soderlind · July 24, 2025 08:04 · Jul 24, 2025 · Jan 31, 2025 · Jan 30, 2025 · Jan 30, 2025
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 > This is not a complete plugin, but a how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe). Search is in [class-wp-loupe-search.php](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe/blob/main/includes/class-wp-loupe-search.php)
 
-Sample below: 
+Code below: 
 - expects that you've created your own `search()` function, which returns an array with post id. (eg.: Eg.: `[ [ 'id' => 1 ], [ 'id' => 2 ] ]`)
 - includes pagination
 - tested (using [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe)) with [Twenty Twenty-Four](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfour/) and [Twenty Twenty-Five](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfive/)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ add_filter( 'posts_pre_query', 'my_posts_pre_query', 10, 2 );
  */
 function my_posts_pre_query( $posts, \WP_Query $query ) {
 	/**
-	 * Check if we are on the main query and on the search page. If not, return the original posts.
+	 * Check if we are on the main query and on the search page. If not, return to the original posts.
 	 */
 	if ( ! ( ! is_admin() && $query->is_main_query() && $query->is_search() && ! $query->is_admin ) ) {
-		return $posts;
+		return null; // To allow WP to run its normal queries.
 	}
 
 	$query->set( 'post_type', ['post','page'] ); // add cpt if needed

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ add_filter( 'posts_pre_query', 'my_posts_pre_query', 10, 2 );
  * and replace the results with our own. Also, we calculate the pagination parameters.
  *
  * @param array    $posts Array of posts.
- * @param \WP_Query $query WP_Query object.(passed by reference)
+ * @param \WP_Query $query WP_Query object (passed by reference).
  * @return array
  */
 function my_posts_pre_query( $posts, \WP_Query $query ) {

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ add_filter( 'posts_pre_query', 'my_posts_pre_query', 10, 2 );
  * and replace the results with our own. Also, we calculate the pagination parameters.
  *
  * @param array    $posts Array of posts.
- * @param \WP_Query $query WP_Query object.
+ * @param \WP_Query $query WP_Query object.(passed by reference)
  * @return array
  */
 function my_posts_pre_query( $posts, \WP_Query $query ) {

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Create a WordPress custom search
 
-> This not a complete plugin, but a how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe). Search is in [class-wp-loupe-search.php](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe/blob/main/includes/class-wp-loupe-search.php)
+> This is not a complete plugin, but a how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe). Search is in [class-wp-loupe-search.php](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe/blob/main/includes/class-wp-loupe-search.php)
 
 Sample below: 
 - expects that you've created your own `search()` function, which returns an array with post id. (eg.: Eg.: `[ [ 'id' => 1 ], [ 'id' => 2 ] ]`)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ Sample below:
 add_filter( 'posts_pre_query', 'my_posts_pre_query', 10, 2 );
 
 /**
- * Filter posts before the main query is executed. This is where we intercept the query and replace the results with
- * our own. Also, we calculate the pagination parameters.
+ * Filter posts before the main query is executed. This is where we intercept the query 
+ * and replace the results with our own. Also, we calculate the pagination parameters.
  *
  * @param array    $posts Array of posts.
  * @param \WP_Query $query WP_Query object.

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 Sample below: 
 - expects that you've created your own `search()` function, which returns an array with post id. (eg.: Eg.: `[ [ 'id' => 1 ], [ 'id' => 2 ] ]`)
-- include pagination
+- includes pagination
 - tested (using [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe)) with [Twenty Twenty-Four](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfour/) and [Twenty Twenty-Five](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfive/)
 
 

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Create a WordPress custom search
 
-> This not a complete plugin, but an how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe). Search is in [class-wp-loupe-search.php](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe/blob/main/includes/class-wp-loupe-search.php)
+> This not a complete plugin, but a how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe). Search is in [class-wp-loupe-search.php](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe/blob/main/includes/class-wp-loupe-search.php)
 
 Sample below: 
 - expects that you've created your own `search()` function, which returns an array with post id. (eg.: Eg.: `[ [ 'id' => 1 ], [ 'id' => 2 ] ]`)

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # Create a WordPress custom search
 
-> This not a complete plugin, but an how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe)
+> This not a complete plugin, but an how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe). Search is in [class-wp-loupe-search.php](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe/blob/main/includes/class-wp-loupe-search.php)
 
 Sample below: 
-- expects that you've created your search, which returns an array with post id.
+- expects that you've created your own `search()` function, which returns an array with post id. (eg.: Eg.: `[ [ 'id' => 1 ], [ 'id' => 2 ] ]`)
 - include pagination
 - tested (using [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe)) with [Twenty Twenty-Four](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfour/) and [Twenty Twenty-Five](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfive/)
 
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@ function my_posts_pre_query( $posts, \WP_Query $query ) {
 	 * - id: The post ID
 	 * Eg.: [ [ 'id' => 1 ], [ 'id' => 2 ] ]
 	 */
-	$hits        = search( $query->query_vars[ 'search_terms' ] ); // Your search function
+	$hits = search( $query->query_vars[ 'search_terms' ] ); // Your search function
 
 	// Get all search results first
-	$all_posts               = create_post_objects( $hits );
+	$all_posts         = create_post_objects( $hits ); // see below
 	$total_found_posts = count( $all_posts );
 
 	// Get pagination parameters

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# Create a WordPress custom search
+
+> This not a complete plugin, but an how-to. Want more, take a look at my [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe)
+
+Sample below: 
+- expects that you've created your search, which returns an array with post id.
+- include pagination
+- tested (using [WP Loop plugin](https://github.com/soderlind/wp-loupe)) with [Twenty Twenty-Four](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfour/) and [Twenty Twenty-Five](https://wordpress.org/themes/twentytwentyfive/)
+
+
+```php
+
+
+add_filter( 'posts_pre_query', 'my_posts_pre_query', 10, 2 );
+
+/**
+ * Filter posts before the main query is executed. This is where we intercept the query and replace the results with
+ * our own. Also, we calculate the pagination parameters.
+ *
+ * @param array    $posts Array of posts.
+ * @param \WP_Query $query WP_Query object.
+ * @return array
+ */
+function my_posts_pre_query( $posts, \WP_Query $query ) {
+	/**
+	 * Check if we are on the main query and on the search page. If not, return the original posts.
+	 */
+	if ( ! ( ! is_admin() && $query->is_main_query() && $query->is_search() && ! $query->is_admin ) ) {
+		return $posts;
+	}
+
+	$query->set( 'post_type', ['post','page'] ); // add cpt if needed
+
+	/**
+	 * Hits is an array of search results. Each hit is an array with the following key:
+	 * - id: The post ID
+	 * Eg.: [ [ 'id' => 1 ], [ 'id' => 2 ] ]
+	 */
+	$hits        = search( $query->query_vars[ 'search_terms' ] ); // Your search function
+
+	// Get all search results first
+	$all_posts               = create_post_objects( $hits );
+	$total_found_posts = count( $all_posts );
+
+	// Get pagination parameters
+	$posts_per_page = get_option( 'posts_per_page' );
+	$paged          = get_query_var( 'paged' ) ? get_query_var( 'paged' ) : 1;
+	$offset         = ( $paged - 1 ) * $posts_per_page;
+
+	// Calculate max pages
+	$max_num_pages = ceil( $total_found_posts / $posts_per_page );
+
+	// Slice the results for current page
+	$paged_posts = array_slice( $all_posts, $offset, $posts_per_page );
+
+	// Update the main query object with pagination info
+	$query->found_posts   = $total_found_posts;
+	$query->max_num_pages = $max_num_pages;
+
+	// Set query pagination properties
+	$query->is_paged = $paged > 1;
+
+	return $paged_posts;
+
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create array with post objects
+ *
+ * @param array $hits Array of hits.
+ * @return array
+ */
+function create_post_objects( $hits ) {
+	$posts = [];
+
+	foreach ( $hits as $hit ) {
+		$post            = new \stdClass();
+		$post->ID        = $hit[ 'id' ];
+
+		$post = new \WP_Post( $post );
+		$posts[] = $post;
+	}
+	return $posts;
+}
+
+```