Title: Shortcode string returned literally–not executed
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# Shortcode string returned literally–not executed

 *  Resolved [ixwa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ixwa/)
 * (@ixwa)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/shortcode-string-returned-literally-not-executed/)
 * I’ve never had a use for shortcodes until now so I have to be missing something
   bleedingly obvious.
 * Using a nextgen gallery shortcode in a page like `[ album id=1 template=compact]`
   simply returns the literal string “[ album id=1 template=compact ]”. Same thing
   if I invoke it with PHP:
 * `<?php echo do_shortcode('[ album id=1 template=compact ]'); ?>`.
 * I get “[ album id=1 template=compact ]”.
 * Am I missing something??

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [Chip Bennett](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chipbennett/)
 * (@chipbennett)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/shortcode-string-returned-literally-not-executed/#post-2181983)
 * Try taking the space out from in between `[` and `album`?
 *  Thread Starter [ixwa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ixwa/)
 * (@ixwa)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/shortcode-string-returned-literally-not-executed/#post-2181985)
 * **\*\*\*WOW\*\*\***
 * Well firstly, thanks for the GREAT CATCH. This example was copied directly from
   the nextgen website…amazing huh?
 * I guess that’s what you get for a freebie CMS plugin…
 * Thanks again.
 *  [Chip Bennett](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chipbennett/)
 * (@chipbennett)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/shortcode-string-returned-literally-not-executed/#post-2181990)
 * I assume the example code was written as such, in order not to have the shortcode
   parsed.
 *  Thread Starter [ixwa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ixwa/)
 * (@ixwa)
 * [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/shortcode-string-returned-literally-not-executed/#post-2182054)
 * I thought that’s what escape characters are for–**particularly** for a website
   documenting examples/usage of tags! (Otherwise how on earth else would a new 
   user know that the format was incorrect?? Bizarre.)

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Shortcode string returned literally–not executed’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [execute](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/execute/)
 * [parsed](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/parsed/)
 * [php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php/)
 * [shortcode](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/shortcode/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 4 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [ixwa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ixwa/)
 * Last activity: [14 years, 10 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/shortcode-string-returned-literally-not-executed/#post-2182054)
 * Status: resolved

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