Thread

I am trying to write a conditional statement within the template code that will output different html if no category is selected. I can’t figure out how to write a conditional statement to see if no categories are selected.

For example, I’m trying to accomplish something like this:

{if categories}
  {categories limit="1"}
    {category_name}
  {/categories}
{if:else}
  Event
{/if}

If a category has been sent it will display the category name, if not it will simply display “Event.” Is this something I can accomplish in the templating system, or am I going to have to use inline php?

Kevin,

Welcome to the forums 😊

What version and build of EE are you using?

This code is inside your channel:entries tag? Can you show us some more of the template?
What does your URL look like for a category page

Is this conditional to show a category name or Event for a number of listings or just once at the top of the page?

Hi, thanks for your help.

I’m using ExpressionEngine v2.1.0 Build:  20100810.

Here’s a little bit more of the template code:

{exp:channel:entries channel="events" start_on="{current_time format='%Y-%m-%d 00:00'}" orderby="entry_date|event_enddate" sort="asc" show_future_entries="yes"}
  <h3>
    {if categories}
    {categories limit="1"}
      {category_name}
    {/categories}
   {if:else}
    Event
   {/if}
  </h3>

<p>  <div class="bk_event_description"><br />
    </p><h2>{title}</h2>
<p>    {event_description}<br />
  </div><br />
{/exp:channel:entries}

I’m not particularly concerned with separate category pages as of yet. This is simply to display the type / category of event for each event. eg: Lecture, Workshop, Tour, etc. If there is not category event it should simply be labeled as an event.

Right now the result of the code above is that ‘Event’ is always displayed in the <h3> element because the {if categories} conditional never returns true.

Kevin,

There is no shortened conditional for categories like that at the moment. It would make a good feature request though.

The only thing I can think of here is to make a category called Event and make this the default in your channel preferences. That way if no other category is chosen it will always show Event at least.