How can I create a list of subcategories in a category showing 1 article for each subcategory?

Question

I want to have a page listing each sub-category in a category but with each subcategory showing n number of caracters from the most recent article in each sub-category. The layout I am after is something like this.

Main category Title

• Sub-category 1 - First x number of characters from most recent article
• Sub-category 2 - First x number of characters from most recent article
• Sub-category 3 - First x number of characters from most recent article

It would be OK for the first x number of characters to go below each sub-category name. It would be acceptable to use read-more and just have what's above showing as I can achieve x number of characters like that.

I want all the sub-categories listed like this and I don't want a list of sub-categories repeated again below.

I have tried menu item Category list and Category blog but neither seems to show text of articles in sub-category.

Answer 1

I can see a couple of options depending on your situation.

Option 1.

If you sub-categories are not going to change then you could set up a 'Articles - Category' module for each sub-category. This allows you set the number of articles to show and the introtext limit will allow you to show a set number of characters. Then make a category blog list showing 0 items but with the category description showing. Then in the category description set out the modules using loadpositions like this:

Custom Title And Link to Subcat1

{loadposition some_custom_position_set_in_the_module_1}

Custom Title And Link to Subcat2

{loadposition some_custom_position_set_in_the_module_2}

Custom Title And Link to Subcat3

{loadposition some_custom_position_set_in_the_module_3}

This will give you detailed control over the display without having to edit any php. You would only load it in a category description like I suggest to keep your URI structure nice, but this may or may not apply to you.

Option 2.

Write a category blog template override. documentation is here https://docs.joomla.org/How_to_override_the_output_from_the_Joomla!_core