WP Post Columns Plugin
This WordPress plugin allows you to easily create columns within your posts. Usefull for sites with a magazine / newspaper style layout, or if you want text to appear on one side of the post with an image displayed opposite. It is much easier than creating html tables within posts, perfect for users with no coding experience.
As you can see from this example it is also possible to have text, before or after the columns, which spans the full width of the post.
It is currently a Beta version and therefore does not have an options menu in wordpress, so you need to configure the width of your columns in the plugin file itself (which is still really easy). It is based on something I built for a bespoke wordpress theme I was working on, and thought was useful enough to share.
Adding the columns to your post is incredibly simple, you just add the tag {columnX} to your post to begin the column and {/columnX} to close the column. (Replace the X in the above example with either 1 or 2, depending on which column you are opening/closing). You can only have 2 columns at the moment.
Plans for future releases:
For the next release I plan to add an options page where you can set the number of columns (2 to 4), column margins, borders etc.
Installation:
- Download the plugin file and unzip.
- Upload the wp_post_columns.php file to your wp-content/plugins folder.
- Activate the plugin from the Plugins page in WordPress.
Usage:
- To configure the width of the columns go to the Plugins page in wordpress. Locate the plugin from the list and click edit. Beneath the licensing info you will see clearly labelled 'Set up your columns width and right padding'. You can set the widths in px,mm,em,% etc.
- When writing a post you can use the tags {columnX} and {/columnX} to start and end each column. Replace the X in this example with either number 1 or 2 depending on which column you are opening or closing.
Updates:
24/4/2008 - Minor update to version 1.1 - Added extra preg_replace code to remove implicit <p> tags inserted by wordpress
27/4/2008 - Minor update to version 1.2 - added priority of 13 to add_filter to make compatible with 2.5.1 - preg_replace is called after shortcodes have been processed (priority 11)
Download Plugin:
Sounds interesting. Does it work for pages, too???
Yes, it works on pages too.
And it works great. Thank you!
I had a problem using it on my site, as it wouldnt float the 2nd column to the right of the first, instead it is on the right, but starts when the first column stops.
Any ideas what could cause that at all?
Thanks
Hi Simon,
It is possible that your column widths were set too wide, so the two columns couldn't sit side by side. Try setting the widths narrower and using a percentage (45% and 45%) and see if that works.
Sam
FYI, this plugin shuts down Simple Tags. Not sure why, but I had to turn it off till it's figured out.
Nice work though, I really need this one.
Great plugin! Just a quick question… having reduced the width of the column to a mere 25% I find that the post title and comment section are still in there original position as if the are still in one column. Any ideas?
Hi Smiddy
I don't know what could be causing this. Send me a link to look at and I should be able to help.
Sam
Hi there, seems to be an intersting plugin. However, when I try to dl it I end up with an empty zip file ? Francois.
Brilliant - many thanks
Hi, I'm unable to download the plug-in, I kept getting downloading zero-byte file. Please help?
@ Vaska & Francois
This problem (in IE only) should be solved now. Appologies for the inconvenience.
Sam
HI Sam,The plugin was working prior to updating to WP 2.5. Have you tested it on 2.5, any idea why it won't work for me anymore? Now it just shows the tags when I publish the column.Thank you,Kenya
Hi Sam,The plugin doesn't seem to be working since I upgraded to 2.5. Any idea why? Now the tags show and there are no columns when I post.Thank you,Kenya
Hi Kenya
I just looked at your site, and the plugin still appears to be working (I could identify it's code). The reason the two columns are stacked one on top of the other is that the image is too wide and is therfore forcing the second column down, reduce the width of the image, or place it after the second column and the problem should be solved.
Sam
Hi Sam,
I\’m am running WP2.5 with the theme (Cutline 3-Column Split 1.1).
As far as I am concern, I am doing everything as stated in your install documentation but can not get the the column when I post.
Is there a functional website the I can take a look at to see what it looks like?
Does the plugin works with WP2.5?
Thanks
Hi Charles
It is working in this post (notice how the content splits into two columns). What happens when you try to use the plugin?
Sam
p.s I’m running 2.5 so it does work in 2.5
Sam,
Your two columns split looks great, that is exactly what I am trying to accomplish.
Despite reducing my column width from 45% to 25%, I am still getting an extended width page.
I want to believe that my template is the culprit (Cutline 3-Column Split 1.1). I’m going to find out how to create a one column post and insert the column tags.
Hi Charles
When you write the post it should be formatted like so:
{column1}
Column 1 content
{/column1}
{column2}
Column 2 content
{/column2}
It should work with your template too.
Sam,
I did EXACTLY as was suggested. I also reduced the width to 15% respectively.
This is what it looks like:
http://www.businessafterhours.us/2008/04/14/test-column.html
Your patience is greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Charles
Hi Charles
I had a quick look, it looks like its working to me. The problem is that the columns are set too narrow. This is causing the longer strings of text ‘TTTTTTTT’ and ‘NNNNNNNN’ that are non-breaking to spill out of the boundary of the column.
Sam
Thanks for great plugin! just two question..
Can i align a image in column2 in any way? when i use a smaler image it looks bad when its all the way to the right and the text is to the left.. And also when its text in both column i think its a bit to big space between them if the text is continuing in column2..
Interesting plugin, especially if WP is used as a “pseudo” CMS solution, is it still in development?
Cheers,
Gene
I created a test page using the above mentioned method:
{/column1}
{column2}
Column 2 content
But found that the first line of column 2 was 1 line down from column 1 (carriage return) so I corrected the layout by doing:
{/column1}
{column2}Column 2 content
Cheers,
Gene
I’m also having problems with aligning an image to the exact width of the text. How do i make it nice and neat?
[...] WP Post Columns: Give posts columns, just like the newspaper [...]
[...] WP Post Columns Plugin - Sam BurdgeThis WordPress plugin allows you to easily create columns within your posts. Usefull for sites with a magazine / newspaper style layout, or if you want text to appear on one side [...]
I’ll try it…
Hi I uploaded your plugin to my host then dragged it to WP content/plugin file,but it does not show in my plugin list(where one activates plugins)
Sam, you’re an absolute star. I’ve been looking for just this kind of plugin for ages!
Thanks! Great Plug in works fine.
One Question. Is it possible to define a min width of a column and if there is enough space to fill up the rest? My Layout is variable between 65 and 85em
so s.th like that would be great.. unfortunately it does not work this way.
$column1width = ‘32em auto’;
$column1paddingright = ‘1em’;
$column2width = ‘32em auto’;
$column2paddingright = ‘0px’;
Ps. How to make three Columns?
Sam,
this is brilliant! I’m using WP as a CMS and this plugin is exactly what I needed. Thanks for sharing.
thank you so much for this - it’s perfect!
Hi Sam!
I REALLY love this plugin, but found it caused problems when used with Darren Hoyt’s theme “Mimbo Pro”. That theme uses custom images, and somehow, when WP Post Columns was active, it caused the normally stripped image & HTML in “the_excerpt” to display. Could you investigate this? I need your plugin.
Thanks
tests time mashine
This Plugin collides with the http://anthologyoi.com/awp Ajax Plugin.
In other words. Ajaxed Wordpress does not work when WP Post Columns is activated.
Wonder why and how to fix this issue.
Thanks, this is exactly what i was looking for.
This is just what I have been looking for!!! When I ftp the file it does not show in the plugins. Guess this means that the theme won’t support it?????? Any help
[...] WP Post Columns 这个Wordpress插件可以让你为你的文章创建多个栏目, 从而实现杂志型或者说类似门户网站的布局风格. 插件主页 [...]
Wow, this plugin is awesome. Thanks!
Sam, I love your wp post column plugin! And I wanted you to know that it does not work with the wp e-commerce plugin. I was wondering if you have considered an upgrade!!?
Thanks again for your awesome plugins!
This is just what I’m looking for……but……it doesn’t work in Wordpress 2.6. I wish it would. Any plans for an upgrade?