[Support request] Fallback featured image from Category

[Marco]

Hello
I’ve added a category picture using ACF – so far so good.
I’d like to use this picture in case a post doesn’t have a featured image set – is there a filter I could use to set this category image as featured image for the post – another use could be if a post belongs to a certain category, I’d like to show the category image?

Hope somebody can get me started on this.

Thank you

[Ying]

Hi Marco,

I would suggest to use a block element with dynamic features.

If you add a background image as the dynamic featured image for a container block, and toggles use fall back image, it will automatically use this background image as the fall back image.

For more info please check the below links:
https://docs.generatepress.com/article/block-element-page-hero/
https://docs.generatepress.com/article/block-element-content-template/

[Marco]

Thanks for replying – I hoped there was a filter I could hook in and add some code – I’m using elementor so those block elements probably won’t work. maybe I could use the post_thumbnail_html filter if generatepress doesn’t have a better filter?

[Ying]

I don’t think GP has a specific filter for this, you can give post_thumbnail_html a try 🙂

You can have a look at this topic:
https://generatepress.com/forums/topic/default-fallback-featured-image/#post-505358

[Marco]

something like this actually works I’m just not sure whether this creates any issues:

function default_category_featured_image() {
	
	global $post;
	$featured_image_exists = has_post_thumbnail( $post->ID );

	if ( in_category( '1', $post->ID ) )
		set_post_thumbnail( $post->ID, '3031' );
                        
}
add_action('the_post', 'default_category_featured_image');

[David]

Hi there,

what happens with that code if you add a featured image to that post ?

[Marco]

haven’t tried it yet – have to play around with some different scenarios. have not find any other solution yet.

[David]

The method i prefer is the one that Ying linked to:

https://generatepress.com/forums/topic/default-fallback-featured-image/#post-505358

Not sure what issues the OP of that topic was having but i have used it many instances.

[Marco]

I tried that – problem is that the post_thumbnail_html filter does NOT work with Elementor and some plugins for Elementor

[David]

Your other code:

I believe the set_post_thumbnail hook fires on post save/updated, so i am not sure if that will work with the_post() hook. But i haven’t used that hook before so i can’t say for sure.

The other thing you would need in your condition is to check the $featured_image_exists is false:

if ( in_category( '1', $post->ID ) && $featured_image_exists == false )

Or it may just overwrite any exiting featured image….

But seeing as Elementor is doing its own thing you may be better of asking them if they have a filter or a different method to achieve this.

[Author]

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