WooCommerce trigger custom email via AJAX

Ok, so this was a bit of a beast.

I've written a demo plugin with the following structure:

kia-ajax-email.php- includes  -- class-wc-test-ajax-email.php-- js   -- script.js-- templates   -- emails      -- test.php      -- plain         -- test.php

The main plugin file kia-ajax-email.php

This file is responsible for enqueuing the script, adding your custom email class, creating a button on the single product page, and registering an action as one that triggers a WooCommerce email:

<?php/** * Plugin Name: Test Ajax Email * Plugin URI: http://stackoverflow.com/q/35018177/383847 * Description: Demo plugin for sending email via ajax * Author: helgatheviking * Author URI: http://www.kathyisawesome.com * Version: 0.1 * * License: GNU General Public License v3.0 * License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html * */if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) exit; // Exit if accessed directly/** *  get plugin path * * @since 0.1 */function kia_ajax_email_plugin_path(){    return untrailingslashit( plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) ); }/** *  Add a custom email to the list of emails WooCommerce should load * * @since 0.1 * @param array $email_classes available email classes * @return array filtered available email classes */function kia_add_custom_email( $email_classes ) {    // include our custom email class    require_once( 'includes/class-wc-test-ajax-email.php' );    // add the email class to the list of email classes that WooCommerce loads    $email_classes['WC_Test_Ajax_Email'] = new WC_Test_Ajax_Email();    return $email_classes;}add_filter( 'woocommerce_email_classes', 'kia_add_custom_email' );/** *  Enqueue the scripts with apprpriate vars * * @since 0.1 */function kia_ajax_email_js(){    wp_enqueue_script( 'kia_ajax_email', plugins_url( 'js/script.js', __FILE__ ), array('jquery'), '1.0.0', true );    wp_localize_script( 'kia_ajax_email', 'kia_ajax_email', array(                 'ajax_url'                  => WC()->ajax_url(),                'wc_ajax_url'               => WC_AJAX::get_endpoint( "test_email" ) ) );}add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'kia_ajax_email_js', 20 );/** *  AJAX callback * * @since 0.1 */function kia_ajax_email_callback() {    $mailer = WC()->mailer();    do_action( 'kia_trigger_ajax_email' );    die('ajax finished'); // this is required to terminate immediately and return a proper response}add_action( 'wc_ajax_test_email', 'kia_ajax_email_callback' );/** *  Register action as one that sends emails * * @since 0.1 */function kia_ajax_email_action( $actions ){    $actions[] = 'kia_trigger_ajax_email';    return $actions;}add_action( 'woocommerce_email_actions', 'kia_ajax_email_action' );/** *  Add a dummy button to product page * * @since 0.1 */function kia_ajax_email_button(){    echo '<button class="email-trigger">' . __( 'Email Trigger', 'kia-ajax-email' ). '</button>';}add_action('woocommerce_before_single_product_summary', 'kia_ajax_email_button');

The email class includes/class-wc-test-ajax-email.php

<?phpif ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) exit; // Exit if accessed directly/** * A custom Expedited Order WooCommerce Email class * * @since 0.1 * @extends \WC_Email */class WC_Test_Ajax_Email extends WC_Email {    /**     * Set email defaults     *     * @since 0.1     */    public function __construct() {        // set ID, this simply needs to be a unique name        $this->id = 'wc_text_ajax_email';        // this is the title in WooCommerce Email settings        $this->title = 'Test Ajax';        // this is the description in WooCommerce email settings        $this->description = 'Text emails are sent when ajax button is clicked';        // these are the default heading and subject lines that can be overridden using the settings        $this->heading = 'Test Ajax';        $this->subject = 'Test Ajax';        // these define the locations of the templates that this email should use, we'll just use the new order template since this email is similar        $this->template_html  = 'emails/test.php';        $this->template_plain = 'emails/plain/test.php';        // Trigger on new paid orders        add_action( 'kia_trigger_ajax_email', array( $this, 'trigger' ) );        // Call parent constructor to load any other defaults not explicity defined here        parent::__construct();        // this sets the recipient to the settings defined below in init_form_fields()        $this->recipient = $this->get_option( 'recipient' );        // if none was entered, just use the WP admin email as a fallback        if ( ! $this->recipient )            $this->recipient = get_option( 'admin_email' );    }    /**     * Determine if the email should actually be sent and setup email merge variables     *     * @since 0.1     * @param int $order_id     */    public function trigger() {        if ( ! $this->is_enabled() || ! $this->get_recipient() )            return;        // woohoo, send the email!        $this->send( $this->get_recipient(), $this->get_subject(), $this->get_content(), $this->get_headers(), $this->get_attachments() );    }    /**     * get_content_html function.     *     * @since 0.1     * @return string     */    public function get_content_html() {        return wc_get_template_html( $this->template_html, array(            'email_heading' => $this->get_heading(),            'sent_to_admin' => false,            'plain_text'    => false,            'email'         => $this        ),        '',        kia_ajax_email_plugin_path() . "/templates/" );    }    /**     * get_content_plain function.     *     * @since 0.1     * @return string     */    public function get_content_plain() {        return wc_get_template_html( $this->template_plain, array(            'email_heading' => $this->get_heading(),            'sent_to_admin' => false,            'plain_text'    => false,            'email'         => $this        ),        '',        kia_ajax_email_plugin_path() . "/templates/" );    }    /**     * Initialize Settings Form Fields     *     * @since 2.0     */    public function init_form_fields() {        $this->form_fields = array(            'enabled'    => array(                'title'   => 'Enable/Disable',                'type'    => 'checkbox',                'label'   => 'Enable this email notification',                'default' => 'yes'            ),            'recipient'  => array(                'title'       => 'Recipient(s)',                'type'        => 'text',                'description' => sprintf( 'Enter recipients (comma separated) for this email. Defaults to <code>%s</code>.', esc_attr( get_option( 'admin_email' ) ) ),                'placeholder' => '',                'default'     => ''            ),            'subject'    => array(                'title'       => 'Subject',                'type'        => 'text',                'description' => sprintf( 'This controls the email subject line. Leave blank to use the default subject: <code>%s</code>.', $this->subject ),                'placeholder' => '',                'default'     => ''            ),            'heading'    => array(                'title'       => 'Email Heading',                'type'        => 'text',                'description' => sprintf( __( 'This controls the main heading contained within the email notification. Leave blank to use the default heading: <code>%s</code>.' ), $this->heading ),                'placeholder' => '',                'default'     => ''            ),            'email_type' => array(                'title'       => 'Email type',                'type'        => 'select',                'description' => 'Choose which format of email to send.',                'default'     => 'html',                'class'       => 'email_type',                'options'     => array(                    'plain'     => __( 'Plain text', 'woocommerce' ),                    'html'      => __( 'HTML', 'woocommerce' ),                    'multipart' => __( 'Multipart', 'woocommerce' ),                )            )        );    }} // end \WC_Test_Ajax_Email class

the script js/script.js

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {  $(".email-trigger").on("click", function(e) {    e.preventDefault();    $.ajax({        url: kia_ajax_email.wc_ajax_url.toString(),        type: 'POST',        data: {          'whatever': 1234        },      })      .done(function(data) {        if (console && console.log) {          console.log(data);        }      });  });});

The email templates. first templates/emails/test.php and templates/emails/plain/test.php

<?php/** * Test email * * This template can be overridden by copying it to yourtheme/woocommerce/emails/test.php. * * HOWEVER, on occasion WooCommerce will need to update template files and you (the theme developer). * will need to copy the new files to your theme to maintain compatibility. We try to do this. * as little as possible, but it does happen. When this occurs the version of the template file will. * be bumped and the readme will list any important changes. * * @see         http://docs.woothemes.com/document/template-structure/ * @author      WooThemes * @package     WooCommerce/Templates/Emails * @version     2.5.0 */if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {    exit;}/** * @hooked WC_Emails::email_header() Output the email header */do_action( 'woocommerce_email_header', $email_heading, $email ); ?><p><?php _e( 'A test email is being sent', 'kia-ajax-email' ); ?></p><?php/** * @hooked WC_Emails::email_footer() Output the email footer */do_action( 'woocommerce_email_footer', $email );

and templates/emails/plain/test.php

<?php/** * Test email * * This template can be overridden by copying it to yourtheme/woocommerce/emails/plain/test.php. * * HOWEVER, on occasion WooCommerce will need to update template files and you (the theme developer). * will need to copy the new files to your theme to maintain compatibility. We try to do this. * as little as possible, but it does happen. When this occurs the version of the template file will. * be bumped and the readme will list any important changes. * * @see         http://docs.woothemes.com/document/template-structure/ * @author      WooThemes * @package     WooCommerce/Templates/Emails * @version     2.5.0 */if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {    exit;}echo "= " . $email_heading . " =\n\n";echo "=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=\n\n";_e( 'A test email is being sent', 'kia-ajax-email' );echo "\n=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=\n\n";echo apply_filters( 'woocommerce_email_footer_text', get_option( 'woocommerce_email_footer_text' ) );

Going forward

This sends an email when a button is clicked. You will need to modify where that button goes, and because it is kind of slow (or seems so on my local setup) I would definitely recommend some kind of spinner/notification that the action is happening. You'll also need to customize what data is sent via ajax and how that ends up in the templates. This is just a proof of concept.