Get mixed category random posts

1 comment

1. I whipped this up:

   echo '<ul>';
       the_random_posts();
   echo '</ul>';
   
   /**
    * Send random posts to the browser (STDOUT).
    */
   function the_random_posts() {
   
       // Use your own category ids.
       $random_posts = array_merge(
           get_random_posts( 31, 3 ),
           get_random_posts( 11, 1 ),
           get_random_posts( 24, 1 )
       );
   
       foreach ( $random_posts as $post ) {
           // Change this line to code you want to output.
           printf( '<li><a href="%s">%s</a></li>', get_permalink( $post->ID ), get_the_title( $post->ID ) );
       }
   }
   
   /**
    * Get $post_count random posts from $category_id.
    *
    * @param int $post_count Number of random posts to retrieve.
    * @param int $category_id ID of the category.
    */
   function get_random_posts( $category_id, $post_count ) {
   
       $posts = get_posts( array(
           'posts_per_page' => $post_count,
           'orderby'        => 'rand',
           'cat'            => $category_id,
           'post_status'    => 'publish',
       ) );
   
       return $posts;
   }
   

   If any posts are in 2 or more of the selected categories there is a chance that a post will be repeated (like a post that is in both category A and category B). A static variable with an array of previously retrieved post might fix that.

   This algorithm prints the posts in the order they were called.

   get_random_posts( 31, 3 ), // First, 3 random posts from Category A
   get_random_posts( 11, 1 ), // Then,  1 random post  from Category B
   get_random_posts( 24, 1 )  // Then,  1 random post  from Category C
   

   If you want a random list, shuffle $random_posts.

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