How to Clean Up WordPress Shortcodes
When working on a new premium WordPress theme, it’s not uncommon to encounter issues with the formatting of shortcodes. One common problem is the addition of extra spacing due to stray empty paragraph (p) tags that are automatically added by WordPress. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this problem.
The solution can be found on the Themeforest (TF) forum, where a user shared a function that cleans up the output of shortcodes. This function is especially useful for nested shortcodes. To implement this solution, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open your functions.php file or create a new file to hold your shortcodes.
Step 2: Copy and paste the following code into your functions.php file:
“`
if( !function_exists(‘wpex_fix_shortcodes’) ) {
function wpex_fix_shortcodes($content){
$array = array (
‘
[‘ => ‘[‘,
‘]
‘ => ‘]’,
‘]
‘ => ‘]’
);
$content = strtr($content, $array);
return $content;
}
add_filter(‘the_content’, ‘wpex_fix_shortcodes’);
}
“`
Step 3: Save the file.
Now, let’s take a closer look at what this code does.
The function `wpex_fix_shortcodes` takes the content of the post before it is outputted and replaces specific code as mentioned below:
1. All instances of `
[` are replaced with `[` – This removes opening paragraphs before shortcodes.
2. All instances of `]
` are replaced with `]` – This removes closing p tags after shortcodes.
3. All instances of `]
` are replaced with `]` – This removes breaks after shortcodes.
By implementing this function, you can ensure that your shortcodes are displayed without any unwanted spacing or formatting issues caused by stray paragraph tags.
It’s important to note that this solution is not limited to pricing table shortcodes. It can be used for any type of shortcode that is affected by the addition of extra spacing.
In addition to cleaning up the output of shortcodes, this function also helps with nested shortcodes. Nested shortcodes are shortcodes that are placed within other shortcodes. Without proper formatting, nested shortcodes can cause even more spacing issues. However, with the `wpex_fix_shortcodes` function in place, these issues can be easily resolved.
Overall, this solution provides a quick and effective way to clean up the output of shortcodes in WordPress. By implementing this function, you can ensure that your shortcodes are displayed exactly as intended, without any unwanted spacing or formatting issues.
In conclusion, if you’re experiencing issues with extra spacing in your WordPress shortcodes, the `wpex_fix_shortcodes` function is a great solution. By adding this function to your functions.php file or wherever you hold your shortcodes, you can easily clean up the output of your shortcodes and ensure that they are displayed correctly. Whether you’re using pricing table shortcodes or any other type of shortcode, this solution will help you achieve the desired formatting and spacing.
