wpDiscuz Media Uploader Addon

With attachments in comments, the visitor is the one filling your server

A text comment is only text. One with a photo, video or audio file adds files to your site, and those files are chosen by someone who does not work with you. Before enabling uploads you think about how the thread will look; the underlying question is another one: who has permission to leave files on your site.

With attachments in comments, your media library grows according to what readers upload, and the permission by role and by guest is what regulates that growth.

wpDiscuz Media Uploader is an addon for wpDiscuz, the comments plugin. It adds attachments of photos, videos, audio and other file types to the comment form, with separate buttons for each media type. It needs wpDiscuz installed and does not work on its own.

What it adds to the comment form

• Single or multiple upload, with AJAX upload and validation, so the visitor sees the result without reloading the page.
• Control of file count, size and type, with an error message when the MIME type is not allowed.
• Preview of attached images before sending, with the ability to set their order.
• Deletion by the author while the comment's editing time has not expired.
• Image viewer in an enlarged window and HTML5 video and audio players, with their own options for images, thumbnails and players.
• Different sizes for a single-photo attachment and for several photos.
• Attachments in notification emails.

Who can attach, role by role

Uploading is enabled per content type: the button appears only if the comment form is enabled on that type and the option is checked. After that it is decided by user roles and, separately, for guests. An administrator can upload files while visitors without an account only comment, or the other way around.

There is also a switch that shows or hides the upload buttons, and another that allows replacing an attachment depending on the role. Guests can upload images when you grant that permission. It supports PDFs and custom file types, and it works with custom content types.

A blog whose readers answer with photos

A reasonable option is to enable attachments on a single content type, for example the posts of a blog where a photo clarifies the answer. You leave uploading open to one role only and set a limit on count and size. The final look depends on your theme. It is just one way to use it; change it to suit your case.

A counter that adds up the whole post and five steps to turn it on

Among its functions there is no customization of the comment box design: that belongs to the wpDiscuz settings and templates. The image viewer counter, of the "2 of 67" kind, counts all attachments on the post and not only those of the open comment. If you disable the viewer, clicking an image opens it in a new tab.

To get started:

1. Install and activate wpDiscuz, which is the base plugin.
2. Install and activate Media Uploader from the plugin installer.
3. Open wpDiscuz, go to Settings, the Addons tab, and open the Media Uploader subtab.
4. Check the content types that allow uploads and configure roles and guests.
5. Set the file limit, the size and the allowed types.

The wpDiscuz family around this addon

Within the same comments family you have wpDiscuz, which is the base this addon needs. For moderating content there are addons such as Report and Flagging and, so readers receive notices, Subscription Manager.

If your interest is in showing comment activity in sidebars, look at Widgets.

Answers about wpDiscuz Media Uploader

Can visitors without an account attach files?

Yes. Guests can upload images, and it is enabled separately from user roles.

Can PDFs or other file types be attached?

Yes. It supports PDFs and custom types, with control of count, size and type.

Can the author remove an attachment after publishing?

Yes, while the comment's editing time has not expired.

Can I hide the upload buttons without uninstalling it?

Yes. There is an option of its own that enables or disables the upload buttons.