Fix visibility setting not being saved when pre-selected value differs from public

.github/changelog/fix-visibility-meta-sync

@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Significance: patch
+Type: fixed
+
+Fixed visibility setting not being saved correctly in block editor and classic editor.

integration/class-classic-editor.php

@@ -153,15 +153,15 @@ public static function render_meta_box( $post ) {
 		<p>
 			<strong><?php \esc_html_e( 'Visibility', 'activitypub' ); ?></strong><br />
 			<label>
-				<input type="radio" name="activitypub_content_visibility" value="public" <?php \checked( $content_visibility, ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_PUBLIC ); ?> />
+				<input type="radio" name="activitypub_content_visibility" value="<?php echo \esc_attr( ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_PUBLIC ); ?>" <?php \checked( $content_visibility, ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_PUBLIC ); ?> />
 				<?php \esc_html_e( 'Public', 'activitypub' ); ?>
 			</label><br />
 			<label>
-				<input type="radio" name="activitypub_content_visibility" value="quiet_public" <?php \checked( $content_visibility, ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_QUIET_PUBLIC ); ?> />
+				<input type="radio" name="activitypub_content_visibility" value="<?php echo \esc_attr( ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_QUIET_PUBLIC ); ?>" <?php \checked( $content_visibility, ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_QUIET_PUBLIC ); ?> />
 				<?php \esc_html_e( 'Quiet public', 'activitypub' ); ?>
 			</label><br />
 			<label>
-				<input type="radio" name="activitypub_content_visibility" value="local" <?php \checked( $content_visibility, ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_LOCAL ); ?> />
+				<input type="radio" name="activitypub_content_visibility" value="<?php echo \esc_attr( ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_LOCAL ); ?>" <?php \checked( $content_visibility, ACTIVITYPUB_CONTENT_VISIBILITY_LOCAL ); ?> />
 				<?php \esc_html_e( 'Do not federate', 'activitypub' ); ?>
 			</label><br />
 			<span class="howto"><?php \esc_html_e( 'This adjusts the visibility of a post in the fediverse, but note that it won\'t affect how the post appears on the blog.', 'activitypub' ); ?></span>

src/editor-plugin/__tests__/plugin.test.js

@@ -125,3 +125,107 @@ describe( 'EditorPlugin getDefaultVisibility', () => {
 		expect( [ 'public', 'local' ] ).toContain( result );
 	} );
 } );
+
+/**
+ * Tests for the visibility sync logic.
+ *
+ * The useEffect in EditorPlugin syncs the computed default visibility to meta
+ * when there's no stored value and the default isn't 'public'.
+ * We test this logic by simulating the conditions the useEffect checks.
+ */
+describe( 'EditorPlugin visibility sync logic', () => {
+	/**
+	 * Simulates the sync logic from the useEffect hook.
+	 *
+	 * @param {Object}   meta      The meta object.
+	 * @param {string}   postDate  The post date.
+	 * @param {Function} setMetaFn The setMeta function.
+	 */
+	const simulateSyncLogic = ( meta, postDate, setMetaFn ) => {
+		const defaultVisibility = getDefaultVisibility( meta, postDate );
+		const storedVisibility = meta?.activitypub_content_visibility;
+
+		// This mirrors the useEffect logic in plugin.js.
+		// WordPress may return '' (empty string) or undefined for unset meta.
+		// We skip 'public' since it's the implicit default.
+		if ( ! storedVisibility && defaultVisibility !== 'public' ) {
+			setMetaFn( { ...meta, activitypub_content_visibility: defaultVisibility } );
+		}
+	};
+
+	test( 'syncs local visibility for old posts without stored value', () => {
+		const setMeta = jest.fn();
+		const meta = {};
+		const postDate = new Date( Date.now() - 60 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 ); // 60 days ago.
+
+		simulateSyncLogic( meta, postDate, setMeta );
+
+		expect( setMeta ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( {
+			activitypub_content_visibility: 'local',
+		} );
+	} );
+
+	test( 'does not sync for new posts with public default', () => {
+		const setMeta = jest.fn();
+		const meta = {};
+		const postDate = new Date(); // Now.
+
+		simulateSyncLogic( meta, postDate, setMeta );
+
+		// Public is the implicit default, no sync needed.
+		expect( setMeta ).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	} );
+
+	test( 'does not sync when visibility is already stored', () => {
+		const setMeta = jest.fn();
+		const meta = { activitypub_content_visibility: 'quiet_public' };
+		const postDate = new Date( Date.now() - 60 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 ); // 60 days ago.
+
+		simulateSyncLogic( meta, postDate, setMeta );
+
+		expect( setMeta ).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	} );
+
+	test( 'syncs when stored value is empty string and default is not public', () => {
+		const setMeta = jest.fn();
+		// Empty string means unset - sync if default differs from public.
+		const meta = { activitypub_content_visibility: '' };
+		const postDate = new Date( Date.now() - 60 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 ); // 60 days ago.
+
+		simulateSyncLogic( meta, postDate, setMeta );
+
+		// Old post defaults to local, so we sync.
+		expect( setMeta ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( {
+			activitypub_content_visibility: 'local',
+		} );
+	} );
+
+	test( 'does not sync when stored value is empty string and default is public', () => {
+		const setMeta = jest.fn();
+		// Empty string stored, default is public = no sync needed.
+		const meta = { activitypub_content_visibility: '' };
+		const postDate = new Date(); // Now - defaults to public.
+
+		simulateSyncLogic( meta, postDate, setMeta );
+
+		// Default is public, no sync needed.
+		expect( setMeta ).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	} );
+
+	test( 'preserves existing meta fields when syncing', () => {
+		const setMeta = jest.fn();
+		const meta = {
+			activitypub_content_warning: 'some warning',
+			activitypub_max_image_attachments: 5,
+		};
+		const postDate = new Date( Date.now() - 60 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000 ); // 60 days ago.
+
+		simulateSyncLogic( meta, postDate, setMeta );
+
+		expect( setMeta ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( {
+			activitypub_content_warning: 'some warning',
+			activitypub_max_image_attachments: 5,
+			activitypub_content_visibility: 'local',
+		} );
+	} );
+} );

src/editor-plugin/plugin.js

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
 import { Icon, globe, people, external } from '@wordpress/icons';
 import { useSelect, select } from '@wordpress/data';
 import { useEntityProp } from '@wordpress/core-data';
+import { useEffect } from '@wordpress/element';
 import { addQueryArgs } from '@wordpress/url';
 import { __ } from '@wordpress/i18n';
 import { SVG, Path } from '@wordpress/primitives';
@@ -27,6 +28,22 @@ const EditorPlugin = () => {
 	const [ meta, setMeta ] = useEntityProp( 'postType', postType, 'meta' );
 	const postDate = useSelect( ( selectFn ) => selectFn( editorStore ).getCurrentPost().date, [] );
 
+	// Get the computed default visibility.
+	const defaultVisibility = getDefaultVisibility( meta, postDate );
+
+	// Sync computed default to meta when it differs from stored value.
+	// This ensures the default is persisted even if user doesn't change it.
+	useEffect( () => {
+		const storedVisibility = meta?.activitypub_content_visibility;
+
+		// Only sync if visibility was never set and the default isn't 'public'.
+		// WordPress may return '' (empty string) or undefined for unset meta.
+		// We skip 'public' since it's the implicit default.
+		if ( ! storedVisibility && defaultVisibility !== 'public' ) {
+			setMeta( { ...meta, activitypub_content_visibility: defaultVisibility } );
+		}
+	}, [ defaultVisibility, meta, setMeta ] );
+
 	// Don't show when editing sync blocks.
 	if ( 'wp_block' === postType ) {
 		return null;
@@ -124,7 +141,7 @@ const EditorPlugin = () => {
 					"This adjusts the visibility of a post in the fediverse, but note that it won't affect how the post appears on the blog.",
 					'activitypub'
 				) }
-				selected={ getDefaultVisibility( meta, postDate ) }
+				selected={ defaultVisibility }
 				options={ [
 					{
 						label: enhancedLabel(