Puzzling when used with DIVI

Speaking only as a ET-DIVI user… the FREE version (here on WP.o) is simultaneously great and not so great (unless I’ve missed something obvious, which is entirely possible.) Perhaps the issue is with Divi itself, I’m not entirely sure. But speaking to the plug-in performance when used on my Divi site…

This plug-in is GREAT because it offers REAL-TIME DYNAMIC content replacement based on “rules.” Meaning, you create a replacement rule in the WP admin, and the WP frontend displays the results of that rule. So you make a rule to change “mine” to “yours” and all instances of “mine” are dynamically replaced upon page render. But nothing has “changed” in the database, its just actively filtering the displayed content.

And if you’re replacing a long, relatively unique set of characters, such as a sequence of 3-7 words, then the free version of this plug-in may work marvelously for you. However…

This plug-in is NOT SO GREAT because – apparently, when used with the Divi theme – it does exactly what it says for ALL the content in Divi modules. Seems reasonable… but actually that’s NOT good, and here’s why…

Suppose I have the initials “XY” in my page copy and I want to change that to read “ekswye” in the page copy. I can make a rule and the displayed copy is changed dynamically on the viewed site. No problemo, it works.

But suppose I happen to also have image references that contain “XY” in the filename within the Divi content modules. Oooops!!! Now we have a problem because ALL instances of “XY” in image calls in the Divi modules are ALSO dynamically replaced with “ekswye” which instantly breaks the image link for any filename reference that fits the “rule” on any viewed page – which is effectively, your entire site.

The first time that happens, you’ll immediately FREAK out… then you’ll realize you were only using a content “filtering” rule, and you didn’t actually change anything in the database itself. Simply delete the rule, and everything returns to normal. Whew !!! Problem is, now you KNOW the FREE version of this tool wont work for you.

In the FREE version, you do have the option to make permanent DB changes as well, and (not surprisingly) there are more options available for tailoring THOSE replacements. Trouble is, that IS a permanent replacement situation, and if you screw THAT up… well, you’re screwed unless you have site/DB versions to easily rollback to. Even so, I could not find a way for this plug-in to NOT replace text in image filename references when using the Divi theme, even using the permanent DB replacement feature.

Maybe this is all on me, and I’m hoping I missed something obvious to get this plug-in to make simple “dynamic” copy content replacements without affecting image calls throughout the site. But as best I can determine, the FREE version of this plug-in simply doesn’t quite work as needed for Divi theme websites. Your mileage may vary.

• This topic was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by klynam. Reason: be sure I'm saying what I mean