Question

WordPress version 3.4.2

Here is the simplest form of plugin with only two hooks:

register_activation_hook(__FILE__, sbv_activate());
register_deactivation_hook(__FILE__, sbv_deactivate());

function sbv_activate() {
  add_option('sbv_opt1', 'test');
}

function sbv_deactivate() {
  delete_option('sbv_opt1');
}

I went to check the option table after I activate this plugin, seems like the option is not there, if I remove the delete_option() line from the deactivation function, it will work. Correct me if I am wrong, seems like wordpress is calling sbv_activate() then sbv_deactivate(), thus undoing what I have done in activation, I don’t think it should behave like this. I am going crazy with this.

Answer 1

You should be using only the name of the function not the function itself:

register_activation_hook(__FILE__, 'sbv_activate');
register_deactivation_hook(__FILE__, 'sbv_deactivate');

WP Codex reference: http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/register_activation_hook