This plugin automatically downloads the first remote image from a post and sets it as the featured image
add_action('publish_post', 'fetch_images');
function fetch_images( $post_ID )
{
//Check to make sure function is not executed more than once on save
if ( defined('DOING_AUTOSAVE') && DOING_AUTOSAVE )
return;
if ( !current_user_can('edit_post', $post_ID) )
return;
remove_action('publish_post', 'fetch_images');
$post = get_post($post_ID);
$first_image = '';
if(preg_match_all('/<img.+src=[\'"]([^\'"]+)[\'"].*>/i', $post->post_content, $matches)){
$first_image = $matches [1] [0];
}
if (strpos($first_image,$_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'])===false)
{
//Fetch and Store the Image
$get = wp_remote_get( $first_image );
$type = wp_remote_retrieve_header( $get, 'content-type' );
$mirror = wp_upload_bits(rawurldecode(basename( $first_image )), '', wp_remote_retrieve_body( $get ) );
//Attachment options
$attachment = array(
'post_title'=> basename( $first_image ),
'post_mime_type' => $type
);
// Add the image to your media library and set as featured image
$attach_id = wp_insert_attachment( $attachment, $mirror['file'], $post_ID );
$attach_data = wp_generate_attachment_metadata( $attach_id, $first_image );
wp_update_attachment_metadata( $attach_id, $attach_data );
set_post_thumbnail( $post_ID, $attach_id );
$updated = str_replace($first_image, $mirror['url'], $post->post_content);
//Replace the image in the post
wp_update_post(array('ID' => $post_ID, 'post_content' => $updated));
// re-hook this function
add_action('publish_post', 'fetch_images');
}
}