Returning JSON data with ajax in wordpress -

ok long question here. i'm new ajax , using in context of wordpress, i've been following along tutorials online , think i'm there.

i'll paste have far , explain thinking.

ok start, js.

jquery(document).ready(function(){      jquery('.gadgets-menu').mouseenter(function(){            doajaxrequest();      }); }); 

mouse enters .gadgets-menu , request triggers, using mouseenter fires once.

the request itself.

function doajaxrequest(){      // here request happen      jquery.ajax({           url: 'http://www.mysite.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php',           data:{                'action':'do_ajax',                'fn':'get_latest_posts',                'count':5                },           datatype: 'json',           success:function(data){                 //here don't know do.                                                },           error: function(errorthrown){                alert('error');                console.log(errorthrown);           }        });  }  

now php function.

add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_do_ajax', 'our_ajax_function'); add_action('wp_ajax_do_ajax', 'our_ajax_function'); function our_ajax_function(){        switch($_request['fn']){           case 'get_latest_posts':                $output = ajax_get_latest_posts($_request['count']);           break;           default:               $output = 'no function specified, check jquery.ajax() call';           break;       }            $output=json_encode($output);          if(is_array($output)){         print_r($output);             }          else{         echo $output;          }          die; } 

and ajax_get_latest_posts function

function ajax_get_latest_posts($count){      $posts = get_posts('numberposts='.'&category=20'.$count);       return $posts; } 

so, if i've done right output should $posts = get_posts('numberposts='.'&category=20'.$count); ie. number of posts (5), category 20. don't know now, how title , thumbnail?

i'm sorry if silly, i'm fumbling around here.

amended php

add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_do_ajax', 'our_ajax_function'); add_action('wp_ajax_do_ajax', 'our_ajax_function'); function our_ajax_function(){         $output = ajax_get_latest_posts($_request['count']); // or $_get['count']     if($output) {         echo json_encode(array('success' => true, 'result' => $output));     }     else {         wp_send_json_error(); // {"success":false}         // similar to, echo json_encode(array("success" => false));         // or can use, -         // echo json_encode(array('success' => false, 'message' => 'not found!'));     }            $output=json_encode($output);          if(is_array($output)){         print_r($output);             }          else{         echo $output;          }          die; }   function ajax_get_latest_posts($count) {     $args = array( 'numberposts' => $count, 'order' => 'desc','category' => 20 );     $post = wp_get_recent_posts( $args );     if( count($post) ) {         return $post;     }     return false; } 

this not work.

jquery(document).ready(function(){      jquery('.gadgets-menu').mouseenter(function(){            doajaxrequest();      }); }); function doajaxrequest(){      // here request happen      jquery.ajax({           url: 'http://localhost:8888/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php',           data:{                'action':'do_ajax',                'fn':'get_latest_posts',                'count':5                },           datatype: 'json',           success:function(data){             if(data.success) {                alert("it works");                           }             else {                 // alert(data.message); // or whatever...             }         }        });  }  

no alert shown.

in code get_posts('numberposts='.'&category=20'.$count); wrong, can use wp_get_recent_posts function instead (though uses get_posts anyway), example

function ajax_get_latest_posts($count) {     $args = array( 'numberposts' => $count, 'order' => 'desc','category' => 20 );     $post = wp_get_recent_posts( $args );     if( count($post) ) {         return $post;     }     return false; } 

then in our_ajax-function can use

    $output = ajax_get_latest_posts($_request['count']); // or $_get['count']     if($output) {         echo json_encode(array('success' => true, 'result' => $output));     }     else {         wp_send_json_error(); // {"success":false}         // similar to, echo json_encode(array("success" => false));         // or can use, -         // echo json_encode(array('success' => false, 'message' => 'not found!'));     } 

in success callback function, can check

success:function(data){     if(data.success) {         // loop array, , whatever want         $.each(data.result, function(key, value){             // can use $(this)             // console.log($(this)); // check debug , idea         });     }     else {         // alert(data.message); // or whatever...     } } 

you can read here wp_send_json_error helper function learn more helper functions.

update :

also remember that, after $output=json_encode($output); $output not array anymore, instead, it's json string, is_array($output) return false if use is_array() before encode using $output=json_encode($output); like

if( is_array( $output ) ) {     $output = json_encode( $output ); } 

in case, is_array( $output ) return true.

an example/simulation.