Cannot insert link in page with private link, Add Media uses old link

  • Resolved aldebaran57

    (@aldebaran57)


    5 years, 8 months ago

    Hi Prevent Direct Access Team

    Using :
    Wordpress Core version : 5.1
    Prevent Direct Access plugin : Free version : 2.5.0.1

    I am using the Free version to just protect one or two files
    In the Media library I can protect the files, and then still in the “Prevent Direct Access” panel, I see the new private link. Then, when I return to the main Media library list I see the files as protected. ..… So all good so far

    But A) if such a protected file is an image it’s thumbnail is greyed out / absent, B) if I then go to edit a protected file, just to see the details, I see in the Edit Media panel for the file, that the link is still the original OLD link, and C) when I insert a download link to such a protected file in a page, using the Add Media button, then it is inserted with the OLD link. And so not surprisingly when I goto the Frontend the link does not work, but goes to the 404 page. However, as a workaround, I can edit the link manually in the Backend to the private link, and then the link works.

    So what should I do to insert a download link in a page using the Add Media button, so that the private link, ie the one that works, is immediately used ? Or is the above the expected behaviour of the Free version ?

    PS : I cleared all cache both client side and server side

    Regards aldebaran57

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Plugin Author BWPS Team

    (@buildwps)

    Hey @aldebaran57,

    Thank you for reaching out.

    To answer your questions,

    A) By default, no one is able to access your protected files on our Free version. You will be able to change it to admins, logged-in users and custom user roles on our Gold version.

    B) Once you protect a file, its file URL is actually changed and updated automatically with “_pda” on its URL. So it’s not the same old link.

    C) The actual reason why you cannot access the embedded protected files is that their File Access Permission (FAP) – who can access those protected files, is set to “No one” as mentioned on point A).

    You can still insert your protected files into your content using “Add Media” as usual. Just that you will need to set a different FAP than “No one”. That feature is available on our Gold version.

    Please refer to this article on the differences between the original links, protected links, and private download links:

    https://preventdirectaccess.com/docs/original-vs-private-download-links/

    Hope it helps and makes sense to you, @aldebaran57

    Please feel free to ask if you have any other questions.

    [ Signature deleted ]

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Jan Dembowski.
    Thread Starter aldebaran57

    (@aldebaran57)

    Hi PDA Team

    OK, thanks for your reply !

    And thanks for the docs ref defining the 3 types of links – I missed that before …

    So to clarify, …

    1) When I add to a page a link to a protected file, then the link that is added is ALWAYS the Protected link, ie in your Speak :
    https://www.my-domain.com/wp-content/uploads/_pda/year/month/my-protected-file.abc , in either Free or Gold versions .. Yes ?

    2) It is then just a question, what file access permissions are set on this file, as to whether or not you can actually can access it via this link on the page. And in the Free version case, it is just non-configurably fixed to “No-One” – Yes ?

    3) The Private Download Link is there In the Backend to just copy out from the Backend/Admin and pass to someone by some other means (eg email), if the website owner so desires – Yes ?

    Regards @aldebaran57

    Plugin Author BWPS Team

    (@buildwps)

    You’re always welcome, @aldebaran57.

    1) Yes, you’re right. once you protect a file, its file URL become a protected link (https://www.my-domain.com/wp-content/uploads/_pda/year/month/my-protected-file.abc) on both Free and Gold version. You can insert those protected files into content using “Add Media” as usual.

    2) Yes, correct. The File Access Permission is non-configurably fixed to “No-One” on free version. You can change it to admins, logged-in users or any custom roles on our Gold version.

    3) Yes, you’re right again. Private Download Links are meant for one-off file sharing. We use those expiring download links for our Private Magic Links (https://preventdirectaccess.com/extensions/private-magic-links/) or integrations with Email Marketing software such as ActiveCampaign and Mailchimp

    Hope it helps and makes sense to you, @aldebaran57

    Thread Starter aldebaran57

    (@aldebaran57)

    Hi PDA Team

    OK, thanks for the clarification

    All Clear

    Regards @aldebaran57

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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