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Hi, my question is very special.
I use Specific Post/Page Access Restrictions wihtout any membership.
I generated a PayPal button to get users access to some of my posts.
How can I make some "special" users get access to these posts without paying?
I cannot add members manually because there is no membership.

Is there a possibility to create a coupon field or so?

Alltogether I can say: This plugin is great.

Thanks for the kudos!

Yes, you can generate a link for him from WP Admin -> s2member -> PayPal Buttons -> Specific Post/Page Access Links.

Fine, this plugin has so many options! But can I encrypt this link? I do not want users to give it away to otters.

You can't make it work for one person but not another one, since he didn't get any cookies set or an account to control him with.

The IP restriction would prevent several people from using the same access, although I need to check if it will work with this link generated by you instead of those generated automatically after checkout. WP Admin -> s2Member -> Restriction Options -> Unique IP Access Restriction

I'll ask Jason to confirm.

Cristián Lávaque wrote:I'll ask Jason to confirm.

Yes, even links generated within the Dashboard ( i.e. for Customer Service purposes ), are guarded by s2Member's Unique IP Restrictions exactly the same as if the Customer had received the link in the email, or been redirected after checkout. So not to worry, it can't be abused beyond the limitations that you configure in the s2Member Restrictions Options panel.

Awesome! Thanks for confirming it.

I thank you for your great support.

I've got the idea to offer a special post/page link on another website of mine: in my download shop. Users who pay will get an email with the specific link or can download a pdf that contains the link. This is handled by the ecommerce software of this website.
1) Do you think that it works? Can users missuse this link?
2) When I offer a link today (in the PDF) that includes access to 10 posts, will the users have access to protected posts that I add tomorrow or next week? It would make sense because I sell a package of protected posts (called "specific") and add new ones from time to time.

hapke wrote:2) When I offer a link today (in the PDF) that includes access to 10 posts, will the users have access to protected posts that I add tomorrow or next week? It would make sense because I sell a package of protected posts (called "specific") and add new ones from time to time.

I think you did not answer because it is clear: It is not possible. Can you maybe add a feature that the link contains a category? So users have access to all future posts in a certain category.

Categories can't be sold without an account as Posts or Pages can at this moment.

Why don't you use Levels to sell your content? Then you'll have more flexibility to add content in the future.

You can make the registration really painless asking only for username and email; first or last name wouldn't be required and password could be generated and sent to them (this works as an account confirmation step too). WP Admin -> s2Member -> General Options -> Custom Registration Fields/Options -> Collect First/Last Names during Registration and Allow Custom Passwords during Registration

Thank you. I do not want membership, but if double opt-in is available I will think about your suggestion. Meanwhile I created 20 empty new posts as drafts and entered the post IDs into the PayPal button code manually. Not elegant, but for the next few weeks a solution without membership ,)

Yeah, that solution lets you cope with the coming content, but you will run out of those. Don't think about it as a membership only because they'd create an account. If they make a one-time payment, as they would with the Specific Post/Page approach, it's not a subscription, they just bought access to the content protected for customers.

Thank you, you are right. I must consider it.

Thanks for the heads up on this thread.

hapke wrote:Hi, my question is very special.
I use Specific Post/Page Access Restrictions wihtout any membership.
I generated a PayPal button to get users access to some of my posts.
How can I make some "special" users get access to these posts without paying?
I cannot add members manually because there is no membership.

Is there a possibility to create a coupon field or so?

Altogether I can say: This plugin is great.

Thanks for the KUDOS. You could use the Special Post/Page Link generator that Cristián mentioned, or if you need to do this programatically/dynamically, you can use this function that comes with s2Member, via PHP code. This might get integrated into a custom plugin that you write, or into your theme perhaps.

Code: Select all

<?php
$post_or_page_id = 123;
$access_link = c_ws_plugin__s2member_sp_access::sp_access_link_gen($post_or_page_id);
wp_redirect($access_link);
exit();
?>

See also: viewtopic.php?f=40&t=12862&src_doc_v=110710#src_doc_sp_access_link_gen%28%29

Jason,

1. Will your solution (php with sp_access_link_gen) work for logged-in members, whom I want to gift a Specific Post/Page? (As I created one link and placed into membership area and I'm getting "Too many IPs error" to support - now I understand why...)
   
2. Is there an ability to add Specific Post/Page Access to new (recurring) members' PayPal buy button?

martin wrote:[*]Will your solution (php with sp_access_link_gen) work for logged-in members, whom I want to gift a Specific Post/Page? (As I created one link and placed into membership area and I'm getting "Too many IPs error" to support - now I understand why...)

Yes, you'll want to create the link dynamically for each User/Member, that way you don't have everyone sharing the same link. Yes, you can create a link regardless of login status. In other words, it doesn't matter if they're logged in or not, because Specific Post/Page Access works independently from Membership. All they need is a link.

Is there an ability to add Specific Post/Page Access to new (recurring) members' PayPal buy button?

Not into the Button Code itself, but you can create the link for them on the Login Welcome Page, so they'll have access.

OK, thank you. I will add the code to the template and post to the selected few...

Regarding welcome screen - there will have to be more tweaking than just a link. I'm thinking about Custom Capability in the buy button and then using s2if on the welcome screen... That will do for my plan