Make all subcategories use the template of its category parent?

3 comments

1. Here is a code I used to do it:

   // make category use parent category template
   function load_cat_parent_template($template) {
   
       $cat_ID = absint( get_query_var('cat') );
       $category = get_category( $cat_ID );
   
       $templates = array();
   
       if ( !is_wp_error($category) )
           $templates[] = "category-{$category->slug}.php";
   
       $templates[] = "category-$cat_ID.php";
   
       // trace back the parent hierarchy and locate a template
       if ( !is_wp_error($category) ) {
           $category = $category->parent ? get_category($category->parent) : '';
   
           if( !empty($category) ) {
               if ( !is_wp_error($category) )
                   $templates[] = "category-{$category->slug}.php";
   
               $templates[] = "category-{$category->term_id}.php";
           }
       }
   
       $templates[] = "category.php";
       $template = locate_template($templates);
   
       return $template;
   }
   add_action('category_template', 'load_cat_parent_template');
   

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2. Daniel Crabbe had the same issue I had. Found this site that has some code that will look for and use a parent category’s template file whilst showing the appropriate posts.

   I’ve updated it to support slugs in the file name (not just the category ID).

   // Use a parent category slug if it exists
   function child_force_category_template($template) {
       $cat = get_query_var('cat');
       $category = get_category($cat);
   
       if ( file_exists(TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $category->cat_ID . '.php') ) {
           $cat_template = TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $category ->cat_ID . '.php';
       } elseif ( file_exists(TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $category->slug . '.php') ) {
           $cat_template = TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $category ->slug . '.php';
       } elseif ( file_exists(TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $category->category_parent . '.php') ) {
           $cat_template = TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $category->category_parent . '.php';
       } else {
           // Get Parent Slug
           $cat_parent = get_category($category->category_parent);
   
           if ( file_exists(TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $cat_parent->slug . '.php') ) {
               $cat_template = TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $cat_parent->slug . '.php';
           } else {
               $cat_template = $template;
           }
   
       }
   
       return $cat_template;
   }
   add_action('category_template', 'child_force_category_template');
   

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3. Actually it’s a filter hook

   https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_category_template/

   /**
    * Retrieve path of category-videos.php template for 'videos' subcategories
    * Filtered via 'category_template' hook
    *
    * @param string Full path to category template file.
    *
    * @return string Full path to category template file.
    */
   function get_category_videos_template( $template ) {
     $category_ID = intval( get_query_var('cat') );
     $category = get_category( $category_ID );
     $parent_ID = $category->parent;
     $parent_category = get_category( $parent_ID );
     /**
      * Check wheter the $parent_category object is not a WordPress Error and its slug is 'videos'
      */
     if ( !is_wp_error( $parent_category ) AND $parent_category->slug == 'videos' ) {
       /**
        * Check if the template file exists
        *
        */
       if ( file_exists( TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $parent_category->slug . '.php' )) {
         return TEMPLATEPATH . '/category-' . $parent_category->slug . '.php';
       }
     } else {
       return $template;
     }
   }
   add_filter( 'category_template', 'get_category_videos_template' );
   

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