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How To Link To A Download *Securely*?

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
Dec 28, 2021 at 4:18 pm #166102

Nicola Lal
Participant

I am trying to link directly to a download (PDF document) securely. Only members of my WordPress website (Subscriber role) should be able to download. Obvious answer is to create a page with the appropriately configured wpdm shortcode and restrict package access to Subscriber role. But I don’t want to link to a page, I want to link directly to the download. I’ve identified the following methods:

  1. Link to the actual file e.g. <website>/wp-content/uploads. Very insecure. No download stats.
  2. Use the package download link e.g. <website>/download/<package_title>/?wpdmdl=<package_id>. Secure but if user not already logged in, results in permission-denied.txt
  3. Use the Master Download URL e.g. <website>/download/<package_title>/?wpdmdl=<package_id>&masterkey=<package_key>. Very insecure. Download stats reported as ‘Guest’
  4. Manually create the download link e.g. <website>/wp-login.php?redirect_to=/download/<package_title>/?wpdmdl=<package_id>. Secure with download stats.

Only Option 4 meets my requirements (secure, direct link) but this is a faff every time I want to distribute a download link.

Is there another, preferably better, way?

Dec 28, 2021 at 5:20 pm #166106

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

Hope you are well. I think method #2 will work fine for Link To A Download Securely. If you restrict certain packages with the Allow Access option for subscriber role, without this role other users will get this message as I image attached

login-restriction

please check and let me know

Thank you and regards

Dec 28, 2021 at 5:28 pm #166107

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

Thank you for your response. Respectfully, you’ve missed an important aspect of my query: “I don’t want to link to a page, I want to link directly to the download”. In order to see the image above, the visitor would have first needed to browse to the package page. This works fine but doesn’t meet my requirements.

Make sense?

Dec 28, 2021 at 6:01 pm #166108

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

If you want to work with package shortcode, you can make a workaround with link-template, you can make link-template with the below code for download,

<a href="[download_url]" class="btn btn-primary" target=_blank>[link_label]</a>

Thus it will work for restricted role subscriber only, please let me know if it helps you

Thank you and regards

Dec 28, 2021 at 6:05 pm #166109

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

Thank you for your response. Forgive me for not being clearer; the link needs to be sent in an email, not via or on a webpage.

Make sense?

Dec 28, 2021 at 6:12 pm #166110

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

Sorry for being late. I hope, tomorrow I shall give a solution for you

Thank you and regards

Dec 30, 2021 at 6:21 pm #166167

Nicola Lal
Participant

Still awaiting a resolution. Gentle chase.

Dec 31, 2021 at 10:16 am #166172

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

Have you checked this option too as I image attached from media library for protecting file,

media-attach

please let me know

Thank you and regards

Jan 2, 2022 at 10:28 am #166213

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

Could you help me to understand the relevance of that button/feature to creating a link to a download package? Does that button create a link?

David.

Jan 2, 2022 at 3:42 pm #166222

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

I want to clarify your claim point no: 2,

Use the package download link e.g. <website>/download/<package_title>/?wpdmdl=<package_id>. Secure but if user not already logged in, results in permission-denied.txt

please check from the logout browser or incognito mode browser, you shall find the login option as I image attached,

email-lock

and please also use the Email Lock option, thus all features will work properly. please check and let me know

Thank you and regards

Jan 2, 2022 at 5:03 pm #166225

Nicola Lal
Participant

Neyeem,

OK, I understand. This is not related to my query. Once again, you are focussing on the webpage, instead of the direct download link. I do not want my visitors to visit a web page, I want to provide a link that takes them directly to the download.

Take option 4 above. When the receiver clicks the link (e.g. from an email):

– If they are already logged into the website, the PDF download opens in the browser.
– If they are NOT already logged into the website, they are taken to the login page and after they login, the PDF download opens in the browser.

At no point does the receiver visit a web page (except the login page).

Does that now make sense?

The issue I am finding is that I have to hand-craft that URL for every single download. I am trying to find a better solution.

If this is still not understood, could we get on a shared-screen somehow?

David.

Jan 4, 2022 at 5:29 pm #166313

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

Sorry for being late in reply. For only file protection, can you please check this article,

How To Protect WordPress Media Library Files?

Though, it will only work with the apache server, as the protection is handled by .htaccess rules.

please check

Thank you and regards

Jan 5, 2022 at 9:56 am #166334

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

I’m sorry, I have been unclear. I am not looking to protect files, I am looking for a better solution to creating a link to a download package. Is there any chance we could meet? I don’t feel as if I am able to get my message across in text.

David.

Jan 5, 2022 at 11:03 am #166337

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

For creating a link to a download package, you can check these options too as I image attached,

download-link

please check

Thank you and regards

Jan 5, 2022 at 3:25 pm #166350

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

Is that ‘Email Download Link’ a pro feature? It doesn’t appear on my installation with Download Manager v3.2.32.

David.

Jan 5, 2022 at 3:50 pm #166352

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

Yes, it is in the PRO feature. please let me know, if you need more elaboration

Thank you and regards

Jan 6, 2022 at 9:28 am #166365

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

Can you send me an example of how the feature constructs the link? Does it just link to the download page or the download directly?

David.

Jan 6, 2022 at 9:42 am #166367

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

Email Download link feature is look like this as I image attached,

email-download

Thank you and regards

Jan 6, 2022 at 10:18 am #166368

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

OK, this doesn’t meet my requirements. I don’t want to control access to a download, I just want to link directly to the download in a secure way.

Perhaps linking in this way is just not possible without having to manually craft the link?

David.

Jan 7, 2022 at 4:07 am #166393

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

Hello David,

I have talked regarding this with our team developer. He said it is required some code customization, please knock here with your requirements

Custom Upgrade Service

Thank you and regards

Jan 7, 2022 at 1:13 pm #166409

Nicola Lal
Participant

Nayeem,

I only came on here to see whether something was possible, that is, a better way to create a direct link to a download. You have made it clear that this is not possible with either the free or pro versions of WP Download Manager. So I will continue to muddle through with my Option 4 workaround.

If you want to take this as a customer feature request and develop this for your customers, please feel free.

Please also feel free to close this ticket. Bye.

David.

Jan 7, 2022 at 1:35 pm #166410

Nayeem Riddhi
Moderator

You are welcome

Thank you and regards

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)

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