Easy Content Restriction - Joomla! Plugin - Logo

JOOMLA 4.x JOOMLA 3.x FREE PRO

Name: Easy Content Restriction - Version: 3.6.0.1-FREE / 3.7.8.0-PRO / 4.1.0.0-PRO - Type: Plugin - License: GPLv3
Description: Protects content in articles with a special syntax from specified user groups or a password - Joomla! Extensions Directory

Overview of all downloads of the extension: ECR - Easy Content Restriction Downloads

Protects content in articles with a password or only displays it to approved user groups

With this plugin you can hide text in your articles with a password or from specified user groups with a simple syntax call directly in the articles. Special features are the unusual syntax use (square brackets) and the Safe Mode to avoid hidden text to be showed in other components (e.g. search component). Because the typical plugin syntax is removed in calls from the outside, the plugin does not use curly brackets. In the Safe Mode the whole article is replaced with an empty string if ECR detects a call from outside the content component of an article which uses the plugin.

Features

  • Global Password Protection (PRO)
  • Protection for frontend, backend or both (PRO)
  • Protects content in articles (FREE) / Protects content on the entire website (PRO)
  • Password Mode - Protect your content with a password! No user account required to load the content - just the correct password
  • Remember successful password inputs - Entries are stored in the user's session, and the password does not have to be entered again (PRO)
  • Easy syntax to call the plugin: [ecr]YOUR TEXT[/ecr]
  • Safe Mode: Content protection not only in the article view
  • Blur Mode: Shows a blurred version of the original text as a preview (PRO)
  • Specify the allowed or disallowed user groups
  • Specify allowed users using their IDs
  • Set an individual replacement text
  • Languages: English and German

Installation

Install the plugin in the backend, then adjust and publish it in Extensions -> Plugins -> Content - ECR - Easy Content Restriction.

Content Protection

Password Mode

In this mode you can protect the content with a password, no user account is required to load the content - just the correct password.

[ecr|password=XXX]Hidden text[/ecr]

Replace XXX with a self-defined password, e.g. asdf?!*#123

In password mode, you may set an individual heading with the help of a third parameter::

[ecr|password=XXX|Please enter the password here]Hidden text[/ecr] (PRO)

Use the following syntax to enable the multiple passwords functionality:

[ecr|multiple]Hidden text[/ecr] (PRO)

Easy Content Restriction - Password Mode

Standard Mode

In the standard mode only global parameters from the settings are used in the execution of the plugin.

[ecr]Hidden text[/ecr]

In this mode, the content can be password protected by pre-defined rules with a unique hash. The plugin loads the replacement content from an assigned, unpublished article.

[ecr]HASH[/ecr] (PRO)

Override Mode

IDs for groups which are allowed to access the hidden text

[ecr=8,5,3]Hidden text[/ecr]

You can also toggle the permission rights! IDs for user groups which are not allowed to access the hidden text

[ecr=8,5,3|toggle]Hidden text[/ecr]

The replacement text for groups with no permission can also be set individually

[ecr|You have to login to see the text!]Hidden text[/ecr]

Of course you can use all parameters together at once

[ecr=8,5,3|toggle|You have to login to see the text!]Hidden text[/ecr]

Tip: If you want to modifiy the output of the form, then copy the file password.php from plugins/system/easycontentrestriction/tmpl to templates/YOUR-TEMPLATE/html/plg_system_easycontentrestriction and edit this file. Thus, your changes are not overwritten if you update the plugin!
Note: Use plg_content_easycontentrestriction in the free version instead.

Pages Protection (PRO)

This option protects certain pages from being accessed with a password. The content of such protected pages is loaded only after entering the correct password. You can specify the pages to be protected via internal parameters. These parameters can be determined using the integrated debug mode.

Global Password Protection (PRO)

You may enable global protection for the complete website. In this mode, the plugin stops the execution of the application and shows a password input field. Visitors have to enter the global password to be able to load the content of the website.

Easy Content Restriction - Global Password Protection

Changelog

+ = Added - ! = Removed - ^ = Changed - # = Fixed

Joomla! 4.x

Version 4.1.0.0-PRO - 2023-01-06

  • Increased technical requirements for Joomla! 4: Increasing Technical Requirements - Core & PHP for Joomla! 4 Pro Extensions
  • + Added Password Protection Rules feature. This option protects the replacement text with a password by pre-defined rules with a unique hash. The replacement text is loaded from an assigned, unpublished article. A hash is generated to map the password rule in the article, which protects sensitive data even if the article is loaded directly from the database (e.g. via a third-party extension). The password cannot be derived from the hash. You may use the following syntax to load the password form at the desired position in the article: [ecr]HASH[/ecr]
  • ^ Code optimisations

Version 4.0.7.0-PRO - 2022-11-16

  • + Added Confirmation Mode. In this mode, you can request confirmation from the visitor to load the content. This is especially useful if you want to load external sources concerning data privacy, e.g. Iframes of YouTube videos or Google Maps, which do not have to be additionally protected by a password.
    • [ecr|confirmation]<iframe ....></iframe>[/ecr]
    • You may overwrite the default confirmation headline and text by adding a third and fourth parameter to the syntax (see example in the Password Mode) or by language overrides for the language constants PLG_SYSTEM_EASYCONTENTRESTRICTION_CONFIRMATION_HEADLINE and PLG_SYSTEM_EASYCONTENTRESTRICTION_CONFIRMATION_TEXT.
    • Thanks to Ufuk A. for suggestion this feature!

Version 4.0.6.0-PRO - 2022-09-04

  • + Added Pro Security Token validation check. The Pro package contains a token file with an individual security token linked to the user account and checked against the validation server for authenticity.
  • ^ Multiple internal code optimisations.

Version 4.0.5.0-PRO - 2022-01-07

  • + Added Remember successful password inputs option - Successful password entries are stored in the user's session, and the password does not have to be entered again as long as the session is active. You can use this to protect dynamic content, such as forms.

Version 4.0.4.0-PRO - 2022-01-05

  • + Blur mode - The blur mode shows a blurred version using CSS instructions of the original text instead of removing it entirely. The text is replaced with random characters on the server and is never recoverable in the browser.
  • + Allowed HTML tags in blur mode - The tags entered are retained; all others are automatically removed with the entire content. It is helpful for links, images or other media files that you do not want to disclose.
  • # Full article text is created and used in the category context

Version 4.0.3.1-PRO - 2021-12-06

  • ^ "Safe Mode" functionality is only applied in the frontend, not in the backend anymore. Thanks to Christoph W. for reporting it!

Version 4.0.3.0-PRO - 2021-11-27

  • + Added third parameter in Password Mode to allow individual headings. Thanks to Elisa F. for requesting it!

Version 4.0.2.0-PRO - 2021-11-15

  • + Added the built-in Download Key Manager support to enter your Pro Update ID without installing the update helper plugin.
    Important: Please copy your personal Pro Update ID using the second copy button in the Pro ID Manager and enter the key in System - Update - Update Sites - Select the entry of the Pro extension and enter the ID into the Download Key field.
  • ^ Code optimisations

Version 4.0.1.0-PRO - 2021-09-24

  • ^ Added Multiple passwords option. With this option, you may define multiple passwords for content protection. Use the following syntax to enable the multiple passwords functionality: [ecr|multiple]Hidden text[/ecr]. Thanks to Huibert de J. for requesting it!

Version 4.0.0.1-PRO - 2021-09-07

  • ^ Added the the generic context "text" for the onContentPrepare event. Thanks to M.Nick for reporting it!

Version 4.0.0.0-PRO - 2021-08-22

  • + First Pro release for Joomla! 4.x based on ECR Pro version 3.7.3.0-PRO
  • ^ Updated template files to Bootstrap 5 syntax
  • ^ Changed event trigger for the debug output from onBeforeCompileHead to onBeforeRender
  • ^ Added a fallback to retrieve required parameters for the pages protection

Joomla! 3.x

Version 3.7.8.0-PRO - 2022-11-16

  • + Added Confirmation Mode. In this mode, you can request confirmation from the visitor to load the content. This is especially useful if you want to load external sources concerning data privacy, e.g. Iframes of YouTube videos or Google Maps, which do not have to be additionally protected by a password.
    • [ecr|confirmation]<iframe ....></iframe>[/ecr]
    • You may overwrite the default confirmation headline and text by adding a third and fourth parameter to the syntax (see example in the Password Mode) or by language overrides for the language constants PLG_SYSTEM_EASYCONTENTRESTRICTION_CONFIRMATION_HEADLINE and PLG_SYSTEM_EASYCONTENTRESTRICTION_CONFIRMATION_TEXT.
    • Thanks to Ufuk A. for suggestion this feature!
  • ^ Multiple internal code optimisations.

Version 3.6.0.1-FREE - 2022-04-20

  • # Fixed incorrect reference to the content plugin group. Thanks to Josef K. for reporting it!

Version 3.6.0.0-FREE - 2022-04-12

  • ^ Maintenance release
  • ^ Changed plugin type from "content" to "system". Please uninstall the content plugin manually if installed previously!
  • ^ Changed the version number specification. The first number stands for the supported major Joomla! version. The following three numbers follow the Semantic Versioning Specification (SemVer), as it used to be previously.
  • ^ Updated custom field
  • ^ Added the the generic context "text" for the onContentPrepare event
  • ^ Code optimisations
  • # Optimised system cache handling (Global Configuration - System - System Cache - Conservative/Progressive Caching)

Version 3.7.7.0-PRO - 2022-01-05

  • + Added Remember successful password inputs option - Successful password entries are stored in the user's session, and the password does not have to be entered again as long as the session is active. You can use this to protect dynamic content, such as forms.

Version 3.7.6.0-PRO - 2022-01-04

  • + Blur mode - The blur mode shows a blurred version using CSS instructions of the original text instead of removing it entirely. The text is replaced with random characters on the server and is never recoverable in the browser.
  • + Allowed HTML tags in blur mode - The tags entered are retained; all others are automatically removed with the entire content. It is helpful for links, images or other media files that you do not want to disclose.
  • ^ "Safe Mode" functionality is only applied in the frontend, not in the backend anymore. Thanks to Christoph W. for reporting it!
  • # Full article text is created and used in the category context

Version 3.7.5.0-PRO - 2021-11-26

  • + Added third parameter in Password Mode to allow individual headings. Thanks to Elisa F. for requesting it!

Version 3.7.4.0-PRO - 2021-09-22

  • + Added Multiple passwords option. With this option, you may define multiple passwords for content protection. Use the following syntax to enable the multiple passwords functionality: [ecr|multiple]Hidden text[/ecr]. Thanks to Huibert de J. for requesting it!
Open/Close

Version 3.7.3.1-PRO - 2021-09-07

  • ^ Added the the generic context "text" for the onContentPrepare event. Thanks to M.Nick for reporting it!

Version 3.7.3.0-PRO - 2021-07-23

  • + Pages Protection - This option protects certain pages from being accessed with a password. The content of such protected pages is loaded only after entering the correct password. You can specify the pages to be protected via internal parameters. These parameters can be determined using the integrated debug mode. Thanks to BaseTrix for requesting this feature!

Version 3.7.2.1-PRO - 2021-07-11

  • # Optimised system cache handling (Global Configuration - System - System Cache - Conservative/Progressive Caching)

Version 3.7.2.0-PRO - 2021-06-14

  • ^ Maintenance release
  • ^ Changed the version number specification. The first number stands for the supported major Joomla! version. The following three numbers follow the Semantic Versioning Specification (SemVer), as it used to be previously.
  • ^ Updated custom field
  • ^ Code optimisations

Version 3.7.1-PRO - 2021-02-10

  • ^ Added some additional type checks for core trigger events since many 3rd party extensions call them incorrectly with wrong types, leading to errors as ECR uses strict types internally.

Version 3.7.0-PRO - 2021-01-25

  • + Global Syntax Protection - With this option, the content syntax is checked in the complete HTML output code, not only in the content component. Thus you may protect parts of the content on the entire website, e.g. in 3rd party components or modules.

Version 3.6.1-PRO - 2021-01-07

  • ^ Maintenance release
  • ^ Updated language files and custom field
  • ^ Code optimisations

Version 3.5.0-FREE - 2020-03-12

  • First release with increased technical requirements: Increasing Technical Requirements - Joomla! Core & PHP for Pro & Free Extensions
  • + Multilingual Replacement Text - You may use a language override constant to allow a multilingual output in the option "Replacement Text"! Enter a self-defined constant into the option field in the settings of the plugin and then create your translations for this constant in Joomla!'s Language Manager.
  • + New option: Allowed Groups - Password Mode - User groups that are allowed to access the hidden text without a password if the Password Mode is used.
  • ^ Code Optimizations
  • ^ Updated Language Strings
  • ^ Updated Custom Fields

Version 3.6.0-PRO - 2020-03-11

  • First release with increased technical requirements: Increasing Technical Requirements - Joomla! Core & PHP for Pro & Free Extensions
  • + Global Password Protection - You may enable global protection for the complete website. In this mode, the plugin stops the execution of the application and shows a password input field. Visitors have to enter the global password to be able to load the content of the website.
  • + New option: Global password
  • + New option: Execution location - Enables the password protection in the frontend, backend or both
  • ^ Changed plugin type from "content" to "system"

Version 3.5.2-PRO - 2019-09-22

  • + New option: Allowed Groups - Password Mode - User groups that are allowed to access the hidden text without a password if the Password Mode is used. Thanks for the request to Meschkam!

Version 3.5.1-PRO - 2019-08-16

  • + Multilingual Replacement Text - You may use a language override constant to allow a multilingual output in the option "Replacement Text"! Enter a self-defined constant into the option field in the settings of the plugin and then create your translations for this constant in Joomla!'s Language Manager. Thanks to Stefan O. B. for this suggestion!

Version 3.4.3 - 2019-06-23

  • + Custom Field - Pro Button
  • ^ Updated project page URL

Version 3.5.0-PRO - 2019-04-28

  • + First Pro release based on ECR version 3.4.2

Version 3.4.2 - 2018-07-26

  • ^ Changed replacement function to improve performance and avoid limit error "regular expression is too large at offset x" if the article text is too long - Thanks to Kirstin G. for reporting it!
  • ^ Updated Custom Field
  • ^ Code Style Optimization

Version 3.4.1 - 2017-08-14

  • ^ Updated custom field krtitle to 3.3.0
  • # User group ID was not handled properly which could lead to a wrong behavior under certain circumstances (if access right was set to guest or public in the global settings) - Thanks to Laurents M. for reporting it!

Version 3.4.0 - 2016-08-21

  • + Notification Message - If the password is incorrect, then a notice message is displayed to inform the user.

Version 3.3.0 - 2016-07-22

  • + Password Mode - Protects the content with a password! No user account required to load the content - just the correct password.
  • ^ Code optimizations
  • ^ Custom Field

Version 3.2.0 - 2015-07-31

  • + Donation Code Validation Process - Improved the validation process with a new server (HTTPS request) plus an independent, separated fallback server (HTTP request).
https://check.kubik-rubik.de/
http://check.kubik-rubik.eu/
  • + New Download Server - Download packages are located independently of the project website on a new download server.
  • https://downloads.kubik-rubik.de/

    Version 3.1.0 - 2015-06-30

    • + Project page - Added project page on the official website for this extension
    • + Update Server - Added the Joomla! core functionality for the update checks
    • + Some code optimizations
    • ^ Semantic versioning - Switched to semantic versioning, see http://semver.org/ for more details. Please update manually since the core update server functionality will not recognize the new version!
    • ^ Updated Donation Code field - Uses the HTTP API for the requests and calls the check script via HTTPS
    • ^ Links in the language files - Updated outdated links to the JED (Joomla! Extensions Directory)
    • ! Removed Version Check field

    Version 3-2 - 2014-07-03

    • + Special treatment of @ character - the @ character can be used in the hidden text

    Version 3-1 - 2013-12-14

    • + First free, public version for Joomla! 3.x

    Joomla! 2.5

    Version 2.5-2 - 2014-07-03

    • + Special treatment of @ character - the @ character can be used in the hidden text

    Version 2.5-1 - 2013-12-14

    • + First free, public version for Joomla! 2.5

    Version 2.5-1 DEV-2013-10-04

    • + Toggle selection - with the toggle function you may toggle the ID selection. It means that the selected groups are not allowed to see the hidden text. This is for example very useful if you want to show a advertising banner or some extra information for visitors who are not in a specified user group (e.g. VIP users). Please read the description in the plugin how to use the toggle as a parameter in the syntax call!
    • ^ Optimized the user group determination - removed the loading of inherited groups
    • ^ Updated version check, donation code and krtitle fields

    Version 2.5-1 DEV-2013-06-07

    • + This is the first public test release. The language files are incomplete, also the description is very minimal but the functionality is fully implemented. Check the short description to see how to use the plugin. In fact, it is very simple: enter the described syntax in your articles to hide text from unauthorized groups. The plugin uses the unusual syntax with square brackets, not curly brackets, due to security reasons. Extensions, like the search component, remove plugin calls before they call the trigger. If the syntax is removed, the plugin can not be executed and the hidden text could become visible. Square brackets are not recognized as the typical plugin syntax and the plugin also works in these cases. The replacement text can be entered in the settings or via the override feature in the syntax. You may use HTML tags (e.g. to set a link to the registration page etc.). There is also a safe mode which completely hides the text when the article is not called from the content component (e.g. search component or modules). Use the options of the plugin to set global settings and the override functionality to set local settings. Additionally you may allow access to the hidden text passages to certain users by adding their user IDs into the settings. Enter the IDs separated by commas. Please report any bugs or send me your feature request via the contact form!

    Download

    Overview of all downloads of the extension: ECR - Easy Content Restriction Downloads