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Using Shortcodes in PHP files

Beaver Builder shortcodes can be used in PHP files such as header.php, footer.php, or functions.php to display saved templates, rows, columns, or modules.

caution

This article assumes you're using a child theme. Keeping your customizations separate from the parent theme helps protect them from theme updates.

Usage​

WordPress generated pages, such as index and archive pages, are not customizable with Beaver Builder. As an alternative, you can use the WordPress do_shortcode() function to render saved content, such as templates, rows, columns, or modules, on index and archive pages.

info

To use this method, you should be familiar with PHP, WordPress conditional tags, and template hierarchy. Alternatively, you can use Beaver Themer.

Create your Saved Content​

Before you can use the shortcode in your PHP files, you need to create your saved content. See the following articles for more information:

Construct the shortcode​

Below is an example shortcode using the slug attribute.

[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="INSERT_YOUR_SLUG_HERE"]

See the Shortcodes syntax article for more information.

Insert the shortcode​

The shortcode can be included in PHP files in two ways. Using a child theme, edit your theme files to insert the shortcode or using the theme's hooks and adding the shortcode to the child theme's functions.php file.

1. Edit theme files​

In this example, the code is placed into the header.php in your child theme, depending on where on the page you want the content to appear. These instructions assume you are using the BB Theme, but the code itself should work in any theme.

  1. Copy the header.php from the parent theme and add to your child theme directory. The example tree below shows what this structure would look like if you were using the Beaver Builder child theme.
/bb-theme-child
├── functions.php
├── header.php
└── style.css

  1. Open the file from the child theme directory in a code editor. Alternatively, you can use the WordPress theme editor (WordPress Admin Dashboard > Appearance > Theme Editor).

  2. In the header.php file, find the code below:

<?php do_action("fl_content_open"); ?>

  1. Add the following code after <?php do_action('fl_content_open'); ?>, making sure that you substitute your own shortcode.

    <?php
    echo do_shortcode('[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="INSERT_YOUR_SLUG_HERE"]');
    ?>

  2. Save your header.php file.

  3. When you refresh the page, your saved content should be visible below the BB Theme header and above the page or post content.

2. Using hooks​

In this example, you add the code to the child theme's functions.php file. These instructions assume you are using the BB Theme and do not work with third-party themes.

tip

If you're using a third-party theme, substitute the BB theme hooks fl_before_content and fl_after_content from the code examples with your theme's hook.

  1. Go to your child theme and open the functions.php in a code editor. For BB Theme, the location is: /wp-content/themes/bb-theme-child Alternatively, you can use the WordPress theme editor (WordPress Admin Dashboard > Appearance > Theme Editor).

  2. Add one of the following code examples to the end of the file, making sure that you substitute your own shortcode.

    To insert shortcode after the header
    function my_page_header()
    {
      echo do_shortcode(
        '[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="INSERT_YOUR_SLUG_HERE"]'
      );
    }
    add_action("fl_before_content", "my_page_header");
    To insert shortcode before the footer
    function my_page_footer()
    {
      echo do_shortcode(
        '[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="INSERT_YOUR_SLUG_HERE"]'
      );
    }
    add_action("fl_after_content", "my_page_footer");

  3. Save the functions.php changes.

  4. When you refresh the page, your saved content should be visible in the hook location where you added the code.

Using WordPress conditional tags​

You can use the Beaver Builder shortcode with WordPress conditional tags to control which types of pages the shortcode appears on. The examples assume you are using the BB Theme.

If you're using a third-party theme, substitute the BB theme hook fl_before_content from the code example with your theme's hook.

is_single()​

This example uses the WordPress conditional tag is_single() to insert the shortcode into a specific post. Replace 1234 in the code example with your post ID.

function my_page_header()
{
  if (is_single("1234")) {
    echo do_shortcode(
      '[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="INSERT_YOUR_SLUG_HERE"]'
    );
  }
}
add_action("fl_before_content", "my_page_header");

is_home()​

This example uses the WordPress conditional tag is_home() to insert the shortcode into the blog homepage.

function my_page_header()
{
  if (is_home()) {
    echo do_shortcode(
      '[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="INSERT_YOUR_SLUG_HERE"]'
    );
  }
}
add_action("fl_before_content", "my_page_header");

is_front_page()​

This example uses the WordPress conditional tag is_front_page() to insert the shortcode into the static homepage.

function my_page_header()
{
  if (is_front_page()) {
    echo do_shortcode(
      '[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="INSERT_YOUR_SLUG_HERE"]'
    );
  }
}
add_action("fl_before_content", "my_page_header");

Front-page, posts, pages, custom post types and archive pages​

The code is_front_page() || is_singular() || is_archive() inserts the shortcode into the static homepage, all posts, pages, custom post types, and archive pages.

info

The double pipe || corresponds to the boolean OR. If you don't want one of those types, remove it from the list of conditionals and adjust the double pipes as necessary.

function my_page_header()
{
  if (is_front_page() || is_singular() || is_archive()) {
    echo do_shortcode('[fl_builder_insert_layout id="36607"]');
  }
}
add_action("fl_before_content", "my_page_header");