Main Docs Page: AutoHosted Docs

1. Install Auto Hosted Plugin

I’m sure you already familiar in how to install WordPress plugin. Just download the plugin, install, and activate the plugin just like regular WordPress plugin.

2. Using Auto Hosted Plugin

After activation you will see two new administration menu in your admin panel. Click and go to Repo | Theme to add your first plugin to your self-hosted theme repository.

In Repo | Theme edit screen you will see several meta boxes.

Updater Config Meta Box

theme-updater-config-metaboxThis meta box is un-editable. Both repo_uri and repo_slug is needed data to use in your them when you integrate automatic updater.

repo_slug

When you first create theme repo entry, repo_slug this will be blank, because WordPress has not generate a slug for this repository item. You can add or edit repo slug using Slug Meta Box. As default, Slug meta box is hidden and you can display the meta box using screen option.

repo_uri

In this meta box you can see a the URL of your site home url as your repo_uri. This is needed for your theme to know where to pull latest update. Both repo_uri and repo_slug is needed data to identify and get latest updates data.

THEME Update Data Meta Box

theme-update-data-metabox

This meta box is the most important part. In this meta box you can set and input various update data.

Version *required

In this field you can input your latest version number of your theme. When the theme make a http call to your repository, Auto Hosted plugin will compare the version number and only provide update data if new version available. Example input: “0.1.1”

Theme ZIP *required

In this field you can upload the latest version of your theme or provide full accessible URL to your plugin ZIP file. Example input: “http://yoursite.com/files/awesome-theme.0.1.0.zip“.

Update Detail

You can input the URL of your theme change log or your theme page, This will be loaded in iframe modal window when user click update detail when new version available. Things to know is that the iframe will hide about 100px top and bottom of the page loaded in iframe. The reason is as default this window will load theme page in WordPress.org repository, and 100px top and bottom will nicely hide the header and footer of WordPress.org site. I prefer to left this input blank and use change log input to display the theme change log.

If this field is left blank, it will load change log in the next field in simple plain text.

Change log

This is where you add version change log of your theme, your theme user can read this change log in update detail pop-up, and this will be loaded in iframe.

Restrict Update Meta Box

In this meta box you can set various restriction method for your plugin update process.

Disable Update

If this check box selected, the automatic update will be completely disable for this theme.

Activation Keys

You can input one or several (separate by line) Activation keys for your theme updates. If you input activation key(s), in your theme you need to provide a way for users to input activation keys. You can add it in your theme settings/options page or use Auto hosted updater class and enable admin dashboard meta box activation key input.

Example input:

123
hdakjkjdaihf
thispluginisawesome

Users email as key

In this field there’s a multiple check box where you can select multiple role available in your site where you install Auto Hosted plugin. Users registered in selected role in your site can use their username (login name) and email as activation keys.

Domains White list

In this field you can add white list domain or domains (separate by line). Theme installed in this domains will not be checked for activation keys, and automatic update will be provided. You need to add sub-domain separately.

Example valid input:

http://yoursite.com
somedomain.com
subdomain.yoursite.com
www.domain.com

Domains Restrict

If you input this field, the update will only available for this domains. Other domains where your theme installed not listed here cannot use automatic update feature. This feature is useful if you create a custom theme for your client custom site.

Example valid input:

http://yoursite.com
somedomain.com
subdomain.yoursite.com
www.domain.com

Taxonomies Meta Box

There’s two taxonomy attached to “Repo | Theme” post type. Theme Repo Categories and Theme Repo Tags this two taxonomies is for better managing your repository.

Attributes

Repo | Theme post type is a hierarchical post type, so you can set a theme as a child/parent of other theme. Useful for making the theme more manageable.

3 Repo | Theme Column

If you visit All Theme Repo page, you will see several additional information.

theme-repo-columnThe url with home icon below the page title

This is your site home url, you need this as “repo_uri” in your theme.

Info Column

This column has various information about the theme.

  1. Latest version number
  2. Link to download zip file.
  3. Status of theme repo
    available if all required input correctly set
    incomplete if one or more required input is left blank
    disabled if you select to disable the update.
  4. Slug of plugin repo entry. You need this as “repo_slug” in your theme.
  5. Several icon to to quickly browse Restrict Update feature used in theme entry.