WordPress random posts plug-in

Does anyone here have any experience using WordPress? I would love to include a random (not related) posts list feature on the blog that I have set-up (I'll post a link in 'Off-Topic" chat when I get the last few posts in there - it's all silly... :p ) I have no problem finding plug-ins - the two or three can be found from the WordPress site plug-in section. However, the read me files are vague at best to someone like me who doesn't speak PHP...

Really don't have the time to "fiddle" and "experiment" even though I would probably figure it out eventually. To someone that really know what they are doing - I'm sure it's a piece of cake.

Could anyone give me hand?

Risto

Hey Risto...


I think that for most WP plugins, just upload the zipped file to some folder, expand it, copy the relative php file to the wp/content/plugins folder... then go into the admin within wp, go to plugins and activate said plugin... should be set to go :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gidgit

I think that for most WP plugins...

---

Thanks for looking gidgit,

Maybe most - but more likely many? :)

The plugin I was considering the other night, took a little bit of finicking - defining parameters somewhere and adding unknown (not well explained) code somewhere.

If you do a search on Google for - Random WordPress - the top result will give you the related category. The random post plugin I was considering is the one that links to the w-a-s-a-b-i website...

About the w-a-s-a-b-i site - and plugin downloads available - there are later versions than what's listed there. The other night I was looking at a designated wiki page with later downloads - instructions - etc. but can't for the world of my find it again. :( Even the wiki page didn't make it totally clear (for me).

My "blog/silly fest" will be the plainest, cheapest looking one on the planet - still want that feature though. :rolleyes:

Not sure if this helps anyone...

Risto

I don't even know what a word press is... Is it like a blog or something?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Availor

I don't even know what a word press is... Is it like a blog or something?

---

Wordpress and Textpattern are the most popular blog publishing systems. If you need a own Blog, use one of them.

In the Wikipedia article about Textpattern, you'll find the sentence "Textpattern is an open source content management system ", but if you needs a CMS with much more functionality, I would recommend Typo3.

Remi

Thanks remi :)

Hi Risto,

you're right, there are no detailed installation instructions into the Readme-File of the "Random Posts"-Plugin.

1. Download the plugin
2. Upload the plugin to the wp-content/plugins folder in your WordPress directory online.
3. Access the Plugin Panel in your WordPress Admin Panel and click on "Activate" behind the listed plugin "Random Posts" to activate the plugin.
4. To insert the plugin in your current template, search for the right template file and insert the following PHP code. For example: If you use the standard WordPress theme, and wants to insert the random Posts into your sidebar, insert the following PHP code into the file "themes/default/sidebar.php".

Code:

---

<?php
if (function_exists('random_posts')) {
  // Description:
  // The function random_posts displays a configurable list of random posts.

  // Parameters:
  // $limit - No. of posts to show.
  $limit = 4;

  // $len - Lenght of auto-generate excerpt.
  $len = 100;

  // $before_title - Text to appear before the entry title.
  $before_title = '(Text before the entry title) ';

  // $after_title - Text to appear after the entry title.
  $after_title = '(Text after the entry title) ';

  // $before_post - Text to appear before the entry excerpt.
  $before_post = '(Text before the entry excerpt.) ';

  // $after_post - Text to appear after the entry excerpt.
  $after_post = '(Text before the entry excerpt.';

  // $show_pass_post = Include/exclude password protected entries (Default: false).
  $show_pass_post = false;

  // $show_excerpt = Show/hide excerpt (Default: false).
  $show_excerpt = false;


  random_posts($limit, $len, $before_title, $after_title, $before_post, $after_post, $show_pass_post, $show_excerpt);

}
?>

---

Regards,
Remi

Thanks remi. :)

Didn't see that particular piece of code? It's not in the read-me of 1.1 - it only contains instructions on how to write it.

When you get a chance, could you post a link to the page where you found that snippet of code? If you took the time to write it out for me - extra thanks!

The link from wordpress to the plug-in is for version 1.0 and 1.1. But I saw later versions referenced in a wiki (can't find it now). However, if 1.1 does the trick/works (I only need to show post titles - very basic stuff) it will be ok for me. It's the only thing I wanted anyway.

Looking at the code you posted - it's seems to match the instructions of 1.1?

Again, thanks for taking the time to look at it for me! Very much appreciated!

I'll give it a test.

Risto

Hi Risto,

you're welcome. The code is from a short test by myself. You have to change the $before_title and $after_title - the current text was only for testing. I've used V1.1 - I haven't done a search for a newer version.

Remi

Well we would have had to work on this some more to realize one had to go into the sidebar file proper like ... good catch Remi... thanks for this :)

remi,

I will be using the code on single pages only and showing only the title of the post. I installed the script and pasted in the code - it all worked fine. :)

However, the formatting of the output doesn't look all that great... Don't need all the "before and after stuff".

I massacred the code a little bit (but left the after title) and it looks a bit closer to what I would like to see.

Question: How would I go about getting each post in a bulleted list - or if it's too tricky; on a line of their own?

A bulleted list like this:

• Post 1
• Post 2
• Post 3
• Post 4
• Post 5

The massacred code now looks like this:

Quote:

---

<p>Theoretically related posts</p>

<?php
if (function_exists('random_posts')) {
// Description:
// The function random_posts displays a configurable list of random posts.

// Parameters:
// $limit - No. of posts to show.
$limit = 5;

// $len - Lenght of auto-generate excerpt.
$len = 0;

// $after_title - Text to appear after the entry title.
$after_title = '..... ';

// $show_pass_post = Include/exclude password protected entries (Default: false).
$show_pass_post = false;

// $show_excerpt = Show/hide excerpt (Default: false).
$show_excerpt = false;


random_posts($limit, $len, $after_title, $show_pass_post, $show_excerpt);

}
?>

---

Agains thanks for your help!

Risto

It's no big problem to build a list item - exactly therefore are the $before_title/$after_title variables used:

Code:

---

<?php
if (function_exists('random_posts')) {

  // If you print outs the necessary HTML code inside this piece of code,
  // then the following header is only printed, if the "Random Posts" plugin
  // is activated (comfortable, isn't it? ;) )

  // Print out the header of this part of your sidebar with <h2> or <p>-tags
  // (depends on your used template):
  printf("<h2>Theoretically related posts</h2>");

  // Print out the starting <ul>-tag to start a list:
  printf("<ul>");

  // Parameters for the following function random_posts:
  // $limit - No. of posts to show.
  $limit = 5;

  // $len - Lenght of auto-generate excerpt.
  $len = 100;

  // $before_title - Text to appear before the entry title.
  // each random post should included within a <li>...</li>-tags
  $before_title = '<li>';

  // $after_title - Text to appear after the entry title.
  $after_title = '</li>';

  // $before_post - Text to appear before the entry excerpt.
  $before_post = '';

  // $after_post - Text to appear after the entry excerpt.
  $after_post = '';

  // $show_pass_post = Include/exclude password protected entries (Default: false).
  $show_pass_post = false;

  // $show_excerpt = Show/hide excerpt (Default: false).
  $show_excerpt = false;


  // Execute the function random_posts to display
  // a configurable list of random posts.
  random_posts($limit, $len, $before_title, $after_title, $before_post, $after_post, $show_pass_post, $show_excerpt);

  // Print out the closing </ul>-tag to close the list:
  printf("</ul>");
}
?>

---

Regards,
Remi

remi! :cool:

Thank you so much for your help and time. That's exactly what I was looking for! It works perfectly! :)

I'll post a link in the off-topic forum to my "sort of like a blog" when I get the last couple of posts in there (back tracking and changing a few things around).

Risto

Cool... good job on getting this resolved guys :)