Wordpress Pagination with custom query loads same content on every page - php

Question

I am using 2 custom queries to load posts on a custom Wordpress template homepage.
the first query loads 4 'sticky' posts, and the next query loads several more recent posts.
This works great and does what I need it to do, but the pagination links when clicked show the same content on every page.
For example I have 10 posts on the homepage, and when i click to page 2 - the exact same 10 posts appear again. If I click pagination to visit page 3, the same 10 posts again etc.
No matter what page I am on, the same 10 posts are listed.
I have read something about paged being required but several failed attempts to include that in my below code have broguht me here.
Any ideas appreciated!
My code...
<?php $sticky = get_option( 'sticky_posts' );
$args = array(
'posts_per_page' => 4,
'post__in' => $sticky,
'ignore_sticky_posts' => 1,
); ?>
<?php $the_query = new WP_Query( $args ); ?>
<?php if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : ?>
<?php while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post(); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>
<?php wp_reset_postdata(); ?>
<?php else: ?>
<p><?php _e( 'Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.' ); ?></p>
<?php endif; ?>
<main id="main" class="site-main" role="main">
<?php $the_query = new WP_Query( array( 'post__not_in' => get_option( 'sticky_posts' ) ) );
if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post(); ?>
<?php get_template_part( 'content', get_post_format() ); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>
<?php else : ?>
<?php get_template_part( 'content', 'none' ); ?>
<?php endif; ?>

Answer 1

You sure need the $paged parameter (docs). Untested but give it a go:
<?php
// $paged holds the current page offset
$paged = ( get_query_var('paged') ) ? get_query_var( 'paged' ) : 1;
/**
* - Checks if the current page is 'paged' (false on first page)
* - Remove the check if you need those sticky posts on all pages
* - I added the $paged parameter so those sticky posts will paginate
* if you decide to show them on all pages
*
*/
if( ! is_paged() ) { // Sticky posts only on first page
$sticky = get_option( 'sticky_posts' );
$args = array(
'posts_per_page' => 4,
'post__in' => $sticky,
'ignore_sticky_posts' => 1,
'paged' => $paged // ah, the page offset
);
$the_query = new WP_Query( $args );
if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) {
while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) {
$the_query->the_post();
?>
<?php the_title(); ?>">
<?php
}
} else {
?>
<p><?php _e( 'Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.' ); ?></p>
<?php
}
wp_reset_postdata();
}
?>
<main id="main" class="site-main" role="main">
<?php
$args = array(
'post__not_in' => get_option( 'sticky_posts' ),
'paged' => $paged // ah, the page offset
);
// can be done via new WP_Query but today I am lazy
// also see http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/query_posts
query_posts($args);
if ( have_posts() ) {
while ( have_posts() ) {
the_post();
get_template_part( 'content', get_post_format() );
}
} else {
get_template_part( 'content', 'none' );
}
wp_reset_query();
?>