Posted 3 months ago #
Hi
I'm searching for a plugin that will allow me to assign posts to specific user (not Role).
Example: John Smith (member) logins into my site, and he can only see posts that have been assigned to him.
I have been searching for the right plugin but with no luck!
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Posted 2 months ago #
Hi there bsvikss;
I have been working with a handful of ideas and came to the ultimate conclusion that the single 'best' option for my situation (similar to yours) is utilizing S2Member (Just Google S2Member or view the plugin within the WordPress.org 'plugins' area)...This seems to do the trick for me with a little tweaking.
Once you install the plugin, you are able to go to the individual user's profile (via admin), and search for a new field called 'Custom Capabilities' and make up a word here that is unique to the user (like 'PetShopBoys123' or something very unique). Once you have done that, you can navigate to the 'Posts' area and then 'New Post', and from the 'Create New Post' page at the top-right corner, you will now see a new area called 'S2Member' with two new categories explained below:
1: The first category named 'Post Level Restriction?', enter the actual level of your user (subscriber, author, custom, etc.)
2: Below that is a field called 'Require Custom Capabilities?'; this is where you would place that unique word from the previous paragraph ('PetShopBoys123'). From there, you can publish that page for that individual person.
The unique word 'PetShopBoys123' in my example grants access to ONLY the individual(s) whom have this unique word tied to their user account. You obviously have Admin access of all the unique posts you create as well.
I hope this helps; it seems to be one of the better solutions for creating 'member only' areas. There are other configurations with other plugins that I've used to achieve a similar result of private pages/posts, so if this idea doesn't work for you, definitely keep playing with other combinations.
The developer of S2Member publicly states that this process isn't a normal thing with S2Member, and it wasn't made for private posts, but he has configured the program to handle it well even without that intention: here's the video tutorial from him showing you how the private posts configuration is done step-by-step: http://www.s2member.com/videos/716DC24E7E347DC2/
I hope this helps you out in what you're looking for.
Roger Sanchez
DynamicoDesigns.com
Posted 2 months ago #
I should also add that a 'cleaner' solution to the above (as S2Member can tend to be both very heavy as well as tedious and finicky) would be to utilize the plugins below in unison:
A: WP User Frontend
B: User Permissions
The above will combine to provide with a very similar solution to the above mentioned (my previous reply above) solution. I think you may like this one better as it's easier as well with less confusion AND the addition of being friendly with other plugins (S2Member is VERY, VERY - did I say 'VERY' unfriendly with other plugins for the most part).
In addition, if you'd like to customize user fields and also get rid of the annoying common WP User Fields (Yahoo Instant Messenger, URL, Biographical Info, etc.) take advantage of using the following plugins as well:
C: Hide User Profile Fields
D: Simple User Profile
I have tested this combo and it works excellent...I hope this additional scenario helps you out if the first solution doesn't work.
Roger Sanchez
DynamicoDesigns.com
Posted 2 months ago #
I should also mention probably one of the LEAST intrusive ways to go about creating private profiles for individuals that I know of on WordPress. If you are ok with getting your hands wet with PHP and testing within the database, then the following solution is awesome:
Justin Tadlock's explanation/method of utilizing your theme's 'functions.php' file to allow for the creation of functions that make your own unique custom fields for your individual users and your website - this is one of the least intrusive/friendly ways you can add custom profile fields with the least amount of plugin worry/issues.
In addition to this, you will want to utilize 'WP User FrontEnd' plugin to allow front-end viewing of profiles for specific types of members you have (subscribers, for example). This adds a front-end user profile area where you can simple choose a page where the user info will populate, set it with shortcode, and have a private member area.
Since everyone will be viewing their profile via front-end, you will want to utilize a front-end login panel. If you're looking for a decent front-end login plugin, I'd suggest utilizing the plugin 'Sidebar Login' as it works smoothly with the aforementioned settings. Within the simple settings panel that this plugin provides, you're able to redirect where individuals go upon login and logout and some other extra features - pretty nifty and simple.
For the most part, the above can work in the most simplest of cases smoothly, but if you're wanting to add extra buffers, read below (no specifics beyond this point, just providing a synopsis of extra stuff you should/could do):
To aid in disallowing wp-admin access for the general 'subscriber', I tinker with certain functions dealing with directing people to 'wp-admin.php' within the 'wp-login.php' file located in the root directory of your WP install. This helps keep unnecessary members from easily accessing your wp-admin area whatsoever. If back-end access is NOT a concern for you though, you can skip adding both 'Sidebar Login widget' and skip configuring your 'wp-login.php' file and proceed with Justin Tadlock's method (above), and utilizing 'WP User FrontEnd' plugin.
Yet again, this is just a BASIC way of doing this with many configurations you will have to set up/configure/code in addition to the above settings (privatizing content, pages, redirect, ssl if any, etc.), but if you're determined, you will get the hang of it if you work through it slowly.
I utilize this method on a couple of websites I've developed/designed, and it works great. Do at your own risk though; if you're unfamiliar with how to tinker with WP CMS structure, you may want to stick with one of the aforementioned solutions in my previous comments.
I hope one of these three methods works for individuals looking for a type of solution for private member areas.
I am using all of this without any issue utilizing WP 3.5.1
Roger Sanchez
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