Why wont this wp_query exclude certain pages?

Question

I'm using the following wp_query snippet to show all pages on a single page while being able to select individual pages to exclude.

// This pulls a list of page ID's from a theme options multicheck field
$pages = of_get_option('exclude_pages' );
// This shows only those ID's that have been checked
$implode_pages = implode(', ',array_keys($pages, 1));
$args = array(
    'post_type' => 'page',
    'posts_per_page' => -1,
    'orderby' => 'menu_order',
    'order' => 'asc',
    'post__not_in' => array($implode_pages)
);
$page_query = new WP_Query($args);
while ($page_query->have_posts()) : $page_query->the_post();

If I simply echo the $implode_pages bit in a page it displays like this 12, 31 where 12 and 31 are page ID's

But when I try and include it in the post__not_in argument as shown above it only excludes the first ID even though if I hard code 12, 31 in there it excludes both...

Am I doing something wrong?

Answer 1

A hardcoded array( 12, 31 ) is not the same as array($implode_pages).

The earlier is equivalent to
array( 0 => 12, 1 => 31 )

The latter is equivalent to
array( 0 => '12, 31' )

$implode_pages = implode(', ',array_keys($pages, 1)); makes $implode_pages a string - which is not what you want.
Not only that, it's an entirely redundant step.

'post__not_in' => array_keys($pages, 1)

should do...

Answer 2

post__not_in takes an array:

post__not_in (array) - use post ids. Specify post NOT to retrieve.

Based on your code, of_get_option gives you an array with the keys set to the post IDs, so what you'd need is:

$pages = of_get_option('exclude_pages' );
// This shows only those ID's that have been checked
$implode_pages = array_keys($pages, 1);
$args = array(
    'post_type' => 'page',
    'posts_per_page' => -1,
    'orderby' => 'menu_order',
    'order' => 'asc',
    'post__not_in' => $implode_pages,
);
$page_query = new WP_Query($args);

Answer 3

From the Codex page for WP_Query:

post__not_in (array) - use post ids. Specify post NOT to retrieve.

So instead of passing in $implode_pages, just use the $pages array that you get from of_get_option( 'exclude_pages' ).

Edited to add Whoops, I should have double-checked your question before I posted -- I misread array( $implode_pages ) as simply $implode_pages.