Page template that displays Post loop

Here’s a simple bit of code (Ok perhaps not simple, but it’s brief) you can stick in your Page template that will show the latest post but should not whack the Page’s content:

<?php $latest = new WP_Query('showposts=1'); ?>
<?php $latest->the_post(); ?>
<h2><?php the_title(); ?></h2>
<?php the_content(); ?>

Customize how the post is displayed to suit your needs.

EDIT: Should probably explain the lack of a post loop (ala The Loop). Since we’re only calling up a single post, there’s no need to iterate through the object we’ve created ($latest). But if you need to collect and display more than one post (let’s say it’s 5), modify the code from above to:

<?php $latest = new WP_Query('showposts=5'); ?>
<?php while( $latest->have_posts() ) : $latest->the_post(); ?>
<h2><?php the_title(); ?></h2>
<?php the_content(); ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>

thanks!!!! This just put me back on schedule to making my portal page. I had just about given up. I am using it in conjunction with “Static Front”

Try
showposts=5&cat=XX
or something like that.

Ok it works if I give it the category number such as cat=3 or cat=5

I’m not really sure where it is assigning the cat variable but i’d like to be able to somehow do this by category name rather than it’s cat number. Any idea?

This is exactly what I’m looking for. Is there a way to get it to paginate like on the front page? (only show x number of posts… etc.