PHP: WordPress Dynamic Excerpt

dynamic_excerpt.php

<?php
function the_excerpt_dynamic($num_words) {
	global $post;
	$text = $post->post_excerpt;

	if ( '' == $text ) {
		$text = get_the_content('');
		$text = apply_filters( 'the_content', $text );
		$text = str_replace( ']]>', ']]>', $text );
	}

	$text = strip_shortcodes( $text ); // optional
	$text = strip_tags( $text ); // optional, use ' $text = strip_tags($text,'<p><a>'); ' to keep some formats
	 
	// separate the words of the string into an array so we can parse it 
	$words = explode( ' ', $text );
	$total = count( $words );
	 
	// get only the amount of words that we want to include in the excerpt
	$words = array_slice( $words, 0, $num_words );
	$words[] = '&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="'. get_permalink($post->ID) .'">Read More</a>';

	// now put it back together
	$text = implode( ' ', $words );

	echo apply_filters( 'the_excerpt', $text );
}

// call in function
// if ( function_exists( 'the_excerpt_dynamic' ) ) the_excerpt_dynamic(40);

?>