Get and filter articles from current blog or featured view for Joomla

<?php
/**
 * @package Joomla.Site
 * @subpackage  mod_intercode_leading_items
 *
 * @copyright
 * @license GNU/Public
 */
defined('_JEXEC') or die;
$baseurl = JUri::base();
$app = JFactory::getApplication();
// Obtém o Item de Menu atualmente ativo
$currentMenuItem = $app->getMenu()->getActive();
// Obtém os parâmetros do Item de Menu atualmente ativo
$menuparams = $currentMenuItem->params;
// Agora você pode pegar um parâmetro em particular
// pega todas as subcategorias
$currentCategory = $currentMenuItem->query['id'];

$categories = JCategories::getInstance('Article', $options);
$model = JModelLegacy::getInstance('Articles', 'ContentModel', array('ignore_request' => true));
$model->getState();
// Set application parameters in model
$app = JFactory::getApplication();
$appParams = $app->getParams();
$model->setState('params', $appParams);
// Set the filters based on the module params
$model->setState('list.start', 0);
$model->setState('list.limit', $menuparams->get('num_leading_articles'));
$model->setState('filter.category_id', $currentCategory);
$model->setState('filter.published', 1);
$model->setState('filter.subcategories', true);
$subCategoryLevels = $menuparams->get('maxLevel') == '0' ? '-1' : '';

$model->setState('filter.max_category_levels', $subCategoryLevels);
// Permissions
$access = !JComponentHelper::getParams('com_content')->get('show_noauth');
$authorised = JAccess::getAuthorisedViewLevels(JFactory::getUser()->get('id'));
$model->setState('filter.access', $access);
// Featured Item
// Get article from featured set
if ($params->get('featured') == '1'){
    $model->setState('filter.featured', 'only');
}

// Ordering
$orderDate = $menuparams->get('order_date') ;
if ($menuparams->get('order_date') == 'published'){
    $orderDate = 'a.publish_up';
}
$model->setState('list.ordering', $orderDate);
$model->setState('list.direction', 'DESC');
$items = $model->getItems();

?>

<div class="lead-items intercode-leading-items intercode-leading-items<?php echo $moduleclass_sfx ?> row">
    <?php foreach ($items as $item) :?>
    <div class="lead-item col-md-4">
        <?php
    $images = json_decode($item->images);
    $intromage =  $images->image_intro;
    ?>
        <?php if ($intromage) :?>
        <div class="item-image">
            <a href="<?php echo JRoute::_(ContentHelperRoute::getArticleRoute($item->id)); ?>">
                <img src="<?php echo JUri::base().$intromage;?>" />
            </a>
        </div>
        <?php endif;?>
        <div class="article-info">
            <div class="category">
                <a href="<?php echo JRoute::_(ContentHelperRoute::getCategoryRoute($item->catid)); ?>">
                    <?php
     $category = JTable::getInstance('category');
     $category->load($item->catid);
     echo $category->title;?>
                </a>
            </div>
        </div>
        <div class="page-header">
            <h2 itemprop="name" class="lead-title">
                <a href="<?php echo JRoute::_(ContentHelperRoute::getArticleRoute($item->id)); ?>">
                    <?php echo $item->title;?>
                </a>
            </h2>
        </div>
        <div class="lead-text">
            <?php
//Limite de caracteres
$maxLimit = $params->get('max_chars');
$text = $item->introtext.$item->textfull;
$text = preg_replace("/\r\n|\r|\n/", " ", $text);
// Em seguida, troca os marcadores <br /> com \n
$text = preg_replace("/<BR[^>]*>/i", " ", $text);
// Troca os marcadores <p> com \n\n
$text = preg_replace("/<P[^>]*>/i", " ", $text);
// Remove todos os marcadores
$text = strip_tags($text);
// Trunca o texto pelo limite de caracteres
$text = substr($text, 0, $maxLimit);
//$text = String::truncate($text, $maxLimit, '...', true);
// Deixa visível a última palavra que, no caso, foi cortada no meio
$text = preg_replace("/[.,!?:;]? [^ ]*$/", " ", $text);
// Adiciona reticências ao fim do texto
$text = trim($text) . '...' ;
// Troca \n com <br />
$text = str_replace("\n", " ", $text);
echo $text;
?>
        </div>
    </div>
    <?php endforeach;?>
</div>