Topic: Query loop with empty (non-content) columns

Leonardo
October 30, 2025 at 9:44 am

Ehy there dear team,

Do you think it’s possible to create a structure like this? (I’ve attached an example in the private info.)
Basically, it’s a query loop with a grid layout, and every few columns there’s one column containing an image (so it doesn’t display any post content).

I’ve tried experimenting a bit, but I can’t get it to work. Is this possible with the current query loop, or does it require custom code?

Thankss
Ying
October 30, 2025 at 10:55 am

Hi there,

So you want to insert content between the posts at random places?

Let me know 🙂
Leonardo
October 30, 2025 at 12:00 pm

Ehy Ying,

exactly!

Ying

October 30, 2025 at 12:27 pm

1. Add this PHP code:

add_filter( 'render_block', 'yh_render_loop_items', 10, 3 );

function yh_render_loop_items( $block_content, $block, $instance ) {

    if ( 
        'generateblocks/loop-item' === $block['blockName'] && 
        ! is_admin() && 
        ! empty( $block['attrs']['className'] ) && 
        strpos( $block['attrs']['className'], 'my-loop-item' ) !== false 
    ) {
        $loop_index = $instance->context['generateblocks/loopIndex'] ?? 0;

        // Define your custom insertion points:
        $insertion_points = [
            2 => 'after_first_loop_item',
            4 => 'after_third_loop_item',
            11 => 'after_tenth_loop_item',
        ];

        // Check if current loop index matches one of them
        if ( array_key_exists( $loop_index, $insertion_points ) ) {
            ob_start();
            do_action( $insertion_points[ $loop_index ], $loop_index );
            $additional_content = ob_get_clean();

            // You can choose to prepend or append
            $block_content = $additional_content . $block_content;
        }
    }

    return $block_content;
}

2. Modify this section to suit your needs:

  $insertion_points = [
            2 => 'after_first_loop_item',
            4 => 'after_third_loop_item',
            11 => 'after_tenth_loop_item',
        ];

3. Add my-loop-item class to the loop item block.

4. You can use block element – hook to insert content, and set the hook name to after_first_loop_item/after_third_loop_item/after_tenth_loop_item to different places.

Leonardo
October 30, 2025 at 12:57 pm

Hey Ying,

I’m trying to test it. When I add the hook name, it doesn’t find those values you gave me as examples. Here’s a screenshot: https://imgur.com/uLqlklS

So I can’t add them as hook names.

Thanks
Ying
October 30, 2025 at 2:58 pm

These are custom hooks you just created, so select custom hook, then enter the hook name.
Leonardo
October 30, 2025 at 3:21 pm

Oh, I missed that I could add a custom hook, thanks!

Anyway, unfortunately it doesn’t work. I checked the code with ChatGPT and it suggested adding this line at the beginning of the PHP code (before the function yh_render… part):

add_filter( 'render_block', 'yh_render_loop_items', 10, 3 );

This way, I see that it works. Does that make sense to you? I’m asking because I’m not very familiar with PHP and I’d rather have your confirmation than GPT’s :’D
Alvind
October 30, 2025 at 7:30 pm

Hi there,

Yes, that’s correct — the function needs to be hooked to the render_block filter. It looks like Ying might have missed adding that part in her code. 🙂
Leonardo
October 31, 2025 at 8:49 am

Hi Alvind,

great! Thanks guys,
have a good day
Alvind
November 2, 2025 at 6:54 pm

No problem, you too! 🙂

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Query loop with empty (non-content) columns