Programmatically add wordpress widgets to specific sidebars

auto_add_sidebar_widgets.php

	/**
	 * Programmatically add widgets to sidebars
	 * @param  array   $add_to_sidebar an array with the name of the sidebar and the widget instance information
	 *                 $sidebar_id = 'primary-widget-area';
	 *                 $add_to_sidebar[$sidebar_id] = array(
	 *                              array(
	 *                                  'id_base'=> 'archives',
	 *                                  'instance' => array(
	 *                                      'title' => 'Archived Content',
	 *                                      'dropdown' => 'on',
	 *                                      'count' => 'on',
	 *                                  )
	 *                              ),
	 *                          
	 *                              array(
	 *                                  'id_base'=> 'search',
	 *                                  'instance' => array(
	 *                                          'title' => 'Search My Site',
	 *                                  )
	 *                              ),
	 *                              array(
	 *                                  'id_base'=> 'meta',
	 *                                  'instance' => array(
	 *                                  )
	 *                              )
	 *                          );
	 *                          
	 * @param  boolean $ignore_sidebar_with_content  if true, will not add widgets to a sidebar that already has widgets, Default true
	 * 
	 */
	function auto_add_sidebar_widgets( $add_to_sidebar = array(), $ignore_sidebar_with_content = true ){

	    if(empty($add_to_sidebar)){
	        return;
	    }

	    $sidebar_options = get_option('sidebars_widgets');


	    foreach($add_to_sidebar as $sidebar_id => $widgets){

	        //** do not add widgets if sidebar already has content
	        if ( ! empty( $sidebar_options[$sidebar_id] ) && $ignore_sidebar_with_content) {
	            continue;
	        }

	        foreach ($widgets as $index => $widget){
	            $widget_id_base      = $widget['id_base'];
	            $widget_instance  = $widget['instance'];

	            $widget_instances = get_option('widget_'.$widget_id_base);

	            if(!is_array($widget_instances)){
	                $widget_instances = array();
	            }

	            $count = count($widget_instances)+1;

	            
	            $sidebar_options[$sidebar_id][] = $widget_id_base.'-'.$count;

	            $widget_instances[$count] = $widget_instance;

	            //** save widget options
	            update_option('widget_'.$widget_id_base,$widget_instances);
	        } 
	    } 

	    //** save sidebar options:
	    update_option('sidebars_widgets',$sidebar_options);  
	}