Current Post not included in Recent post

I think I have posted a wrong code…
Here’s the new one.

<ul>
<?php query_posts('showposts=5'); ?>

<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<li><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></li>

<?php the_excerpt(__('(more…)')); ?>
<?php endwhile;?>
</ul>

Again, Thank you.

In this line:
<?php query_posts('showposts=5'); ?>
add the offset to latest post
<?php wp_query('showposts=5&offset=1'); ?>

It works, but it also affects the posts in the homepage.

I don’t get it right.
you change the <?php query_posts into <?php wp_query ?

and add the &offset=1 value?

is that add or change into?

will I changed the line?

I should have asked, what theme are you using and which template file are you modifying/or changing the code of? The code above just showed how to offset 1 post (the most recent post from being included).

I am not changing any theme, I am just placing that php code and I just need some help in editing it, cause I am not a dev.

BUT my problem is, that code works and your code also but it also takes effect on the main post list, in which my current post becomes invisible.

I used the php code I posted here on a widget, using PHP EXEC plugin. Cause I wanted it to run on my sidebar, Im customizing my own theme.

I hope you understand.

I have seen the problem… I don’t know if this code doesn’t close its own loop? Cause it continuous on outside it’s loop. Can anyone help me with this, thank you.

<ul>
<?php query_posts('showposts=5'); ?>

<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<li><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></li>

<?php the_excerpt(__('(more…)')); ?>
<?php endwhile;?>
</ul>

Now I understand where you’re coming from. You need a code for sidebar that won’t interfere with the other loops or queries in your main content. Ok, so that’s a different matter altogether. Here goes:

<?php
$the_query = new WP_Query();
$the_query->query('showposts=4&offset=1');
while ($the_query->have_posts()) : $the_query->the_post(); ?>
<li><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></li>
<?php the_excerpt(__('(more…)')); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>
</ul>

Note: per your first post, I have added the offset to 1 which will exclude listing the most recent post in this list you are generating.

How about just limiting the characters shown? by NOT using excerpt, is there a way around?

install this plugin
https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/content-and-excerpt-word-limit/
after which in your excerpt and content tags, you have option of indicating number of characters
e.g.<?php excerpt('10'); ?>