Author: Dimox | Posted in Blogging As you know, WordPress is the universal platform, that may be used not only for blog creating, but also for other web-site types. Once me and my friend have created WordPress build for the article directory, but this build have one essential shortcoming. To deduce the list of categories on the main page I had to edit source files of WordPress engine. But it has deprived of possibility to use WordPress as the article directory at release of new versions, because changing of the source codes each time is not reasonable decision. The idea of creation of universal and convenient instrument for realisation on WordPress the catalogue of articles did not leave me. As a result I have created a plugin Article Directory. The primary task of this plugin is deduce on the main page (or any another) the structured list of categories, which can be easily customized with CSS, how it’s made now on Articlesss.com web-site. In addition, with the plugin implemented several changes in the administrative interface that using it was more rational and convenient for both authors and for the administrator. Plugin features Standard optional features for categories list: Amount of articles in parent and child categories. Category description in link title. Showing the empty categories. Using hierarchy for subcategories. Exclude selected categories. Special features: Simple and handy design using CSS. The structure of categories is the multilevel list which can be altered easily with CSS, as you need. The parent category have the <div> container to mark it out with CSS as a parent. Support WordPress starting from version 2.3 and above. Parent category is showing amount of articles in subcategories. The character also include the number of articles in this parent category. Ability to display the specified amount of child categories (2nd level). Ability to display categories on specified amount of columns. Ability to hide all subcategories. Ability to exclude the child categories articles from the parent categories archive pages. Ability to add icons for parent categories using CSS. Ability to get article source code. Admin interface options: Ability to show warning to author, if not selected any category or if selected more than one category. Ability to hide unnecessary blocks from the “Write/Edit Post†page, if this is not the site administrator. It is “Comments & Pingsâ€, “Excerptâ€, “Password Protect†and other blocks. I.e. actually there is only a form of adding the article and the button to send it to moderation. Ability to specify the height of the categories block on “Write/Edit Post†page. Ability to put the “Terms of article publication†on “Write/Edit Post†page. Installation Installation of Article Directory plugin is a simple: Copy the article-directory folder in WordPress plugins directory (…\wp-content\plugins\). Copy the categories.css file in directory with your theme. Activate the plugin through admin interface. Add the following code in the index.php (or another file) of your theme: <?php if (function_exists('article_directory')) article_directory(); ?> Add the following code in the style.css: @import 'categories.css'; That’s all. Attention: if you are using a plugin simultaneously with Article Directory WordPress Theme, miss 2-nd, 4-th and 5-th items of installation, because this code is already there by default. Customization There are two things, that you can customize: If it is necessary, you should customize a categories.css file under the site design. Customize options on “Settings → Article Directory†page. The plugin also lets you to display the list with the links to categories RSS feeds. To do this, you must: Create a new page template. Add the following code: <?php $rssfeeds=true; ?> <?php if (function_exists('article_directory')) article_directory(); ?> Create a new page in the admin interface and select the created template. How to add icons for parent categories It’s doing using CSS. You need to add the styles for icons in categories.css or in style.css file (both located in a folder of your theme). Styles should be like this: #cat-23 {background: url(i/icon.gif) 4px 3px no-repeat} Here the digit 23 means, what this icon will be added in the 2nd column for the 3rd parent category from the top. Accordingly, it is necessary to create as many of such styles, how many you have parent categories, and specify the corresponding number for each icon. i/icon.gif – this is the path to an icon file, beginning from a folder with your theme. 4px – icon shift value from the left of the parent category block. 3px – icon shift value from the top of the parent category block.