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Function Reference/get children

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Description

get_children() retrieves attachments, revisions, or sub-Pages, possibly by post parent. It works similarly to get_posts().

Synopsis

array $children =& get_children( mixed $args = "", constant $output = OBJECT);

Return values

Returns an associative array of posts (of variable type set by $output parameter) with post IDs as array keys, or an empty array if no posts are found.

Prior to Version 2.9, the return value would be false when no children found.

Default parameters (Version 2.7)

$defaults = array( 
    'post_parent' => 0,
    'post_type'   => 'any', 
    'numberposts' => -1,
    'post_status' => 'any'
);

Parameters

See get_posts() for a full list of parameters.

As of Version 2.6, you must pass a non-empty post_type parameter (either attachment or page).

$args: (mixed) Passing a query-style string or array sets several parameters (below). Passing an integer post ID or a post object will retrieve children of that post; passing an empty value will retrieve children of the current post or Page.
$args['numberposts']: (integer) Number of child posts to retrieve. Optional; default: -1 (unlimited)
$args['post_parent']: (integer) Pass the ID of a post or Page to get its children. Pass 0 to get attachments without parent. Pass null to get any child regardless of parent. Optional; default: 0 (no parent)
$args['post_type']: (string) Any value from post_type column of the posts table, such as attachment, page, or revision; or the keyword any. Default: any
$args['post_status']: (string) Any value from the post_status column of the wp_posts table, such as publish, draft, or inherit; or the keyword any. Default: any
$args['post_mime_type']: (string) A full or partial mime-type, e.g. image, video, video/mp4, which is matched against a post's post_mime_type field
$output: (constant) Variable type of the array items returned by the function: one of OBJECT, ARRAY_A, ARRAY_N. Optional; default: OBJECT

Examples

If you just want to get or display attachments, it's probably a little easier to use get_posts() instead.

$images =& get_children( 'post_type=attachment&post_mime_type=image' );

$videos =& get_children( 'post_type=attachment&post_mime_type=video/mp4' );

if ( empty($images) ) {
	// no attachments here
} else {
	foreach ( $images as $attachment_id => $attachment ) {
		echo wp_get_attachment_image( $attachment_id, 'full' );
	}
}

//  If you don't need to handle an empty result:

foreach ( (array) $videos as $attachment_id => $attachment ) {
	echo wp_get_attachment_link( $attachment_id );
}

Show the first image associated with the post

This function retrieves the first image associated with a post

<?php
function echo_first_image( $postID ) {
	$args = array(
		'numberposts' => 1,
		'order' => 'ASC',
		'post_mime_type' => 'image',
		'post_parent' => $postID,
		'post_status' => null,
		'post_type' => 'attachment',
	);

	$attachments = get_children( $args );

	if ( $attachments ) {
		foreach ( $attachments as $attachment ) {
			$image_attributes = wp_get_attachment_image_src( $attachment->ID, 'thumbnail' )  ? wp_get_attachment_image_src( $attachment->ID, 'thumbnail' ) : wp_get_attachment_image_src( $attachment->ID, 'full' );

			echo '<img src="' . wp_get_attachment_thumb_url( $attachment->ID ) . '" class="current">';
		}
	}
}

Show the first image associated with the post and re-key the array

In the example above, a primary array is keyed with the image ID (the exact thing which is being sought - since we don't know it how are we supposed to access it?). The code below provides an easier handle for the image information: the array $child_image. Should be used in the loop.

$args = array(
	'numberposts' => 1,
	'order'=> 'DESC',
	'post_mime_type' => 'image',
	'post_parent' => $post->ID,
	'post_type' => 'attachment'
	);

$get_children_array = get_children($args,ARRAY_A);  //returns Array ( [$image_ID]... 
$rekeyed_array = array_values($get_children_array);
$child_image = $rekeyed_array[0];  


print_r($child_image);  	//Show the contents of the $child_image array.
echo $child_image['ID'];   	//Show the $child_image ID.

Change Log

Since: 2.0.0

Source File

get_children() is located in wp-includes/post.php.