Ratings in alphabetical order

Somewhere above this snippet, $relatedratings is assigned the results of a query. The query has an ORDERBY parameter that sorts the results by a date column, this needs to be changed to sort by post title or whatever. The query may not explicitly have an ORDERBY parameter if sorted by date is a default, but there should be a way of specifying a different column.

The challenge will be how to make this change in a way that doesn’t get erased when you update the plugin.

Thanks for your answer, but I couldn’t find the parameter. I’ve enclosed the entire code below. Maybe you can point out where to make the changes?

<?php

// Register functions
add_shortcode('rating', 'insertRating');
add_shortcode('relatedratings', 'insertRelatedRatings');

// Insert Rating function
function insertRating($attr) {

	// defaults
	if (!$attr['stars'] && !$attr[0]) {
		$attr['stars'] = 0;
	}

	$rs = get_option('rating_symbol');
	$ts = get_option('total_symbols');

	$theRating .= '<span class="rating">';

	// output stars
	if ($attr['stars']) {
		$total_stars = $attr['stars'];
	} else if ($attr[0]) {
		$total_stars = str_replace( "=" , "" , $attr[0] ) ;
		$total_stars = str_replace( '"' , "" , $total_stars ) ;
		$total_stars = str_replace( '/' , "" , $total_stars ) ;
	}

	// output
	for ($i=0; $i<$total_stars; $i++) {
		$theRating .= '<span>' . $rs . '</span>';
	}

	if (!is_feed()) {
		// output empty stars
		$empty = $ts - $total_stars;
		for ($j=0; $j<$empty; $j++) {
			$theRating .= '<span class="empty">' . $rs . '</span>';
		}
	}

	$theRating .= '</span>';
	return $theRating;

}

// Insert Rating function
function insertRelatedRatings($attr) {

	global $post, $wpdb;

	$attr[0] = str_replace( "=" , "" , $attr[0] ) ;
	$attr[0] = str_replace( '"' , "" , $attr[0] ) ;
	$attr[0] = str_replace( '/' , "" , $attr[0] ) ;

	if ($attr[0]) {

		$output = '<span class="relatedratings">';

		$relatedratings = "
		SELECT ID, post_title, post_content FROM $wpdb->posts
		WHERE post_status = 'publish'
		AND post_type != 'revision'
		AND post_content LIKE '%rating=".$attr[0]."%'
		OR post_content LIKE '%rating=\"".$attr[0]."\"%'
		OR post_content LIKE '%rating stars=".$attr[0]."%'
		OR post_content LIKE '%rating stars=\"".$attr[0]."\"%'
		LIMIT ".get_option('rs_total_related')."
		";

		$relatedratings = $wpdb->get_results($relatedratings);	

		if ($relatedratings) :

			//			<h3>Related Posts With The Same Ratings</h3>

			$output .= "
			<ul>
			";
			foreach($relatedratings as $relatedrating) :

				$output .= "<li><a href='".get_permalink($relatedrating->ID)."'>";
				$output .= $relatedrating->post_title;
				$output .= "</a></li>";

			endforeach;
		else :

			$output .= __("<p>Nog geen recensies beschikbaar.</p>", 'ratings-shorttags');

		endif;

		$output .= "</ul>";

		// feed
		if (!is_feed()) {
		}

		$output .= '</span>';
		return $output;

	}

}

// Add CSS
function ratingCSS () {

	$symbol_color = get_option('symbol_color');
	if ($symbol_color == "") {
		$symbol_color = "000000";
	}
	$empty_symbol_color = get_option('empty_symbol_color');
	if ($empty_symbol_color == "") {
		$empty_symbol_color = "cccccc";
	}

	echo '<style type="text/css">.rating span { color: #' . $symbol_color . '; } .rating span.empty { color: #'. $empty_symbol_color .'; }</style>';
}
add_action('wp_head', 'ratingCSS');

/**
 * 	Add TinyMCE buttons (WP 2.5+)
 */

add_action('init', 'ratings_shorttags_addbuttons');

function ratings_shorttags_addbuttons() {
   // Don't bother doing this stuff if the current user lacks permissions
   if ( ! current_user_can('edit_posts') && ! current_user_can('edit_pages') )
     return;

   // Add only in Rich Editor mode
   if ( get_user_option('rich_editing') == 'true') {
		add_filter("mce_external_plugins", "add_ratings_shorttags_tinymce_plugin");
		add_filter('mce_buttons', 'register_ratings_shorttags_button');
   }
}

function register_ratings_shorttags_button($buttons) {
   array_push($buttons, "separator", "rating","relatedratings");
   return $buttons;
}
function the_plugin_url () {
	if ( function_exists('plugin_url') )
		$plugin_url = plugin_url();
	else
		$plugin_url = get_option('siteurl') . '/wp-content/plugins/' . plugin_basename(dirname(__FILE__));

	return $plugin_url;
}
function add_ratings_shorttags_tinymce_plugin($plugin_array) {

	$plugin_array['ratings_mce'] = the_plugin_url().'/tinymce/editor_plugin.js';
	return $plugin_array;
}

// Insertion scripts
function ratings_shorttags_admin_scripts() {
	wp_register_script('ratings_shorttags_admin_scripts', the_plugin_url() . '/ratings-shorttags.js');
	wp_enqueue_script('ratings_shorttags_admin_scripts');
}
if (is_admin()) {
	add_action('init', ratings_shorttags_admin_scripts);
}

/**
 * 	Add Quicktags
 */
function ratings_shorttags_quicktags(){
	$buttonshtml = '<input type="button" class="ed_button" onclick="insertRating(); return false;" title="' . __('Insert a rating','ratings-shorttags') . '" value="' . __('rating','ratings-shorttags') . '" />';
	$buttonshtml .= '<input type="button" class="ed_button" onclick="insertRelatedRatings(); return false;" title="' . __('Insert a list of related ratings','ratings-shorttags') . '" value="' . __('related ratings','ratings-shorttags') . '" />';
	?>
	<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
	// <![CDATA[
	   (function(){
		  if (typeof jQuery === 'undefined') {
			 return;
		  }
		  jQuery(document).ready(function(){
			 jQuery("#ed_toolbar").append('<?php echo $buttonshtml; ?>');
		  });
	   }());
	// ]]>
	</script>
	<?php
}
add_action('edit_page_form', 'ratings_shorttags_quicktags');
add_action('edit_form_advanced', 'ratings_shorttags_quicktags');

/**
 * 	Options
 */
$ratings_shorttags_plugin_name = __("Review Ratings", 'ratings-shorttags');
$ratings_shorttags_plugin_filename = "ratings-shorttags.php";

add_option("rating_symbol", "★", "", "yes");
add_option("symbol_color", "000000", "", "yes");
add_option("empty_symbol_color", "cccccc", "", "yes");
add_option("total_symbols", "6", "", "yes");
add_option("rs_total_related", "5", "", "yes");

// Register options page
add_action('admin_init', 'rating_admin_init');
add_action('admin_menu', 'add_rating_option_page');

function rating_admin_init() {
	if ( function_exists('register_setting') ) {
		register_setting('rating_settings', 'option-1', '');
	}
}
function add_rating_option_page() {
	global $wpdb;
	global $ratings_shorttags_plugin_name;

	add_options_page($ratings_shorttags_plugin_name, $ratings_shorttags_plugin_name, 8, basename(__FILE__), 'ratings_shorttags_options_page');
}

function ratings_shorttags_options_page() {
	if (isset($_POST['info_update'])) {

		// Update the rating symbol
		$rating_symbol = $_POST["rating_symbol"];
		update_option("rating_symbol", $rating_symbol);

		$symbol_color = $_POST["symbol_color"];
		update_option("symbol_color", $symbol_color);

		$empty_symbol_color = $_POST["empty_symbol_color"];
		update_option("empty_symbol_color", $empty_symbol_color);

		$total_symbols = $_POST["total_symbols"];
		update_option("total_symbols", $total_symbols);

		$rs_total_related = $_POST["rs_total_related"];
		update_option("rs_total_related", $rs_total_related);

		// Give an updated message
		echo "<div class='updated fade'><p><strong>" . __('Options updated', 'ratings-shorttags') . "</strong></p></div>";

	}

	// Show options page
	?>

		<div class="wrap">

			<div class="options">

				<form method="post" action="options-general.php?page=<?php global $ratings_shorttags_plugin_filename; echo $ratings_shorttags_plugin_filename; ?>">
				<h2><?php global $ratings_shorttags_plugin_name; printf(__('%s Settings', 'ratings_shorttags'), $ratings_shorttags_plugin_name); ?></h2>

					<h3><?php _e("Notes on usage", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></h3>

					<p><?php _e("Short-tags (or shortcodes) are codes you type in posts or pages to insert special things.", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p><?php _e("To insert a rating in your post, simply type: <code>[rating=5]</code> where 5 is the amount of stars (or whatever symbol you chose).", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p><?php _e("To insert a list of related ratings, simply type: <code>[relatedratings=4]</code> where 4 is the rating you must have given the related posts you want to show up.", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<h3><?php _e("Options", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></h3>

					<p><?php _e("These options affect the <code>[rating]</code> shorttag.", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p>
					<label><?php _e("Symbol to use for your ratings:", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?><br />
					<?php
					$rating_symbol = str_replace("&", "&", get_option('rating_symbol'));
					echo "<input type='text' size='50' ";
					echo "name='rating_symbol' ";
					echo "id='rating_symbol' ";
					echo "value='".$rating_symbol."' />\n";
					?>
					</label> <?php _e("<em>Default: <code>★</code>.</em>", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p>
					<label><?php _e("Symbol color:", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?><br />
					<?php
					echo "<input type='text' size='50' ";
					echo "name='symbol_color' ";
					echo "id='symbol_color' ";
					echo "value='".get_option('symbol_color')."' />\n";
					?>
					</label> <?php _e("<em>Default: <code>000000</code> (hex code format).</em>", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p>
					<label><?php _e("Empty symbol color:", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?><br />
					<?php
					echo "<input type='text' size='50' ";
					echo "name='empty_symbol_color' ";
					echo "id='empty_symbol_color' ";
					echo "value='".get_option('empty_symbol_color')."' />\n";
					?>
					</label> <?php _e("<em>Default: <code>cccccc</code> (hex code format).</em>", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p>
					<label><?php _e("Total symbols:", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?><br />
					<?php
					echo "<input type='text' size='10' ";
					echo "name='total_symbols' ";
					echo "id='total_symbols' ";
					echo "value='".get_option('total_symbols')."' />\n";
					?>
					</label> <?php _e("<em>Default: <code>6</code> (must be a number).</em>", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<h3><?php _e("Related Ratings Options", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></h3>

					<p><?php _e("These options affect the <code>[relatedratings]</code> shorttag.", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p>
					<label><?php _e("Amount of related posts to show:", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?><br />
					<?php
					echo "<input type='text' size='10' ";
					echo "name='rs_total_related' ";
					echo "id='rs_total_related' ";
					echo "value='".get_option('rs_total_related')."' />\n";
					?>
					</label> <?php _e("<em>Default: <code>5</code> (must be a number).</em>", 'ratings-shorttags'); ?></p>

					<p class="submit">
						<?php if ( function_exists('settings_fields') ) settings_fields('rating_settings'); ?>
						<input type='submit' name='info_update' value='<?php _e('Save Changes', 'ratings_shorttags'); ?>' />
					</p>

				</form>

			</div><?php //.options ?>

		</div>

<?php
}

?>

[Moderator Note: Please use the pastebin for longer blocks of code. The above block is over 300 lines long!]

Try something like this:

$relatedratings = "
		SELECT ID, post_title, post_content FROM $wpdb->posts
		WHERE post_status = 'publish'
		AND post_type != 'revision'
		AND post_content LIKE '%rating=".$attr[0]."%'
		OR post_content LIKE '%rating=\"".$attr[0]."\"%'
		OR post_content LIKE '%rating stars=".$attr[0]."%'
		OR post_content LIKE '%rating stars=\"".$attr[0]."\"%'
                ORDER BY post_title
		LIMIT ".get_option('rs_total_related')."
		";

I only added the ORDER BY line, remaining code is as you provided.

Disclaimers: I’m weak on writing queries, something may need to be tweaked to get it working, but it’s the right direction. I think this is the right query, but on quick reading, I may be wrong. post_title may not be the correct column to order by, I am guessing at what you want.

This is a good example on why plugin authors should provide hooks in their code to allow others to alter the workings without risk of losing edits any time the plugin is updated. Tons of hooks in the core code, and yet there is need for more.

I think this is the right query, but on quick reading, I may be wrong.

But you’re not! Thanks, it’s working exactly how I wanted it.

Thanks again!