php - How to include a file in shortcode function in wordpress -

i want make shortcode , in shortcode want require file. when user write shortcode in editor. output show required file layout.

i make shortcode not working, here shortdoe code:

<?php     function inner_page( $atts, $content = null ){     $return_string = require 'foo/foo_artilces_list.php';      return $return_string;     }      add_action('init', 'register_section_shortcodes');     function register_section_shortcodes(){         add_shortcode('inner_page', 'inner_page');     } ?> 

here require file code

<?php      /*=========     template name: kbe  =========*/       get_header(); ?>  <div id="foo_container">      <h1><?php the_title(); ?></h1>      <!--breadcrum-->     <?php         if(foo_breadcrumbs_setting == 1){     ?>         <div class="foo_breadcrum">             <?php echo foo_breadcrumbs(); ?>         </div>     <?php         }     ?>     <!--/breadcrum-->      <!--search field-->     <?php         if(foo_search_setting == 1){     ?>         <div class="foo_search_field">             <input name="" type="text" placeholder="search knowledgebase..." />         </div>     <?php         }     ?>     <!--/search field-->      <!--content--> <?php     if(foo_sidebar_setting == 0){ ?>     <div id="foo_content" class="foo_content_full" > <?php     }     elseif(foo_sidebar_setting == 1){ ?>     <div id="foo_content" class="foo_content_right" > <?php     }     elseif(foo_sidebar_setting == 2){ ?>     <div id="foo_content"> <?php     } ?>         <!--leftcol-->         <div class="foo_leftcol">              <div class="foo_categories">         <?php             $foo_cat_args = array(                 'orderby'       => 'term_order',                  'order'         => 'asc',                 'hide_empty'    => true,              );              $foo_terms = get_terms(foo_post_taxonomy, $foo_cat_args);              foreach($foo_terms $foo_cat){                 $foo_term_id = $foo_cat->term_id;                 $foo_term_slug = $foo_cat->slug;                 $foo_term_name = $foo_cat->name;         ?>                 <div class="foo_category">                     <h2>                         <span class="foo_count"><?php echo foo_article_qty; ?> articles</span>                         <a href="<?php echo get_term_link($foo_term_slug, 'foo_cat') ?>" title="<?php   sprintf( __( "view posts in %s" ), $foo_term_name ) ?>"><?php echo $foo_term_name; ?></a>                     </h2>                      <ul class="foo_article_list">                 <?php                     $foo_tax_post_args = array(                         'post_type' => foo_post_type,                         'posts_per_page' => foo_article_qty,                         'orderby' => 'name',                         'order' => 'asc',                         'tax_query' => array(                             array(                                 'taxonomy' => foo_post_taxonomy,                                 'field' => 'slug',                                 'terms' => $foo_term_slug                             )                         )                     );                      $foo_tax_post_qry = new wp_query($foo_tax_post_args);                      if($foo_tax_post_qry->have_posts()) :                         while($foo_tax_post_qry->have_posts()) :                             $foo_tax_post_qry->the_post();                 ?>                             <li>                                 <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">                                     <?php the_title(); ?>                                 </a>                             </li>                 <?php                         endwhile;                     else :                         echo "no posts";                     endif;                 ?>                     </ul>                 </div>         <?php             }         ?>             </div>          </div>         <!--/leftcol-->          <!--aside-->         <?php             if((foo_sidebar_setting == 2) || (foo_sidebar_setting == 1)){                 dynamic_sidebar('foo_cat_widget');             }         ?>         <!--/aside-->     </div><!--content-->  </div>  <?php     get_footer(); ?> 

it show me widgets , layout messy. idea

you have 2 issues here.

first, require doesn't return anything. "imports" code file , runs put require call. so, in new file displayed before rest of stuff wordpress handles.

you can circumvent output buffer. this:

$return_string = require 'foo/foo_artilces_list.php'; 

should this:

ob_start(); require 'foo/foo_artilces_list.php'; $return_string = ob_get_flush(); 

now can return string , wordpress rest.

second problem: get_header() , get_footer() calls. wordpress have printed it's header, call display second time. same goes footer ... included file display footer , wordpress display second time @ end of page. should remove both calls included file.

using output buffer not clean solution. better place output in included file in function stores in variable returned function. do:

require('foo/foo_artilces_list.php'); $return_string = my_function();