Below is my code on page_{slug}.php. The first page is working fine, but after 1 page, I am getting 404 error for all pages. Pagination with the main query is working fine, but it does not support custom query. Please help.

<?php
            $current_page = (get_query_var('paged')) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
            $per_page = '2';
            $testimonial_args = array(
                'post_type' => 'blog_post',
                'posts_per_page' => $per_page,
                'paged' => $current_page,
            );
            $testimonials = new WP_Query($testimonial_args);
            // echo "<pre>";
            // print_r($wp_query);die;
            ?>
            <?php if ($testimonials->have_posts()) : $i = 1; ?>
                <?php while ($testimonials->have_posts()) : $testimonials->the_post(); ?>

                    <div class="col-lg-4 col-sm-6">

                        <div class="testimonial-card">

                            <div class="headline">
                                <?php the_title(); ?>
                                <span><?php echo the_title(); ?></span>
                            </div>

                        </div>

                    </div>

                    <?php $i+=1; ?>
                <?php endwhile; ?>

                <div class="pagination">
                    <?php                    
                        $big = 999999999; // need an unlikely intege

                        echo paginate_links( array(
                            'base' => str_replace( $big, '%#%.html', esc_url( home_url( '/<slug>/page/' . $big ) ) ),
                            'format' => '?paged=%#%',
                            'current' => max( 1, get_query_var('paged') ),
                            'total' => 6
                        ) );
                    ?>
                </div>
            <?php else : ?>

                <h2 class="center">Testimonials Not Found</h2>
                <p class="center">Sorry, but there are no testimonials, check back later!</p>

        <?php endif; ?>

Below is my code on page_{slug}.php. The first page is working fine, but after 1 page, I am getting 404 error for all pages. Pagination with the main query is working fine, but it does not support custom query. Please help.

<?php
            $current_page = (get_query_var('paged')) ? get_query_var('paged') : 1;
            $per_page = '2';
            $testimonial_args = array(
                'post_type' => 'blog_post',
                'posts_per_page' => $per_page,
                'paged' => $current_page,
            );
            $testimonials = new WP_Query($testimonial_args);
            // echo "<pre>";
            // print_r($wp_query);die;
            ?>
            <?php if ($testimonials->have_posts()) : $i = 1; ?>
                <?php while ($testimonials->have_posts()) : $testimonials->the_post(); ?>

                    <div class="col-lg-4 col-sm-6">

                        <div class="testimonial-card">

                            <div class="headline">
                                <?php the_title(); ?>
                                <span><?php echo the_title(); ?></span>
                            </div>

                        </div>

                    </div>

                    <?php $i+=1; ?>
                <?php endwhile; ?>

                <div class="pagination">
                    <?php                    
                        $big = 999999999; // need an unlikely intege

                        echo paginate_links( array(
                            'base' => str_replace( $big, '%#%.html', esc_url( home_url( '/<slug>/page/' . $big ) ) ),
                            'format' => '?paged=%#%',
                            'current' => max( 1, get_query_var('paged') ),
                            'total' => 6
                        ) );
                    ?>
                </div>
            <?php else : ?>

                <h2 class="center">Testimonials Not Found</h2>
                <p class="center">Sorry, but there are no testimonials, check back later!</p>

        <?php endif; ?>

• wp-query
• pages

• Maybe this doesn't answer the question, but you really should change that 'total' => 6 to 'total' => $testimonials->max_num_pages. – Sally CJ Commented Jun 13, 2020 at 15:49
• checked with that too not working – Satish Gupta Commented Jun 14, 2020 at 1:49
• Pagination on blog and blog category page is working fine, issue is when i use custom wp-query its getting 404 – Satish Gupta Commented Jun 14, 2020 at 1:50

1 Answer 1

I initially thought you're using the code in the question on a Page (a post of the type page), but if you are actually using that code on an archive-based page (e.g. the home page, a category page, etc.), then the 404 error is normal. You can't paginate secondary/custom query on archive-based pages. Well, not when using the default paged query string in the URL.

So a possible solution is use a Page and make your custom loop in there — basically, the code in the question would work after you made the changes I mentioned in the original answer. I.e.:

1. Change the base argument in your paginate_links() call:

   // change from this
   'base' => str_replace( $big, '%#%.html', esc_url( home_url( '/<slug>/page/' . $big ) ) )
   // to this
   'base' => str_replace( $big, '%#%', esc_url( get_pagenum_link( $big ) ) )
   

2. And in addition to that base, you also need to change the 'total' => 6 to 'total' => $testimonials->max_num_pages. (more details here)

But if you actually wanted to customize the main query, then use the pre_get_posts hook.

So for example, if your home page is set to show the latest posts, but you want to include only posts of the type blog_post, then you can simply add this to your theme's functions.php file:

add_action( 'pre_get_posts', function ( $query ) {
    if ( ! is_admin() && $query->is_main_query() && is_home() ) {
        $query->set( 'post_type', 'blog_post' );
        $query->set( 'posts_per_page', 2 );
    }
} );

And that's really all you need. I.e. No need to worry about the pagination because a good theme always includes a working pagination for the main query on the home page and other archive-based pages.