Title: Summary function for articles not working
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# Summary function for articles not working

 *  [paddleboarding](https://wordpress.org/support/users/paddleboarding/)
 * (@paddleboarding)
 * [16 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/summary-function-for-articles-not-working/)
 * ok, I hope i’m the right place to ask for help.
 * Is there a place to check off for the articles to show as a summary and not have
   full length articles going down the page forever?
 * I dont know HTML or code , so is there a solution for people like me?
 * thanks

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [16 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/summary-function-for-articles-not-working/#post-1509329)
 * The full/summary option in Settings/Reading refers to your RSS feeds – not your
   web pages. If you want to limit the post display on your post listing (archive)
   pages you can either:
 * – edit the [relevant theme template file](http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development#Theme_Template_Files_List)
   and replace `<?php the_content();?>` with `<?php the_excerpt();?>`
 * or
 * – [use the <!–more–tag> tag](http://codex.wordpress.org/Customizing_the_Read_More)
   in your posts where you want your post teaser/summary to end.
 *  Thread Starter [paddleboarding](https://wordpress.org/support/users/paddleboarding/)
 * (@paddleboarding)
 * [16 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/summary-function-for-articles-not-working/#post-1509331)
 * Thank you for the answer esmi. But like i said above I dont know code.
    Can someone
   tell me step be step where and how to replace and paste <?php the_content();?
   > with <?php the_excerpt();?> ?
 * or do I have to hire a programer to do this?
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [16 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/summary-function-for-articles-not-working/#post-1509340)
 * You can either attempt it yourself (start by following the first link I gave)
   or try hiring someone via [http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-pro](http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-pro)
   or [http://jobs.wordpress.net/](http://jobs.wordpress.net/)
 * Right now, you’re the only person who can see your theme’s template files.
 *  Thread Starter [paddleboarding](https://wordpress.org/support/users/paddleboarding/)
 * (@paddleboarding)
 * [16 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/summary-function-for-articles-not-working/#post-1509360)
 * thanks esmi, I’ll give it a shot, but its a LONGGGGG SHot!
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [16 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/summary-function-for-articles-not-working/#post-1509362)
 * I’d suggest starting with just 1 template file. If you need help deciding what
   to change and where, drop a copy of the file into the [WordPress pastebin](http://wordpress.pastebin.com/)
   and post the pastebin url in the forum. Once you’ve made the changes in 1 file,
   the others should be much easier.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘Summary function for articles not working’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 5 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * Last activity: [16 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/summary-function-for-articles-not-working/#post-1509362)
 * Status: not resolved

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