I’m trying to use wp_query on a custom post type archive page to only loop in two terms from said custom post type’s taxonomy, and can’t seem to get it right (unless there is something else going on that I’m missing).

I have created a custom archive-{cpt}.php, wp-archive-{cpt}.php, and _archive-{cpt}.php and connected them, confirming that they do actually affect the archive’s display, and then attempted to wp_query the loop to call only the taxonomy terms I want using tax_query. I am new to wp_query but thought I had it right — unfortunately, I keep getting all posts instead of the posts from the two taxonomy terms. I tried several different ways, but received either errors or a blank page with pagination numbers at the bottom.

Here is the base of what I tried on the _archive-{cpt}.php file:

<div id="x-iso-container" class="x-iso-container x-iso-container-posts cols-<?php echo $cols; ?>">

    <?php if ( have_posts() ) : ?>
      <?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
        <?php if ( $stack != 'ethos' ) : ?>
          <?php x_get_view( $stack, 'content', get_post_format() ); ?>
        <?php else : ?>
          <?php x_ethos_entry_cover( 'main-content' ); ?>
        <?php endif; ?>
      <?php endwhile; ?>
    <?php else : ?>
      <?php x_get_view( 'global', '_content-none' ); ?>
    <?php endif; ?>

<?php 

    wp_reset_postdata();

    $args = array(
    
      'post_type' => 'customposttype',
      'tax_query'  => array(
        array(
          'taxonomy' => 'cpt_category',
          'field'    => 'slug',
          'terms'    => 'category-term-1', 'category-term-2',
        ),
      ),
      'posts_per_page' => 10
    
    );

    $the_query = new WP_Query( $args );

?>

    <?php if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : ?>
      <?php while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post(); ?>
        <?php if ( $stack != 'ethos' ) : ?>
          <?php x_get_view( $stack, 'content', get_post_format() ); ?>
        <?php else : ?>
          <?php x_ethos_entry_cover( 'main-content' ); ?>
        <?php endif; ?>
      <?php endwhile; ?>
    <?php else : ?>
      <?php x_get_view( 'global', '_content-none' ); ?>
    <?php endif; ?>

  </div>

<?php pagenavi(); ?>

Note that I tried paring down/removing the if statements, calling the query in various areas, etc. Hopefully, you can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

Thanks for writing in!

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Thank you.

Please update your $args variable a bit:

    $args = array(
    
      'post_type' => 'customposttype',
      'tax_query'  => array(
        array(
          'taxonomy' => 'cpt_category',
          'field'    => 'slug',
          'terms'    => array('category-term-1', 'category-term-2')
        ),
      ),
      'posts_per_page' => 10
    
    );

Hope it helps.

Thanks for writing in!

This is more likely a custom development, that is outside the scope of support we can offer. However, I could point you in the right direction with the understanding that it would ultimately be your responsibility to take it from here.

I’m unable to login to your FTP account using the given credentials. Please confirm again. For now, can you reverse the change you made so I can see the posts/listings and check the causing conflict?

Thanks!

Thanks for the correct logins!

I just went ahead and updated your code with following, this should now work just fine:

<?php

// =============================================================================
// VIEWS/GLOBAL/_INDEX.PHP
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Includes the index output.
// =============================================================================

$stack = x_get_stack();

if ( is_home() ) :
  $style     = x_get_option( 'x_blog_style', 'standard' );
  $cols      = x_get_option( 'x_blog_masonry_columns', '2' );
  $condition = is_home() && $style == 'masonry';
elseif ( is_archive() ) :
  $style     = x_get_option( 'x_archive_style', 'standard' );
  $cols      = x_get_option( 'x_archive_masonry_columns', '2' );
  $condition = is_archive() && $style == 'masonry';
elseif ( is_search() ) :
  $condition = false;
endif;

// =============================================================================
// INSTRUCTIONS ADDED BY X STAFF
// =============================================================================

// 
// Added this line so the condition will always be true 
// this will enable the masonry style
// set it to false if you don't want Masonry layout
// 

$condition = true;

// 
// Change "2" to your desired value (3, 4) to change the column 
// count on this custom archive page
// 

$cols = 2;

// 
// Adding the WP_Query $args
// 

$args = array(

  'post_type' => 'bullhornjoblisting',
  'tax_query'  => array(
    array(
      'taxonomy' => 'bullhorn_category',
      'field'    => 'slug',
      'terms'    => array('accounting-finance-executive-and-professional', 'accounting-finance-term-and-permanent')
    ),
  ),
  'posts_per_page' => 10

);

?>

<div class="x-container max width">

<?php if ( $condition ) : ?>

  <?php x_get_view( 'global', '_script', 'isotope-index' ); ?>

  <div id="x-iso-container" class="x-iso-container x-iso-container-posts cols-<?php echo $cols; ?>">

    <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( $args ); ?>
    <?php if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : ?>
      <?php while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post(); ?>
        <?php if ( $stack != 'ethos' ) : ?>
          <?php x_get_view( $stack, 'content', get_post_format() ); ?>
        <?php else : ?>
          <?php x_ethos_entry_cover( 'main-content' ); ?>
        <?php endif; ?>
      <?php endwhile; ?>
    <?php else : ?>
      <?php x_get_view( 'global', '_content-none' ); ?>
    <?php endif; wp_reset_postdata(); ?>

  </div>

<?php else : ?>

  <?php $the_query = new WP_Query( $args ); ?>
  <?php if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : ?>
    <?php while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
      <?php x_get_view( $stack, 'content', get_post_format() ); ?>
    <?php endwhile; ?>
  <?php else : ?>
    <?php x_get_view( 'global', '_content-none' ); ?>
  <?php endif; ?>

<?php endif; ?>

<?php pagenavi(); ?>
</div>

You can compare both using a tool difference tool such as https://www.diffchecker.com/. I’ve also added some instructions at the top of the page, you may also want to review them.

Thanks!

It works swimmingly — with one small hiccup: the pagenavi code at the bottom gave me 8 pages of the same thing over and over again. I solved that by simply deleting it and changing the posts per page to -1, but wouldn’t mind knowing why it happened inn case I get asked to add pagination back in.

-1 means select all, that could be the reason why you’re getting same pages since you’re selecting same results. But it’s a little weird too, and glad it’s solved now.

Thanks!