Title: Custom loop default text if no posts
Last modified: August 31, 2016

---

# Custom loop default text if no posts

 *  Resolved [Vince_M](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vince_m/)
 * (@vince_m)
 * [10 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/custom-loop-default-text-if-no-posts/)
 * I have a page (careers) that I use with a custom loop to display any positions
   coming up. One problem I am having is if there is no positions I would like it
   to display:
 * “There are no job openings at this time.”
 * For some reason I can’t get the default text to display if there are no positions.
 *     ```
       <?php if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post();  ?>
       <?php the_content();  ?>
       <?php endwhile; endif; ?>
       <hr>
       <?php
          p_reset_postdata();
          $args = array(
          'category_name' => 'careers'
           );
          $the_query = new WP_Query( $args );
          //wp_reset_postdata();
       ?>
       <?php if ( have_posts() ) : while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) : $the_query->the_post(); ?>
   
       <h3><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title() ;?></a></h3>
       <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
       <hr>
   
       <?php endwhile; else: ?>
       <p>There are no job openings at this time.</p>
       <?php endif; ?>
       ```
   
 * Here is the page in question:
 * [
    Careers page in question
   
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 * Vince

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  [Endlyss](https://wordpress.org/support/users/akel-res/)
 * (@akel-res)
 * [10 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/custom-loop-default-text-if-no-posts/#post-7211626)
 * You missed your query on the “if(have_posts())” in your custom query — so it’s
   querying every single post in the wordpress database to see “if” there are any(
   which of course there are), and then since you have the while loop only querying“
   have_posts” on the custom arguments, it’s only showing posts within that.
 * Essentially you’re asking it:
    “If WordPress has posts” “Show only these types
   of posts”
 * when you want to ask it:
    “If WordPress has these specific types of posts” “Show
   only these types of posts”
 * Once you correct that logic, it should respond to the “else” correctly.
 *     ```
       <?php if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post();  ?>
       <?php the_content();  ?>
       <?php endwhile; endif; ?>
       <hr>
       <?php
          	wp_reset_postdata();
          	$args = array(
          		'category_name' => 'careers'
           );
          	$the_query = new WP_Query( $args );
       	if ( $the_query->have_posts() ) :
       		while ( $the_query->have_posts() ) :
       			$the_query->the_post();
       			?>
       				<h3>
       					<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">
       						<?php the_title() ;?>
       					</a>
       				</h3>
       				<?php the_excerpt(); ?>
       				<hr>
       			<?php
       		endwhile;
       	else:
       		?>
       		<p>There are no job openings at this time.</p>
       		<?php
       	endif;
       ?>
       ```
   
 * Also one big thing that really expedites learning — keep your code organized.
   For example, my system involves nesting with the tab key. It helps me keep things
   in line so I can quickly follow the code down the page and see where I messed
   up. No offense, but your original code was a bit scrambled. I feel you may have
   been able to see the error, if it was more organized. You don’t have to follow
   the nesting organization like I did (although a lot of developers do), but figure
   something out, because it also helps you focus on the code more, and you’ll be
   able to spot mistakes more easily.
 * Best of luck to you, Vince. If you have any questions about the above code, or
   if it turns out that it doesn’t work, let me know.
 *  Thread Starter [Vince_M](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vince_m/)
 * (@vince_m)
 * [10 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/custom-loop-default-text-if-no-posts/#post-7211629)
 * Thank you, Endlyss. I followed your code and see where I did go wrong. As for
   my code I have followed how I learned, but I see where you are coming from. Thanks
   and have fixed my code.
 * Vince

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘Custom loop default text if no posts’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [loop](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/loop/)

 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Vince_M](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vince_m/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/custom-loop-default-text-if-no-posts/#post-7211629)
 * Status: resolved

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