Readme file for Network Posts Extended

This is the readme.txt file for the Network Posts extended plugin.

=== Network Posts Extended ===
Contributors: johnzenausa,superfrontender
Tags: network global posts, network posts, global posts, multisite posts, shared posts, network posts extended
Donate link: https://wp-plugins.johncardell.com/
Requires at least: 4.0
Tested up to: 4.9.6
Requires PHP: 7.0
Stable tag: trunk
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

The plugin is designed to share posts, pages, and custom post types from across entire network on any given page for any subdomain and the main blog. You may list them in single or double column mode. Add custom css styling to your text, images, whole container and title.

== Description ==
The plugin is designed to share posts, pages, and custom post types from across entire network on any given page for any subdomain and the main blog. You may list them in single or double column mode. Add custom css styling to your text, images, whole container and title.
You can specify categories and tags. All posts will be shown in ascending and descending order by date or post ID. You can specify how old (in days) the collected posts may be. Also you can specify how many posts should be displayed from each blog. You can set thumbnails image size and style or disable them.
You may also include or exclude posts, pages, categories, and blogs by using the appropriate arguments. They are all listed at the end of this file.

== Installation ==
You may install the plugin using one of the three following methods:

1. Unzip file and using an ftp program upload it to the wp-content/plugins/ directory then activate in plugins page.
2. Using the search field in the admin plugins area type in &#34network posts extended" (without quotes) then install from there.
3. Upload zip file through the standard plugins menu.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==
Q) Should I network activate the plugin?
A) You may network activate the plugin so it is available on all sites or activate individually. When network activated there will be a new menu for the plugin under settings > Network Posts Thumbnails which will allow you to give certain permissions to blog owners when it comes to the thumbnail sizes. You may allow to create new sizes just on their blog or across the entire network which will affect everybody. I recommend only to allow it for their blog only. This allows you to also include it as a custom feature if you want to charge for this capability.

Q) May I only include an x amount of posts that I choose?
A) Yes, use include_post= and put in your posts in comma separated format surrounded by double quotes.
Example include_post='5,78,896'.

Q) My title is too long and looks ugly, anyway I can shorten it?
A) You may shorten it using the argument title_length='10' will rounded it off to the last complete word before it reaches 10 characters.

Q) I would like to just show an X amount of random posts on the home page. Is it possible?
A) Use the following arguments: random='true' and list='10' will show ten different posts randomly whenever the page is loaded. If you add list="15" it will show fifteen different posts randomly.

Q) May I order my posts in specific order by date or title?
A) Yes you may give specific ordering of your posts or pages via alphabetical order (by title), by date or page or post ID specific order.

Q) Does this plugin list pages from woocommerce?
A) Yes it now does as of version 0.1.4. You may list via page/post id or via taxonomy='custom woocommerce category'. Woocommerce default directory/taxonomy is product show you would just use the argument taxonomy='Product' which is the title of the directory. (Not case sensitive)
Note: Also works with Tips and Tricks eStore plugin.

Q) Will this plugin also include the prices from the products I create with the Woocommerce and eStore plugins?
A) Yes it will including the following argument: include_price='woocommerce' or include_price='estore'. If for some reason you have both plugins installed you would use include_price='estore|woocommerce' if you want to list them both.

Q) When I use the following argument wrap_start="<div style="color:blue;">" and wrap_end="</div>" the text does not change color.
A) That is because since double quotes are used after the = sign  they must be changed to single quotes and use double quotes in the html. For example you would have to have wrap_start='<div style="color:blue;">'. Notice the double quotes in the html? Do not forget to change the closing argument to wrap_end='</div>'

Q) Does this plugin work with custom post types. That is post_type='custom-post-type'.
A) Yes it now works with custom post types.

Q) Can I show full post from any blog on any site?
A) Yes you can by using the following argument full_text='true'

Q) The default layout is quite ugly. How do I improve it?
A) Using css I have made this plugin very flexible. It now contains two default layouts. Their names are "default" and "inline". You may choose either one by using use_layout='default' or use_layout='inline'.

Q) Can I use shortcode attributes in dynamically created url?
A) Yes you may now use the shortcode attributes in a url. Example: http://localhost/wordpress/home-page/?column=infinite&include_blog=1,2,3&taxonomy=wordpress-develop,second-posts

Q) Where do I put the shortcodes?
A) Paste the shortcode on any page, post or custom post type using the Text not the Visual area of the posts editor field.

Q) How do I use this plugin in widgets?
A) Use the default WordPress text widget and post the code in there under the Text not Visual code area so it will not mess with the shortcode. This widget is now automatically shortcode ready. No need for a special widget or plugin to activate shortcodes in widgets.

== Screenshots ==
1. Single Column Default
2. Single Column with Blue Header and Thumbnail Dimmensions size='240,160'
3. Double Column with Red Header

== Changelog ==
= 5.5 =
Added two new arguments - hide_source='true' hide_excerpt='true'. Default false (will automatically show hide_source and hide_excorpt unless set to "true").

= 3.9 =
Added the ability to create custom fields and order your posts as such. For example if you create a custom post type to show upcoming events you can list them in either ASC (ascending) or DESC (descending) order. Plus you can show past events or events that are occurring today. Plus changed the link structure from using post ID to using permalinks.

= 3.8 =
Fixed bug where post_height='' stopped working.

= 3.7 =
Added the ability to keep original image quality in plugin admin menu. Keep original image is defaulted to on and by-passes WordPress automatically choosing compressed version of image. Check the box to turn this feature off.

= 3.6 =
Added ability to open links in new window.

= 3.5 =
Updated way WordPress runs shortcode to keep up with security standards plus fixing taxonomy error. Now compatible with WordPress version 4.8.3. Plus added to be able to call taxonomies by keyword using partial category/tag name.

= 3.4 =
Fixed error in show_categories php code which was showing parse error in error_log file.

= 3.3 =
Fixed use_shortcode_in_excerpt function now works again. Added the argument show_categories so if you would like to include a link to the category page you may add show_categories='true'

= 3.2 =

Fixed syntax error created in some environments.

= 3.1 =
Corrected the ability to process shorcodes in the excerpt field. Now must use: use_shortcode_in_excerpt='true'. You must use a plugin like <a href='https://wordpress.org/plugins/code-snippets/'>Code Snippets</a> or add the following code to your functions.php file which allows you to process shortcodes in the excerpt box of posts and if activated pages also. <?php add_filter('the_excerpt', 'do_shortcode'); ?> without the backticks. The above plugin will not want you to include the <?php and ?>. Just enter it as so: add_filter('the_excerpt', 'do_shortcode');. If your functions.php file has an opening php tag just insert the latter snippet also.

= 3.0 =
Added the ability to process shortcodes in the excerpt field. Just set filter_excerpt='true'. That is if you have a shortcode in the posts excerpt field in the admin page or have auto_excerpt='true' it will process all shortcodes.

= 2.9 =
Added ability to use shortcodes in dynamic url.

= 2.8 =
Fixed css bug

= 2.7 =
Fixed Call to Function errors.

= 2.6 =
Fixed use_layout='inline' so it looks like it was supposed to. Has Title, meta-info and content floating to the right of thumbnail.

= 2.5 =
Fixed bug where content was flowing outside of content area when listed on a page.
I have added the following arguments:
* full_text='true' will show entire blog content (default - false)
* use_layout='' (default or inline - the default is set to use_layout='default'). When set to inline all meta data and content will be aligned to the right of the image.
* align_thumbnail='' (default is left. May now choose the image to align to the right of the text if use_layout='inline' is chosen.
* wrap_excerpt_container_start='CSS Code Here or anything else for that matter' wrap_excerpt_container_end=''. So if you want to add a class to the excerpt/content area you may do so by using wrap_excerpt_container_start='<div class='custom-class'>' wrap_excerpt_container_end='</div>'.

= 2.4 =
Fixed bug where it stopped working with posty_type='page' and now works with custom post types. So if you make a post type called listing you may now add, post_type='listing'.

= 2.2 =
Fixed incompatibility problem between browsers. Now tested and works with Firefox, Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Should work with Safari and Opra browsers also.

= 2.0 =
Added the ability to resize images and use them as the default thumbnail.

= 1.5 =
This plugin now will show prices for commerce sites using the Woocommerce or WP eStore plugins.

= 1.4 =
The plugin can now list post and pages from any subomain/blog including woocommerce and eStore. No longer syntax error created.

= 1.3 =
Removed below custom class and added checkbox to remove read more link on excerpts.
Added text box to remove read more link individually by inserting the title of post/page.
Moved the location of the plugin from the tools menu to inside the settings menu for less confusion.
It is now named 'Network Posts Ext' with the quotes of course.

= 1.2 =
Added custom class to plugins net_posts_extended.css file .netsposts-read-more-link
This way you can remove the read more links from the excerpts by using the following attribute:
a.netsposts-read-more-link { visibility: hidden; } or a.netsposts-read-more-link  { display: none; }

= 1.1 =
Added ability to list posts in specific order by date, title or page (pertains to post_type='page' only).
Arguments now work with paginate='false' random='true'
Fixed call to function error

= 1.0 =
Added two more arguments.
manual_excerpt_length=' ' plus post_height=' '

= 0.9 =
Added the function to be able to use your own custom classes in tools area.
Plus added the following arguments:
column_width (default (px): 200)
title_color (default: black)
text_color - color of text. Examples text_color='red' or text_color='#ff0000'. Both will have the texts color turn red.
meta_info - Default true

= 0.8 =
wrap_title_start,wrap_title_end - wrap_image_start,wrap_image_end - wrap_text_start,wrap_text_end.
meta_width - Same as title length except in percentage to shorten long meta data.
Added the ability to show posts or pages randomly using the following argument: random='true'
The list= argument works with pagination= true or false (default: false)

= 0.10 =
Added the ability to have custom thumbnail sizes created on image upload.
You will be able to have image sizes that are also rectangular for better matching on listing your pages. For example an image with a width of 300px and height of 200px.

== Upgrade Notice ==
Please upgrade to get the latest features and security updates.