Using wptexturize to apply typographic text replacements in WordPress

The WordPress wptexturize function is a text-processing function that transforms text elements in specific ways. It is primarily designed to enhance the readability and appearance of the text on a WordPress site.

One of the key tasks performed by the wptexturize function is the transformation of standard ASCII quotes into smart typographic quotes. This means that straight single or double quotation marks are converted into their curly, or “smart,” counterparts. This function also transforms ASCII hyphens into en-dashes or em-dashes, depending on context.

Another feature of the wptexturize function is the conversion of text smilies, also known as emoticons, into image smilies. This allows for a more visually appealing presentation of these elements in the text.

The wptexturize function also takes care of other typographic elements. For example, it transforms ‘x’ characters in numeric contexts into times symbols, and it turns ‘…’ characters into ellipsis characters.

While the wptexturize function can be useful for improving the appearance of text, it should be noted that its use may not be appropriate in all contexts, and it may not be necessary for all WordPress sites. Additionally, the wptexturize function does not perform any security or validation functions, so it should not be relied upon for these purposes.

Parameters Accepted by the WordPress wptexturize Function

The wptexturize function in WordPress accepts two parameters, namely $text and $reset.

  • $text (string): This is a mandatory parameter that represents the text which needs to be formatted.
  • $reset (bool): This is an optional parameter with a default value set to false. It is primarily used for unit testing, and when set to true, it resets the translated patterns.

Return Value of the WordPress wptexturize Function

The wptexturize function returns a string where the original text is replaced with HTML entities.

In case the function does not accept any parameters, it will be explicitly stated.

Examples

How to Use wptexturize to Convert Plain Quotes to Smart Quotes

$text = 'He said, "Hello, world!"';
$texturized_text = wptexturize($text);
echo $texturized_text;

In this example, the wptexturize function is used to convert plain double quotes in the string into smart quotes. The string ‘He said, “Hello, world!”‘ is passed to the wptexturize function, which returns the string with smart quotes: ‘He said, “Hello, world!”’. The result is then displayed using the echo statement.

How to Use wptexturize to Convert Plain Apostrophes to Smart Apostrophes

$text = "It's a beautiful day!";
$texturized_text = wptexturize($text);
echo $texturized_text;

In this example, the wptexturize function is used to convert a plain apostrophe in the string into a smart apostrophe. The string “It’s a beautiful day!” is passed to the wptexturize function, which returns the string with a smart apostrophe: “It’s a beautiful day!”. The result is then displayed using the echo statement.

How to Use wptexturize to Convert Dashes to En Dashes

$text = "2018-2020";
$texturized_text = wptexturize($text);
echo $texturized_text;

In this example, the wptexturize function is used to convert a plain dash in the string into an en dash. The string “2018-2020” is passed to the wptexturize function, which returns the string with an en dash: “2018–2020”. The result is then displayed using the echo statement.

Conclusion

The wptexturize function is a WordPress function that transforms less-readable characters into their more visually pleasing counterparts. This function is typically used to improve the aesthetics of a website’s text content, by converting plain ASCII punctuation characters into their fancier HTML entities. For example, it can turn straight quotes into smart quotes, hyphens into en-dashes or em-dashes, and ‘…’ into an ellipsis. Thus, the wptexturize function is a tool that can enhance the visual appeal of a website’s textual elements.

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in WordPress Functions