WordPress random posts plug-in

[RTK]

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... ) 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

[gidgit]

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

[RTK]

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.

Not sure if this helps anyone...

Risto

[Availor]

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

[remi]

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

[Availor]

Thanks remi

[RTK]

remi!

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

[gidgit]

Cool... good job on getting this resolved guys

[RTK]

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:

<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

[remi]

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

<?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