Display the featured image from the last post

Question

I am building a category overview page and i am use this code:

<?php
    $limit      = 999;
    $counter    = 0;
    $categories = get_categories();

    foreach ($categories as $category):
        if ($counter < $limit) {
            $args  = array(
                'category__in' => array(
                    $category->term_id
                ),
                'caller_get_posts' => 1
            );
            $posts = get_posts($args);
            if ($posts) {
                echo '<div class="category">';
                echo '<a href="' . get_category_link($category->term_id) . '" title="' . sprintf(__("View all posts in %s"), $category->name) . '" ' . '>';
                echo '<h3>' . $category->name . '</h3>';
                echo '</a>';
                echo '</div>';

            }
        }

    $counter++;
    endforeach;
?>

But how to insert in the echo that the featured image from the last post in that category will be displayed.

Answer 1

This should work. I've modified your $args a little and surrounded your echoed code within the while(have_posts()) : the_post(); loop, then added the the_post_thumbnail() function and, finally, the wp_query_reset(); at the bottom:

<?php
    $limit      = 999;
    $counter    = 0;
    $categories = get_categories();

    foreach ( $categories as $category ):
        if ( $counter < $limit ) {
            $args  = array(
                'posts_per_page' => 1,
                'cat' => $category->cat_ID,
                'ignore_sticky_posts' => 1
            );
            $posts = get_posts( $args );

            while( have_posts() ) : the_post();
                echo '<div class="category">';
                the_post_thumbnail();
                echo '<a href="' . get_category_link($category->term_id) . '" title="' . sprintf(__("View all posts in %s"), $category->name) . '" ' . '>';
                echo '<h3>' . $category->name . '</h3>';
                echo '</a>';
                echo '</div>';
            endwhile;

        }

    $counter++;
    endforeach;

    wp_query_reset();

?>

Ps. caller_get_posts is deprecated since version 3.1! Use ignore_sticky_posts instead in your $args

Answer 2

I have used Mat his code and fixed some duplicated issue.

The code that works like a charm:

<?php
    $limit      = 999;
    $counter    = 0;
    $categories = get_categories();

    foreach ($categories as $category):
        if ($counter < $limit) {
            $args  = array(
                'posts_per_page' => 1,
                'cat' => $category->cat_ID,
                'ignore_sticky_posts' => 1
            );
            $posts = get_posts($args);
            if ($posts) {
                    echo '<div class="category">';
                    while( have_posts() ) : the_post();
                        the_post_thumbnail();
                    endwhile;
                    echo '<a href="' . get_category_link($category->term_id) . '" ' . '>';
                    echo '<h3>' . $category->name . '</h3>';
                    echo '</a>';
                    echo '</div>';
            }
        }

    $counter++;
    endforeach;
?>