If you’re using WordPress as a CMS, you may have set up static pages for both a front page (e.g. “Home”) and a page to list your latest blog posts (e.g. “Blog”).
I did that today for a client site and immediately realized that in the site’s main menu the Blog link would look a lot better if it had a submenu containing all the blog categories. (I didn’t want nor did I need a completely separate category menu.) So I threw together this little bit of code that takes care of just that:
<?php
if ( !function_exists('add_blog_cats_to_menu') ) {
function add_blog_cats_to_menu($str) {
$cats = wp_list_categories('title_li=&echo=0');
$title = get_the_title(get_option('page_for_posts'));
return str_replace("title=\"$title\">$title</a>", "title=\"$title\">$title</a><ul>$cats</ul>", $str);
}
add_filter('wp_list_pages', 'add_blog_cats_to_menu', 1);
}
?>
For you programmers out there, this is just a slightly intelligent way to inject the output of wp_list_categories() into the output of wp_list_pages(), at the right place.
If looking at code scares you I’ve turned it into a plugin. Go to the Admin > Plugins > Add New page in your WordPress installation and search for “add categories to menu”, or download it here (give that file a .php extension instead of .txt and upload it).
As soon as I have a live site sporting this plugin, I’ll update this post with a link, so you can see a live demo.
I’m likely to update this shortly with a configuration page so you can specify categories to exclude, and so forth. Comment below if you urgently need that.
Updates
- 14 Dec. 2009 – As per Peter’s comment below, I’ve used the echo parameter to avoid output buffering. Silly me! Simpler now.
25 Comments
you were wondering... I believe in rewarding commenters!
Just wrote a quick WordPress plugin to solve what I think is a common problem for WordPress-as-CMS sites… http://bit.ly/8fGpeT
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Just wrote a quick WordPress plugin to solve what I think is a common problem for WordPress-as-CMS sites http://bit.ly/8fGpeT (via @alicam)
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Smart idea for all the WP as CMS folks: Add Categories to Menu Plugin http://bit.ly/8H94yz via http://wpazo.com/ /via @iandstewart
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Smart idea for WP as CMS folks: Add Categories to Menu Plugin http://bit.ly/8H94yz via http://wpazo.com/ /via @iandstewart & @redcrew
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Smart idea for all the WP as CMS folks: Add Categories to Menu Plugin http://bit.ly/8H94yz via http://wpazo.com/ via @iandstewart
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
I agree. RT @iandstewart Smart idea for all the WP as CMS folks: Add Categories to Menu Plugin http://bit.ly/8H94yz via http://wpazo.com/
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Smart idea for all the WP as CMS folks: Add Categories to Menu Plugin http://bit.ly/8H94yz via http://wpazo.com/ /via @iandstewart
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Voeg categorien toe aan je WordPress menu: http://twurl.nl/dwtmho
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
wp_list_categories has “echo” parameter so I guess you don’t have to use that output-buffer method…
Good point, Peter. I didn’t check that. I’ll change it.
WP Plugin: For WordPress CMS setups, Add Categories to Menu http://is.gd/5nk2E for creating a submenu of blog categories. Cool!
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
For WordPress CMS setups, Add Categories to Menu http://is.gd/5nk2E for creating a submenu of blog categories. Cool! (via @lorelleonwp)
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Hi,
I’ve been trying to find a fix for my WPMU install. I want to show all the blogs (65) in a dropdown/accordion style. I tried a widget called ListAllblogs, then your plugin. I don’t see to be able to have them behave properly: when the page is loaded, the list is showing, but all expanded. Can’t seem to find out why, and I’ve been searching for days!
Would you have any idea? Anyone?
Regards,
Andre
WordPress plugin: Add Categories to Menu http://bit.ly/7aFKbv
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
How ingenious! And I like the simplicity too. Suppose the str_replace is faster than any preg_match but it might break after a WP upgrade where the output of wp_list_pages has only even slightly changed.
Anyway, is it not on WP Extend yet?
many thanks, i great idea that works very well¡¡¡
WordPress plugin: Add Categories to Menu http://bit.ly/4Fi5DV (via minthink.com)
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
I agree with you that in main menu the Blog link would look a lot better if it had a submenu containing all the blog categories.I think you have helped us a lot by sharing this very useful tricks and tips with us.
For those of us who are relative neophytes in the general area of blogging, this kind of knowledge sharing is something that is rare, and very much appreciated.
It’s very obvious from the information here that you have had years of experience in all sorts of blogging situations, recommending then the required solutions/applications.
Sometimes it is hard for a “black belt” in a discipline to teach a beginner. Based on what you have shared here, I don’t think that is going to be a problem.
It’s really helpful plugin. I try to take away latest posts from the home page. Thanks for sharing!
Nice blog you got right here. Will bookmark it. I have a knack in gathering wonderful websites online. Most are about comedians, mentalist and a lot more.
Thanks for the useful plug-in, Alister. Do you have any others that will come up through the WP plug-in search?
Interesting! Thats pretty cool! You don’t mind if I come here more often and read your posts do you? I love to blog but only on good subjects. Like this one for instance! Can’t wait till you post something else.
please, update to ’select some categories to exclude’… you will save my life…..
many many thanks fot the plugin…
This is great to free up space in the sidebar where I had listed the categories before. Thanks.
11 Trackbacks/Pingbacks
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
[...] See the original post here: WordPress plugin: Add Categories to Menu [...]
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
[...] more: WordPress plugin: Add Categories to Menu Comments0 Leave a Reply Click here to cancel [...]
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago
[...] as links in a submenu. It does involve making a php file from downloaded code. Download at: WordPress plugin: Add Categories to Menu __________________ Mail [...]
Posted 2 months, 1 week ago
Posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago
[...] WordPress plugin: Add Categories to Menu (alistercameron.com) AKPC_IDS += "463,";Popularity: unranked [?] Click here to cancel reply. [...]
Post a Comment