Exclude recently updated post from custom WP_Query using multiple loops

Question

I want to do something like this but can't manage to figure it out. [Click][1]

I am using this custom WP_Query to display upcoming events on my homepage.

        $events_args = array(
        'post_type' => VA_EVENT_PTYPE,
        'posts_per_page' => $number,
        'no_found_rows' => true,
        'post_status' => 'publish',
        'ignore_sticky_posts' => true,
        'tax_query' => array(
            array(
                'taxonomy' => VA_EVENT_DAY,
                'field' => 'slug',
                'terms' => $days,
                'include_children' => false,
            ),
        ),
        'meta_key' => VA_EVENT_DATE_META_KEY,
        'orderby' => 'meta_value',
        'order' => 'asc'
    );

    $r = new WP_Query( $events_args );

    if ( $r->have_posts() ) :

What I need to do now is: Exclude the most recently updated 2 posts from this query, because these posts are already displayed somewhere else. I can't do it using multiple loops, because this is a widget and the other query is in another widget. Help would be much appreciated!

Answer 1

I think you should be able to use an offset argument.

$events_args = array(
    'offset' => 2, // or whatever number you need
    'post_type' => VA_EVENT_PTYPE,
    'posts_per_page' => $number,
    // ...

I can't tell if you need pagination. If so, it gets a bit trickier but the Codex offers workarounds and there are relevant questions on this site if you search for them.

Answer 2

Found a working solution: Before the actual query i have a pre-query that determines the ID's of the posts already displayed somewhere else and pastes them into a variable

        // EXTRA QUERY TO DETERMINE WHICH EVENTS HAVE ALREADY BENN DISPLAYED BY THE UPDATED EVENT WIDGET
    $events_args = array(
        'post_type' => VA_EVENT_PTYPE,
        'posts_per_page' => 2,
        'no_found_rows' => true,
        'post_status' => 'publish',
        'ignore_sticky_posts' => true,
        'orderby' => 'modified',
        'order' => 'DESC',
    );
    $biglocal_events_already_displayed = array();       
    $r = new WP_Query( $events_args );
    if ( $r->have_posts() ) :

    while ( $r->have_posts() ) : $r->the_post();
    $biglocal_events_already_displayed[] = get_the_ID();
    endwhile; 
        // Reset the global $the_post as this query will have stomped on it
        wp_reset_postdata();

    endif;
    // END EXTRA QUERY

In the actual query i exclude these posts by

        $events_args = array(
        // Other stuff
        'post__not_in' => $biglocal_events_already_displayed
    );

Puh....made it.