Recent Posts Widget Extended

Description

Plugin description

This plugin will enable a custom, flexible and advanced recent posts, you can display it via shortcode or widget. Allows you to display a list of the most recent posts with thumbnail, excerpt and post date, also you can display it from all or specific or multiple taxonomy, post type and much more!

Support this project

If you are enjoying this plugin. I would appreciate a cup of coffee to help me keep coding and supporting the project! Support & donate.

Features Include

• Display by date, comment count or random.
• Enable thumbnails, with customizable size and alignment.
• Enable excerpt, with customizable length.
• Display from all, specific or multiple category or tag.
• Enable post date.
• Display modification date.
• Display comment count.
• Post type support.
• Taxonomy support.
• Post status.
• Custom HTML or text before and/or after recent posts.
• Shortcode feature.
• Crop image on the fly.
• Enable Read more.
• Custom CSS.
• Multiple widgets.
• Available filter for developer.

Links

• Translate to your language.
• Contribute or submit issues on Github.

Screenshots

Installation

Through Dashboard

1. Log in to your WordPress admin panel and go to Plugins -> Add New
2. Type recent posts widget extended in the search box and click on search button.
3. Find Recent Posts Widget Extended plugin.
4. Then click on Install Now after that activate the plugin.
5. Go to the widgets page Appearance -> Widgets.
6. Find Recent Posts Extended widget.

Installing Via FTP

1. Download the plugin to your hardisk.
2. Unzip.
3. Upload the recent-posts-widget-extended folder into your plugins directory.
4. Log in to your WordPress admin panel and click the Plugins menu.
5. Then activate the plugin.
6. Go to the widgets page Appearance -> Widgets.
7. Find Recent Posts Extended widget.

FAQ

Shortcode Explanation

Explanation of shortcode options:

Basic shortcode

[rpwe]

Display 10 recent posts

[rpwe limit="10"]

Display 5 random posts

[rpwe limit="5" orderby="rand"]

Display 10 recent posts without thumbnail

[rpwe limit="10" thumb="false"]

Open post link in new tab

[rpwe link_target="true"]

Disable default style

[rpwe styles_default="false"]

Shortcode Arguments

Here are the full default shortcode arguments

limit="5"
offset=""
order="DESC"
orderby="date"
post_type="post"
cat=""
tag=""
taxonomy=""
post_type="post"
post_status="publish"
ignore_sticky="1"
taxonomy=""

post_title="true"
link_target="false"
excerpt="false"
length="10"
thumb="true"
thumb_height="45"
thumb_width="45"
thumb_default="https://via.placeholder.com/45x45/f0f0f0/ccc"
thumb_align="rpwe-alignleft"
date="true"
readmore="false"
readmore_text="Read More »"

styles_default="true"
css_id=""
css_class=""
before=""
after=""

How to filter the post query?

You can use rpwe_default_query_arguments to filter it. Example:

add_filter( 'rpwe_default_query_arguments', 'your_custom_function' );
function your_custom_function( $args ) {
    $args['posts_per_page'] = 10; // Changing the number of posts to show.
    return $args;
}

Ordering not working!

Did you installed any Post or Post Type Order? Please try to deactivate it and try again the ordering. (related question)

No image options

Your theme needs to support Post Thumbnail, please go to https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Post_Thumbnails to read more info and how to activate it in your theme.

How to add custom style?

First, please uncheck the Use Default Style option then place the css code below on the Additional CSS panel on Customizer, then you can customize it to fit your needs

.rpwe-block ul {
    list-style: none !important;
    margin-left: 0 !important;
    padding-left: 0 !important;
}
.rpwe-block li {
    border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
    margin-bottom: 10px;
    padding-bottom: 10px;
    list-style-type: none;
}
.rpwe-block a {
    display: inline !important;
    text-decoration: none;
}
.rpwe-block h3 {
    background: none !important;
    clear: none;
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    margin-top: 0 !important;
    font-weight: 400;
    font-size: 12px !important;
    line-height: 1.5em;
}
.rpwe-thumb {
    border: 1px solid #eee !important;
    box-shadow: none !important;
    margin: 2px 10px 2px 0;
    padding: 3px !important;
}
.rpwe-summary {
    font-size: 12px;
}
.rpwe-time {
    color: #bbb;
    font-size: 11px;
}
.rpwe-alignleft {
    display: inline;
    float: left;
}
.rpwe-alignright {
    display: inline;
    float: right;
}
.rpwe-aligncenter {
    display: block;
    margin-left: auto;
    margin-right: auto;
}
.rpwe-clearfix:before,.rpwe-clearfix:after {
    content: "";
    display: table !important;
}
.rpwe-clearfix:after {
    clear: both;
}
.rpwe-clearfix {
    zoom: 1;
}

Why so many !important in the css code?

I know it’s not good but I have a good reason, the !important is to make sure the built-in style compatible with all themes. But if you don’t like it, you can turn of the Use Default Styles and remove all custom css code in the Custom CSS box then create your own style.

Available filters

Default arguments

rpwe_default_args

Post excerpt

rpwe_excerpt

Post markup

rpwe_markup

Post query arguments

rpwe_default_query_arguments

Reviews

Recent posts with shortcode, great!

jahher February 16, 2023

Needed a recent post plugin that works with shortcode and can be used on page/post/block etc. This one does it. Awesome. Keep up the good work. Thank you!

Arguments don’t all work

marxmann January 30, 2023

doesn’t display specific categories or other arguments as stated

Wonderful plugin

tfrancisdesigncom November 11, 2022

Works fantastically and comes right out of the box with nice thumbnail sizing and borders. Thanks you.

Great and simple!

marcin1333 November 4, 2022

Easy, simple and useful! 5 starz!!

Where are the shortcodes?

webstpro October 2, 2022 3 replies

It says that one can use shortcode but I can’t find them anywhere. Only widgets.

Excellent! Excellent!

patrick_here December 9, 2021

This is an excellent Plugin! It is well designed, does what it claims to do, and doesn’t waste your time. I tried other plugins before finding this one. This one is the REAL THING!

Contributors & Developers

Changelog

2.0.2
Release Date: Oct 05, 2022

Bug fixes:

• Prevent double slash when loading the php file.
• Use display: block for the list, inline-block causing issue for some websites.

Enhancements:

• Minor issue with the auto generate thumbnail function.
• Fix translation issue. Thanks Alex Lion.
• CSS tweak.

2.0.1
Release Date: Sept 28, 2022

Bug fixes:

• Compatibility issue with Siteorigin Page Builder.

Enhancements:

• Re-enable custom CSS setting.
• Full support Siteorigin Page Builder.
• Adds display: inline-block; to the default style, to make sure each list align properly. Thank you outrospective!

2.0 – Major Changes
Release Date: Sept 22, 2022

This release comes major changes to the codebase, several fixes and enhancements. The reason was to follow the latest WordPress coding standard, more secure. Classic widget and block widget is now supported!

Breaking Changes:

• CSS ID shortcode attribute for the container was cssID or cssid, please use css_id instead.
• CSS ID widget, please re-added your ID to the input field.
• before and after shortcode attribute move to inside the recent posts container.
• Widget custom style location change. If your style is not loaded, please re-save the widget.
• Custom CSS no longer editable, please move your custom CSS to the Additional CSS panel on Customizer.

Enhancements:

• Classic & blocks widget supported!
• Support lazy loading for the thumbnail.
• No more inline CSS, by default rpwe-frontend.css will be loaded if shortcode or widget present.
• No more extract(). ref
• New show hide the post title.

Bug fixes:

• Default image wasn’t working correctly.
• true or false shortcode value.