Movable Type exposes a number of different template tags called container tags that loop over a set of objects. This allows designers to display for example the last 10 entries on a blog, or to display each of the comments associated with an entry.

As Movable Type iterates or loops over a list of objects in this fashion it maintains a number of meta variables for you, allowing you to test if the current item is an odd or even item in the list for example.

Loop Meta Variables ¶

Note: Each of these variables is preceded and followed by two (2) underscores.

• __even__ - returns true if the current item in the list is even
• __odd__ - returns true if the current item in the list is odd
• __first__ - returns true if the current item in the list if the first item in the list
• __last__ - returns true if the current item in the list if the last item in the list
• __counter__ - returns the index of the current item in the list

Examples ¶

List the most recent 10 entries in a unordered list. Adding "odd' and "even" classes. Note the order in the list in parenthesis:

<mt:Entries lastn="10">
    <mt:if name="__first__"><ul></mt:if>
    <li class="entry <mt:if name="__even__">even<mt:else>odd</mt:if>">
        <mt:EntryTitle> (<mt:var name="__counter__">0
    </li>
    <mt:if name="__last__"></ul></mt:if>
</mt:Entries>

Related ¶

• <mt:Entries>
• <mt:Pages>
• <mt:Authors>
• <mt:Blogs>
• <mt:Categories>
• etc... and all other loop block tags in Movable Type