1) Display only subcategories:
<?php // if the page visitor views is a category page if (is_category()) { $cur_cat = get_query_var('cat'); if ($cur_cat) { $new_cats = wp_list_categories('echo=false&child_of=' . $cur_cat . '&depth=1&title_li=&&show_count=1&hide_empty=0'); echo '<ul>' . $new_cats . '</ul>'; } } ?>
2) Showing all the best categories:
<?php wp_list_categories('depth=1&title_li=&exclude=1&show_count=1&hide_empty=0'); ?>
3) Display all top categories + Subcategories, such as tree menus:
Use plugin, called FoCal
4) view this topic
http://wpworks.wordpress.com/2011/01/13/displaying-categories-and-subcategories-tree-on-wordpress/
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