html - Using PHP loop to add Bootstrap rows and proper column numbers to elements

Question

I'm trying to create the following front-end using a PHP loop and Twitter Bootstrap's 12 column grid system:

The HTML output is:

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-lg-4">
        Content...
    </div>
    <div class="col-lg-4">
        Content...
    </div>
    <div class="col-lg-4">
        Content...
    </div>
</div>

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-lg-4">
        Content...
    </div>
    <div class="col-lg-4">
        Content...
    </div>
    <div class="col-lg-4">
        Content...
    </div>
</div>

<div class="row">
    <div class="col-lg-6">
        Content...
    </div>
    <div class="col-lg-6">
        Content...
    </div>
</div>

In PHP (WordPress) I'm wrapping every 3 items in a .row div:

<?php $i=0; // counter ?>

<?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?> 

    <?php if ($i%3==0) { // if counter is multiple of 3 ?>
    <div class="row">
    <?php } ?>

    <div class="col-md-4">
        Content...
    </div>        

    <?php $i++; ?>

    <?php if($i%3==0) { // if counter is multiple of 3 ?>
    </div>
    <?php } ?>

<?php endwhile; ?>

<?php if($i%3!=0) { // put closing div if loop is not exactly a multiple of 3 ?>
</div>
<?php } ?>

The Problem:

I don't know how to add the appropriate column number to the items in the last row so that they fill the 12 column grid.

For example, in my illustration above each item in the last row has col-6 (expands 6 columns) filling the 12 grid system. As another example, if there was 1 item in the last row it should have col-12.

Note: each row has 3 items at most as shown in the illustration and in PHP.

I know the following:

• Total number of items $loop->post_count

• Item number $i

• Number of remainder items in the last row $loop->post_count%3 (I think)

• Total number of columns 12 (12 could be divided by the number of remainder items to figure out the column number to give them)

Question:

How can I use that data in the PHP above to change the column number of the items in the last row so that they will fill the 12 grid (making them them centered)?

Answer 1

I liked your question because I'm working on a very similar situation. Since other answers are a bit longer, I decided to leave mine here for your consideration. For me, the less variables you use, the best the solution is.

BootstrapContentArranger.php

<?php
function BootstrapContentArrange($i) {
    $items = $i;                // qnt of items
    $rows = ceil($items/3);     // rows to fill
    $lr = $items%3;             // last row items
    $lrc = $lr;                 // counter to last row

    while ($items > 0) {        // while still have items
        $cell = 0;
        if ($rows > 1) {        // if not last row...
            echo '<div class="row">'.PHP_EOL;
            while ($cell < 3) {     // iterate with 3x4 cols
                echo '<div class="col-md-4">Content</div>'.PHP_EOL;
                $cell++;
            }
            echo "</div>".PHP_EOL;
        $rows--;        // end a row
        } elseif ($rows == 1 && $lr > 0) {      // if last row and still has items
            echo '<div class="row">'.PHP_EOL;
            while ($lrc > 0) {      // iterate over qnt of remaining items
                $lr == 2 ?      // is it two?
                    print('<div class="col-md-6">Content</div>'.PHP_EOL) :  // makes 2x6 row
                    print('<div class="col-md-12">Content</div>'.PHP_EOL); // makes 1x12 row
                $lrc--;
            } 
            echo "</div>".PHP_EOL;
            break;
        } else {        // if round qnt of items (exact multiple of 3)
            echo '<div class="row">'.PHP_EOL;
            while ($cell < 3) {     // iterate as usual
                echo '<div class="col-md-4">Content</div>'.PHP_EOL;
                $cell++;
            }
            echo "</div>".PHP_EOL;
            break;
        }
        $items--;       // decrement items until it's over or it breaks
    }
}

Test Cases

BootstrapContentArrange(3);
BootstrapContentArrange(11);
BootstrapContentArrange(1);

1. 3 items, outputs:

<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-4">Content</div>
<div class="col-md-4">Content</div>
<div class="col-md-4">Content</div>
</div>