Add features to get_posts: select from multiple categories, or exclude categories

[johnjosephbachir]

This patch adds two features to get_posts(), while maintain backward compatibility with all previous invocations:

• The category variable may be a comma-separated list, specifying selection of posts from multiple categories.

  get_posts('numberposts=5&category=1,5,6'); // get the 5 most recent posts from categories 1,5, and 6 (singular still works as before)
  

• The query may be inverted, so that the results are from any categories BUT the ones specified.

  get_posts('numberposts=5&category=3,4&category_exclude=1'); // get the 5 most recent posts from all categories other than categories 3 and 4 (singular also works)
  

I haven't thoroughly tested this code, it's more for discussion purposes at this point. But I'm fairly confident that it's a complete solution.

(btw-- there is no 2.2.3 yet in the trac version menu)

[DD32]

The underlying code for categories has changed in 2.3
It appears that 2.3 allready has the ability to exclude/include posts based on the category

See line 199/235 here:
​http://trac.wordpress.org/browser/trunk/wp-includes/post.php#L193

[DD32]

Scratch that, Sorry, It only includes/excludes based upon the Post ID's, not the categories.

But you may want to create patches/modifications based on the current 2.3(trunk) source rather than the 2.2 code branch.

[filosofo]

For a while now get_posts has been based on WP_Query, so you can use all the typical Loop parameters: categoryin, showposts, etc.