Including PHP Files and Using WP_Query Outside the WordPress Directory

When working on web development projects, especially with WordPress, it often becomes necessary to include or require files from different directories. This can be particularly puzzling for new users when the files are located across different directory levels, such as from the WordPress directory to the root directory and vice versa. This post will walk you through two common scenarios with detailed explanations and file structures.

Scenario 1: Including a File from One Directory to Another

Project Structure:

public_html/
│
├── PressMe/
│   ├── wp-admin/
│   ├── wp-content/
│   │   ├── themes/
│   │   │   └── ThemeCusto/
│   │   │       ├── custom/
│   │   │       │   └── showblog_nutshell.php
│   │   │       ├── style.css
│   │   │       ├── functions.php
│   │   │       ├── header.php
│   │   │       ├── footer.php
│   │   │       ├── index.php
│   │   │       └── page.php
│   │   └── plugins/
│   ├── wp-includes/
│   ├── wp-config.php
│   └── .htaccess
├── app_container/
│   ├── library/
│   │   └── nutshell_blogs.php
├── css/
│   ├── style.css
│   └── responsive.css
├── js/
│   ├── script.js
│   └── jquery.min.js
├── images/
│   ├── logo.png
│   └── banner.jpg
└── includes/
    ├── header.php
    ├── footer.php
    └── config.php
    

How to Include showblog_nutshell.php in nutshell_blogs.php

In this scenario, you want to include the showblog_nutshell.php file located in the custom folder of your custom WordPress theme into nutshell_blogs.php file located in the library folder. Since you are including a file from the WordPress directory to the root directory, use the following include statement in nutshell_blogs.php:

<?php include '../PressMe/wp-content/themes/ThemeCusto/custom/showblog_nutshell.php'; ?>
    

Scenario 2: Including a File Across Multiple Directory Levels

Project Structure:

public_html/
│
├── PressMe/
│   ├── wp-admin/
│   ├── wp-content/
│   │   ├── themes/
│   │   │   └── ThemeCusto/
│   │   │       ├── custom/
│   │   │       │   ├── showblog_nutshell.php
│   │   │       │   └── fromtheroot.php
│   │   │       ├── style.css
│   │   │       ├── functions.php
│   │   │       ├── header.php
│   │   │       ├── footer.php
│   │   │       ├── index.php
│   │   │       └── page.php
│   │   └── plugins/
│   ├── wp-includes/
│   ├── wp-config.php
│   └── .htaccess
├── app_container/
│   ├── library/
│   │   └── tothepress.php
├── css/
│   ├── style.css
│   └── responsive.css
├── js/
│   ├── script.js
│   └── jquery.min.js
├── images/
│   ├── logo.png
│   └── banner.jpg
└── includes/
    ├── header.php
    ├── footer.php
    └── config.php
    

How to Include tothepress.php in fromtheroot.php

In this scenario, you want to include the tothepress.php file located in the library folder of the app_container into fromtheroot.php file located in the custom folder of your custom WordPress theme. Since you are including a file from the root directory to the WordPress directory, use the following include statement in fromtheroot.php:

<?php include '../../../app_container/library/tothepress.php'; ?>
    

Explanation:

The ../ notation is used to navigate up one directory level. In the case of fromtheroot.php, you need to navigate up three levels (../../../) to reach the root (public_html) and then down into the app_container/library/ directory to include tothepress.php.

Using WP_Query Outside the WordPress Directory

One common challenge in WordPress development is using WP_Query to fetch and display posts outside the WordPress directory. To use WP_Query or any WordPress functions outside the WordPress directory, you need to include the wp-blog-header.php file.

Example of WP_Query in a Custom PHP File:

Suppose you have a custom PHP file named fetch-posts.php in the root directory, and you want to fetch and display posts. Here’s how you can do it:

<?php
// Load WordPress environment
require_once 'PressMe/wp-blog-header.php';

// Define arguments for WP_Query
$args = array(
    'post_type'      => 'post',   // Query for posts
    'post_status'    => 'publish',// Only query published posts
    'posts_per_page' => 5         // Limit to 5 posts
);

$query = new WP_Query($args);

// Check if any posts are found
if ($query->have_posts()) :
    while ($query->have_posts()) : $query->the_post();
        // Display the post title and excerpt
        echo '<h2>' . get_the_title() . '</h2>';
        echo '<p>' . get_the_excerpt() . '</p>';
    endwhile;
    wp_reset_postdata();
else :
    echo '<p>No posts found.</p>';
endif;
?>
    

Project Structure:

public_html/
│
├── PressMe/
│   ├── wp-admin/
│   ├── wp-content/
│   │   ├── themes/
│   │   │   └── ThemeCusto/
│   │   │       ├── custom/
│   │   │       │   ├── showblog_nutshell.php
│   │   │       │   └── fromtheroot.php
│   │   │       ├── style.css
│   │   │       ├── functions.php
│   │   │       ├── header.php
│   │   │       ├── footer.php
│   │   │       ├── index.php
│   │   │       └── page.php
│   │   └── plugins/
│   ├── wp-includes/
│   ├── wp-config.php
│   └── .htaccess
├── app_container/
│   ├── library/
│   │   └── tothepress.php
├── fetch-posts.php
├── css/
│   ├── style.css
│   └── responsive.css
├── js/
│   ├── script.js
│   └── jquery.min.js
├── images/
│   ├── logo.png
│   └── banner.jpg
└── includes/
    ├── header.php
    ├── footer.php
    └── config.php
    

Conclusion:

By including the wp-blog-header.php file, you can load the WordPress environment in custom PHP files located outside the WordPress directory. This allows you to use WP_Query and other WordPress functions seamlessly. Always ensure your file paths are correct and use WordPress functions to maintain security and performance. Including PHP files from different directories and utilizing WordPress's powerful querying capabilities can make your projects more dynamic and manageable.