[wp-hackers] Idea: Rename the Excerpt to something accurate

[Peter Westwood]

On 28 Feb 2009, at 23:42, Lynne Pope wrote:

> I'm all for improved functionality.
>
> Over the years the key things my clients have wanted from  
> the_excerpt are:
> 1. control over length (both characters and words);
> 2. HTML formatting (achievable only if formatting filters are  
> removed now);
> 3. control over the "more" - few like the [...] but not everyone  
> knows how
> to write a function to change this.

This is in general available at present by unhooking filters and  
replacing wp_trim_excerpt.

It could be improved if the_excerpt took some arguments and I am sure  
a patch that improved this would get favourable attention ;-)

>
> 4. ability to select whether to include the_excerpt above the post  
> content
> or not, by use of a radio button.
>

This isn't the sort of thing that merits a core option - this is all  
about how you write a theme and whether or not you are creating a  
specific theme or a generic theme.

If this option was to exist it would be part of a themes options page.

> Still not convinced about changing the name though. the_summary  
> would be
> just as misleading as the_excerpt (keeping an open mind about that  
> though as
> I am interested in how many people actually think of it as a summary).


I don't think there is a strong need to change the name - and it is a  
term that is common across most blogging software with the same meaning.

Cheers

westi
-- 
Peter Westwood
http://blog.ftwr.co.uk | http://westi.wordpress.com
C53C F8FC 8796 8508 88D6 C950 54F4 5DCD A834 01C5