How to Use print instead of echo to stop shortcode output going at top?

• tomwgf

• December 11, 2015 at 9:47 pm

i have this code:

function rightsidebarf( $atts, $content = null ) { ?>
 
	<?php $rows = get_field('caci_side_bar_content', 'option'); ?>
		<?php if($rows) : ?>
			<?php foreach($rows as $row) : ?>
            	<?php if($row['caci_side_bar_description']) : ?>
						<a href="<?php echo $row['caci_side_bar_url']; ?>" alt="<?php echo $row['caci_side_bar_description']; ?> <?php bloginfo('name'); ?>"><img src="<?php echo $row['caci_side_bar_image']; ?>" title="<?php echo $row['caci_side_bar_description']; ?> <?php bloginfo('name'); ?>" /></a>
            	<?php endif; ?>
			<?php endforeach; ?>
	<?php endif;  ?>	

<?php }
add_shortcode('rightsidebar', 'rightsidebarf');

which outputs images at the top of my sidebar.
But i want it underneath something else in my sidebar.
I think its the echo that is pushing it to the top.

so i need to rewrite this code to use print instead. the nearest i have as a test is:

function rightsidebarf( $atts, $content = null ) { ?>

	<?php $rows = get_field('caci_side_bar_content', 'option');  $my_sb_image = "<div class='side-slider'>Hello image</div>"; ?>
		<?php if($rows) : ?>
			<?php foreach($rows as $row) : ?>
            	<?php if($row['caci_side_bar_description']) : {
						print $my_sb_image;
            	} endif; ?>
			<?php endforeach; ?>
	<?php endif;  ?>	

<?php }
add_shortcode('rightsidebar', 'rightsidebarf');

but its still outputting at the top?

• John Huebner

• December 13, 2015 at 12:56 am

Shortcodes should not echo or output anything. Shortcodes need to return the html that they create.

function rightsidebarf( $atts, $content = null ) {
  $output = '';
  $rows = get_field('caci_side_bar_content', 'option');
  if($rows) {
    foreach($rows as $row) {
      if($row['caci_side_bar_description']) {
        $output = '<a href="'.$row['caci_side_bar_url'].
                  '" alt="'.$row['caci_side_bar_description'].
                  ' '.bloginfo('name').'"><img src="'.
                  $row['caci_side_bar_image'].'" title="'.
                  $row['caci_side_bar_description'].' '.
                  bloginfo('name').'" /></a>';
      } // end if row
    } // end foreach
  } // end if rows
  return $output;
}
add_shortcode('rightsidebar', 'rightsidebarf');

• tomwgf

• December 15, 2015 at 12:36 am

HI John
thanks for replying. I tried this code.
It only output one image where it should have done and the lat tags at the top of the sidebar.
I tried moving return $output; to before } // end foreach, but it was the same problem?
tom

• John Huebner

• December 15, 2015 at 9:45 am

I forgot to take into consideration that it is a loop, so it’s only outputting the last one because each one overwrites the last one.

The difference between the below is the change from = to .= in this line $output .=

function rightsidebarf( $atts, $content = null ) {
  $output = '';
  $rows = get_field('caci_side_bar_content', 'option');
  if($rows) {
    foreach($rows as $row) {
      if($row['caci_side_bar_description']) {
        $output .= '<a href="'.$row['caci_side_bar_url'].
                  '" alt="'.$row['caci_side_bar_description'].
                  ' '.bloginfo('name').'"><img src="'.
                  $row['caci_side_bar_image'].'" title="'.
                  $row['caci_side_bar_description'].' '.
                  bloginfo('name').'" /></a>';
      } // end if row
    } // end foreach
  } // end if rows
  return $output;
}
add_shortcode('rightsidebar', 'rightsidebarf');

• tomwgf

• December 15, 2015 at 8:34 pm

John – thank you – works a treat now.
‘.bloginfo(‘name’).’ was outputting text above everything (loop problem??) but once i got rid of that it all worked fine.
thank you so much for your help.
have a good christmas
tom

• John Huebner

• December 15, 2015 at 11:52 pm

I forgot the bloginfo() echos the value. You need to use get_bloginfo() instead https://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/get_bloginfo

• tomwgf

• December 16, 2015 at 12:15 am

thanks john – ‘.get_bloginfo(‘name’).’ has worked a treat
thanks again
tom