Adding the load more button from my front page to my search page

Question

On my front page I have my posts set up as 1 post on a row, 2 rows of 2 posts on a row, 1 post on a row, and so on. Then after every 15 posts the load more button appears (example below). The load more button works perfectly, so I am trying to duplicate it on my search page.

I would like to add the same load more button to my search page. However, I have my posts set up differently on this page, I just have 2 posts on each row (there is no alternating col-12 post). In addition to the different loop structure I would like to add the load more button after every 8 posts (example below). I have duplicated the loop structure for my front page in my functions.php, and adjusted it to fit the different loop structure and the load more button after every 8 posts. However, it will not work correctly. The first 8 posts are showing up how I want them, 4 rows of 2 posts per row. But after you press the load more button, the posts show up as they do on my front page loop (15 posts of 1 post on a row, 2 rows of 2 posts on a row, 1 post on a row, and so on).

Does anyone know how I could fix this? Or achieve a search page of 4 rows with 2 posts per row? Thanks in advance.

how my front-page looks

how I want my search page to look

my front-page.php

<?php

get_header();
get_template_part ('post-template/trendingg'); 
?>



<script>
    var now=2; // when click start in page 2

    jQuery(document).on('click', '#load_more_btn', function () {

        jQuery.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "<?php echo get_site_url(); ?>/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php",
            data: {
                action: 'my_load_more_function', // the name of the function in functions.php
                paged: now, // set the page to get the ajax request
                posts_per_page: 15  //number of post to get (use 1 for testing)
            },
            success: function (data) {

            if(data!=0){
                jQuery("#ajax").append(data);  // put the content into ajax container
                now=now+1; // add 1 to next page
            }else{
                jQuery("#load_more_btn").hide();
            }
            },
            error: function (errorThrown) {
                alert(errorThrown); // only for debuggin
            }
        });
    });
</script>

<section id="ajax"><!-- i have to change div to section, maybe a extra div declare -->
<?php

$the_query = new WP_Query( [
    'posts_per_page' => 15, // i use 1 for testing
        'orderby' => 'post_date',
'order' => 'DESC',
    'paged' => get_query_var('paged', 1) //page number 1 on load
] );

if ($the_query->have_posts()) {

        $i = 0;
        $j = 0;
        while ($the_query->have_posts()) {
            $the_query->the_post();

            if ( $i % 5 === 0 ) { // Large post: on the first iteration and every 7th post after... ?>
                <div class="row">
                    <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-12 col-md-12' ); ?>>
                        <div class="large-front-container">
                            <a title="<?php the_title_attribute(); ?>" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'large-front-thumbnail')); ?></a>
                        </div>
                        <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo str_replace('mins', 'minutes', human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'); ?></div>
                        <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                        <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                        <div class="front-page-post-info">
                            <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                            <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                            <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                            <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                        </div>
                    </article>
                </div>
            <?php } else { // Small posts ?>
                <?php if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '<div class="row">';} ?>
                <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-6 col-md-6' ); ?>>
                    <div class="two-front-container">
                        <a title="<?php the_title_attribute(); ?>" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'medium-front-thumbnail')); ?></a>
                        <div>
                    <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'; ?></div>
                    <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                    <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                    <div class="front-page-post-info">
                        <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                        <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                    </div>
                </article>
                <?php $j++; if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '</div>';}?>
                <?php
            }
            $i++;
        }?>
    <?php
}?>
</section>

<button id="load_more_btn">Load More Posts</button> <!-- button out of ajax container for load content and button displayed at the bottom -->
<?php
get_footer();

my functions.php front page loop

//FRONT PAGE
add_action('wp_ajax_my_load_more_function', 'my_load_more_function');
add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_my_load_more_function', 'my_load_more_function');

function my_load_more_function() {

    $query = new WP_Query( [
        'posts_per_page' => $_POST["posts_per_page"],
        'orderby' => 'post_date',
'order' => 'DESC',
        'paged' => get_query_var('paged', $_POST["paged"])
    ] );


    if ($query->have_posts()) {

        $i = 0;
        $j = 0;

        while ($query->have_posts()) {
                $query->the_post();

            if ( $i % 5 === 0 ) { // Large post: on the first iteration and every 7th post after... ?>
 <div class="row">
                    <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-12 col-md-12' ); ?>>
                        <div class="large-front-container">
                            <a title="<?php the_title_attribute(); ?>" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'large-front-thumbnail')); ?></a>
                        </div>
                        <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo str_replace('mins', 'minutes', human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'); ?></div>
                        <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                        <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                        <div class="front-page-post-info">
                            <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                            <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                            <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                            <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                        </div>
                    </article>
                </div>
            <?php } else { // Small posts ?>
                <?php if($j % 2 === 0) echo '<div class="row">'; ?>
                                <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-6 col-md-6' ); ?>>
                    <div class="two-front-container">
                        <a title="<?php the_title_attribute(); ?>" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'medium-front-thumbnail')); ?></a>
                        <div>
                    <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'; ?></div>
                    <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                    <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                    <div class="front-page-post-info">
                        <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                        <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                    </div>
                </article>
                <?php $j++; if($j % 2 === 0) echo '</div>'; ?>
                <?php
            }
            $i++;

        }
        wp_reset_query();
    }else{
        return 0;
    }

    exit;
}

my search.php

<?php

get_header();
?>
    <div class="search-results-search">
<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form-search form-inline-search" action="">
            <div class="input-group-search">
                <input type="search" value="" name="s" class="input-sm-search search-field-search form-control-search" placeholder="<?php echo $s ?>">
            </div>
        </form>
    </div>



<script>
    var now=2; // when click start in page 2

    jQuery(document).on('click', '#load_more_btn', function () {

        jQuery.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "<?php echo get_site_url(); ?>/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php",
            data: {
                action: 'my_search_load_more_function', // the name of the function in functions.php
                paged: now, // set the page to get the ajax request
                posts_per_page: 15  //number of post to get (use 1 for testing)
            },
            success: function (data) {

            if(data!=0){
                jQuery("#ajax").append(data);  // put the content into ajax container
                now=now+1; // add 1 to next page
            }else{
                jQuery("#load_more_btn").hide();
            }
            },
            error: function (errorThrown) {
                alert(errorThrown); // only for debuggin
            }
        });
    });
</script>

<section id="ajax"><!-- i have to change div to section, maybe a extra div declare -->
<?php

$the_query = new WP_Query( [
    'posts_per_page' => 8, // i use 1 for testing
        'orderby' => 'post_date',
'order' => 'DESC',
    'paged' => get_query_var('paged', 1) //page number 1 on load
] );

if ($the_query->have_posts()) {

        $i = 0;
        $j = 0;
        while ($the_query->have_posts()) {
            $the_query->the_post();

   if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '<div class="row">';} ?>
                <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-6 col-md-6' ); ?>>
                    <div class="two-front-container">
                    <?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'medium-front-thumbnail')); ?>
                        <div>
                    <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'; ?></div>
                    <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                    <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                    <div class="front-page-post-info">
                        <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                        <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                    </div>
                </article>
                <?php $j++; if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '</div>';}?>
                <?php
            }
        }?>

</section>

<button id="load_more_btn">Load More Posts</button> <!-- button out of ajax container for load content and button displayed at the bottom -->
<?php
get_footer();

my functions.php search loop

//SEARCH PAGE
add_action('wp_ajax_my_search_load_more_function', 'my_search_load_more_function');
add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_my_search_load_more_function', 'my_search_load_more_function');

function my_search_load_more_function() {

    $query = new WP_Query( [
        'posts_per_page' => $_POST["posts_per_page"],
        'orderby' => 'post_date',
'order' => 'DESC',
        'paged' => get_query_var('paged', $_POST["paged"])
    ] );


if ($the_query->have_posts()) {

        $i = 0;
        $j = 0;
        while ($the_query->have_posts()) {
            $the_query->the_post();

   if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '<div class="row">';} ?>
                <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-6 col-md-6' ); ?>>
                    <div class="two-front-container">
                    <?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'medium-front-thumbnail')); ?>
                        <div>
                    <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'; ?></div>
                    <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                    <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                    <div class="front-page-post-info">
                        <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                        <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                    </div>
                </article>
                <?php $j++; if($j % 2 === 0) echo '</div>'; ?>
                <?php
    

        }
        wp_reset_query();
    }else{
        return 0;
    }

    exit;
}

My first initial 8 search results are the correct search results. However, after I press the load more button it loads all my posts starting from the most recent.

** Updated search.php

<?php

get_header();
?>
    <div class="search-results-search">
<form role="search" method="get" class="search-form-search form-inline-search" action="">
            <div class="input-group-search">
                <input type="search" value="" name="s" class="input-sm-search search-field-search form-control-search" placeholder="<?php echo $s ?>">
            </div>
        </form>
    </div>



<script>
    var now=2; // when click start in page 2

    jQuery(document).on('click', '#load_more_btn', function () {

        jQuery.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: "<?php echo get_site_url(); ?>/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php",
            data: {
    action: 'my_load_more_function_s', // the name of the function in functions.php
    paged: now, // set the page to get the ajax request
    posts_per_page: 8,  //number of post to get (use 1 for testing)
},
            success: function (data) {

            if(data!=0){
                jQuery("#ajax").append(data);  // put the content into ajax container
                now=now+1; // add 1 to next page
            }else{
                jQuery("#load_more_btn").hide();
            }
            },
            error: function (errorThrown) {
                alert(errorThrown); // only for debuggin
            }
        });
    });
</script>

<section id="ajax"><!-- i have to change div to section, maybe a extra div declare -->
<?php

$the_query = new WP_Query( [
    'posts_per_page' => 8, // i use 1 for testing
        'orderby' => 'post_date',
'order' => 'DESC',
      's' => $s,
    'paged' => get_query_var('paged', 1) //page number 1 on load
] );

if ($the_query->have_posts()) {

        $i = 0;
        $j = 0;
        while ($the_query->have_posts()) {
            $the_query->the_post();

   if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '<div class="row">';} ?>
                <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-6 col-md-6' ); ?>>
                    <div class="two-front-container">
                    <?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'medium-front-thumbnail')); ?>
                        <div>
                    <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'; ?></div>
                    <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                    <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                    <div class="front-page-post-info">
                        <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                        <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                    </div>
                </article>
                <?php $j++; if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '</div>';}?>
                <?php
            }
        }?>

</section>

<button id="load_more_btn">Load More Posts</button> <!-- button out of ajax container for load content and button displayed at the bottom -->
<?php
get_footer();

**Updated functions.php search loop

//SEARCH PAGE
add_action('wp_ajax_my_load_more_function_s', 'my_load_more_function_s');
add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_my_load_more_function_s', 'my_load_more_function_s');

function my_load_more_function_s() {
    global $query_string;

    $search_query = wp_parse_str( $query_string );
    $search = array_merge($search_query, [
        'posts_per_page' => $_POST["posts_per_page"],
        'orderby' => 'post_date', 'order' => 'DESC',
        'paged' => get_query_var('paged', $_POST["paged"]),
        's' => $_POST['s']
    ]);

    $query = new WP_Query($search);


if ($query->have_posts()) {

        $i = 0;
        $j = 0;
        while ($query->have_posts()) {
            $query->the_post();

   if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '<div class="row">';} ?>
                <article <?php post_class( 'col-sm-6 col-md-6' ); ?>>
                    <div class="two-front-container">
                    <?php the_post_thumbnail('full', array('class' => 'medium-front-thumbnail')); ?>
                        <div>
                    <div class="front-page-date"><?php echo human_time_diff( get_the_time('U'), current_time('timestamp') ) . ' ago'; ?></div>
                    <div class="front-page-post-title"><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></div>
                    <p class="front-page-post-excerpt"><?php echo get_the_excerpt(); ?></p>
                    <div class="front-page-post-info">
                        <a class="moretext" href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">Read more</a>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/front-shop-the-post' ); ?>
                        <?php get_template_part( 'includes/share-buttons' ); ?>
                        <div class="front-comments"><?php comments_popup_link ('0', '1', '%', 'comment-count', 'none'); ?></div>
                    </div>
                </article>
                <?php $j++; if($j % 2 === 0){ echo '</div>';}?>
                <?php
            }
        }else{
        return 0;
    }

    exit;
}

Answer 1

You must at first your ajax call and give the search value too.

from search.php

replace your start code with:

var now=2; // when click start in page 2
var searchValue = <?php echo json_encode(['s' => $s]); ?>;

jQuery(document).on('click', '#load_more_btn', function () {

    jQuery.ajax({
        type: "POST",
        url: "<?php echo get_site_url(); ?>/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php",
        data: {
            action: 'my_load_more_function_s', // the name of the function in functions.php,
            s:  searchValue.s, // the value from the input
            paged: now, // set the page to get the ajax request
            posts_per_page: 8,  //number of post to get (use 1 for testing)
        },

encode your s variable with json_encode

And then change your ajax function like this:

function my_load_more_function_s() {
    global $query_string;

    $search_query = wp_parse_str( $query_string );
    $search = array_merge($search_query, [
        'posts_per_page' => $_POST["posts_per_page"],
        'orderby' => 'post_date', 'order' => 'DESC',
        'paged' => get_query_var('paged', $_POST["paged"]),
        's' => $_POST['s']
    ]);

    $query = new WP_Query($search);

The s-parameter can be found in the docs.

After reading more about the search page. I found, that you must use the global $query_string. You can find this in the docs too

---

For don't forget it, you can save the number in php and output for javascript like:

data: {
    action: 'my_load_more_function', // the name of the function in functions.php
    paged: now, // set the page to get the ajax request
    posts_per_page: <?php echo $number; ?>  //number of post to get (use 1 for testing)
}