Category Template - Show Last Entry as Featured

Question

I am working on my category template. Here is how I want the page to display:

1. Category Name - this is done
2. The latest post for each category be on top (then styled which I can do).
3. The Category description - this is done
4. List all the rest of the posts for the category under it - I can list all the posts, but I want to skip the latest

Any help in pointing me in the right direction, I would appreciate it. Thanks

Answer 1

Use WP_Query's built in current_post counter in your loop:

while( have_posts() ):
    the_post();
    if( $wp_query->current_post == 0 ):
        // this is the first post in the loop
    else:
        // this is > first post
    endif;
endwhile;

EDIT w/html:

<?php
while( have_posts() ):
    the_post();
    if( $wp_query->current_post == 0 ):
        ?>
        featured post

        category description

        <ul>
        <?php
    else:
        ?>
        <li>post</li>
        <?php
    endif;
endwhile;
?>
</ul>

Answer 2

Create a $counter variable (that equals 0 at the beginning) outside of the posts loop. Increment the variable by 1 in the loop. Again, inside the loop check if the counter is 0, if yes - do nothing, if it's bigger than 0 - show the post. :)