Title: get_posts causing lockup on database, alternative with SQL query? Last modified: August 19, 2016 --- # get_posts causing lockup on database, alternative with SQL query? * [techstar](https://wordpress.org/support/users/techstar/) * (@techstar) * [16 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/get_posts-causing-lockup-on-database-alternative-with-sql-query/) * This is the tag I’m using to get latest posts, ID, ‘Thumbnail’, true); ?> * Is there a way to use SQL query, instead of get_posts(“meta_key=…”) ? Because everytime we update or post a new post, the cacheing system locks up the site and uses alot of resources to regenerate everything. Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total) * [Mark / t31os](https://wordpress.org/support/users/t31os_/) * (@t31os_) * [16 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/get_posts-causing-lockup-on-database-alternative-with-sql-query/#post-1421961) * There’s no closing foreach for your loop above, it will naturally mess up if you fail to close it. * Example: * ``` ``` * That on it’s own will cause problems because the loop hasn’t been closed, to fix that it should look like.. * ``` ``` * Thread Starter [techstar](https://wordpress.org/support/users/techstar/) * (@techstar) * [16 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/get_posts-causing-lockup-on-database-alternative-with-sql-query/#post-1421983) * There is a closing later in the actual formatted output. Thats not the issue. * [Mark / t31os](https://wordpress.org/support/users/t31os_/) * (@t31os_) * [16 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/get_posts-causing-lockup-on-database-alternative-with-sql-query/#post-1421992) * There’s alot of WordPress code that utilises get_posts to fetch content so i find it strange you’ve narrowed it down to that function being the problem and not had problems in various areas of WordPress. * Can you provide more of the problem code? * Thread Starter [techstar](https://wordpress.org/support/users/techstar/) * (@techstar) * [16 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/get_posts-causing-lockup-on-database-alternative-with-sql-query/#post-1422124) * ``` mysql> explain SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS wp_posts.* FROM wp_posts JOIN wp_postmeta ON (wp_posts.ID = wp_postmeta.post_id) WHERE 1=1 AND wp_posts.post_type = 'post' AND (wp_posts.post_status = 'publish') AND wp_postmeta.meta_key = 'Thumbnail-150x75' GROUP BY wp_posts.ID ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC LIMIT 0, 5\G *************************** 1. row *************************** id: 1 select_type: SIMPLE table: wp_posts type: ref possible_keys: PRIMARY,type_status_date key: type_status_date key_len: 124 ref: const,const rows: 21058 Extra: Using where; Using temporary; Using filesort *************************** 2. row *************************** id: 1 select_type: SIMPLE table: wp_postmeta type: ref possible_keys: post_id,meta_key,meta_post_id key: post_id key_len: 8 ref: mm.wp_posts.ID rows: 1 Extra: Using where 2 rows in set (0.00 sec) ``` * Using temporary; Using filesort is the bad part * I want to use this: * ``` mysql> explain SELECT wp_posts.* FROM wp_posts JOIN wp_postmeta ON (wp_posts.ID = wp_postmeta.post_id) WHERE 1=1 AND wp_posts.post_type = 'post' AND (wp_posts.post_status = 'publish') AND wp_postmeta.meta_key = 'Thumbnail-150x75' ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC LIMIT 0, 5\G *************************** 1. row *************************** id: 1 select_type: SIMPLE table: wp_posts type: ref possible_keys: PRIMARY,type_status_date key: type_status_date key_len: 124 ref: const,const rows: 21058 Extra: Using where *************************** 2. row *************************** id: 1 select_type: SIMPLE table: wp_postmeta type: ref possible_keys: post_id,meta_key,meta_post_id key: post_id key_len: 8 ref: mm.wp_posts.ID rows: 1 Extra: Using where 2 rows in set (0.00 sec) ``` * [Mark / t31os](https://wordpress.org/support/users/t31os_/) * (@t31os_) * [16 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/get_posts-causing-lockup-on-database-alternative-with-sql-query/#post-1422147) * That same query always comes up in relation to performance issues. * Take a look in `wp-includes\query.php` around line 2275 and onward (various interesting pieces around line 2333), you’ll notice there are various hooks and filters available there, they exist for plugins to manipulate. * Perhaps have a play around with a few filters on a test install and see if you’re able to rewrite the parts that you’re not happy with. * -> Of course you could always just write your own query using the wpdb class ( perhaps i should of just suggested this first).. eg. * ``` $my_query = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT a,b,c FROM ETC..."); ``` * That way you can be selective over what data to query and return. * More on the wpdb class and methods here. [http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wpdb_Class](http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wpdb_Class) * I usually write my own queries when i only want a few columns or a single row of data, so as to avoid needlessly querying data i don’t want, which often happens when using functions like `get_posts`. Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total) The topic ‘get_posts causing lockup on database, alternative with SQL query?’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 5 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [Mark / t31os](https://wordpress.org/support/users/t31os_/) * Last activity: [16 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/get_posts-causing-lockup-on-database-alternative-with-sql-query/#post-1422147) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics