WordPress get_template_part pass variable

🌟 Passing Variables to get_template_part() in WordPress 🌟

If you're a WordPress developer, you may have come across the situation where you need to pass a variable to the get_template_part() function. This function is commonly used to include template files in your WordPress theme. However, by default, it doesn't provide a built-in way to pass variables to these template files.

But don't worry, I'm here to help you find easy solutions to this common issue! In this blog post, we'll explore a few techniques to pass variables to get_template_part(), so you can make your template files more dynamic and flexible. Let's dive in! 💪

The Scenario

To give you a better understanding, let's consider the following code snippet:

<?php get_template_part('element-templates/front', 'top'); ?>
<?php get_template_part('element-templates/front', 'main'); ?>

In this example, we have two calls to get_template_part(). The file being included is front-top.php for the first call and front-main.php for the second call. Our goal is to pass different numeric variables to each of these template files.

Solution 1: Using Global Variables

One straightforward way to pass variables to template files is by using global variables. WordPress has a predefined global variable called $GLOBALS that allows you to store and access variables across your PHP code.

To pass a variable, you can set it as a global variable before calling get_template_part(), like this:

<?php
$GLOBALS['my_custom_variable'] = 123;
get_template_part('element-templates/front', 'top');
?>

Then, in your front-top.php file, you can access the variable as follows:

<?php
$custom_variable_value = isset($GLOBALS['my_custom_variable']) ? $GLOBALS['my_custom_variable'] : '';
echo "My custom variable is: " . $custom_variable_value;
?>

By using global variables, you now have the ability to pass and access variables across different template files.

Solution 2: Using extract()

Another handy technique to pass variables to get_template_part() is by utilizing the extract() function. This function allows you to extract variables from an associative array into the current symbol table.

Here's how you can use extract() to achieve our goal:

<?php
$my_custom_variable = 123;
$variables_array = array(
  'custom_variable' => $my_custom_variable
);
get_template_part('element-templates/front', 'top', $variables_array);
?>

In your front-top.php file, you can extract the variables from the array using extract():

<?php extract($args); ?>
<p>My custom variable is: <?php echo $custom_variable; ?></p>

With this approach, you can pass multiple variables using a single array and access them easily within your template files.

Solution 3: Using WordPress Hooks

For a more advanced and flexible solution, you can leverage WordPress hooks to pass variables to get_template_part(). WordPress provides various hooks, such as template_include and get_template_part_{$slug}, that allow you to modify the behavior of template files.

Here's an example of how you can use the template_include hook to pass a variable:

<?php
function my_custom_template_include($template) {
  $my_custom_variable = 123;
  return get_template_part('element-templates/front', 'top', array('custom_variable' => $my_custom_variable));
}
add_filter('template_include', 'my_custom_template_include');
?>

In your front-top.php file, you can access the variable like this:

<?php echo "My custom variable is: " . $args['custom_variable']; ?>

By using WordPress hooks, you have the flexibility to modify the behavior of get_template_part() and pass variables in a more controlled and organized manner.

Conclusion

Passing variables to get_template_part() in WordPress doesn't have to be a daunting task anymore. You can employ various techniques like using global variables, extract(), or WordPress hooks to achieve the desired result.

Now it's your turn to give these solutions a try! Start experimenting with passing variables to get_template_part(), and make your WordPress themes more adaptable and powerful. Happy coding! 🚀

Have any questions, comments, or alternative solutions? Let me know in the comments below! Let's discuss and learn from each other. 👇