pull data from a remote wordpress database

Question

I am trying to pull some data from a remote wordpress database. Here is the code I have:

$server = "my server code";
$user = "my username";
$password = "my password";
$db = "mydb";
$con = mysql_connect($server,$user,$password); 
if (!$con) {
    die("database connection error");

} else {

mysql_select_db($db, $con);

function dp_get_user_liked_posts($user_id, $fields = '') {

    global $wpdb;

    $tempDB = $wpdb;

$wpdb = new wpdb($user, $password, $db, $server);

    // Get user settings
    $settings = get_option('dp_post_likes');

        $login_required = !empty($settings['login_required']) ? true : false;

            if($login_required && !is_user_logged_in()) {

                echo '<p class="must-login">'.sprintf(__('You must <a href="%1$s">register</a> and <a href="%2$s">login</a> to view your liked videos.', 'dp'),  site_url('wp-login.php?action=register', 'login'), wp_login_url()).'</p>';

            } else {

    $settings = get_option('dp_post_likes');
    $user = get_current_user_id();
    $user_id = 2;
    $likes=query_posts(array(
                            'post_type' => 'post',
                            'ignore_sticky_posts' => true,
                            'filter_type' => 'user_liked',
                            'filter_user' => $user_id
                        ));

                global $wp_query;
                 $likes= array();
                 while (have_posts()) : 
                            $likes[]=the_post() ;
                        endwhile;

}}}  
        mysql_close($con);

$wpdb = $tempDB;

but it is not display $likes. What is did wrong?

Answer 1

Ok. There are few things wrong here.

query_posts isn't mean to be used that way so don't. Try the same code with $likes=new WP_Query(array(... instead.

$likes=new WP_Query(array(
                        'post_type' => 'post',
                        'ignore_sticky_posts' => true,
                        'filter_type' => 'user_liked',
                        'filter_user' => $user_id
                    ));

That is problem one. Then even if $likes were set correctly you'd clobber it.

$likes= array();

Why would you expect to have data in $likes after you've erased all of the data? Don't do that. Remove that line.

Now this:

while (have_posts()) : 
    $likes[]=the_post() ;
endwhile;

...is pointless. After you run the query $likes is already a collection of posts. Run var_dump($likes) and you will see what I mean. There is no need to loop over it just to do what is already been done. Just return $likes or loop over it and do something, like echo content.

Besides, using the_post like that wouldn't work. That isn't what the the_posts method does.

If, on the other hand, you are trying to extract, for example, the post content you'd want...

while ($likes->have_posts()) : 
    $likes->the_post();
    $cont[] = $post->post_content;
endwhile;

I'd really suggest you take some time to read about creating loops.

You can do about the same with get_posts but the loops are a little different.

Also, why are you mixing PHP's mysql_* functions with $wpdb? And why are you using global $wpdb only to then clobber it? Why don't you just use a different name for your database instance?

Hopefully that helps.