WordPress Footnotes (CMF) - Free Version Guide

Free Version Guide

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WordPress Footnotes comes in two versions: Free version and Pro version. Note that the product guide goes through many features only available on the Pro version.

This article focuses on the free version.

Table of contents

1. Setup wizard
2. Settings
3. Creating a definition
4. Placing a shortcode with a footnote
5. Disabling/enabling footnotes
6. Footnote link
7. Differences Between Free and Pro
8. Elementor Compatibility

Setup Wizard

Once you install and activate the plugin, you will see a setup wizard. It will help you to configure the basic settings step by step - just follow the instructions. Optionally, you can skip it.

Settings

To configure the plugin navigate to Admin Dashboard → CM Footnotes → Settings.

The settings page shows options available in the Free version of the plugin and also showcases the options that are available in the Pro version only. You can show or hide Pro options by clicking the relevant button at the top right:

Here are the options that are available in Free version:

• Display footnotes on - Check the boxes to display footnotes on custom post types as well as on regular posts.

• Show each bottom footnote on separate line - Enable it if you want to display each bottom footnote on a separate line.

  The option is disabled / the option is enabled:

  

• Display "Setup Wizard" in plugin menu - Disable this option if you want to remove the Setup Wizard from the plugin menu.
• Footnote link symbol - Configure the style of a footnote link symbol with the following options:
  • Size
  • Color
  • Font Style (Bold or Italic)
• Footnote link anchor style - Set the style of footnote link anchor:
  • Size
  • Color

Don't forget to save the changes!

You can learn more about the rest of the options that are available in Pro version in this guide: WordPress Footnotes (CMF) - Settings - General Settings

Creating a Definition

First you need to start editing some post or page. When the plugin is activatedб a new metabox appears at the bottom of the page: CM Footnotes - Definitions. Here are the free options that you are available in the Free version:

1. ID - Here is defined the ID that will be used in the shortcode. You can either use IDs that are created automatically (1, 2, 3...), or you can write here any other ID - it can be for instance letters or special characters.
2. Definition - This field should contain the definition/explanation, which the link created by the shortcode will link to.
3. Copy shortcode - This button allows to easily copy the shortcode for the relevant footnote.
4. Delete Definition - Click the "X" button to delete this definition.
5. Add New Definition - Click the "+" button to add new definition.

Placing a Shortcode With a Footnote

To add a footnote link you just need to put the shortcode anywhere you want in the page content. Shortcode:  [cm_simple_footnote id="X"]

The shortcode takes just one parameter - id. As it's already been said before - the value of the parameter can contain numbers, letters or special characters.

The parameter has two purposes:

1. It identifies the footnote - so you can easily match the link and the definition
2. It's the label for the link - so it's up to administrator how the link will appear on the front-end

Disabling/Enabling Footnotes

There are two ways how you can disable or enable footnotes on the post/page.

1) If in plugin settings in the option Display footnotes on are chosen some post types, you can can disable footnotes on some definite post/page of that type.

While editing the post/page, find the metabox CM Footnote - Disables on the right side. Then check the option Disable Footnotes on this post/page. You can uncheck this option when you need the footnotes to be displayed again on that post/page. And you can see there a message that says this post type is ON in plugin settings.

2) And the opposite - some post/page types can be disabled in plugin options for displaying footnotes, but you can enable it on the definite post/pages.

While editing the post/page, the metabox CM Footnote - Disables will have another option - Enable Footnotes on this post/page. You can uncheck this option when you need the footnotes not to be displayed again on that post/page. And you can see there a message that says this post type is OFF in plugin settings.

Footnote Link

Users can click on the footnote link and they will be automatically scrolled to the bottom of the page to the needed definition.

Elementor Compatibility

Learn more about how the plugin works with Elementor in this guide: WordPress Footnotes (CMF) - Troubleshooting - Elementor Compatibility

Why Upgrade to Pro - Differences Between Free and Pro

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