Installing and setting

From 3.0 version of theme I integrated plugin WordPress Meta Data & Taxonomies Filter

It’s bundled with theme, so you don’t need to buy it. Note, version of plugin that bundled in theme works only with theme. If you use it outside Rehub theme you will have some bugs. But all functions are the same and all shortcodes and documentations from this plugin work the same way.

I will try to describe all process and tricks to setup directory, filtered catalog, product specification and using of directory constructor of theme. Also, if you want to use MDTF for directory site – this tutorial can help you

Installing plugin

First of all, you need to install and activate plugin. From 3.0 version you can see notification in top of admin panel.

This theme recommends the following plugin: Meta filter (for creating catalogs and specification).

So, install and activate plugin. Now, you will have MDTF Filters tab in admin panel. Go to MDTF Settings where by checkboxes set post types we want to use. It’s working with any post type, so, you can create filtered directory from your posts or create new post types\add to existing new criteria. For example, you can create filtered directory from your easydigitaldownloads products or WooCommerce products. You can create real estate, car, gadget, laptops, events directory on your site.

Next, you need to think about logic of your catalog and create set of filters. Each filter is like position in specification. You can add any number of fields in filter, but I recommend you to group all fields into filters. For example, I want to create camera review website. I take specification of camera.

So, my filters will be: Body type, Max resolution, Effective pixels, Sensor size, etc. As you can see, each criteria has only one value, but sometimes your criteria will have multiply options. For example,

In this cases you need to add many fields to each filter. Let’s do this job with me to make process more clear.

Add supported post type in plugin settings, then create MDTF category. Category is like group of filters, this is very usefull if you have different type of products with different filters.

Ok, add new filter. Title of filter will be title of criteria in specification. It will be used in widget:

and in specification shortcode:

Next step – is to set fields. You can add taxonomies, checkboxes, drop-downs, range-sliders, calendars and textinputs. Most of cases you will need checkboxes and sliders. All settings for each field is available after click on toggle button.

Checkboxes has option to be true or false. So, you need this field for creating something like this

Checkboxes is the most quicker HTML items when we talk about adding them to filter: press  Append Item  and write its title, that is all, do not even toggle the item box, it is checkbox by default.

Important thing – checkboxes in specification will have only title, so it’s title will be also it’s value. Like this:

Next field is dropdown. The main difference from checkbox is that dropdown has title and values. It’s useful for criteria that can have only one value from set of values. For example,

And, of course, instead of creating one Dropbox with values, you can create set of checkboxes.

Dropdown has such look in specification:

Next field is Slider. It’s used for creating numbered field with slider.

The look in specification is absolutely the same as previous. It has title and value. What if we have 8 products worth 1000$ and 2 for 5000$, it is not convenient set range from 0 to 5000 because of this 2 items. Here is a pair of interesting moments, if your customer will drag left slider to the right, and no touch left one AJAX-recount will show him 8+2 items because by the logic recount of price goes from minimal value to bigger, so and that 5000$ items will be in search. And if your customer drag the left slider to the right, to 1000, so ajax recount will show all items from 1000 to infinity.

Next field is calendar, but It’s very easy. Can be used for event date or date of product release.

Next field – is Textinput. It uses in very exceptional cases. It has function as simple WordPress search by text. For example, you add some product description by this field and users can enter word (s) in this field. If item has such words in this field, filter will be active. For example, you can duplicate title of your product in this field, so users can search products by title. Also, sometimes I add quick specification or small product description in this field and use it in another places of theme (for example, in top review lists):

Here is last HTML item – Taxonomy, if you add this to the filter it means only that in this place will be placed taxonomies which will be selected in widget or shortcode (will be described hereinafter) and nothing more else. Its cant be reflected. And one more, remember this – to show selected taxonomies which were selected in widget or shortcode you should add taxonomy HTML item to filter=) Just drop it and forget!

After creating filter, don’t forget to add it to some category and save. Also you can set it’s position in Sequence attribute.

Heights: On front widget – means max height of the current filter on front after which scroll appears:

Reflections

Now very important moment when we are talking about Price or scores that already exist in your posts! The plugin sometimes bought when site works already, and products or posts already have price or other values that saved in metakeys that already exist. Now, you can reflect this value and use it in filters. For this, just add name of this custom field.