Get default permalink structure from pretty URL's

Question

When a single post is clicked on from a category page or for that matter any page, you can get the URL of that referrer and parse it to get the query string. But this only works with the default permalink structure

Example when the referrer is a category page:

A var_dump( parse_url( wp_get_referer() ) ); gives the following output with the default permalink structure

array(4) {
  ["scheme"]=>
  string(4) "http"
  ["host"]=>
  string(9) "localhost"
  ["path"]=>
  string(11) "/wordpress/"
  ["query"]=>
  string(5) "cat=7"
}

With the same var_dump() with permalinks set to /%postname%/, this is what you get

array(3) {
  ["scheme"]=>
  string(4) "http"
  ["host"]=>
  string(9) "localhost"
  ["path"]=>
  string(32) "/wordpress/category/uit-my-lewe/"
}

I can use the path from the second block of code with get_category_by_path(), I can get the category objects

My problem is, how do I go about this for taxonomy terms.

I've done a test. I have a custom taxonomy event_cat. If I rewrite it to event-slug, I get the following path using /%postname%/ as permalink structure

/wordpress/event-slug/5-star/

and

event_cat=5-star

using the default structure

Automatically my taxonomy name won't be in the URL, just my term's slug. So, this will not be a very fail safe method getting objects from the term.

My question is, how do I properly get the default permalink structure get the query string, or the query string or the taxonomy and term name from the /%postname%/ permalink structure

Answer 1

First of all I have to say that wp_get_referer() is not 100% reliable because it relies on $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] that is not 100% reliable, from php.net docs:

The address of the page (if any) which referred the user agent to the current page. This is set by the user agent. Not all user agents will set this, and some provide the ability to modify HTTP_REFERER as a feature. In short, it cannot really be trusted.

Alternative Solution

If you can add to post url a query argument that says where the post comes from, it will be more reliable and you don't need to parse an url to get a term object.

Example:

add_filter('post_link', function($permalink) {
  if (is_category() && ($cat = get_queried_object())) {
    $permalink = esc_url(add_query_arg(array('catfrom' => $cat->term_id), $permalink));
  }
  return $permalink;
});

Doing so, post permalinks clicked from a category page will send you to an url like

http://example.com/wordpress/post-name?catfrom=12

And you can easily understand where the user comes from without relying on $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] and without any other effort.

Answer your question

Get query information starting from an url is something that WordPress does inside the WP::parse_request() method.

That method is intended to be used only once and only for "main" url (the url an user is viewing) and not for arbitrary urls.

Few months ago I wrote the Url To Query plugin with the aim to do same thing for arbitrary urls.

What I did was to take WP::parse_request(), and refactor it to a more sane OOP code and make it work with arbitrary urls (e.g. the url to process is received as arguments instead of be taken from $_SERVER var).

Using my plugin you can

$args = url_to_query('/wordpress/event-slug/5-star/');

var_dump($args); // array( 'event_slug' => '5-star' );

So you obtain the query arguments (something that you can straight pass to new WP_Query) starting from an url, that is exactly what WP::parse_request() does.

In your case you could probably check the args array with no need to actually run a query.

This can surely work, however I think that the additional effort needed to parse the url and the unreliability of $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] makes the first solution better for your scopes.

Answer 2

The original intention of this question was to know where a single post was referred from and then according to that, serve up the next and previous posts according to the post referrer.

What I wanted to accomplish was for example:

A post is clicked on from a category, taxonomy, tag, search, or author archive page. These archives serve as referrers. Now, normally one would use, as in my question, wp_get_referer() to get that referrer and use that in further queries. As described by @G.M. in his accepted answer above, this method is not reliable, so I went and used his Alternative Solution.

The other problem was needing to use some kind of cookie or session to store this referrer, so that you still dish up posts from the original referrer when you navigate away from the original single post that was clicked from the specific archive. As cookies are also controlled by the end user and thus not reliable, and the fact that WordPress does not use sessions by default, I refactored the next and previous post links using @G.M. Alternative Solution to have a reliable way of checking and storing my original referrer.

This is what I came up with, and I hope someone will find it useful in the near future. Please, use and abuse the code to fit your needs, just one request: leave a link back to this question. :-)

NOTES ON CODE TO FOLLOW

• This code is quite long and intensive, so I'm not going to go into details. The code has been well commented

• This code has the option to page between posts within the same term, just like the default next_post_link() and previous_post_link() functions in WordPress. Just like the native functions, you have to set the taxonomy. The default value for in_same_term is true and the taxonomy is category

• Most importantly, this code requires PHP 5.4+

THE CODE

<?php
/**
 * @author Pieter Goosen
 * @license GPLv2 
 * @link http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
 *
 * The functions on this page returns the next and previous post links
 * depending on what has been set
 *
 * @return function single_post_navigation()
*/ 

/**
 * Register six new query variables aq, ,cq, tq, ttq, taq, and sq set by 
 * the term_referer_link function
 *
 * @see http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Query_Vars
 *
*/ 
add_filter( 'query_vars', function ( $vars ) {

    $vars[] = 'cq'; // Will hold category ID
    $vars[] = 'tq'; // Will hold taxonomy name
    $vars[] = 'ttq'; // Will hold term slug
    $vars[] = 'sq'; // Will hold search query
    $vars[] = 'aq'; // Will hold author name
    $vars[] = 'taq'; // Will hold tag id


    return $vars;

}, 10, 3 );

/**
 * Conditional tag to check whether or not a query_var has been set
 *
 * @param string $query_var query_var to check
 * @return (bool) true if query_var exists, false on failure
 *
*/
function has_query_var( $query_var ) {

    $array = $GLOBALS['wp_query']->query_vars;

    return array_key_exists( $query_var, $array );

}

/**
 * For posts being clicked from a category page, the query_var, 'cq' is set. 
 * 'cq' holds the category ID
 *
 * Set two query_var, 'tq' and 'ttq' to single posts that was clicked on from 
 * taxonomy pages. 'tq' holds the taxonomy name while 'ttq' holds the term name
 *
 * For search queries, the query_var, 'sq' is set to single posts that was clicked on from 
 * the search page. 'sq' holds the search query value
 *
 * For posts being clicked from an author page, the query_var, 'aq' is set. 
 * 'aq' holds the author ID
 *
 * For posts being clicked from a tag page, the query_var, 'taq' is set. 
 * 'taq' holds the tag ID
 *
 * This function replaces the wp_get_referer() and $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']
 * functions that are not very reliable
 * @see php.net manual $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER']
 * @link http://php.net/manual/en/reserved.variables.server.php
 *
 * @uses add_query_arg()
 * @uses post_link
 * @uses post_type_link
 *
*/
add_filter( 'post_type_link', 'term_referer_link', 10, 3 );
add_filter( 'post_link', 'term_referer_link', 10, 3 );

function term_referer_link( $permalink, $post ) {

    switch ( true ) {

        case ( is_category() ):

            $category = get_queried_object_id();

            $args = [
                'cq'    => $category, 
            ];

            break;
        case ( is_tax() ):

            $term = get_queried_object();

            $args = [
                'tq'    => $term->taxonomy, 
                'ttq'   => $term->slug
            ];

            break;

        case ( is_search() ):

            $search = get_search_query();

            $args = [
                'sq'    => $search, 
            ];

            break;

        case ( is_author() ):

            $author = get_queried_object_id();

            $args = [
                'aq'    => $author,
            ];

            break;

        case ( is_tag() ):

            $tag = get_queried_object_id();

            $args = [
                'taq'   => $tag,
            ];

            break;

    }

    if( isset( $args ) ) { 

        $permalink  = add_query_arg( $args, $permalink );

    }

    return $permalink;

}

/**
 * @access private
 * This function is marked private and should not be used in any other functions
 *
 * This is a helper function for the main navigation function 
 * 
 * This function checks if any of the query variables is set in the single
 * post page URL. If they exist, the values are retrieved that were set
 * by the query variables
 *
 * These query variables are converted into query arguments for the query that will
 * be used to determine the current post position and the posts adjacent to the
 * current post which will translate in the next and previous post. 
 * 
 * When no query variables are present, an empty array of arguments is returned
 * 
 * @uses has_query_var()
 * @return (array) $add_query_args_to_args Query variable to determine the next/previous post links
 * @see http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/add_query_arg
 *
*/
function _query_vars_to_query_args() {

    switch ( true ) {

        case ( has_query_var( 'cq' ) ): // For category referrer

            $category = get_query_var( 'cq' );

            $add_query_args_to_args = [
                'cat' => $category,
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'tq' ) && has_query_var( 'ttq' ) ): // For taxonomy term referrer

            $taxonomy   = get_query_var( 'tq' );
            $term       = get_query_var( 'ttq' );

            $add_query_args_to_args = [
                'tax_query' => [
                    [
                        'taxonomy'          => $taxonomy,
                        'field'             => 'slug',
                        'terms'             => $term,
                        'include_children'  => false,
                    ],
                ],
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'sq' ) ): // For search referrer

            $search = get_query_var( 'sq' );

            $add_query_args_to_args = [
                's' => $search,
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'aq' ) ): // For author referrer

            $author = get_query_var( 'aq' );

            $add_query_args_to_args = [
                'author' => $author,
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'taq' ) ): // For tag referrer

            $tag = get_query_var( 'taq' );

            $add_query_args_to_args = [
                'tag_id' => $tag,
            ];

            break;

        default: // Default: returns empty array on any other archive or homepage

            $add_query_args_to_args = [];

            break;

    }

    return $add_query_args_to_args;

}
/**
 * @access private
 * This function is marked private and should not be used in any other functions
 *
 * This is a helper function for the main pagination function. This function 
 * checks if the defined query variables has been set in the URL of a single
 * post
 * 
 * If any of the query variables are found on any given single post page, then 
 * these query variables will be set to the next and previous post links according
 * to the single post's query variables
 * 
 * This way, next and previous posts will be shown from the same category, term, 
 * search query or author archive from which the original single post was referred 
 * from. 
 *
 * If a single post was referred from any other archive or main page, these query 
 * variables will not be set, and function will default to an empty array and no
 * query variables will be set to the next and previous post links
 *
 * @uses has_query_var()
 * @return (array) $qv Query variable to add to next/previous post links
 * @see http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/add_query_arg
 *
 * @todo Other archives can be added later
*/
function _add_query_vars_to_nav_links() {

    switch ( true ) {

        case ( has_query_var( 'cq' ) ): // For category referrer

            $category = get_query_var( 'cq' );

            $qv = [
                'cq'    => $category, 
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'tq' ) && has_query_var( 'ttq' ) ): // For taxonomy term referrer

            $taxonomy   = get_query_var( 'tq' );
            $term       = get_query_var( 'ttq' );

            $qv = [
                'tq'    => $term->taxonomy, 
                'ttq'   => $term->slug
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'sq' ) ): // For search referrer

            $search = get_query_var( 'sq' );

            $qv = [
                'sq'    => $search, 
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'aq' ) ): // For author referrer

            $author = get_query_var( 'aq' );

            $qv = [
                'aq'    => $author,
            ];

            break;

        case ( has_query_var( 'taq' ) ): // For tag referrer

            $tag = get_query_var( 'taq' );

            $qv = [
                'taq'   => $tag,
            ];

            break;


        default: // Default: returns empty array on any other archive or homepage

            $qv = [];

            break;

    }

    return $qv;

}

/**
 * This function returns navigation links to the next/previous single post
 * There are choices to which taxonomy to use, and whether adjacent posts should
 * be of the same term or not
 * 
 * When in_same_term is set to true, you have a choice to use the parent term or
 * child term if a post belongs to both. If the parent term is not available, the child term 
 * is automatically used
 *
 * @param array $defaults An array of key => value arguments. Defaults below 
 * - bool in_same_term       Whether or not next/previous post should be in the same term Default true
 * - bool parent_term        If in_same_term is true, should the parent or child terms be used Default true
 * - string/array taxonomy   The taxonomy from which terms to use Default category
 * - string/array post_types Post types to get posts from. Uses current post's post type on empty string. Default empty string 
 * - string previous_text    Text to display with previous post Default 'Previous post'
 * - string next_text        Text to display with next post Default 'Next post'
 *
 * @return string $links
*/ 
function get_single_post_navigation( $args = [] ) {

    // Sets the default arguments for default usage
    $defaults = [
        'in_same_term'      => true,
        'parent_term'       => true,
        'post_types'         => '',
        'taxonomy'          => 'category',
        'previous_text'     => __( 'Previous post' ),
        'next_text'         => __( 'Next post' ),
    ];

    // Merges the default arguments with user defined variables
    $args = wp_parse_args( $args, $defaults );

    /**
     * Get the currently displayed single post. For this use 
     * get_queried_object() as this is more safe than the global $post
     *
     * The $post global is very easily changed by any poorly written custom query
     * or function, and is there for not reliable
     *
     * @see Post below on WPSE for explanation
     * @link https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/q/167706/31545
    */ 
    $single_post = get_queried_object();

    /**
     * Use the post type of the current post or post types entered in args
     *
    */ 
    $post_type   = ( empty( $args['post_types'] ) ) ? $single_post->post_type : $args['post_types'];


    // Set the variable query variables according to condition
    if( !empty( _query_vars_to_query_args() ) ) {

        $query_args = _query_vars_to_query_args(); 

    }elseif( true === $args['in_same_term'] ) {

        $terms =  wp_get_post_terms( $single_post->ID, $args['taxonomy'] ); 

        if ( ! empty( $terms ) && ! is_wp_error( $terms ) ){

            foreach ( $terms as $term ) {
                if( $term->parent === 0 ) {
                    $parent[] = $term;
                }else{
                    $child[] = $term;
                }
            }   

            $term_id = ( $args['parent_term'] === true && isset( $parent ) ) ? $parent[0]->term_id : $child[0]->term_id;

            $query_args = [ 
                'tax_query' => [
                    [
                        'taxonomy'          => $args['taxonomy'],
                        'field'             => 'term_id',
                        'terms'             => $term_id,
                        'include_children'  => false,
                    ],
                ],
            ];
        }

    }else{

        $query_args = [];

    }

    // Default arguments to use with all the conditional statements above
    $default_query_args = [ 
        'post_type'         => $post_type,
        'fields'            => 'ids',
        'posts_per_page'    => -1,
        'suppress_filters'  => true,
    ];

    // Merges the default arguments with the arguments from the conditional statement
    $combined_args = wp_parse_args( $query_args, $default_query_args );

    $q = new WP_Query( $combined_args );

    // Get the current post position. Will be used to determine adjacent posts
    $current_post_position = array_search( $single_post->ID, $q->posts );

    // Get the returned values from '_add_query_vars_to_nav_links()' to build links
    $get_qv = _add_query_vars_to_nav_links(); 

    // Get the next/older post ID
    if ( array_key_exists( $current_post_position + 1 , $q->posts ) ) {
        $next = $q->posts[$current_post_position + 1];
    }

    // Get post title link to the next post
    if( isset( $next ) ) {

        $next_post      = get_post( $next );
        $next_post_link = ( !empty( $get_qv ) ) ? add_query_arg( $get_qv, get_permalink( $next ) ) : get_permalink( $next );
        $next_title     = '<span class="meta-nav">' . $args['next_text'] . ': </span><a href="' . $next_post_link . '">' . $next_post->post_title . '</a></br>';

    }else{

        $next_title     = '';

    }

    // Get the previous/newer post ID
    if ( array_key_exists( $current_post_position - 1 , $q->posts ) ) {
        $previous = $q->posts[$current_post_position - 1];
    }

    // Get post title link to the previous post
    if( isset( $previous ) ) {

        $previous_post      = get_post( $previous );
        $previous_post_link = ( !empty( $get_qv ) ) ? add_query_arg( $get_qv, get_permalink( $previous ) ) : get_permalink( $previous );
        $previous_title     = '<span class="meta-nav">' . $args['previous_text'] . ': </span><a href="' . $previous_post_link . '">' . $previous_post->post_title . '</a></br>';

    }else{

        $previous_title     = '';

    }

    // Create the next/previous post links
    $links  = '<nav class="navigation post-navigation" role="navigation">';
    $links .= '<div class="nav-links">';
    $links .= $previous_title;
    $links .= $next_title;
    $links .= '</div><!-- .nav-links -->';
    $links .= '</nav><!-- .navigation -->';

    // Returns the post links with HTML mark-up
    return $links;

}

/** 
 * This function is simply just a wrapper for the main navigation
 * function and echo's the returned values from the main navigation
 * function
*/ 
function single_post_navigation( $args = [] ) {

    echo get_single_post_navigation( $args );

}

USAGE IN SINGLE TEMPLATES

If you do not need to navigate posts within the same term, get posts from all post types, and customize next and previous text with your link, you can do the following:

$args = [
    'in_same_term'     => false,
    'post_types'       => ['post', 'my_post_type'],
    'previous_text'      => __( 'Vorige Pos' ),
    'next_text'      => __( 'Volgende Pos' ),
];

single_post_navigation( $args );

EDIT 1

On request from a post on SO, and as part of a @todo, I have now introduced support to not only navigate between posts from the current post's post type, but from an array of post types set by the user using the post_types parameter in the function. Please see the updated code.

EDIT 2

Add 'suppress_filters' => true, to WP_Query arguments so that the pagination is not altered by any filters used within WP_Query