Access Control

The Access Control features allow you to manage route visibility, restrict access to certain routes, and control who can view your route data. This includes hiding routes from search results, password-protecting routes, and managing user permissions.

Overview

Access control features include:

Hiding Routes from Search

Hidden routes will not appear in the route filter results or any public route listings. However, they remain accessible via direct URL if someone has the link.

When to Use Hidden Routes

How to Hide a Route

Method 1: From the All Routes Table

  1. Navigate to Routes → All Routes
  2. Find the route you want to hide
  3. In the Hidden Status column, click on "Visible"
  4. The status will toggle to "Hidden" immediately

Method 2: When Editing a Route

  1. Open the route for editing
  2. In the Route Settings section, find the "Hidden from Search" option
  3. Check the box to hide the route
  4. Save the route

Method 3: Bulk Action

  1. Navigate to Routes → All Routes
  2. Select multiple routes using the checkboxes
  3. From the Bulk Actions dropdown, select "Hide from Search"
  4. Click Apply
💡 Tip: You can quickly filter to see all hidden routes by using the "Hidden Status" filter at the top of the All Routes table.

Password Protection

Password-protected routes require users to enter a password before they can view the route details, map, and GPX file.

When to Use Password Protection

How to Password-Protect a Route

  1. Open the route for editing
  2. In the Route Settings section, find the "Password Protection" option
  3. Check the box to enable password protection
  4. Enter a password in the field that appears
  5. Save the route

User Experience

When a user tries to view a password-protected route:

  1. They see a password entry form instead of the route content
  2. After entering the correct password, the full route is displayed
  3. The password is remembered for their session
⚠️ Important: Password protection is a convenience feature, not a security measure. The password is transmitted in plain text and should not be used for truly sensitive content. For genuine security, consider using WordPress's built-in user roles and membership plugins.

User Access Permissions

You can control which WordPress user roles have access to the Route Finder admin features.

Accessing Permission Settings

  1. Navigate to Routes → Setup
  2. Click on the User Access tab

Available Permission Levels

Permission Description
View Routes Can access the route admin interface and view route data
Edit Routes Can modify existing routes and their data
Create Routes Can add new routes via upload or manual creation
Delete Routes Can permanently delete routes
Manage Settings Can access and modify plugin configuration

Default Role Permissions

💡 Tip: For clubs with multiple route managers, consider creating a custom WordPress role with just the permissions needed for route management.

Destination Visibility

Destinations (tea stops, cafes, etc.) have their own visibility controls separate from routes.

Visibility Statuses

Status Behaviour
Visible Always shown on maps and in lists
Hidden Never shown (for internal use or discontinued locations)
Temporarily Disabled Hidden until a specified date (e.g., closed for refurbishment)
Seasonally Available Only shown during a specific date range each year

Setting Destination Visibility

  1. Navigate to Routes → Destinations
  2. Click to edit a destination or add a new one
  3. In the modal editor, find the Visibility dropdown
  4. Select the appropriate status
  5. If using "Temporarily Disabled", enter the date when the destination should become visible again
  6. If using "Seasonally Available", enter the start and end dates (in MM-DD format)
  7. Save the destination

Seasonal Example

A café that's only open from April to October:

  • Set visibility to "Seasonally Available"
  • Season start: 04-01 (1st April)
  • Season end: 10-31 (31st October)