How to display a list of random tags in wordpress?

1 comment

1. I was looking for an answer to this myself tonight and I thought I would post a solution.

   My requirements were for random tags displayed each page refresh and the ability to exclude certain tags. For my purposes I put it in functions.php because I hate cluttering up my template files with functions.

   The Function – insert this in your functions.php file

   function jr_get_tags_but_exclude() {
       $args = array('exclude' => '36 17'); // see notes below
           $alltags = get_tags( $args );
           shuffle($alltags);
           $count=0;
           if ($alltags) {
               foreach($alltags as $tag) {
                   $count++;
                   echo '<a href="'.get_tag_link($tag->term_id).'">'.$tag->name.'</a>';
           if( $count >19 ) break;
           }
       }
   }
   

   The Call – insert this in your template page

   <?php jr_get_tags_but_exclude(); ?>
   

   Notes

   • To exclude tags you will need the tag ID . The simplest way to get the ID is to go to posts -> tags and hover over the tag you want to exclude. The ID # will be given in the url bar on the bottom of your browser when hovered on, &tag_ID=9, for example.

   • The WordPress codex for get_tags says to put only a blank space seperating each tag ID, no commas required.

   • Regarding randomizing the results, randis not an available option or $arg for get_tags, unfortunately.

   • To change the number of tags shown adjust if ( $count >19 ) 19 = 20 tags, 29 = 30, etc.

   • shuffle($alltags); is what does the randomization

   • $count=0; starts the counter, $count++; counts each tag posted, if( $count >19 ) break; ends the loop, in this case after 20 tags are posted.

   Credits and References

   mostly based on these gent’s solutions

   1. wordpress random tag issue

   2. https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/questions/26112/how-to-limit-and-display-tag

   3. http://wordpress.org/support/topic/php-exclude-tag

   wordpress codex for get_tags

   http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/get_tags

   In Your Template File – no function needed

   <?php
       $args = array('exclude' => '36 17'); // see notes below
           $alltags = get_tags( $args );
           shuffle($alltags);
           $count=0;
           if ($alltags) {
               foreach($alltags as $tag) {
                   $count++;
                   echo '<a href="'.get_tag_link($tag->term_id).'">'.$tag->name.'</a>';
           if( $count >19 ) break;
           }
       }
   ?>
   

   Please reply with any mistakes noticed so I can edit them.

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