Widget output all/filtered entries

OK, here’s what I did… please point me in a better direction if you have it. I modified the css file of the Names template to make it ONE column instead of 4 (or 3,2,1, as responsive). Then I just put the shortcode in a text widget [connections template="names" category='6' department='featured'], and modified the look with css.

Obviously, I hate to lose the Names template for other use. Could I duplicate that template, rename it, and then have both?

Any better ideas are appreciated.

Thanks!

OK, so what I did was take your idea, use the css from Names, add the part that mattered to the template style sheet with the changes and an !important and tied it to that specific widget-id in the css manager. Voila! Some additional widget styling and we’re good to go. Thanks!

OK, to sorta ‘reopen’ this… while the css mods worked great, back to my original premise.

How would you recommend that I list all records that:
have a specific ‘department’ (I’m using that as a ‘custom field’);
sorted by ‘category’;
using the Names template,
and where the category ‘name’ would be listed above each grouping (sort of like using the ‘alphahead’).

Something like this [ connections template=’names’ department=’featured’ order_by=’category|sort_acs’ ] (it doesn’t work, but you see what I’m after).

Yeah, I do realize I can accomplish this via entering 40 or so different [connections ] shortcodes in a text widget, and manually adding the category name, but being super lazy (not really) :) I was just looking to see if there was a more ‘efficient’ way to do this.

Thanks!