WP Query pagination on shortcode - php

Question

I am creating a shortcode to display the most recent posts in the homepage, however I cannot get the pagination working.
When you click on 'older posts' the page refreshes but the same 2 original posts are displayed.
if ( ! function_exists('vpsa_posts_shortcode') ) {
function vpsa_posts_shortcode( $atts ){
$atts = shortcode_atts( array(
'per_page' => 2,
'order' => 'DESC',
'orderby' => 'date'
), $atts );
$paged = ( get_query_var('paged') ) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
$args = array(
'post_type' => 'post',
'posts_per_page' => $atts["per_page"],
'order' => $atts["order"],
'orderby' => $atts["orderby"],
'paged' => $paged
);
$query = new WP_Query($args);
if($query->have_posts()) : $output;
while ($query->have_posts()) : $query->the_post();
$output .= '<article id="post-' . get_the_ID() . '" class="' . implode(' ', get_post_class()) . '">';
$output .= '<h4 class="post-title"><span>' . the_title('','',false) . '</span></h4>';
$output .= '<div class="row">';
$output .= '<div class="col-md-3">';
$output .= '<a href="' . get_permalink() . '" title="' . the_title('','',false) . '">';
if ( has_post_thumbnail() ) {
$output .= get_the_post_thumbnail( get_the_id(), 'featured', array('class' => 'img-responsive aligncenter'));
} else {
$output .= '<img class="img-responsive aligncenter" src="' . get_template_directory_uri() . '/images/not-available.png" alt="Not Available" height="150" width="200" />';
}
$output .= '</a>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '<div class="col-md-9">';
$output .= get_the_excerpt();
$output .= '<span class="post-permalink">Read More</span>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '<div class="post-info">';
$output .= '<ul>';
$output .= '<li>Posted: ' . get_the_time("F j, Y") . '</li>';
$output .= '<li>By: ' . get_the_author() . '</li>';
$output .= '<li>Categories: ' . get_the_category_list(", ") . '</li>';
$output .= '</ul>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '</article>';
endwhile;
$output .= '<div class="post-nav">';
$output .= '<div class="prev-page">' . get_previous_posts_link( "« Newer Entries" ) . '</div>';
$output .= '<div class="next-page">' . get_next_posts_link( "Older Entries »", 3 ) . '</div>';
$output .= '</div>';
else:
$output .= '<p>Sorry, there are no posts to display</p>';
endif;
wp_reset_postdata();
return $output;
}
}
add_shortcode('vpsa_posts', 'vpsa_posts_shortcode');

Answer 1

You need to call paginate function.Try following code:
if ( ! function_exists('vpsa_posts_shortcode') ) {
function vpsa_posts_shortcode( $atts ){
$atts = shortcode_atts( array(
'per_page' => 2,
'order' => 'DESC',
'orderby' => 'date'
), $atts );
$paged = ( get_query_var('paged') ) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
$args = array(
'post_type' => 'post',
'posts_per_page' => $atts["per_page"],
'order' => $atts["order"],
'orderby' => $atts["orderby"],
'paged' => $paged
);
$query = new WP_Query($args);
if($query->have_posts()) : $output;
while ($query->have_posts()) : $query->the_post();
$output .= '<article id="post-' . get_the_ID() . '" class="' . implode(' ', get_post_class()) . '">';
$output .= '<h4 class="post-title"><span>' . the_title('','',false) . '</span></h4>';
$output .= '<div class="row">';
$output .= '<div class="col-md-3">';
$output .= '<a href="' . get_permalink() . '" title="' . the_title('','',false) . '">';
if ( has_post_thumbnail() ) {
$output .= get_the_post_thumbnail( get_the_id(), 'featured', array('class' => 'img-responsive aligncenter'));
} else {
$output .= '<img class="img-responsive aligncenter" src="' . get_template_directory_uri() . '/images/not-available.png" alt="Not Available" height="150" width="200" />';
}
$output .= '</a>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '<div class="col-md-9">';
$output .= get_the_excerpt();
$output .= '<span class="post-permalink">Read More</span>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '<div class="post-info">';
$output .= '<ul>';
$output .= '<li>Posted: ' . get_the_time("F j, Y") . '</li>';
$output .= '<li>By: ' . get_the_author() . '</li>';
$output .= '<li>Categories: ' . get_the_category_list(", ") . '</li>';
$output .= '</ul>';
$output .= '</div>';
$output .= '</article>';
endwhile;global $wp_query;
$args_pagi = array(
'base' => add_query_arg( 'paged', '%#%' ),
'total' => $query->max_num_pages,
'current' => $paged
);
$output .= '<div class="post-nav">';
$output .= paginate_links( $args_pagi);
// $output .= '<div class="next-page">' . get_next_posts_link( "Older Entries »", 3 ) . '</div>';
$output .= '</div>';
else:
$output .= '<p>Sorry, there are no posts to display</p>';
endif;
wp_reset_postdata();
return $output;
}
}
add_shortcode('vpsa_posts', 'vpsa_posts_shortcode');

Answer 2

WP_Query with pagination inside a shortcode
Here I will show you how to create a [shortcode] containing a custom new WP_Query with pagination links.
To create a [shortcode] with a new WP_Query post loop with pagination links built in to turn any is_singular() page or single post into a custom archive based on the WP_Query arguments you set. Lets call it [wp_query_pagination_inside_shortcode], so we add with the following add_shortcode() in functions.php.
Or in my case I create separate /functions/ folder for files to stay organized with the appropriates names and have a require_once include file structure.
root/functions.php ->
require_once 'functions/shortcode-wp-query-pagination-inside-shortcode.php';
root/functions/shortcode-wp-query-pagination-inside-shortcode.php->
add_shortcode('wp_query_pagination_inside_shortcode', 'my_shortcode_function_tag');
if (!function_exists('my_shortcode_function_tag')) {
function my_shortcode_function_tag($atts)
{
ob_start(); // Turn output buffering on, helps with complicated template and theme structures
// Note: https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_query_var/#used-by
// Custom query_vars translates to Getting an "archive" on any current page that contains a query with corresponding pagination number in the url
// example.com/page-shortcodes-on/page/2/ ...etc see below how to manipulate this
$paged = (get_query_var('paged')) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
$atts = shortcode_atts(
array(
'post_type' => 'post',
// Set attributes here you want in your shortcode
// like [shortcode post_types="post"]
),
$atts
);
// set up the default args you wont change and the ones you will by accessing the value of $atts passed into the shortcode function from your WYSIWYG content editor
$args = array(
'posts_per_page' => 3,
'paged' => $paged, // Important to receive page data
'post_type' => $atts['post_type'], // This is how you get the values of your shortcode attributes passed in
'orderby' => 'date',
'order' => 'DESC',
);
$the_query = new WP_Query($args);
// Da loop
// match your themes loop structure this below is just boiler plate stuff ignore or use your choice its not important how you create the post loop, just do it
if ($the_query->have_posts()) {
while ($the_query->have_posts()) {
$the_query->the_post();
get_template_part('template-parts/loop');
} //end while
} // endif
$big = 999999999; // need an unlikely integer for how many pages are possible
// I've tested example.com/page-shortcodes-on/page/999999999999999999/ and the custom query_var still works
echo paginate_links(
array(
'base' => str_replace($big, '%#%', esc_url(get_pagenum_link($big))), // referrence the url
'format' => '?paged=%#%', // used for replacing the page number
'current' => max(1, get_query_var('paged')), // grabs the page data
'total' => $the_query->max_num_pages //$the_query is your custom query
)
);
return ob_get_clean(); // Silently discard the buffer contents
wp_reset_query(); // Lets go back to the main_query() after returning our buffered content
}
}
In a WYSIWYG Content editor in pages or posts content editor
[wp_query_pagination_inside_shortcode post_type="posts"]
URL structure for this query_var 'paged'
example.com/page-shortcode-is-on/page/2/
You will need to stylize the pagination links a bit to be acceptable but this should give you a highly useful tool to build custom WP_Query loops with multiple different post_types from anywhere in your site through your WYSIWYG editor. Add more attributes to really make this thing valuable.
// Ignore below, these are just possible search queries for this issue
WP_Query pagination inside a shortcode / add_shortcode with pagination / shortcode with custom attributes / Paginated custom post type wp_query shortcode / custom post type wp_query archive posts per page / page / pagination wont work