How to Configure and Use the ACF Gallery Field with Any WordPress Theme

Aug 1, 2024 | How To

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Preview

Before we dive into the tutorial, let’s take a quick look at the outcome across different screen sizes.

Desktop

Mobile

  • First, we add a new ACF field group. Let’s name it “Gallery”.
  • Second, assign the ACF Field Type to “Gallery”.
  • Third, name the ACF field label as “Gallery”.
  • Fourth, ACF Field Name as “gallery” (Remember this name).

Location Rules

Under the settings for the ACF field group, we’ll find the option for location rules. Here, we can set the locations where the field will appear. We can choose to incorporate the field into posts, pages, projects, or any other desired locations. In this example, I’ll assign it to a post, but you can add it to pages, projects, or any other location as you see fit.

Verifying Gallery Field Addition to Desired Post or Page

Next, we’ll confirm if the field has been successfully integrated into the post. I’ll navigate to the post and verify the presence of the field there.

Once the field’s creation is confirmed, we’ll proceed to add images to it. We have the option to bulk select the images for addition to the gallery and can also include captions for each image.

Integrating Code into the Child Theme

We’ll now integrate the following function into the functions.php file of our child theme in WordPress. Numerous documentation resources are available across the web explaining how to create a child theme for your WordPress theme.
function display_event_gallery_shortcode() {
    ob_start(); // Start output buffering
    
    // Check if the ACF function exists
    if( function_exists('get_field') ) {
        // Get the gallery field value
        $gallery_images = get_field('gallery');
        
        // Check if there are any images in the gallery
        if( $gallery_images ) {
            // Loop through each image in the gallery
            foreach( $gallery_images as $index => $image ) {
                // Display each image with appropriate classes for styling
                echo '<img src="' . esc_url($image['url']) . '" alt="' . esc_attr($image['alt']) . '" />';
            }
        } else {
            // If there are no images in the gallery, you can display a fallback message
            echo 'No images found.';
        }
    }

    // Return the output
    return ob_get_clean(); // Return buffered content
}
add_shortcode('event_gallery', 'display_event_gallery_shortcode');

Adding the Shortcode

Now, we’ll insert the shortcode into the post content field. The shortcode we’ll be using is [event_gallery].
[event_gallery]
The shortcode [event_gallery] is a powerful tool for seamlessly integrating the gallery into your post content. By simply adding this shortcode, you can dynamically display the gallery within your post, enhancing its visual appeal and engaging your audience with captivating images. It offers a convenient way to showcase your content without the need for complex coding, making it an invaluable asset for creating dynamic and immersive posts.

Check in the Frontend

After saving the post, we’ll proceed to check the frontend. Here, we might observe that the images are vertically positioned, appearing one after another. To address this, we’ll implement styling adjustments in the functions.php code to ensure the gallery displays as desired.

Updating the code to align the Images to Suit Requirements

Let’s update the code in the functions.php file to incorporate the necessary styling adjustments. Additionally, we’ll add the corresponding CSS rules into the style.css file of the child theme to refine the appearance of the gallery.
1. functions.php
function display_event_gallery_shortcode() {
    ob_start(); // Start output buffering
    
    // Check if the ACF function exists
    if( function_exists('get_field') ) {
        // Get the gallery field value
        $gallery_images = get_field('gallery');
        
        // Check if there are any images in the gallery
        if( $gallery_images ) {
            // Open a container for the gallery
            echo '<div class="gallery-container-ps">';
            
            // Loop through each image in the gallery
            foreach( $gallery_images as $index => $image ) {
                // Display each image with appropriate classes for styling
                echo '<div class="gallery-item-ps">';
                echo '<img src="' . esc_url($image['url']) . '" alt="' . esc_attr($image['alt']) . '" />';
                echo '</div>';
            }
            
            // Close the container for the gallery
            echo '</div>';
        } else {
            // If there are no images in the gallery, you can display a fallback message
            echo 'No images found.';
        }
    }

    // Return the output
    return ob_get_clean(); // Return buffered content
}
add_shortcode('event_gallery', 'display_event_gallery_shortcode');

2. style.css
.gallery-container-ps {
    display: flex;
    flex-wrap: wrap;
}

.gallery-item-ps {
    width: 33.33%; /* Three columns */
    padding: 5px;
    box-sizing: border-box;
}

.gallery-item-ps img {
    max-width: 100%;
    height: auto;
}

@media screen and (max-width:900px){
    .gallery-item-ps {
        width: 100%;
        padding: 5px;
    }
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, after updating the required code and making necessary adjustments, we’ll check the frontend once more. Voila! We’ve successfully learned how to configure and utilize the ACF gallery field on any WordPress theme. With this newfound knowledge, we can enhance our websites with dynamic and visually appealing galleries, enriching the user experience and making our content more engaging.

Next Blog Sneak Peak

Get ready for an exciting sneak peek of my next blog! We’ll delve into the world of enhancing gallery functionality by adding a lightbox feature to the images. Say goodbye to static galleries and hello to interactive experiences as we explore how to seamlessly incorporate a lightbox, allowing users to effortlessly slide through the images and immerse themselves in captivating visual content. Stay tuned for step-by-step instructions on how to elevate your galleries to the next level!

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