Query settings

Query settings decide which posts become locations on a given map. They work like a focused WP_Query: post type, taxonomies, status, authors, custom fields, include/exclude IDs, and order.

By default, a new map tends to show all posts of the selected main post type that have coordinates. Use query options when you need a subset (one city category, featured listings, one author, etc.).

Where to find it

Edit your map → Progress Map settings metabox → tab Query settings.

Remember: Main post type is chosen in the map header metabox first. Query options refine that selection.

Connect / confirm the post type

The map’s main post type is the primary source of locations. If you need a different type:

  1. Change Main post type.
  2. Click Update.
  3. Revisit Query settings — taxonomy lists and field options refresh for the new type.

Global prerequisite: the type must be allowed under Plugin settings → Post types.

Limit the number of posts

Use the posts limit / posts_per_page-style option when:

  • You only want the latest N listings
  • You are testing on a large database
  • Performance matters and you paginate via List & Filter instead of loading thousands of markers at once

Leaving the limit open (or at “all”) loads every matching post — fine for small directories, heavy for huge ones.

Filter by categories / taxonomies

Select one or more terms (categories, tags, or custom taxonomies registered for that post type). Typical patterns:

  • One map per city or property type
  • “Featured” term only
  • Exclude archived terms by simply not selecting them (or using exclude rules if available)

Combine carefully with custom field filters so you do not accidentally produce an empty result set.

Filter by post status

Default is usually publish. Allow other statuses only when you intentionally need drafts or private posts on a private map (rare on public sites).

Filter by custom field(s)

Match posts where a meta key equals (or compares to) a value — for example price below a threshold, featured = yes, or a region code.

Tips:

  • Use the exact meta key your theme/plugin saves
  • After changing meta bulk-wise, clear map cache if markers look stale
  • For visitor-facing dynamic filters, prefer on-map tools (Search & filters, Markers Filter, Advanced Search) instead of hard-coding every segment as a separate map — unless you truly need separate map URLs

Include or remove posts by IDs

  • Include — only these post IDs (great for curated “hand-picked” maps)
  • Exclude — all matching posts except these IDs (hide a few outliers)

IDs are the WordPress post IDs from the posts list screen.

Filter by author(s)

Limit the map to listings from specific users — useful for multi-vendor or agent directories.

Display order

Control how posts are ordered in the carousel / list and, depending on settings, how related UI sequences items:

  • Date, title, ID, menu order, meta value, etc.
  • Ascending or descending

Random order

Random ordering shuffles items on load (or per request, depending on implementation). Good for “discovery” carousels; avoid if visitors expect a stable alphabetical or price order.

Empty map checklist

If Query settings look correct but nothing shows:

  1. Do matching posts have coordinates?
  2. Is the map a search map (locations appear only after search)?
  3. Are taxonomy / meta filters too strict?
  4. Is the posts limit set to 0 or an unexpected value?
  5. Are you viewing a cached page?

Relation to modules

  • List & Filter and Markers Filter filter the already queried set (or refine it) in the browser / via Ajax — they do not replace Query settings.
  • Advanced Search often redirects to a results page that may use a map with its own query or override parameters.

Design Query settings as the baseline population, then let modules refine the visitor experience.

Next steps

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