wp_query with a variable quantity of arguments - wordpress

Question

I want to build a dynamic set of arguments for a wp_query but have had real problems doing this. Take the following example code (which does work)...
$args = array(
'numberposts' => -1,
'posts_per_page' => -1,
'post_type' => 'skills',
'meta_query' => array(
'relation' => 'OR',
array(
'key' => 'years',
'value' => 'Primary',
'compare' => 'LIKE'
),
array(
'key' => 'years',
'value' => 'Secondary',
'compare' => 'LIKE'
)
)
);
// get results
$the_query = new WP_Query( $args );
The idea is that depending on the results of user input in a form, the number of clauses in my meta_query value would alter. In the code above there are two options, but maybe depending on input there are 3 or another time 5.
I tried compiling these inner array elements externally of $args. Assume in following code that $inputArray is a single dimensional array of string elements. The test looked like:
$inputArray=array();
if (is_array($yearsArray)){
foreach( $yearsArray as $year ) {
$inputArray[]=array('key' => 'years','value' => $year,'compare' => 'LIKE');
}
}
// args
$args = array(
'numberposts' => -1,
'posts_per_page' => -1,
'post_type' => 'skills',
'meta_query' => array(
'relation' => 'OR',
$inputArray
)
);
But the query just runs as if no meta_query queries had been applied.
I also tried using the function wp_parse_args to try and merge multiple meta_queries, however it seems that I'm overwriting the value and only the last one is ever used. This looked like this:
// args
$args = array(
'numberposts' => -1,
'posts_per_page' => -1,
'post_type' => 'skills'
);
$args2 = array(
'meta_query' => array(
'relation' => 'OR',
array(
'key' => 'years',
'value' => 'Secondary',
'compare' => 'LIKE'
)
)
);
$args3 = array(
'meta_query' => array(
'relation' => 'OR',
array(
'key' => 'years',
'value' => 'Primary',
'compare' => 'LIKE'
)
)
);
$args=wp_parse_args($args,$args2,$args3);
So as you can see I've tried a few different methods but none are working. Can anyone assist?

Answer 1

I fixed this by discovering that you can use IN as a compare clause. $yearsArray was just a single dimensional array of string values.
$args = array(
'numberposts' => -1,
'posts_per_page' => -1,
'post_type' => 'skills',
'meta_query' => array(
array(
'key' => 'years',
'value' => $yearsArray,
'compare' => 'IN'
)
)
);