Wordpress + ACF: the_title and the_permalink repeat values through loop

Question

Wordpress php newbie here (but not a php newbie)

I followed some simple instructions here to try to create a simple index, while following some other instructions to wrap the code in a custom plugin and create a shortcode. Seems quite straightforward, but the_title() does not seem to iterate through the loop, and nor does the_field('post_date') or the_permalink(), while the_excerpt() and the_content() do.

Have I maybe wrapped up the code in a custom plugin incorrectly? It activates just fine on the plugins page.

Here is my entire custom php file:

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Nightlord Backstage Custom Code
Description: Site specific code changes for Nightlord Backstage
*/
/* Start Adding Functions Below this Line */




function latestArticles(){
// get posts
$posts = get_posts(array(
    'posts_per_page'    => 10,
    'post_type'         => 'post'
));

if( $posts ): 

    echo "<ul>";

    foreach( $posts as $post ):

        setup_postdata( $post );

    echo "<li>
            <a href='";
            the_permalink();
            echo "'>";
            the_title(); 
            the_excerpt();
            echo "(date: ";
        the_field('post_date'); 
        echo ")</a>
        </li>";



    endforeach;

    echo "</ul>";
    wp_reset_postdata();

endif;
}

add_shortcode( "latest-articles" , "latestArticles" );

/* Stop Adding Functions Below this Line */
?>

Answer 1

the_title function prints out the title. any time you want to echo the title or content you should use the get_the_title function which returns the title.

ACF field should be get_field('post_date')

Answer 2

Try by replace your latestArticles() with the below given code:

function latestArticles()
{
    // get posts
    $posts = get_posts(array(
        'posts_per_page' => 10,
        'post_type' => 'post'
    ));

    if ($posts):
        ?>
        <ul>
            <?php
            foreach ($posts as $post):
                setup_postdata($post);
                ?>
                <li>
                    <a href="<?php get_permalink($post->ID); ?>">
                        <?php
                            echo get_the_title($post->ID);
                            echo get_the_excerpt($post->ID);
                            echo get_field('post_date', $post->ID);
                        ?>
                    </a>
                </li>
                <?php
            endforeach;
            ?>
        </ul>
        <?php
        wp_reset_postdata();
    endif;
}

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

You can use this instead of your code.

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Nightlord Backstage Custom Code
Description: Site specific code changes for Nightlord Backstage
*/
/* Start Adding Functions Below this Line */

function latestArticles(){
// get posts
$posts = get_posts(array(
    'posts_per_page'    => 10,
    'post_type'         => 'post'
));

if( $posts ): 

    echo "<ul>";

    foreach( $posts as $post ):

        $postcmeta = get_post_custom($post->ID);
        $postdate = $postcmeta['post_date'][0];
        setup_postdata( $post );

        echo "<li>
            <a href='";
            the_permalink($post->ID);
            echo "'>";
            echo get_the_title($post->ID).'<br>'; 
            echo get_the_excerpt($post->ID).'<br>';
            if($postdate){
                echo "(date: ";
                echo $postdate; 
                echo ")";
            }
        echo "</a>
        </li>";

    endforeach;

    echo "</ul>";
    wp_reset_postdata();

endif;
}

add_shortcode( "latest-articles" , "latestArticles" );

/* Stop Adding Functions Below this Line */
?>