Use the frm_spam_retention_days filter to change how many days spam entries are kept before Formidable deletes them. It overrides the Delete spam entries automatically setting in the Captcha/Spam global settings.

Formidable Forms Pro checks for old spam entries once a day. Spam entries older than the period are permanently deleted.

Requirements

• Formidable Forms 7.0 or later, with Formidable Forms Pro 7.0 or later active on a Basic, Plus, Business, or Elite license.

How it works

The Delete spam entries automatically setting in Formidable → Global Settings → Captcha/Spam offers Never, or a period of 7, 15, 30, 60, or 90 days. The default is 30 days.

• The cleanup runs on Formidable's daily scheduled event, frm_daily_event. It deletes up to 500 spam entries at a time, and continues a minute later when there are more.
• Spam entries are aged from when they were submitted. An entry someone marked as spam is aged from when it was marked. A marked entry with no saved mark date is kept.
• Entries are deleted the same way as deleting them from the entries list. Hooks such as frm_before_destroy_entry run for each one.

Usage

add_filter( 'frm_spam_retention_days', 'my_function_name', 20 );

Parameters

• $days (int): The number of days to keep spam entries. By default, it's the saved setting. Return 0 to keep spam entries until someone deletes them. Any whole number of days works, not only the setting's choices.

Examples

add_filter( 'frm_spam_retention_days', 'my_frm_spam_retention', 20 );
add_filter( 'frm_spam_retention_summary', 'my_frm_spam_retention', 20 );
function my_frm_spam_retention( $days ) {
	return 14; // Keep spam entries for 14 days.
}

add_filter( 'frm_spam_retention_days', 'my_frm_keep_spam_on_staging', 20 );
function my_frm_keep_spam_on_staging( $days ) {
	if ( 'staging' === wp_get_environment_type() ) {
		return 0;
	}
	return $days;
}

Limitations

• The Delete spam entries automatically setting still shows the saved choice. To show your period in each form's Spam settings, use the frm_spam_retention_summary filter.

Related developer hooks

• Change the cleanup period shown in a form's Spam settings with the frm_spam_retention_summary hook.
• Run code before each entry is deleted with the frm_before_destroy_entry hook.
• Add your own settings to the Spam entries section with the frm_spam_entries_settings hook.

Related articles

• Add Spam Protection
• How to Use Formidable Hooks