How to Create File Search Module?

With the File Search module, your users can quickly search and browse through your Google Drive files and folders right from your WordPress website. This functionality streamlines access to your documents, making it easier for visitors to find the content they need.

It enhances user engagement by providing a seamless experience, allowing users to interact with your files without leaving your site. This integration makes your resources more accessible and organized, improving overall navigation for your audience.

Step-1: Choose File Search Module

To create a Search Module, click on the Shortcode Builder menu from the admin dashboard menu. Create a new Shortcode > select the File Search module from the Types tab.

Rename the shortcode title from the top left side of the WordPress dashboard depending on your project type. Then click Next.

Step-2: Configure the Source Tab

Now you will be directly taken to the Source tab. Here you need to select your files & folders from your linked Google Drive. Select your files & folders by pressing the plus sign.

You will discover your selected files, in the selected files list section of your screen. You can drag them up or down to change their orders. Users can only search for selected files and folders.

All Folders & Files: If All Folders & Files is enabled, visitors can navigate through all the folders & files of all the linked Google Drive accounts.
Use Private Folder: Turn ON to upload the files in the private folder linked to the user. Note: If enabled this module will be visible only to logged-in users.
- Create Private Folder: Turn ON to create and link a folder automatically to the user who has not linked any folder yet while the user will view the module.
  - Naming Template: Set the folder name template for the automatically created private folders.
  - Parent Folder: Select the parent folder where the automatically created private folders will be created.
  - Template Folder: Select the template folder that will be copied to the new private folder.
  - Merge Folders: Allow merging folders if a folder with the same name already exists.
Use ACF field Files: Enable this option to use the ACF field files dynamically as the source for the module. Enter the ACF field name in the ACF Field Key input box to use the files from the ACF field.

Step-3: Configure Filter Tab

Now you have been taken to the Filter Tab. Where you can customize every file and folder in terms of their different filter settings.

Show Files: The Show Files option is given to show or hide your files. If it’s enabled files will show, otherwise files will be hidden for the users.
Show Folders: The Show Folders option is given to show or hide your folders. If it’s enabled the folders will be shown otherwise, the folders will be hidden from the users.
Allowed Extensions: Enter comma (,) separated file extensions to allow, such as “jpg, png, gif”. Leave empty to show all extension files. When “Allow all” is enabled, exceptions will not be displayed.
Allowed Names: Enter file and folder names, separated by commas, to display. Leave blank to display all files and folders. When “Allow all” is enabled, exceptions will not be displayed.
Maximum File Numbers: Enter the maximum number of how many files you want to show. Leave empty to show all files. Click Next.

Step-4: Configure Advanced Tab

From the next Advanced Settings, You can customize your file searching module depending on what you are expecting.

Module Container: Set the module container width and height. You can use any valid CSS unit (pixels, percentage), eg ‘360px’, ‘780px’, ‘80%’. Keep blank for a default value.
Browser View: Select the file browser view (Grid or List)
Show Last Modified Field: Show/ hide the file’s last modified date field in the list view.
Sorting: Using this feature you can sort files by Name, Size, Created Date, Modified Date, and Ascending, or Descending Direction. Select the option you are thinking of implementing. Now click Next.

Step-5: Configure Notifications Tab

Now you will be redirected to the Notifications tab where you will customize notification settings configuration.

Enable Notifications: Enable email notifications to get notified on various user activities (upload, download, delete, etc).
- Download Notification: Receive an email notification whenever files are downloaded through this module.
- Search Notification: Receive email notifications whenever someone searches for media files through this module.
Notification Recipients: Enter the email address where the notifications will be sent. Add multiple email addresses by separating them with a comma (,). You can also set the below placeholder tags as the email recipient. Ex: %admin_email%, %user_email%, %linked_user_email%
- Skip Current User Notification: Enable to skip the notification for the user that executes the action.

Step-6: Configure Permissions Tab

Now you will be redirected to the Permission tab. Here you will mostly work on permission-related tasks for your File Search module.

Download: Allow users to download files.
- Zip Download: Allow users to download multiple files at once.
- Show File Size Field: Show/ hide the file size field in the file list.
- Filter Users & Roles: Select users & roles who can download files.
Allow Comments: Allow users to comment on files while they view the file in the lightbox preview.
- Comment Method: Select the comment method you want to use.
- Filter Users & Roles: Select users & roles who can comment on files.
Usage Limits: Enable download restrictions for users to control the download access for this module.
- Daily Downloads Limit: Set the maximum number of downloads allowed per day for users. Keep blank for unlimited.
- Daily Download Limit / File: Set the maximum number of times the same file can be downloaded by users per day. Keep blank for unlimited.
- Daily Bandwidth Limit: Set the maximum bandwidth (MB) allowed per day for users. Keep blank for unlimited.
- Exclude Users & Roles: Select the roles and users who will be excluded from the download restrictions.
  - Exclude All: When activated, the download restrictions will be only applied to the selected roles and users.
Display for: Using this option you can allow permission of your files to everyone and logged-in users. You can also filter manually by user roles or any specific users.
Show Access Denied Message: Show a message to users who don’t have access to the module. You can enter a message you want to show to users who don’t have access to the module.

Click Save Changes and copy the shortcode from the shortcode builder page.

Now you can use the shortcode to allow users to search Google Drive files from your WordPress Website, any posts, or pages.

Output

This is how the search module will look like once you embed it inside any of your pages or posts.