Non Conflict query to Display posts

<?php $featuredPosts = new WP_Query(); $featuredPosts->query(‘showposts=5&cat=3’); while ($featuredPosts->have_posts()) : $featuredPosts->the_post(); ?> <h1><a href=”<?php the_permalink() ?>”><?php the_title(); ?></a></h1> <div class=”meta”> By <?php the_author() ?> </div> <div class=”storycontent”> <?php the_excerpt(); ?> </div> <?php endwhile; ?>

Create New Excerpt

class Excerpt {

// Default length (by WordPress)
public static $length = 55;

// So you can call: my_excerpt(‘short’);
public static $types = array(
‘short’ => 25,
‘regular’ => 55,
‘long’ => 100
);

/**
* Sets the length for the excerpt,
* then it adds the WP filter
* And automatically calls the_excerpt();
*
* @param string $new_length
* @return void
* @author Baylor Rae’
*/
public static function length($new_length = 55) {
Excerpt::$length = $new_length;

add_filter(‘excerpt_length’, ‘Excerpt::new_length’);

Excerpt::output();
}

// Tells WP the new length
public static function new_length() {
if( isset(Excerpt::$types[Excerpt::$length]) )
return Excerpt::$types[Excerpt::$length];
else
return Excerpt::$length;
}

// Echoes out the excerpt
public static function output() {
the_excerpt();
}

}

// An alias to the class
function my_excerpt($length = 55) {
Excerpt::length($length);
}

use below in your query
my_excerpt(‘short’); // calls the defined short excerpt length

my_excerpt(40); // 40 chars