This document discusses how to store search results in WordPress sessions and transients to allow navigating between search results using next and previous links. It provides code to save the search string, results array, and other data to the session. Functions are included to get the next or previous result by ID from the results array stored in the session. Links are output to navigate the search results or fallback to default next/previous post links.

1. Traversing
Search Results
with Sessions + Transients

2. Tammy Hart
Web Designer + Developer
at UpTrending
@tammyhart

3. Objective:
1. Temporarily store search results
2. Navigate search results with next
and previous post links

4. You will need:
• WordPress site with several posts
• WP Session Manager Plugin by Eric Mann

5. 1 2 3
654
987
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? =

6. loopconf_search_array( $search_hash )
=
array( 2, 4, 8, 9, 11 )

7. /**
* Return search array
*/
function loopconf_search_array( $search_hash ) {
// check for existence of unique transient
if ( false === ( $search_array = get_transient(
'loopconf_search_' . $search_hash ) ) ) {
global $wpdb;
$posts = $wpdb->get_results( $GLOBALS['wp_query']->request );
$search_array = array();
if ( false === empty( $posts ) ) {
foreach ( $posts as $post ) {
$search_array[] = $post->ID;
}
}
// save the transient for 10 minutes
set_transient( 'loopconf_search_' . $search_hash,
$search_array, MINUTE_IN_SECONDS * 10 );
}
return $search_array;
}

8. ?
unique string
posts array
session

9. $wp_session['search_string'] = 'cats'
$wp_session['search_hash'] = 'lkmvdsoi939ks0fdm...'
$wp_session['search_array'] = array( 2, 4, 8, 9, 11 )

10. /**
* Set session search_string
*/
function loopconf_set_search_string() {
global $wp_query;
$wp_session = WP_Session::get_instance();
// if we’re on a search page, save the search data
if ( !is_admin() && is_search()
&& isset( $wp_query->query_vars_hash ) ) {
$search_string = $wp_query->query['s'];
$search_hash = $wp_query->query_vars_hash;
$wp_session['search_string'] = $search_string;
$wp_session['search_hash'] = $search_hash;
$wp_session['search_array'] = loopconf_search_array(
$search_hash );
}
// if we’re anywhere else, clear the search data
if ( !is_admin() && !is_search() && !is_single()
&& is_main_query() ) {
$wp_session['search_string'] =
$wp_session['search_hash'] =
$wp_session['search_array'] = null;
}
}
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', 'loopconf_set_search_string' );

11. Post 4 Post 9
Post 8
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12. if ( $go_forward ) { return 9 }
else { return 4 }

13. /**
* Get the next or previous post in the array
*/
function loopconf_get_next_search_result( $next = true ) {
$wp_session = WP_Session::get_instance();
// make sure there’s a search saved in the session
if ( isset( $wp_session['search_array'] ) === false ) {
return false;
}
// set variables
$next_key = 0;
$search_array = $wp_session['search_array']->toArray();
$current_key = array_search( get_the_ID(), $search_array );
...

14. ...
// get next or previous location in the array
if ( $next === true ) {
$next_key = $current_key + 1;
if ( isset( $search_array[$next_key] ) === false ) {
$next_key = 0;
}
} else {
$next_key = $current_key - 1;
if ( isset( $search_array[$next_key] ) === false ) {
end( $search_array );
$next_key = key( $search_array );
}
}
// return value from that location
return $search_array[$next_key];
}

15. <?php
$prev_url = $next_url = false;
// get next and prev search results or just the links
if ( loopconf_get_next_search_result() ) {
$wp_session = WP_Session::get_instance();
$prev_url = get_permalink( loopconf_get_next_search_result(
false ) );
$next_url = get_permalink( loopconf_get_next_search_result() );
} else {
$prev_url = get_previous_post();
$next_url = get_next_post();
}
?>
<div class="single-nav">
<a href="<?php echo esc_url( $prev_url ); ?>"
class="prev">Previous</a>
<a href="<?php echo esc_url( $next_url ); ?>"
class="next">Next</a>
</div>

16. Live example:
weststudio.com

17. Thanks!
bit.ly/traverse_loopconf
@uptrending / @tammyhart