Add pagination to table generated by wp_query

Question

I spent hours trying to find a solution to this, but I am not able to figure it out. I have a table that shows user's data and I am trying to add pagination to it.

I have tried by adding "paged" in the array but when I click on the link I get "Page not found".

If I understand correctly the problem is created due to the fact that I have a table generated instead of "calling" posts.

Here's what I have now:

    <?php if ( !function_exists('gb_is_user_merchant_role') || !gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'deal_admin' ) ) ): ?>
<div class="dashboard_container section main_block">
<?php   
// Purchase history
    if ( gb_account_merchant_id() ) {
        $deals = null;
        $paged = (get_query_var('paged')) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
        $args = array(
            'post_type' => gb_get_deal_post_type(),
            'post__in' => gb_get_merchants_deal_ids(gb_account_merchant_id()),
            'post_status' => 'publish',
            'gb_bypass_filter' => TRUE,
            'posts_per_page' => 5, // return this many
            'paged' => $paged,
            'tax_query' => array(
                array(
                    'taxonomy' => gb_get_deal_cat_slug(),
                    'field'    => 'id',
                    'terms'    => array( 81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92 ),
                    'operator' => 'NOT IN',
                ),
            ),

        );
        if ( isset( $_GET['filter'] ) && $_GET['filter'] != '-1' ) {
            $args['tax_query'][] = array(
                'taxonomy' => gb_get_deal_cat_slug(),
                'field' => 'id',
                'terms' => array( $_GET['filter'] ),                    
                );
        }
        $deals = new WP_Query($args);
        if ($deals->have_posts()) {
            ?>

        <?php if ( !function_exists('gb_is_user_merchant_role') || !gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'coupon_admin' ) ) ): ?>
            <span class="specialLink_here" style="font-size:16px;"><a href="<?php gb_merchant_purchases_report_url( gb_account_merchant_id() ) ?>" class="report_button"><?php gb_e('Purchase History') ?></a>  |  </span>
            <?php if ( function_exists( 'gb_sales_summary_report_url' ) ): ?>
                <span class="specialLink_here" style="font-size:16px;"><a href="<?php gb_sales_summary_report_url() ?>" class="report_button"><?php gb_e('Sales Summary Report') ?></a>  |  </span>                 
            <?php endif ?>
        <?php endif ?>

        <?php if ( !function_exists('gb_is_user_merchant_role') || gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'merchant_admin', 'sales_admin' ) ) ): ?>
            <?php if ( function_exists( 'sec_get_users_report_url' ) ): ?>
                <span class="specialLink_here" style="font-size:16px;"><a href="<?php echo sec_get_users_report_url() ?>" class="report_button"><?php gb_e('Customer Report') ?></a></span>                 
            <?php endif ?>
        <?php endif ?>

        <table class="report_table merchant_dashboard" style="margin-top:20px;"><!-- Begin .purchase-table -->

        <thead>
        <tr>
        <th class="contrast th_status" style="padding:10px;"><?php gb_e('Status'); ?>     </th>
        <th class="purchase-purchase_deal_title-title contrast" style="padding:10px;"><?php gb_e('Deal'); ?></th>
        <th class="contrast th_total_sold" style="padding:10px;"><?php gb_e('Total Sold'); ?></th>
        <th class="contrast th_published" style="padding:10px;"><?php gb_e('Published'); ?></th>
        <th class="contrast th_category" style="padding:10px;">
            <form action="" method="get" >
                <?php
                    $selected = ( isset( $_GET['filter'] ) && $_GET['filter'] != '' ) ? $_GET['filter'] : 0 ;
                    $args = array(
                    'show_option_none'   => gb__('Category Filter'),
                    'orderby'            => 'name',
                    'hide_empty'         => 1,
                    'exclude'            => '81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,90,91,92', // comma separated list of ids.
                    'echo'               => 0,
                    'name'               => 'filter',
                    'selected'           => $selected,
                    'taxonomy'           => gb_get_deal_cat_slug() );
                    $select = wp_dropdown_categories( $args );
                    $select = preg_replace("#<select([^>]*)>#", "<select$1 onchange='return this.form.submit()'>", $select);
                    echo $select;
                    ?>
                <noscript><div><input type="submit" value="View" /></div></noscript>
            </form>
        </th>
        <th class="contrast th_reports" style="padding:10px;"><?php gb_e('Reports'); ?></th>
        </tr>
        </thead>

        <tbody>

        <?php
        while ($deals->have_posts()) : $deals->the_post();

            // Build an array of the deal's categories.             
            $category_array = array();
            $cats = gb_get_deal_categories( get_the_ID() );
            foreach ( $cats as $cat ) {
                $category_array[] = '<a href="'.get_term_link( $cat->slug, gb_get_deal_cat_slug() ).'">'.$cat->name.'</a>';
            } ?>
            <tr id="published_deal_<?php the_ID() ?>">

            <td class="td_status">

                <?php if ( !function_exists('gb_is_user_merchant_role') || !gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'sales_admin' ) ) || ( gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'sales_admin' ) ) && in_array( gb_get_status(), array( 'open', 'closed' ) ) ) ): ?>
                    <span class="alt_button<?php if (gb_get_status() == 'closed') echo ' contrast_button' ?>"><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php echo gb_get_status() ?></a></span>
                    <br/>

                    <?php if ( !function_exists('gb_is_user_merchant_role') || !gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'coupon_admin', 'sales_admin' ) ) ): ?>
                        <a href="#" class="deal_suspend_button alt_button contrast_button" rel="<?php the_ID() ?>"><?php gb_e('Suspend') ?></a>
                    <?php endif ?>  
                <?php endif ?>  
            </td>

            <td class="purchase_deal_title">
            <?php the_title() ?>
            <br/>
            <a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>" target="_blank"><?php gb_e('View Deal') ?></a>
            <?php if ( !function_exists('gb_is_user_merchant_role') || !gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'coupon_admin', 'sales_admin' ) ) ): ?>
                <a href="<?php gb_deal_edit_url() ?>" target="_blank"><?php gb_e('Edit') ?></a>
            <?php endif ?>
            </td> 

            <td class="td_total_sold"><?php gb_number_of_purchases() ?></td>

            <td class="td_published"><p><?php printf( gb__('Published: %s'), get_the_date() ) ?></p><p><?php printf( gb__('Modified: %s'), get_the_modified_date() ) ?></p></td>

            <td class="td_category"><?php echo implode( ', ', $category_array ) ?></td>

            <td class="td_reports">
            <?php if ( !function_exists('gb_is_user_merchant_role') || !gb_is_user_merchant_role( array( 'coupon_admin' ) ) ): ?>
                <span class="report_button"><?php gb_merchant_purchase_report_link() ?></span>
            <?php endif ?>
            <span class="report_button"><?php gb_merchant_voucher_report_link() ?></span>
            </td>

            </tr>
            <?php
        endwhile; ?>
        </tbody>
        </table><!-- End .purchase-table -->

        <?php
        } else {
            echo '<p>'.gb__('No sales info.').'</p>';
        }
    } else {
        echo '<p>'.gb__('Restricted to Businesses.').'</p>';
    }
?>

<?php if (  $deals->max_num_pages > 1 ) : ?>
                    <div id="nav-below" class="navigation clearfix">
                        <div class="nav-previous"><?php next_posts_link( gb__( '<span class="meta-nav">&larr;</span> Older deals' ), $deals->max_num_pages ); ?></div>
                        <div class="nav-next"><?php previous_posts_link( gb__( 'Newer deals <span class="meta-nav">&rarr;</span>' ), $deals->max_num_pages ); ?></div>
                    </div><!-- #nav-below -->
                <?php endif; ?>
                <?php wp_reset_query(); ?>  

Answer 1

As already pointed out in comments

• gb_bypass_filter is not a valid parameter for WP_Query. If you want to suppress to effect of filters on your query, add 'suppress_filters' => true to your query arguments

• previous_posts_link() does not accept two arguments, only one. Unlike next_posts_link(), it does not have the second $max_pages parameter. So you can remove that part from your function

• When using WP_Query, you should use wp_reset_postdata(), not wp_reset_query(). The latter is used with query_posts which you should never ever use.

• If this is a static frontpage, you should use page as value to your paged parameter, not paged

I had a second look at your code, and it does seem that your code is a bit disjointed. Make the following adjustments

• Move your pagination to just below the line endwhile or </table> , depending where you would want to display your pagination. The latter however looks like the correct place

• Move wp_reset_postdata() to just below your pagination, this should all be between endwhile and the first occurance of } else {. The reason for this is, when there is no posts, what are you resetting :-)

Apart from that, your code should work and paginate as normal. If it does not, try the following

• Add the suppress_filters argument to your query. This will be a test to see if you don't have external filters that are modifying your query

• Turn debug on, and check for any obvious bugs and errors

• Flush your permalinks again by visiting the permalink settings page

• Dump your custom query (var_dump($deals);) and check thst all inputs and outputs is what you expect them to be. Pay attention to max_num_pages and make sure that you have more than one page

• Deactivate all plugins one by one to eliminate them as possible causes of your issue. Also, clear all caches. Also try your code on a bundled theme

Apart from that, it is really difficult to say what is causing your issue

Answer 2

The previous_posts_link and next_posts_link functions are for archive page pagination, they both check if is_single is not true, so will not work on any sort of single post, page, or custom post type.

You need to use paginate_links instead: http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/paginate_links