Mind Elixir × Custom WordPress Plugin: Adding a 5-Minute Auto-Save Feature

2026-08-30

This article explains the steps to add an auto-save feature to the “Mind Elixir Admin" plugin, which integrates mind maps into the WordPress dashboard. We will introduce how to set up an “Enable Auto-Save" checkbox on the PHP side, and have JavaScript automatically click the existing save button (#save-map-button) every 5 minutes.

Introduction

Background & Objectives
- To improve the usability of the previously created mind map plugin for the WordPress dashboard, we want to implement an auto-save feature.
  I tried making a plugin to jot down article ideas using mind maps in the WordPress dashboard (Japanese)
  I tried expanding the plugin to save, switch, and delete multiple mind maps in the WordPress dashboard (Japanese)
- By automatically calling the same processing as manual saves, we reduce user effort and prevent data loss.

Implementation Overview

PHP Side
- Output a checkbox and set it to ON by default using checked().
JavaScript Side
- Execute $('#save-map-button').trigger('click') every 5 minutes using setInterval().
- Directly invoke the button’s normal click handler to perform an Ajax save.

Code Explanation Highlights

Simple Reuse
By reusing the same save button click event for both manual and automatic saves, maintainability is improved.
Reflecting User Settings
Control the flag via a checkbox, allowing easy ON/OFF toggling on the JS side.

Code

The code is publicly available on GitHub.
Add auto-save feature every 5 minutes · bomura/wp-mind-elixir-admin@638433f

Summary & Future Expansion Ideas

With this method, mind maps can now be saved automatically every 5 minutes.
Expansion Ideas
- Allow the save interval to be configurable from the dashboard
- Change save completion notifications to toast alerts
- Combine with local storage backup