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A simple plugin for WordPress: Shortcode for showing the last updated date (and/ or time) of an item of a post type. Very useful to output the updated date of a custom post type item on a regular page, within a widget or anywhere else... :-)

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deckerweb/shortcode-item-updated

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Shortcode Item Updated

Simple & lightweight: Flexible Shortcode for showing the last updated date (and/or time) of an item of a post type.

Tested Compatibility

  • WordPress: 6.7.2
  • PHP: 8.3+
  • Requires at least: WP 6.7 / PHP 7.4

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Description

Very useful to output the updated date of a custom post type item on a regular page, within a widget or anywhere else... :-)

Backstory: I needed something like that for a client project to display the last updated date/time of a download post type on a regular content page. Since I knew, I would need the same functionality for an other existing site and maybe in future too, I just build it into a "general plugin" rather than a simple code snippet...! There were no existing plugins/solutions out there (at least I didn't found them yet...) that fitted my needs so I had to build it myself...


Features

  • Can be used in post/ page content (also post types), text widgets and also for page builder plugins etc.
  • Supports date/ time format from WordPress settings by default
  • Genesis Framework: easily use this in various footer/ simple edit plugins (don't forget post ID) or with the awesome Blox free/pro plugin and similar - it's that easy!
  • Developer friendly: customize or extend via filters, styles and styling-friendly CSS classes
  • Fully internationalized and translateable! -- German translations already packaged!
  • Developed with security in mind: proper WordPress coding standards and security functions - escape all the things! :)

Installation

Quick Install

  1. Download ZIP: shortcode-item-updated.zip
  2. Upload via WordPress Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
  3. Once activated, you can use the shortcode – see Usage below

Usage - Examples

Example - default:

[siu-item-updated]

Will show only date (as set in WordPress Settings > General) for the current displayed post (ID pulled via get_the_ID()) - has to be used within the Loop in this default state.

Example - custom 1:

[siu-item-updated post_id="363"]

Will show only date (as set in WordPress Settings > General) for the item of a post type with post ID "363"

Example - custom 2:

[siu-item-updated post_id="363" show_time="yes" show_sep="yes"]
  • Will also show the time
  • Will show a "separator" string between date and time values (sep)

Shortcode Parameters

Parameter Description Default Translateable
post_id ID of the post of any (public) post type get_the_ID() = ID of the current displayed post -- in this case, Shortcode has to be used within the Loop!) --
date_format PHP date format setting as in WordPress Settings > General (automatically via date_i18n() )
time_format PHP time format setting as in WordPress Settings > General (automatically via date_i18n() )
show_date will display updated date, by default visible! yes --
show_time yes will display time also no --
show_sep yes will display separator string no --
sep optional separator string  @ (that is a space plus @-symbol, like so: " @") yes!
show_label yes will display a label string before date & time values no --
label_before label string before date & time values Last updated: (by default not shown) yes!
label_after label string after time value -- useful for languages like German to get time values like "9.40 Uhr" (see the "Uhr" string) "" (not displayed) --
class additional custom class for the wrapper "" (none) --
wrapper HTML wrapper element - any HTML5 wrapper is possible span --

Shortcode Parameters - Bonus Shortcuts

  • Shortcut for German date format to get output d.m.Y like 12.08.2016 (Usage: date_format="de")
  • Shortcut for U.S. date format to get output Y-m-d like 2016-08-12 (Usage: date_format="us")

Widget Usage

NO LONGER recommended! Widgets are outdated, I do not recommend them (and didn't use them myself for lots of years already!).

  • Shortcode could be used with "Text" widget -- if you have shortcodes for Widgets activated (possible via this filter: add_filter( 'widget_text', 'do_shortcode' ); )
  • If using extended/ advanced text widget plugins, the Shortcode usage then is already enabled automatically... :-)
  • NOTE: You have to provide a unique post ID if using this outside of the Loop!

Template Usage (Developers)

  • Use WordPress' global "do_shortcode()" function as a template function, like so:
  • <?php do_shortcode( '[siu-item-updated post_id="123" show_label="yes"]' ); ?> --> parameters apply like for regular Shortcode usage (see above)!
  • NOTE: You have to provide a unique post ID if using this outside of the Loop!

Plugin Filters (Developers)

  • siu_filter_shortcode_defaults --> filter default values of Shortcode parameters
  • siu_filter_shortcode_item_updated --> filter Shortcode output
  • shortcode_atts_siu-item-updated --> lets you add new Shortcode parameters for example (= WordPress' default Shortcode filter shortcode_atts_{$shortcode} )

Changelog – Version History

v2.0.0 (March 2025)

  • Updated plugin after 9 years, yeah! – Brought back to its basic beauty. (How it should be!)
  • Removed additional translation loading – no longer needed; WordPress does now all we need by itself (yeah!)
  • Removed support for third-party plugin "Shortcode UI (Shortcake)" which is no longer maintained, and, to be honest, no longer needed
  • Brought changelog to Readme file here, CHANGES.md file removed
  • Changed plugins versioning from date-based to version number based, which makes more sense here
  • Changed to version v2.0.0 just to express the fresh restart
  • Updated .pot file, plus packaged German translations

Version 2016-08-19

  • Updated Readme file
  • Updated .pot file plus German translations
  • Improved security and polishing of plugin

Version 2016-08-12

  • Added Shortcut for German date format to get output d.m.Y like 12.08.2016 (Usage: date_format="de")
  • Added Shortcut for U.S. date format to get output Y-m-d like 2016-08-12 (Usage: date_format="us")
  • Added support for plugin "Shortcake" to give Shortcode an UI :-)
  • Updated and corrected translations
  • Approved compatibility with WordPress 4.6

Version 2015-05-26

  • Bugfix for variable name in translation loader
  • Refined Shortcode parameters
  • Added label "Last updated:" (defaults to not being shown!)
  • Made separator string translateable (makes sense for a lot of languages to have a "sane default" then)
  • Added translations to the plugin; plus default .pot file and German translations
  • Added "get_the_ID()" as the default value of "post_id" parameter -- Note: in this case the Shortcode could be used as is [siu-item-updated] but within the Loop!
  • Added CHANGES.md file for changelogs
  • Added installations instructions to readme
  • Improved readme overall
  • Minor formatting stuff

Version 2015-05-25

  • Initial release on GitHub

Copyright © 2015-2025 David Decker – DECKERWEB.de

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A simple plugin for WordPress: Shortcode for showing the last updated date (and/ or time) of an item of a post type. Very useful to output the updated date of a custom post type item on a regular page, within a widget or anywhere else... :-)

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