What is the PHP code to limit post categories on home page?

You should use wp_query to access your posts/pages

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Class_Reference/WP_Query

Thanks Konstantinos

I’ve looked at the WP Query page you recommended and tried to make sense of it. Perhaps I should have said – I’m not a programmer, just a humble designer trying to muddle through.

Are you suggesting that I should ditch the code above and replace it from something from the WP Query page?

I’ve looked at it all but I can’t figure out where to start.

I can see the section that shows how to exclude posts belonging to a category. the example they give is:

$query = new WP_Query( 'cat=-12,-34,-56' );

So if I wanted to exclude my category of Pears (ID:3), presumably it would be:

$query = new WP_Query( 'cat=-3' );

I’ve tried incorporating that into my existing code so it becomes:

<?php
	@mysql_pconnect( $dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpassword, true );
	$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE post_type='post' AND 'cat=-3' AND post_status='publish'  ORDER BY post_date DESC LIMIT 0,7");
	while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
		echo '<li><a href="'.$root_site.''.$row['post_name'].'" title="">'.$row['post_title'].'</a></li>';
		}
?>

But it doesn’t work. My list of 7 post titles just goes blank.

Can anyone help?

Try something like:

<ul>
<?php
$result = new WP_Query();
$result->query('cat=-3');
while ($result->have_posts()) : $result->the_post(); ?>
    <li><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></li>
<?php endwhile; ?>
</ul>

Thanks for getting back to me Konstantinos. I really appreciate it.

I’ve pasted your code and it nearly works. Category 3 is now eliminated. Only trouble is that your code doesn’t limit the titles to 7 posts.

I went back to WP Query determined to see if I could fix it myself this time. I found the example:

$query = new WP_Query( 'posts_per_page=7' );

Then I tried every combination I could think of to add it to your code. I tried taking this bit:

'posts_per_page=7'

and placing it within each set of brackets in turn. Nothing worked. Then I took the whole line of code and added it as indicated:

<ul>
<?php
$result = new WP_Query();
$result->query('cat=-3');
$result->query('posts_per_page=7');
while ($result->have_posts()) : $result->the_post(); ?>
    <li><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></li>
<?php endwhile; ?>
</ul>

This succeeded in reducing the posts to 7 BUT Category 3 was no longer eliminated.

Sorry for hassling you again Konstantinos – but what should I be doing?

Try combining the two queries into one:

<ul>
<?php
$result = new WP_Query();
$result->query('cat=-3&posts_per_page=7');
while ($result->have_posts()) : $result->the_post(); ?>
    <li><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></li>
<?php endwhile; ?>
</ul>

Brilliant! That did it!

Many many thanks Konstantinos