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[Forminator Pro] Output Image Data on Back End

I am currently using Forminator Pro on my site to output to a table using WPDataTables. I purchased WPDataTables because of their integration with your program.

I see Forminator allows the use of Images in Checkbox and Radio Option and it works great on the front end of the website as a form! However when I integrate WPDataTables to output the results as a table, there are no images, just the titles of the images show up.

WPDataTables support says I can’t complete my goals because Forminator Pro doesn’t show image data on the backend for them to pull.

I am requesting to please setup Forminator Pro so it can output images data/urls to WPDataTables so I can integrate both to work properly.

Thanks!

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:49:38

Alfredo Galano Loyola
- Staff
- 330 pts: Hero points 1,004 pts: Rep. points LEVEL 8
Hello Mike Buedel
I hope you are doing well today.

I see Forminator allows the use of Images in Checkbox and Radio Option and it works great on the front end of the website as a form! However when I integrate WPDataTables to output the results as a table, there are no images, just the titles of the images show up.

That’s the intended behavior: show the images on the front end and only save the value or label of the options based on the plugin’s settings.
The images usually keep the same forever; they are static images that are bound to an option, and it’s not a good practice to save the images because that will involve saving the full URL of the images using another column or meta, and the way to relate the image to the exact field.

It will make the logic more complex and will use more storage in the database.

WPDataTables support says I can’t complete my goals because Forminator Pro doesn’t show image data on the backend for them to pull.

That’s true, no images are coming from the database when the table displays the data.

I have some good news for you:
You have control of the form and the table settings, so it could be possible to create a workaround, at least for Radio Fields.
Checkbox Fields will need some extra work from WPDataTables support.

Let’s start with it, for example, you have a Radio Field with several options, those options could be anything, the rules to achieve the goal will be simple.
Rules
1- On the form settings for fields with Multiple Option values, change the stored value to use Option Values instead of Option Labels.
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2- As the Option values, use one word, if you will need to use several words, use the symbols – or _
Examples:
```
car
sport_car
Sport-Car
sport-car
```
3- (Re)Name the images based on the field’s Option Value that you want to use. Should use the same words and the same extension for all of them.
Examples:
```
car ------> car.jpg
sport_car ------> sport_car.jpg
Sport-Car ------> Sport-Car.jpg
sport-car ------> sport-car.jpg
```
4- Upload all the images you will be using for the select field on the same day if possible or at least in the same month.
That way, you will know, no matter the name of the image, the URL will be https://yoursite.com/wp-content/year/month/
Examples:
```
car ------> car.jpg ------> https://yoursite.com/wp-content/2025/06/car.jpg
sport_car ------> sport_car.jpg ------> https://yoursite.com/wp-content/2025/06/sport_car.jpg
Sport-Car ------> Sport-Car.jpg ------> https://yoursite.com/wp-content/2025/06/Sport-Car.jpg
sport-car ------> sport-car.jpg ------> https://yoursite.com/wp-content/2025/06/sport-car.jpg 
```
Following these rules, you will be able to use the Transform feature from WPDatatable
For example:
<img src="{radio.value}" height="70">
Will be used in this way
<img src="https://yoursite.com/wp-content/2025/06/{radio.value}.jpg" height="70">

That way could be achieved for Radio Buttons, and of course, it will work for new tables.
Tables with existing data will not work from the box, but with some work in the Database, updating the values from Option Labels to Option Value, it will work. For example, doing a search and replace with the plugin Better Search and Replace targeting only the Forminator Pro tables, or directly making the updates on the Database using MySQL, or manually.

For Checkbox Fields, it will be more complex because the value is stored in this way
Option1, Option2, Option3
That is where things get complex. In this specific example, there are three option values, but the format is text, so, technically, there is no way to tell the WPDatatable plugin that those are three values and not one.
You will need to ask WPDatatable support if it would be possible to create a custom shortcode or if there is any option to indicate that the cell is containing multiple values, and instead of making:
<img src="https://yoursite.com/wp-content/2025/06/{checkbox.value}.jpg" height="70">
Which will end in a broken image because the URL will be:
https://yoursite.com/wp-content/2025/06/Option1, Option2, Option3.jpg
That image doesn’t exist, and it needs to display 3 images, not only one.

So, creating a custom shortcode, something like
checkbox.images("2025/06/")
The logic of it will be:
1- Pass the folder that contains the images and collect it to create the full URL path.
$full_path = "https://yoursite.com/wp-content/".$date;
2- Take the checkbox.value, split it by a comma to create a list with the options.
For example:
Option1, Option2, Option3
Will convert to
$list_options = [Option1, Option2, Option3];
3- Loop the list of options and create HTML code for each image based on the option and the full URL path
```
   loop  $list_options as $option{
     $output.= '<img src="'.$full_path .$option.'.jpg" height="70">';
   }
```
4- Possible will need some CSS or attributes to properly display several images on the same cell.

I am requesting to please setup Forminator Pro so it can output images data/urls to WPDataTables so I can integrate both to work properly.

We understand that providing the images on the tables or reports will be great, and that will have a lot of logic if the images were dynamic and not always the same images.

It makes a lot of sense, for example, an image profile or any uploaded image, in that case, of course, the URL of the image will be stored in the Database.

When it’s about the Checkbox and Radio Fields, the images are used to make the form more attractive for users, which makes sense, but storing those image URLs will create more issues than benefits.

It’s more feasible to use the workaround suggested above or directly contact the WPDatatable support to create specific shortcodes.

Another possible option will be to hire our On-Demand Development service. I think it could be possible to create a Hidden Field to be used to carry the HTML code of the image(s), and then use the Transform feature in the WPDatatable plugin to display it, in case it does not display directly.

I will pass the request to the developer team for further consideration.
We hope you understand that the features will be considered based on the impact and value they will add to the plugin, the feasibility, and we can’t guarantee it will be accepted, or in case it’s accepted, an exact ETA for it.

Best regards,
Alfredo
Mike Buedel
- New Recruit
- 142 pts: Hero points 0 pts: Rep. points LEVEL 0
Thank you so much! The first part changing the Default Stored Value form Label to Value is exactly what I was looking for! I was very confused at the purpose of the value section when it wasn’t being used but now makes sense!

I appreciate the detailed recommendations especially using shortcodes and will look into that.

I did find a workaround by adding <img src html code literally as the value of the checkbox. I’m not sure if this is going to cause backend errors somewhere later down the line but it seems to be working now! I can’t imagine inputting direct HTML into a value field being a good idea but I’ll roll with it for now lol.

Appreciate your help!
Alfredo Galano Loyola
- Staff
- 330 pts: Hero points 1,004 pts: Rep. points LEVEL 8
Hello Mike Buedel
I hope you are doing well today.

We created the feature request in our backlog. We will review and consider it in a future release.

Thank you so much! The first part changing the Default Stored Value form Label to Value is exactly what I was looking for! I was very confused at the purpose of the value section when it wasn’t being used, but nowit makes sense!

You are welcome. The fields with multiple options have Labels and values. By default, the Labels are saved, but that could be switched. As you can see, you can have a detailed Label that describes the option and uses as a value a number, code, URL, word, or like in your case, full HTML code for images.

I appreciate the detailed recommendations, especially using shortcodes, and will look into that.

Try to use the shortcodes, tags, or other elements provided by WPDatable will be the best. WPDataTables has a conditional formatting feature; it could be great if the Transform feature could have conditional logic too.

I did find a workaround by adding <img src html code literally as the value of the checkbox. I’m not sure if this is going to cause backend errors somewhere later down the line but it seems to be working now! I can’t imagine inputting direct HTML into a value field being a good idea but I’ll roll with it for now lol.

HTML code is text, so any field that can carry or store text will allow it, and when that text is used in a browser, it will render the HTML code, displaying the elements.

It’s smart to use it for a checkbox as a workaround; the table is displayed in the browser, so the images will be rendered.
The only issue will be if you need a report or any other action that needs the information and not the images, or if the displaying platform doesn’t allow or can’t render HTML code. For example, if you sent an email notification with all the data and the person opens it on an email client that now allows HTML, or if you want to paste it to a Google Sheet to then create a report or table later, the image will not be processed properly.

In a nutshell, using the HTML code will do the trick, but will limit the usage of the data to only be used in places that could render HTML.

Best regards,
Alfredo

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