Wordpress: Limit Tag Links in Post Content

Question

I really frustrated, I am a novice in wordpress I am trying to Limit Maximum Numbers of Tag Links to appear within post content article. Below is my code. I don't know how to fix it up.

function link_words( $text ) {

    $replace = array();
    $tags = get_tags();
$count=0;
    if ( $tags ) {
        foreach ( $tags as $tag ) {
            $count++;
            $replace[ $tag->name ] = sprintf( '<a href="%s">%s</a>', esc_url( get_term_link( $tag ) ), esc_html( $tag->name ) );
              if( $count > 2 ) break;
        }
    }

    $text = str_replace( array_keys($replace), $replace, $text );
    return $text;
}
add_filter( 'the_content', 'link_words' );

What is the problem in the code you posted? How does it differ from the expected output? Does it give any error? — morganbaz, Jun 22 '18 at 09:15
it does not give error, but the links did not add limit. its all still the same as links everywhere in post content — Godwin Alex Ogbonda, Jun 22 '18 at 10:10

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 22 '18 at 14:30

0

If your tags are comma-separated, this might work for you:

            function limit_tags($tags) {
            $tags = substr($tags, 0, strpos($tags, ',', strpos($tags, ',')+1));
            return $tags;
            }
            add_filter('the_tags','limit_tags');

The $tags variable is actually a string...

answered Jun 22 '18 at 14:30

Carl F. Corneil

182
9

sorry, but i am not referring to tags under the post. but to replace every tag keyword to link in the article. and to limit it. the code i posted works well. but does not limit the number of links on the article. instead it replace anywhere the tag keyword is found in the article with link. I simply want to limit the link it replaces. – Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 22 '18 at 17:21
So the "str_replace" function replaces ALL occurrences of the search string... http://php.net/manual/en/function.str-replace.php Do you only want to change only two tagnames in the content text, PER tag? But for every tag? – Carl F. Corneil Jun 25 '18 at 09:16

Xhynk · Answer 2 · 2018-06-25T16:27:33.213

You mention your function works the way you want it to (linking tags) so I won't mess with that. If you look at the docs for get_tags(), you'll see it accepts a few arguments including number which will limit it. This way you won't have a $counter type variable to mess with.

You can also just check to see if the $tags variable gets set to a truthy value, you don't need to define it first.

Your str_replace is also occurring whether or not $tags is defined, which can cause issues if none are found, so you should move that up into the if statement.

For semantic clarity, I've also changed the $text variable to $content since you're using the_content filter.

add_filter( 'the_content', 'link_tags_in_content' );
function link_tags_in_content( $content ){
    if( $tags = get_tags( array( 'number' => 2 ) ) ){
        foreach( $tags as $tag ){
            $tag_link = sprintf( '<a href="%s">%s</a>', esc_url( get_term_link( $tag ) ), esc_html( $tag->name ) );
            $content  = str_replace( $tag->name, $tag_link, $content );
        }
    }

    return $content;
}

your code works, but it limits only individual tag link, not the entire post tag link. Example: I tagged 3 keyword to a post, Your code only limit link for the entire 3 keyword, instead of to limit it for a particular keyword. I am just trying to create a tag links in content without plugin. just like [SIMPLE TAG](https://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-tags/) plugin. — Godwin Alex Ogbonda, Jun 25 '18 at 08:12
I've updated it so it does the `str_replace` command in the `foreach` loop without using an array — Xhynk, Jun 25 '18 at 16:28

Carl F. Corneil · Answer 3 · 2018-06-29T20:24:21.467

0

Ok, so I think I understand what you want better now...

             function link_words( $text ) {
            $tags = get_tags();
            if ( $tags ) {
                foreach ( $tags as $tag ) {
                    $from = '!<h2>[^<>]*<\/h2>(*SKIP)(*F)|<b>[^<>]*<\/b>(*SKIP)(*F)|<a\b[^>]*>.*?</a>(*SKIP)(*F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>]*(?:<|$))!';
                    $to = sprintf( ' <a href="%s">%s</a> ', esc_url( get_term_link( $tag ) ), esc_html( $tag->name ) );
                    $text = preg_replace($from, $to , $text, 2);
                }
            }
            return $text;
        }
        add_filter( 'the_content', 'link_words' );

Because of the limit on preg_replace (2), and it being inside the tag-loop, this replaces two instances of a tag name in the text for every tag... Is this along the lines of what you want? Be aware that this is not case-insensitive, so it will not match if your tag is the first word in a sentence, and is capitalized. To do something like that, maybe take a look at this thread: PHP preg_replace: Case insensitive match with case sensitive replacement

edited Jun 29 '18 at 20:24

answered Jun 25 '18 at 09:44

Carl F. Corneil

182
9

Thanks A lot it works, But the tag links affect html text like
is there any way I can Let the tag links ignore Specific html tag ? including tag.
– Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 26 '18 at 23:53
So your tags are named "img", "a" and "h2". That might be a bad idea. You might have needs that exceed what's common. And maybe you shouldnt be using simple php-functions for parsing. Take a look at the answer on this thread for some in-depth info: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8193327/ignore-html-tags-in-preg-replace – Carl F. Corneil Jun 27 '18 at 06:42
You could maybe switch to the preg replace callback function, and do a somewhat complicated regex to look ahead for tag closers, and also make it case-insensitive at the same time (/e)... Im not well versed with regex. But your case is quite unique, and Im not sure I can help you much more... http://php.net/manual/en/function.preg-replace-callback.php – Carl F. Corneil Jun 27 '18 at 07:12
I am new to wp function coding, can you help me out ? – Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 27 '18 at 20:00
I edited the original answer to include a regex that looks ahead for tags. If you do not care about case-insensitivity Im not gonna bother, because of multiple reasons... – Carl F. Corneil Jun 28 '18 at 07:42
After testing it out, the tag links still affect the html tags, I would have been better if there was a better exclusion code to specify which html tag you wish to exclude the tag links from affecting. – Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 28 '18 at 10:21
You still haven't linked to the page you are trying this on. I have no way of knowing how "it affects html tags". It is hard to help, when one does not understand the situation you are in. – Carl F. Corneil Jun 28 '18 at 11:09
http://prntscr.com/k0e98w This is a screenshot of what i am referring to. there are tag link on the h2 html text. I want it to not to replace keyword that are on h2 text to tag link. it should skip it. It should only replace text that does not have hrml code wrapped to it. – Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 28 '18 at 13:24
Thank you for the screenshot, I think I understand you now. Ive added to the regex in the post, and it now ignores h2. You can add more tags to skip by modifying it like this: `$from = '![^<>]*<\/a>(*SKIP)(*F)|
[^<>]*<\/h2>(*SKIP)(*F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>]*(?:<|$))!';`
– Carl F. Corneil Jun 29 '18 at 15:04
Source: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/28647578/regular-expression-to-match-text-outside-html-tags-and-not-between-specific-tag – Carl F. Corneil Jun 29 '18 at 15:20
http://prntscr.com/k0wdpf Thanks a lot. your code works but it skipped
only text, but it does not skip for and text. is there any way out.
– Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 29 '18 at 17:41
Yes, as previously stated you can expand the regex to ignore more tags. Like this maybe `$from = '!
[^<>]*<\/h2>(*SKIP)(*F)|[^<>]*<\/b>(*SKIP)(*F)|]*>.*?(*SKIP)(*F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>]*(?:<|$))!';`
– Carl F. Corneil Jun 29 '18 at 20:23
The issue I am having now is that the whole content disappears – Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 30 '18 at 02:56
1. Copy your function to notepad or similar. 2. Delete it from WordPress. 3. Is your content working now? 4. Copy paste the function from my entry above into WordPress again. 5. Is it working now? – Carl F. Corneil Jun 30 '18 at 08:01
I have tried it all the same, if I use `get_the_tag() ` Function, it works well, but if I use `get_tags()` my post content will just disappear. and my server will be very slow to load up. any help please. the tags are not case-insensitive, I don't know about regex. Please can this be fix up please. – Godwin Alex Ogbonda Jun 30 '18 at 11:48

Wordpress: Limit Tag Links in Post Content

3 Answers3

is there any way I can Let the tag links ignore Specific html tag ? including tag.

[^<>]<\/h2>(SKIP)(F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>](?:<|$))!';`

only text, but it does not skip for and text. is there any way out.

[^<>]<\/h2>(SKIP)(*F)|**[^<>]<\/b>(SKIP)(F)|]>.?(SKIP)(F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>](?:<|$))!';`**

Linked

Wordpress: Limit Tag Links in Post Content

3 Answers3

is there any way I can Let the tag links ignore Specific html tag ? including tag.

[^<>]*<\/h2>(*SKIP)(*F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>]*(?:<|$))!';`

only text, but it does not skip for and text. is there any way out.

[^<>]*<\/h2>(*SKIP)(*F)|[^<>]*<\/b>(*SKIP)(*F)|]*>.*?(*SKIP)(*F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>]*(?:<|$))!';`

Linked

[^<>]<\/h2>(SKIP)(F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>](?:<|$))!';`

[^<>]<\/h2>(SKIP)(*F)|**[^<>]<\/b>(SKIP)(F)|]>.?(SKIP)(F)|(\b'.$tag->name.'\b)(?=[^>](?:<|$))!';`**