customization - wp_trim_words() does not trim the_content() in WordPress

In my WordPress website, I want to show a short text of each blog_post on the custom blog template. I want to show a Read More button with a link to the post at the end so a user can click on that link and view the full post.

But I am always getting the whole post instead of its summary.

Here is my code:

$moreLink = '<a href="' . the_permalink() . '"> Read More...</a>';
$wp_query = new WP_Query();
while ($wp_query->have_posts()) : $wp_query->the_post(); ?>

<h2><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" title="Read more"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
<?php the_excerpt(); ?>
<?php echo wp_trim_words( the_content(), 55, $moreLink); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>

I have tried different codes instead of wp_trim_words(the_content(), 55, $moreLink); found online with no luck. Even I have used the same line of code on another custom template and it is working fine. However, with this template, it is not working.

Am I doing any mistake in my code?

In my WordPress website, I want to show a short text of each blog_post on the custom blog template. I want to show a Read More button with a link to the post at the end so a user can click on that link and view the full post.

But I am always getting the whole post instead of its summary.

Here is my code:

$moreLink = '<a href="' . the_permalink() . '"> Read More...</a>';
$wp_query = new WP_Query();
while ($wp_query->have_posts()) : $wp_query->the_post(); ?>

<h2><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>" title="Read more"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h2>
<?php the_excerpt(); ?>
<?php echo wp_trim_words( the_content(), 55, $moreLink); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>

I have tried different codes instead of wp_trim_words(the_content(), 55, $moreLink); found online with no luck. Even I have used the same line of code on another custom template and it is working fine. However, with this template, it is not working.

Am I doing any mistake in my code?

• customization
• templates
• excerpt

Share Improve this question asked Mar 8, 2019 at 8:01 teccraftteccraft 4511 gold badge11 silver badge66 bronze badges

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1 Answer 1

Sorted by: Reset to default 11

The problem lies in this line:

<?php echo wp_trim_words( the_content(), 55, $moreLink); ?>

You call the_content function in there. This function prints all the content and doesn't return anything. It means that you print the content, and then pass an empty string to the wp_trim_words.

It should be:

<?php echo wp_trim_words( get_the_content(), 55, $moreLink); ?>

Be careful because, as described in codex, get_the_content() does not pass the content through the 'the_content' filter. This means it won't execute shortcodes. If you want to get exactly what the_content() prints, you have to use

<?php
$my_content = apply_filters( 'the_content', get_the_content() );
echo wp_trim_words( $my_content, 55, $moreLink);
?>

I suggest to also use wp_strip_all_tags(), otherwise you may have problems with open tags that have been trimmed.

Full example:

<?php
$my_content = apply_filters( 'the_content', get_the_content() );
$my_content = wp_strip_all_tags($my_content);
echo wp_trim_words( $my_content, 55, $moreLink);
?>