Download and File Manager Plugin (CMDM) - Getting Started - Free Version Tutorial


Download and File Manager Plugin - Free Version Tutorial

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This article covers only features presented in the free version of Download and File Manager Plugin.

Download and File Manager Plugin

Learn more about Pro version: Download and File Manager Plugin | Migrating to Pro Help

This documentation article shows you how to use the Download and File Manager Plugin Free to set up an index of downloads with unique pages where users can upload and download files.

Example

Index Page Example
Index Page Example
Download Details Page - WP Download and File Manager
Download Details Page

Table of Contents

  1. Installation guide
  2. List of Features
  3. Using the Plugin - Overview
  4. Settings
    1. Settings - General
    2. Settings - Notifications
    3. Settings - Panel Titles (Translating Labels)

Installation guide

Here are the steps needed to install the plugin:

1. Download - To manually install the plugin, you must first download it from WordPress.org to your computer.

2. Navigate to the Plugins tab in the WordPress Admin Panel to install the plugin.

Navigation to the Plugins dashboard
Navigation to the Plugins dashboard

3. Activate the plugin. 

TIP: Registration

If you like, you can register your plugin to receive information about updates and our latest offers. You can complete your registration at any time. 

If you don’t want to register right away, you can select the Skip button.

Plugin Registration Form - Download and File Manager for WordPress
Plugin Registration Form

List of Features

Free Edition Pro Edition
Upload unlimited single files Upload unlimited files
Notifications Notifications
Support forum for each download Support forum for each download
- Password protection
All logged-in users can upload and download Admin chooses permissions
- Document preview; audio & video player
- Automatic Zip compression; user can choose file to download
- Shortcode support
Interface in English; main labels can be translated Interface in English; all labels can be translated
No support Plugin can be used forever; one year of support and updates

WordPress Download and File Manager

Learn more about Pro version: Download and File Manager Plugin


Using the Free Plugin - Overview

TIP: Automatic Download Page

The plugin automatically creates a page that works as a downloads index. All new downloads will be shown there.

Index Page Link
Index Page Link

TIP: Settings

All options related to the plugin can be accessed from the Admin Dashboard → CM Downloads area.

Navigation to the Downloads List Dashboard
Navigation to the Downloads List Dashboard

The Index Page

Index Page
Index Page
  1. Categories
  2. Downloads list, linking to each page
  3. Search
  4. Link to your User Dashboard

Adding Downloads

The most important action is adding downloads. The admin can do this by clicking on the “Add New” link. Downloads contain title, version, the file itself, up to three categories, description, a screenshot and an optional recommendation.

Upload form for creating new downloads
Upload form for creating new downloads

Users Adding Downloads

Users can add downloads from their User Dashboard. The address is yoursite/cmdownload/dashboard. Users see the same front-end form as the admin when adding downloads.  

User Dashboard
User Dashboard

Managing Files

Click CM Downloads to manage all files:

Managing downloads
Managing downloads

Support Forum

Every download has a support forum.

Support forum for downloads
Support forum for downloads

Settings - General

General WP Download and File Manager settings
General Download and File Manager plugin settings
In the General settings, you define the most important functionalities of the plugin.
  • Link to downloads frontend list - Link to the page where downloads can be found
  • Downloads listing title - Name of the Download Index page. By default, it's CM Downloads
  • Search placeholder text - Text written by default in the search box. By default, it's "Search..."
  • Allowed file extensions (separate with comma) - File extensions not in this list cannot be uploaded. By default, it's zip,doc,docx,pdf,jpg,gif,png,jpeg
  • "No screenshot" image - This image will be shown if the download has no screenshot
  • Add "Downloads" (/cmdownloads) to site menu - Save to apply the setting. Warning! You need to have "wp_nav_menu" trigger in your template
  • Add "My Downloads" (/cmdownload/dashboard) to site menu - Save to apply the setting. You need to have "wp_nav_menu" trigger in your template
  • Force browser to download files - If disabled, browser will open some file types instead of downloading it, for example PDF and images.
  • Show version field - Show or hide on the front-end (users can always include when adding download)
  • Show support forum - Show or hide (users can always include when adding download)
  • Enable admin recommend option - Show or hide
  • Download Button position - Choose between:
    • Aside
    • Top
    • Below screenshots
    • Bottom

Settings - Notifications

WP Download and File Manager notifications settings
Download and File Manager plugin notifications settings

In this tab, you can configure two messages related to the support forum feature.

  • Sent to the uploader when a user posts a support topic. 
  • Sent to all users subscribed to a support topic when there's a new comment.

Settings - Panel Titles (Translating Labels)

The Panel Titles tab provides four useful text fields. By editing them, you will effectively translate the title of the most important pages.

WP Download and File Manager labels settings
Download and File Manager plugin labels settings

Example

Example of changing labels
Example of changing labels

More information about the WordPress Download and File Manager plugin

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