How to get max count for a loop in channel entries tag

Question

I am trying to get the max results for the categories inside this channel entry. If the current category is the last one in the loop I don't want to add a , after the output.

   {exp:channel:entries channel="ch_efn_gallery" entry_id="295"}
    {categories}
            {"{category_id}":"{category_name}"}
           {if categories:count!=categories:total_results},{/if}
    {/categories}
   {/exp:channel:entries}

categories:count gives me the correct number. But categories:total_results doesn't work. And i din't find out how to get the max value for categories. Actually this template has much more output but i shortened it to the core of my problem.

Answer 1

I solved my problem by using php. First i go through all of the categorys and count them. after that i check it with another variable where i count the current Category.

[
{exp:channel:entries channel="ch_efn_magazin" entry_id="304"}
    {
     "ID": "{entry_id}",
     "Category": [{
        <?php $maxCat = 0; $currentCat = 0; ?>
        {categories}
           <?php $maxCat++; ?>
        {/categories}

        {categories}
          "{category_id}":"{category_name}"<?php $currentCat++; if($maxCat != $currentCat) echo(','); ?>
        {/categories}
        }]
 }
{/exp:channel:entries}

The whole reason I am doing this, is to create a JSON file. I know that there is this Json Plugin by Rob Sanchez but with this plugin I wans't able to loop through my Channel_Images. That's why I decided to do it like this.

Answer 2

You could try and simply use the backspace tag

Assuming it's that straight forward. I've never really liked the EE categories tag, I lean towards GW Categories. You can then disable categories in your main loop to save some overhead.

Answer 3

GW Categories is free, but for EE1 and EE2 only - do something like:

{exp:gwcode:categories entry_id=“295" style=“linear” backspace=“1"}
{cat_id}:{cat_name},
{/exp:gwcode:categories}

If you want to work in EE3 (or plan to) you could use Category Construct as a direct replacement - though currently the ‘backspace’ feature in Category Construct is broken.