New install? Read this first!

Welcome to the Document Library Pro Power Pack Knowledge base.

Quick Start: Updating Your Existing Shortcode

If you’re already using Document Library Pro (Essentials or Advanced), upgrading to Power Pack functionality is simple. Just update your existing doc_library shortcode to doc_library_powerpack:

Before:

[doc_library]

After:

[doc_library_powerpack]

That’s it! The Power Pack shortcode accepts all the same parameters as the standard Document Library Pro shortcode, while adding powerful new features.

Key Benefits

1. Download Tracking

Every document download is automatically tracked with detailed information including:

  • Date and time of download
  • User information (for logged-in users)
  • IP address
  • User agent/browser details
  • Document ID and title

2. Enhanced Multi-Downloads

When enabled in settings, users can select multiple documents and download them all at once in a single ZIP file.
Important: The updated shortcode is required for the enhanced multi-downloads to work.

3. Frontend Document Management

Allow users to create and edit documents directly from the frontend of your site without accessing the WordPress admin area. See below for the shortcode.

4. Custom Edit URLs

Direct users to custom edit pages using the edit parameter in your shortcode.

5. Category Filtering

Restrict document creation and editing to specific categories using the category_id parameter.

6. Recent and Top Downloads

Display personalized recent downloads for users and showcase your most popular documents.

Viewing Download Statistics

Accessing the Dashboard

  1. Navigate to DLP Power Pack in your WordPress admin menu
  2. Click on Download Summary to view comprehensive download statistics

What You Can See:

Monthly Overview:

  • Total downloads per month
  • Downloads by logged-in vs. anonymous users
  • CSV export functionality for each month

Document Details:

  • Individual document download counts
  • Detailed download history for each document
  • User information for each download
  • Date/time stamps and IP addresses

Filtering Options:

  • Filter downloads by document author
  • View specific time periods
  • Export data to CSV for external analysis

Resetting Download Data

If you need to start fresh, administrators can reset all download data from the Download Summary page. This will:

  • Clear all download tracking records
  • Reset document download counts to zero
  • Clear user recent download history
  • Clear all cached data

Warning: This action cannot be undone!

Available Shortcodes

1. doc_library_powerpack

The main shortcode that replaces doc_library with enhanced functionality.

Basic Usage:

[doc_library_powerpack]

With Custom Edit URL:

[doc_library_powerpack edit="https://yoursite.com/edit-document/"]

With Category Filtering:

[doc_library_powerpack category_id="123"]

All Standard Parameters: The shortcode accepts all standard Document Library Pro parameters, such as:

  • columns – Define which columns to display
  • category – Filter by category slug
  • tag – Filter by tag
  • search_box – Show/hide search box
  • filters – Show/hide filters
  • And many more…

2. [recent_doc_list]

Display a user’s recently downloaded documents.

Basic Usage:

[recent_doc_list]

Features:

  • Shows documents in the order they were last downloaded
  • Only visible to logged-in users
  • Number of documents shown is configurable in Power Pack settings
  • Displays a custom message for users who aren’t logged in
  • Shows a message if no downloads are found

Configuration: Go to DLP Power Pack > Power Pack Settings to configure:

  • Number of recent documents to display
  • Custom “not logged in” message
  • Custom “no downloads” message

3. [top_downloads]

Showcase your most popular documents.

Basic Usage:

[top_downloads]

All-Time Top Downloads (10 documents):

[top_downloads count="10" type="all"]

Last 30 Days Top Downloads:

[top_downloads count="5" type="last30"]

Parameters:

Parameter

Description

Default

Options

count

Number of documents to display

10

Any positive number

type

Time period to consider

all

all or last30

Examples:

Show top 5 documents from the last 30 days:

[top_downloads count="5" type="last30"]

Show top 20 all-time downloads:

[top_downloads count="20" type="all"]

4. dlp_frontend_create

Allow users to create new documents from the frontend.

Basic Usage:

[dlp_frontend_create]

With Redirect After Creation:

[dlp_frontend_create redirect="https://yoursite.com/thank-you/"]

Restrict to Specific Category:

[dlp_frontend_create category_id="123"]

With Default Category:

[dlp_frontend_create default_category="45"]

Include Custom Fields:

[dlp_frontend_create include_custom_fields="true"]

Include Specific Custom Fields:

[dlp_frontend_create custom_fields="field1,field2,field3"]

Exclude Specific Custom Fields:

[dlp_frontend_create include_custom_fields="true" exclude_custom_fields="field1,field2"]

Parameters:

Parameter

Description

Example

redirect

URL to redirect after successful creation

redirect="https://yoursite.com/success/"

default_category

Pre-select a category

default_category="123"

category_id

Restrict available categories to children of this category

category_id="45"

include_custom_fields

Show custom fields (true/false)

include_custom_fields="true"

custom_fields

Specific custom fields to include

custom_fields="field1,field2"

exclude_custom_fields

Custom fields to exclude

exclude_custom_fields="field3"

5. [dlp_frontend_edit]

Allow users to edit their existing documents from the frontend.

Basic Usage:

[dlp_frontend_edit]

With Redirect After Update:

[dlp_frontend_edit redirect="https://yoursite.com/documents/"]

Include Custom Fields:

[dlp_frontend_edit include_custom_fields="true"]

Include Specific Custom Fields:

[dlp_frontend_edit custom_fields="custom_price,custom_rating"]

Exclude Specific Custom Fields:

[dlp_frontend_edit include_custom_fields="true" exclude_custom_fields="internal_notes"]

Parameters:

Parameter

Description

Example

redirect

URL to redirect after successful creation

redirect="https://yoursite.com/success/"

include_custom_fields

Show custom fields (true/false)

include_custom_fields="true"

custom_fields

Specific custom fields to include

custom_fields="field1,field2"

exclude_custom_fields

Custom fields to exclude

exclude_custom_fields="field3"

Requirements:

  • User must be logged in
  • Document ID must be provided via URL parameter: ?document_id=123
  • User must be the document author or have edit_others_posts capability

Frontend Editing Features

Configurable Form Fields

In DLP Power Pack > Power Pack Settings, you can show or hide individual form fields:

Available Fields:

  • Title
  • Excerpt
  • Content
  • Document File/URL
  • Featured Image
  • Publication Date
  • Expiry Date
  • Document Authors
  • Categories
  • Tags
  • Password Protection
  • Document Status (Draft/Published)

Document Replacement

When enabled in settings, users can replace existing document files through the frontend edit form without creating a new document.

Anonymous Submissions

Allow non-logged-in users to submit documents. Configure rate limiting to prevent spam:

  • Maximum submissions per hour
  • Pending status for new submissions
  • IP-based tracking

Configuration Tips

Enable Enhanced Multi-Downloads

  1. Go to DLP Power Pack > Power Pack Settings
  2. Check “Enable Enhanced Multi-Downloads”
  3. Users will now see a “Download Selected Documents” button on pages using doc_library_powerpack

Set Custom Edit URLs

Use the edit parameter in your shortcode to direct users to a custom edit page:

[doc_library_powerpack edit="https://yoursite.com/my-documents/edit/"]

This creates an “Edit” link on each document that users own, directing them to your custom frontend edit form.

Configure Download Display Settings

Recent Downloads:

  • Set the number of recent documents to show
  • Customize messages for non-logged-in users and empty states

Top Downloads:

  • Set default count for most downloaded documents
  • Results are cached for 24 hours for optimal performance

User Permissions

Power Pack respects WordPress capabilities. Configure who can create and edit documents:

Required Capabilities:

  • Frontend Create: dlp_frontend_create capability
  • Frontend Edit: dlp_frontend_edit capability

Note: Users can only edit their own documents unless they have the edit_others_posts capability.

Best Practices

  1. Start Simple: Begin with just doc_library_powerpack and gradually add parameters as needed
  2. Test Permissions: Always test frontend forms with different user roles to ensure proper security
  3. Configure Messages: Customise the “not logged in” and “no downloads” messages to match your site’s tone
  4. Monitor Downloads: Regularly check the Download Summary to understand which documents are most popular
  5. Export Data: Use the CSV export feature for deeper analysis in spreadsheet applications
  6. Cache Awareness: Top download lists are cached for 24 hours. If you reset download data, the cache will be cleared
  7. Category Filtering: Use the category_id parameter to create focused document libraries for different sections of your site

Troubleshooting

Users Can’t See Edit Links:

  • Verify users have the dlp_frontend_edit capability
  • Ensure users are logged in
  • Check that they are the document author

Download Tracking Not Working:

  • Verify the plugin is activated
  • Check that the database tables were created during activation
  • Review WordPress error logs for any issues

Frontend Forms Not Displaying:

  • Confirm frontend uploading is enabled in settings
  • Verify shortcode spelling
  • Check user permissions

Enhanced Multi-Downloads Not Showing:

  • Enable the feature in Power Pack Settings
  • Ensure you’re using doc_library_powerpack not doc_library
  • Check that JavaScript is not being blocked

Support and Updates

For additional assistance:

  • Review the plugin settings page for inline help text
  • Check your WordPress debug log for error messages
  • Export download data for analysis using the CSV export feature

Remember to keep your plugin updated for the latest features and improvements!