php include returns 1 after content

Question

I'm using a customized wordpress loop which allows me to style the post a certain way after a certain amount of post. For example, The first three post will be styled the same, the next 4 post will styled differently from the first three and so forth. It also allows me to add <div> sections between the post.

Here is the code php code I am using to accomplish this.

if (have_posts()) :
    $count = 0; $paged = ( get_query_var('paged') > 1 ) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
    while (have_posts()) : the_post();
        $count++;
        if ($count <= 3 && $paged === 1) :
            if ($count === 1) echo '<div class="break"><h2>Break div | first 3 posts</h2></div>'; ?>


            <div class="first-three">
                <?php the_title() ?>
            </div>
        <?php elseif (3 < $count && $count <= 7 && $paged === 1) :
            if ($count === 4) echo '<div class="break"><h2>Break div | next 4 posts</h2></div>'; ?>


            <div class="next-four">
                <?php the_title() ?>
            </div>
        <?php elseif (7 < $count && $count <= 13 && $paged === 1) :
            if ($count === 8) echo '<div class="break"><h2>Break div | next 6 posts</h2></div>'; ?>


            <div class="next-six">
                <?php the_title() ?>
            </div>
        <?php elseif (13 < $count && $count <= 20 && $paged === 1) :
            if ($count === 14) echo '<div class="break"><h2>Break div | next other 6 posts</h2></div>'; ?>


            <div class="next-other-six">
                <?php the_title() ?>
            </div>
        <?php else :
            if ($count === 21) echo '<div class="break"><h2>Break div | last 6 posts</h2></div>'; ?>

            <div class="last-six">
                <?php the_title() ?>
            </div>
        <?php endif;
    endwhile; ?>
    <div class="nav-previous alignleft"><?php next_posts_link('Older posts'); ?></div>
    <div class="nav-next alignright"><?php previous_posts_link('Newer posts'); ?></div><?php
endif;

I'm not sure if you needed all of that, but I decided to place it there just in case.

Now here is the part I am having complications with.

    <?php elseif (3 < $count && $count <= 7 && $paged === 1) :
        if ($count === 4) echo '<div style="clear:both;"></div> <div class="large-6 columns" style="max-width:566px;  float:left;"> ', include 'thumbnail-break.php', '</div> '; ?>

For this part I added the include function to place a template path between the post. It returns the path but it also outputs the number 1 after the content.

How do I get rid of the number 1.

Answer 1

You should use instead of include('thumbnail-break.php');:

 get_template_part('thumbnail','break');

Which is the standard WordPress way of including partial template files from within page templates.

Answer 2

That's because you're trying to echo it out while it returns 1 on success.

Do this instead:

if ($count === 4) echo '<div style="clear:both;"></div> <div class="large-6 columns" style="max-width:566px;  float:left;"> '; include 'thumbnail-break.php'; echo '</div> '; ?>

Answer 3

According to the documentation on php.net you will find this line:

Handling Returns: include returns FALSE on failure and raises a warning. Successful includes, unless overridden by the included file, return 1.

Try switching the following:

include 'thumbnail-break.php', '</div> '; ?>

To:

include_once 'thumbnail-break.php', '</div> '; ?>

The include_once only returns a true statement, which I don't believe will render in your html. Untested, but let me know how it goes. At the very least you now know why the 1 is emitted.