Your Company Name' );
$pdf->SetTitle( 'Shipping Compliance Report' );
$pdf->SetSubject( 'Shipping History Compliance' );
$pdf->SetKeywords( 'compliance, shipping, report, pdf' );
// Set default header data (if not using custom Header method)
// $pdf->SetHeaderData( PDF_HEADER_LOGO, PDF_HEADER_LOGO_WIDTH, PDF_HEADER_TITLE.' 001', PDF_HEADER_STRING );
// Set header and footer fonts
$pdf->setHeaderFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_MAIN, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_MAIN ) );
$pdf->setFooterFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_DATA, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_DATA ) );
// Set default monospaced font
$pdf->SetDefaultMonospacedFont( PDF_FONT_MONOSPACED );
// Set margins
$pdf->SetMargins( PDF_MARGIN_LEFT, PDF_MARGIN_TOP, PDF_MARGIN_RIGHT );
$pdf->SetHeaderMargin( PDF_MARGIN_HEADER );
$pdf->SetFooterMargin( PDF_MARGIN_FOOTER );
// Set auto page breaks
$pdf->SetAutoPageBreak( TRUE, PDF_MARGIN_BOTTOM );
// Set image scale factor
$pdf->setImageScale( PDF_IMAGE_SCALE_RATIO );
// Set some language-dependent strings (optional)
if ( @file_exists( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' ) ) {
require_once( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' );
$pdf->setLanguageArray( $l );
}
// Add a page
$pdf->AddPage();
// Set font
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 10 );
// Add report title and date range
$pdf->Ln( 5 ); // Space after header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 14 );
$pdf->Cell( 0, 10, 'Shipping History Log (' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date . ')', 0, 1, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$pdf->Ln( 5 );
// Add table header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 10 );
$pdf->SetFillColor( 220, 220, 220 ); // Light grey background for header
$pdf->Cell( 40, 7, 'Tracking #', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Ship Date', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Origin', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Destination', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 7, 'Status', 1, 1, 'C', 1 ); // 1 for newline
// Add table rows
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 9 );
$fill = 0; // To alternate row colors
foreach ( $shipping_data as $log_entry ) {
$pdf->SetFillColor( $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240 ); // Alternate row colors
$pdf->Cell( 40, 6, $log_entry['tracking_number'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, date( 'Y-m-d H:i', strtotime( $log_entry['shipment_date'] ) ), 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['origin'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['destination'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 6, $log_entry['status'], 1, 1, 'L', $fill ); // 1 for newline
$fill = !$fill; // Toggle fill
}
// 3. Output the PDF
// 'I': send the file inline to the browser.
// 'D': send to the browser and force a download.
// 'F': save the file on the server.
// 'S': return the document as a string.
$pdf_content = $pdf->Output( 'shipping_compliance_report.pdf', 'S' ); // Return as string
return $pdf_content;
}
/**
* Placeholder function to simulate fetching shipping log data.
* Replace this with your actual data retrieval logic.
*
* @param string $start_date
* @param string $end_date
* @return array
*/
function get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// Example data structure
return [
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK123456789',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-26 10:30:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address B',
'status' => 'Delivered',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 15:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK987654321',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 11:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse C',
'destination' => 'Customer Address D',
'status' => 'In Transit',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 16:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK555555555',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 14:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address E',
'status' => 'Exception',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 17:00:00',
],
];
}
Integrating with WordPress for Automated Triggering
To automate this process, we can hook into WordPress’s cron system (WP-Cron). This allows us to schedule the report generation at regular intervals (e.g., daily, weekly).
First, we need to define a custom cron schedule if the built-in ones (hourly, daily, twicedaily, weekly, monthly) are not sufficient. For instance, to run a report every Sunday at 2 AM:
/**
* Add a custom weekly Sunday schedule to WP-Cron.
*/
function add_custom_cron_schedule( $schedules ) {
$schedules['weekly_sunday'] = array(
'interval' => 604800, // 7 days in seconds
'display' => __( 'Weekly on Sunday' ),
);
return $schedules;
}
add_filter( 'cron_schedules', 'add_custom_cron_schedule' );
/**
* Schedule the report generation.
*/
function schedule_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Check if the event is already scheduled
if ( ! wp_next_scheduled( 'generate_shipping_report_event' ) ) {
// Schedule the event to run every Sunday at 2 AM.
// The timestamp is calculated for the next upcoming Sunday at 2 AM.
// For simplicity, we'll schedule it relative to now, but a more robust
// solution would calculate the exact next Sunday 2 AM.
// A common approach is to use strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00').
$next_run = strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00');
wp_schedule_event( $next_run, 'weekly_sunday', 'generate_shipping_report_event' );
}
}
add_action( 'wp', 'schedule_shipping_compliance_report' ); // Hook into WordPress initialization
/**
* The action that will trigger the report generation.
*/
function trigger_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Define the date range for the report.
// For a weekly report, we might want the previous week.
$end_date = date( 'Y-m-d' );
$start_date = date( 'Y-m-d', strtotime( '-7 days' ) );
$report_content = generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( $report_content ) {
// Handle the generated PDF content.
// For example, save it to a file, send it via email, or store it in media library.
save_report_to_file( $report_content, 'shipping_compliance_' . $start_date . '_' . $end_date . '.pdf' );
// Or send via email:
// send_report_email( $report_content, '[email protected]', 'Weekly Shipping Compliance Report' );
} else {
// Log that no data was found or an error occurred.
error_log( 'Shipping compliance report generation failed or no data found for ' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date );
}
}
add_action( 'generate_shipping_report_event', 'trigger_shipping_compliance_report' );
/**
* Helper function to save the report to a file.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $filename The desired filename.
*/
function save_report_to_file( $pdf_content, $filename ) {
// Ensure the uploads directory exists and is writable.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$report_dir = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/shipping-reports/';
if ( ! file_exists( $report_dir ) ) {
wp_mkdir_p( $report_dir ); // Create directory if it doesn't exist
}
$file_path = $report_dir . $filename;
if ( file_put_contents( $file_path, $pdf_content ) !== false ) {
// Optionally, add the file to the WordPress Media Library.
// This requires more complex handling of file metadata.
error_log( "Shipping compliance report saved to: " . $file_path );
} else {
error_log( "Failed to save shipping compliance report to: " . $file_path );
}
}
/**
* Helper function to send the report via email.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $to_email The recipient email address.
* @param string $subject The email subject.
*/
function send_report_email( $pdf_content, $to_email, $subject ) {
// Use WordPress's built-in mailer.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$temp_file_path = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/temp_report.pdf';
file_put_contents( $temp_file_path, $pdf_content );
$attachments = array( $temp_file_path );
$headers = array( 'Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8' );
// wp_mail( $to_email, $subject, 'Please find attached the shipping compliance report.', $headers, $attachments );
// Clean up the temporary file
// unlink( $temp_file_path );
// Note: For production, consider using a more robust email sending library
// or a transactional email service for better deliverability and tracking.
// The above wp_mail is a basic example.
}
// To manually trigger the cron job for testing:
// You can create a temporary URL or button that calls:
// do_action('generate_shipping_report_event');
// Be cautious with manual triggers in production.
Security and Compliance Considerations
When generating compliance reports, especially those containing sensitive shipping data, security and proper handling are paramount. Ensure the following:
- Data Access Control: The function fetching shipping data should only access records relevant to the authorized user or system.
- Secure Storage: If reports are saved to the server, ensure the directory is not publicly accessible and has strict file permissions. The
wp_upload_dir()function helps place files in a standard, albeit potentially public, location. For enhanced security, consider a private directory outside the webroot. - Email Security: If emailing reports, use authenticated SMTP and consider encrypting sensitive data if possible.
- Audit Trails: Log when reports are generated, by whom (if manually triggered), and to where they are sent. This is crucial for compliance audits.
- Data Retention Policies: Implement a policy for how long these reports are stored and ensure they are securely deleted when no longer needed.
- Error Handling: Robust error logging is essential. If a report fails to generate or send, the system should log the error for investigation.
By integrating TCPDF with WordPress’s scheduling and data handling capabilities, you can build a robust system for automated compliance reporting, ensuring your shipping history data is consistently documented and accessible.
Setting Up the TCPDF Environment
Before we can generate any reports, we need to ensure TCPDF is correctly installed and accessible within our WordPress environment. For most WordPress installations, the most straightforward method is to use Composer to manage dependencies. This ensures version control and simplifies updates.
Navigate to your WordPress root directory in your terminal and run the following Composer command:
composer require tecnickcom/tcpdf
This command will download the TCPDF library and its dependencies into the vendor directory within your WordPress installation. Next, we need to include the Composer autoloader in our custom plugin or theme’s main file to make TCPDF classes available.
Structuring the Shipping History Data
Our automated compliance report will be based on custom shipping history data. For this example, we’ll assume this data is stored in a custom post type (e.g., ‘shipping_log’) or a custom database table. Each entry should contain at least the following fields:
- Tracking Number (e.g.,
TRK123456789) - Shipment Date (e.g.,
2023-10-27 10:30:00) - Origin (e.g.,
Warehouse A) - Destination (e.g.,
Customer Address B) - Status (e.g.,
Delivered,In Transit,Exception) - Timestamp of Status Update (e.g.,
2023-10-27 15:00:00)
For demonstration purposes, we’ll simulate fetching this data using a WordPress query. In a production environment, you would replace this with your actual data retrieval logic.
Creating the TCPDF Report Generation Function
We’ll create a PHP function that takes a date range as input and generates a PDF report. This function will instantiate TCPDF, add content, and output the PDF.
First, ensure you include the Composer autoloader. If you’re building a plugin, this would typically be in your main plugin file:
// In your plugin's main file or a dedicated include file require_once __DIR__ . '/vendor/autoload.php';
Now, let’s define the report generation function. This example assumes you have a function get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date ) that returns an array of shipping log data.
use TCPDF;
/**
* Generates a PDF report of shipping history for a given date range.
*
* @param string $start_date The start date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @param string $end_date The end date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
* @return string|false The PDF content as a string, or false on failure.
*/
function generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// 1. Fetch shipping data
// In a real scenario, this would query your database or custom post types.
// For this example, we'll use a placeholder function.
$shipping_data = get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( empty( $shipping_data ) ) {
// No data found for the specified period.
return false;
}
// 2. Initialize TCPDF
// Extend TCPDF to allow custom header/footer if needed.
class MYPDF extends TCPDF {
// Page header
public function Header() {
// Logo
$logo_path = K_PATH_IMAGES . 'logo_example.png'; // Ensure this path is correct or remove if no logo
if ( file_exists( $logo_path ) ) {
$this->Image( $logo_path, 10, 10, 30, '', '', '', 'T', false, 300, '', false, false, 0, false, false, false );
}
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 20 );
// Title
$this->Cell( 0, 15, 'Shipping Compliance Report', 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'M', 'M' );
$this->Ln( 10 ); // Add some space after the title
}
// Page footer
public function Footer() {
// Position at 15 mm from bottom
$this->SetY( -15 );
// Set font
$this->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'I', 8 );
// Page number
$this->Cell( 0, 10, 'Page ' . $this->getAliasNumPage() . '/' . $this->getAliasNbPages(), 0, false, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$this->SetX( -50 ); // Position for date
$this->Cell( 0, 10, date( 'Y-m-d H:i:s' ), 0, false, 'R', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
}
}
// Create new PDF document
// A4 page format, unit in millimeters, UTF-8 encoding
$pdf = new MYPDF( PDF_PAGE_ORIENTATION, PDF_UNIT, PDF_PAGE_FORMAT, true, 'UTF-8', false );
// Set document information
$pdf->SetCreator( PDF_CREATOR );
$pdf->SetAuthor( 'Your Company Name' );
$pdf->SetTitle( 'Shipping Compliance Report' );
$pdf->SetSubject( 'Shipping History Compliance' );
$pdf->SetKeywords( 'compliance, shipping, report, pdf' );
// Set default header data (if not using custom Header method)
// $pdf->SetHeaderData( PDF_HEADER_LOGO, PDF_HEADER_LOGO_WIDTH, PDF_HEADER_TITLE.' 001', PDF_HEADER_STRING );
// Set header and footer fonts
$pdf->setHeaderFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_MAIN, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_MAIN ) );
$pdf->setFooterFont( Array( PDF_FONT_NAME_DATA, '', PDF_FONT_SIZE_DATA ) );
// Set default monospaced font
$pdf->SetDefaultMonospacedFont( PDF_FONT_MONOSPACED );
// Set margins
$pdf->SetMargins( PDF_MARGIN_LEFT, PDF_MARGIN_TOP, PDF_MARGIN_RIGHT );
$pdf->SetHeaderMargin( PDF_MARGIN_HEADER );
$pdf->SetFooterMargin( PDF_MARGIN_FOOTER );
// Set auto page breaks
$pdf->SetAutoPageBreak( TRUE, PDF_MARGIN_BOTTOM );
// Set image scale factor
$pdf->setImageScale( PDF_IMAGE_SCALE_RATIO );
// Set some language-dependent strings (optional)
if ( @file_exists( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' ) ) {
require_once( dirname( __FILE__ ) . '/lang/eng.php' );
$pdf->setLanguageArray( $l );
}
// Add a page
$pdf->AddPage();
// Set font
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 10 );
// Add report title and date range
$pdf->Ln( 5 ); // Space after header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 14 );
$pdf->Cell( 0, 10, 'Shipping History Log (' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date . ')', 0, 1, 'C', 0, '', 0, false, 'T', 'M' );
$pdf->Ln( 5 );
// Add table header
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', 'B', 10 );
$pdf->SetFillColor( 220, 220, 220 ); // Light grey background for header
$pdf->Cell( 40, 7, 'Tracking #', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Ship Date', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Origin', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 7, 'Destination', 1, 0, 'C', 1 );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 7, 'Status', 1, 1, 'C', 1 ); // 1 for newline
// Add table rows
$pdf->SetFont( 'helvetica', '', 9 );
$fill = 0; // To alternate row colors
foreach ( $shipping_data as $log_entry ) {
$pdf->SetFillColor( $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240, $fill ? 255 : 240 ); // Alternate row colors
$pdf->Cell( 40, 6, $log_entry['tracking_number'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, date( 'Y-m-d H:i', strtotime( $log_entry['shipment_date'] ) ), 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['origin'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 35, 6, $log_entry['destination'], 1, 0, 'L', $fill );
$pdf->Cell( 45, 6, $log_entry['status'], 1, 1, 'L', $fill ); // 1 for newline
$fill = !$fill; // Toggle fill
}
// 3. Output the PDF
// 'I': send the file inline to the browser.
// 'D': send to the browser and force a download.
// 'F': save the file on the server.
// 'S': return the document as a string.
$pdf_content = $pdf->Output( 'shipping_compliance_report.pdf', 'S' ); // Return as string
return $pdf_content;
}
/**
* Placeholder function to simulate fetching shipping log data.
* Replace this with your actual data retrieval logic.
*
* @param string $start_date
* @param string $end_date
* @return array
*/
function get_shipping_logs_for_date_range( $start_date, $end_date ) {
// Example data structure
return [
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK123456789',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-26 10:30:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address B',
'status' => 'Delivered',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 15:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK987654321',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 11:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse C',
'destination' => 'Customer Address D',
'status' => 'In Transit',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 16:00:00',
],
[
'tracking_number' => 'TRK555555555',
'shipment_date' => '2023-10-27 14:00:00',
'origin' => 'Warehouse A',
'destination' => 'Customer Address E',
'status' => 'Exception',
'status_update_ts'=> '2023-10-27 17:00:00',
],
];
}
Integrating with WordPress for Automated Triggering
To automate this process, we can hook into WordPress’s cron system (WP-Cron). This allows us to schedule the report generation at regular intervals (e.g., daily, weekly).
First, we need to define a custom cron schedule if the built-in ones (hourly, daily, twicedaily, weekly, monthly) are not sufficient. For instance, to run a report every Sunday at 2 AM:
/**
* Add a custom weekly Sunday schedule to WP-Cron.
*/
function add_custom_cron_schedule( $schedules ) {
$schedules['weekly_sunday'] = array(
'interval' => 604800, // 7 days in seconds
'display' => __( 'Weekly on Sunday' ),
);
return $schedules;
}
add_filter( 'cron_schedules', 'add_custom_cron_schedule' );
/**
* Schedule the report generation.
*/
function schedule_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Check if the event is already scheduled
if ( ! wp_next_scheduled( 'generate_shipping_report_event' ) ) {
// Schedule the event to run every Sunday at 2 AM.
// The timestamp is calculated for the next upcoming Sunday at 2 AM.
// For simplicity, we'll schedule it relative to now, but a more robust
// solution would calculate the exact next Sunday 2 AM.
// A common approach is to use strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00').
$next_run = strtotime('next Sunday 02:00:00');
wp_schedule_event( $next_run, 'weekly_sunday', 'generate_shipping_report_event' );
}
}
add_action( 'wp', 'schedule_shipping_compliance_report' ); // Hook into WordPress initialization
/**
* The action that will trigger the report generation.
*/
function trigger_shipping_compliance_report() {
// Define the date range for the report.
// For a weekly report, we might want the previous week.
$end_date = date( 'Y-m-d' );
$start_date = date( 'Y-m-d', strtotime( '-7 days' ) );
$report_content = generate_shipping_compliance_report( $start_date, $end_date );
if ( $report_content ) {
// Handle the generated PDF content.
// For example, save it to a file, send it via email, or store it in media library.
save_report_to_file( $report_content, 'shipping_compliance_' . $start_date . '_' . $end_date . '.pdf' );
// Or send via email:
// send_report_email( $report_content, '[email protected]', 'Weekly Shipping Compliance Report' );
} else {
// Log that no data was found or an error occurred.
error_log( 'Shipping compliance report generation failed or no data found for ' . $start_date . ' to ' . $end_date );
}
}
add_action( 'generate_shipping_report_event', 'trigger_shipping_compliance_report' );
/**
* Helper function to save the report to a file.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $filename The desired filename.
*/
function save_report_to_file( $pdf_content, $filename ) {
// Ensure the uploads directory exists and is writable.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$report_dir = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/shipping-reports/';
if ( ! file_exists( $report_dir ) ) {
wp_mkdir_p( $report_dir ); // Create directory if it doesn't exist
}
$file_path = $report_dir . $filename;
if ( file_put_contents( $file_path, $pdf_content ) !== false ) {
// Optionally, add the file to the WordPress Media Library.
// This requires more complex handling of file metadata.
error_log( "Shipping compliance report saved to: " . $file_path );
} else {
error_log( "Failed to save shipping compliance report to: " . $file_path );
}
}
/**
* Helper function to send the report via email.
*
* @param string $pdf_content The PDF content.
* @param string $to_email The recipient email address.
* @param string $subject The email subject.
*/
function send_report_email( $pdf_content, $to_email, $subject ) {
// Use WordPress's built-in mailer.
$upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
$temp_file_path = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/temp_report.pdf';
file_put_contents( $temp_file_path, $pdf_content );
$attachments = array( $temp_file_path );
$headers = array( 'Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8' );
// wp_mail( $to_email, $subject, 'Please find attached the shipping compliance report.', $headers, $attachments );
// Clean up the temporary file
// unlink( $temp_file_path );
// Note: For production, consider using a more robust email sending library
// or a transactional email service for better deliverability and tracking.
// The above wp_mail is a basic example.
}
// To manually trigger the cron job for testing:
// You can create a temporary URL or button that calls:
// do_action('generate_shipping_report_event');
// Be cautious with manual triggers in production.
Security and Compliance Considerations
When generating compliance reports, especially those containing sensitive shipping data, security and proper handling are paramount. Ensure the following:
- Data Access Control: The function fetching shipping data should only access records relevant to the authorized user or system.
- Secure Storage: If reports are saved to the server, ensure the directory is not publicly accessible and has strict file permissions. The
wp_upload_dir()function helps place files in a standard, albeit potentially public, location. For enhanced security, consider a private directory outside the webroot. - Email Security: If emailing reports, use authenticated SMTP and consider encrypting sensitive data if possible.
- Audit Trails: Log when reports are generated, by whom (if manually triggered), and to where they are sent. This is crucial for compliance audits.
- Data Retention Policies: Implement a policy for how long these reports are stored and ensure they are securely deleted when no longer needed.
- Error Handling: Robust error logging is essential. If a report fails to generate or send, the system should log the error for investigation.
By integrating TCPDF with WordPress’s scheduling and data handling capabilities, you can build a robust system for automated compliance reporting, ensuring your shipping history data is consistently documented and accessible.