Better custom WordPress excerpts

gistfile1.txt

if ( !function_exists( 'wpex_excerpt' ) ) {
	function wpex_excerpt($length=30, $readmore=false ) {
		global $post;
		$id = $post->ID;
		$meta_excerpt = get_post_meta( $id, 'wpex_excerpt_length', true );
		$length = $meta_excerpt ? $meta_excerpt : $length;	
		if ( has_excerpt( $id ) ) {
			$output = apply_filters( 'the_content', $post->post_excerpt );
		} else {
			$excerpt = get_the_content('');
			$excerpt = do_shortcode( $excerpt );
			$excerpt = apply_filters('the_content', $excerpt);
			$excerpt = str_replace(']]>', ']]>', $excerpt);
			$excerpt = apply_filters('the_content', $excerpt);
			$output = '<p>'. wp_trim_words( $excerpt, $length ) .'</p>';
			if ( $readmore == true ) {
				$readmore_link = '<a href="'. get_permalink( $id ) .'" title="'. __('continue reading', 'wpex' ) .'" rel="bookmark" class="readmore">'. __('continue reading', 'wpex' ) .'<span class="icon-chevron-right"></span></a>';
				$output .= apply_filters( 'wpex_readmore_link', $readmore_link );
			}
		}
		echo $output;
	}
}