Title: Create redirection to random post system Last modified: July 21, 2020 --- # Create redirection to random post system * [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/) * Hello, * I hope everyone is safe. * Ok, so I need a little advice. Basically, I have a blog in which I would like a button that will lead to random posts of my WP website. But I also would like to give the choice to my visitors to filter for what type of posts (by the category type) they would get random posts. * For example: * Let’s say that my blog have 5 categories of posts: dog, cat, bird, fish, wolf. * We will have the “Random” button, and next to it, a choice by checkbox for each of these 5 categories. If the user check the box for “dog” and “cat” only, after clicking the “Random” button, a random post only from the “dog” or “cat” category will be loaded. Not “bird”, “fish” or “wolf”. * Currently, I temporarily set 5 random buttons, one for each category. If I click on the one associated with the “dog” category for example, a random post from the “dog” category will appear. So of course, I would like to replace that system with one button only, and the 5 checkbox. Preferably, I would like the script to FIRST randomly choose one of the category for which the checkbox have been checked. And SECONDLY, to randomly choose a post for this category. * Here is the code I have for the 5 buttons. Can you help me modify it to replace it with the checkbox system and one “random” button? * (NOTE: I am using the plugin “Redirect URL to Post” to generate the url redirecting to a random post) * ``` [su_button url="https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=2" style="flat" background="#2D9600" size="20" center="no" rel="nofollow"]DOG [/su_button]
[su_button url="https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=5" style="flat" background="#2D9600" size="20" center="no" rel="nofollow"]CAT [/su_button]
[su_button url="https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=6" style="flat" background="#2D9600" size="20" center="no" rel="nofollow"]FISH[/su_button]
[su_button url="https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=7" style="flat" background="#2D9600" size="20" center="no" rel="nofollow"]BIRD [/su_button]
[su_button url="https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=8" style="flat" background="#2D9600" size="20" center="no" rel="nofollow"]WOLF [/su_button]
``` * I hope my explanation was clear. * Take care. - This topic was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by [Jan Dembowski](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jdembowski/). Reason: Moved to Fixing WordPress, this is not an Developing with WordPress topic Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 21 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/page/2/?output_format=md) * [corrinarusso](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corrinarusso/) * (@corrinarusso) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808100) * [@vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * Can you currently create a single button that links to more than one Category? And if so, what is the syntax for that ? * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808210) * Thanks for your reply. * So currently, I can either create a button for ALL categories, the syntax being: * ``` [su_button url="https://website.com/?redirect_to=random" style="flat" background="#2D9600" size="20" center="no" rel="nofollow"]ALL CATEGORIES [/su_button]
``` * or for just ONE category: * ``` [su_button url="https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=2" style="flat" background="#2D9600" size="20" center="no" rel="nofollow"]DOG [/su_button]
``` * But I am not sure how to do so for a partial selection of categories. - This reply was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/). - This reply was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/). - This reply was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/). * [corrinarusso](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corrinarusso/) * (@corrinarusso) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808236) * [@vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) So weird – I can’t think of a single instance I would want to do this! * But anyway, you got me intrigued, so based on some quick covid afternoon boredom: * This works (kind of). Let me know if it’s what you were thinking. * [https://gowildcats.ca/random-post/](https://gowildcats.ca/random-post/) * – I created the form and inserted a handful of available categories – user select 1 or more categories – added a form action in the functions file to alter the submit to read the value(s) – created a second function to pass in the post_type, orderby (random), number_of_posts, and then category__in to store the array : [https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#category-parameters](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/classes/wp_query/#category-parameters)– used the regular wp_Query object to query the posts : $the_query = new WP_Query( $args ); – added a shortcode in the functions file, and inserted that onto the“ Thank You” page * If you choose a couple of categories, submit, just keep refreshing the page and you’ll see how they display in the random. * [corrinarusso](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corrinarusso/) * (@corrinarusso) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808237) * [@vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * Just to be clear, did you already try to add pre-defined categories by passing in the other category IDs into the same string, like this : * [su_button url=”[https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=2](https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=2)**& cat=4&cat=1**” style=”flat” background=”#2D9600″ size=”20″ center=”no” rel=”nofollow”] DOG [/su_button] * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808249) * Haha. Who said boredom was counter-productive 🙂 * That’s excellent! However, the system I needed would be to be redirected directly to a random post (from one the selected category). Not display a list of random posts. * For example, if ‘Atom’ and ‘Bantam’ are selected: * First, the script will randomly choose one of these two categories. And secondly, the script will randomly choose one the posts of that chosen category. And then redirect to that page. * You see what I mean? * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808256) * Yes, I have tried this, but it is only displaying random posts for the last category set in the code. * For example, for: * `[su_button url=”https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=2&cat=4&cat=1” style =”flat” background=”#2D9600″ size=”20″ center=”no” rel=”nofollow”]DOG [/su_button]` * I am only getting post for cat=1. * [corrinarusso](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corrinarusso/) * (@corrinarusso) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808265) * [@vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * Okay re: onPageLoad, that’s no problem to modify it like that. * What plugin are you using? It may be easier to just modify what you already have. * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808382) * Thank you! So for the redirection to random post, I am using the plugin “Redirect URL to Post”. It is that plugin that provide me with the URL: [https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=](https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=){ category} to generate random post. * [corrinarusso](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corrinarusso/) * (@corrinarusso) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808540) * [@vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * FYI, since the categories are placed into an array, you just need to separate them by a comma to include more than one category : * [https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=2,1,4,8](https://website.com/?redirect_to=random&cat=2,1,4,8) * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808558) * Indeed it works. I appreciate the tips. * [corrinarusso](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corrinarusso/) * (@corrinarusso) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808561) * [@vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * Still doesn’t solve your form request. Are you still going to implement the input form ? * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808588) * Yes indeed. This is necessary considering the layout I am looking to set for the site. It will be the way you presented it in your example. One submit button, and the list of categories to check/uncheck. * [corrinarusso](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corrinarusso/) * (@corrinarusso) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808599) * [@vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * Do you already run GravityForms ? * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808607) * No I don’t. I see that it’s not a free plugin. Is it a necessary one for what we need to do? * Thread Starter [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * (@vmackey1) * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/#post-12808620) * (PS: I don’t know if you are a developer that accept projects currently, but let me know if you are. There’s more work where it comes from 🙂 ) Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 21 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Create redirection to random post system’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 21 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [vmackey1](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vmackey1/) * Last activity: [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/create-redirection-to-random-post-system/page/2/#post-12811455) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics