BDC Members

Creates a members-only area with gated access, a custom members role, and a hierarchical members custom post type.

Description

BDC Members is a WordPress plugin for the British Dalmatian Club that creates a members-only area on your site. It introduces a custom role (bdc_members), a members-area page with gated access and a login panel, and a hierarchical custom post type (members) that is only visible to authorised roles.

Features:

• Custom bdc_members role with read-only access to members content.
• Hierarchical members custom post type with block editor support.
• Automatic login form display for logged-out visitors on the members-area page.
• Access gating on both the members-area page and all members CPT content.
• Login redirect — bdc_members users are sent to the members-area page after login.
• REST API restriction — members endpoints are locked to authorised roles.
• Admin bar hidden for bdc_members users.
• bdc_members users are redirected away from the WordPress admin.
• Members CPT excluded from search results, RSS feeds, and sitemaps for unauthorised users.
• Designed for block themes — all gated content is injected via the_content filter.

Roles and access:

• bdc_members — can view the members-area page and all members CPT content on the front end.
• administrator, editor — full editorial access to members CPT posts.
• author — can create, edit, and delete their own members CPT posts.
• All other roles — see an "Access Denied" message on gated pages.

Installation

1. Upload the bdc-members folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
3. Create a page with the slug members-area (or any slug you choose).
4. Go to Settings > BDC Members and select your members-area page.
5. The login form will appear automatically for logged-out visitors.
6. Start creating content under the Members menu in the admin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to add a shortcode to the members-area page?

No. The plugin automatically displays a login form for logged-out visitors and replaces the page content with an "Access Denied" message for unauthorised logged-in users.

Does this work with block themes?

Yes. The plugin is designed for block themes. All gated content is injected via the the_content filter so your block theme's templates, header, and footer render normally.

What happens if I deactivate the plugin?

The bdc_members role and custom capabilities are intentionally left in place. They become inert without the plugin's logic and prevent users from being locked out of content they previously had access to.

Can I change the members-area page slug?

Yes. Go to Settings > BDC Members and select any page. You can also filter the fallback slug using the bdc_members_area_slug filter.

Are members posts visible in search results?

Only to users with the bdc_access_members capability. Unauthorised users and logged-out visitors will not see members posts in search results, RSS feeds, or sitemaps.

Changelog

1.0.0

• Initial release.
• Custom bdc_members role with read and bdc_access_members capabilities.
• Hierarchical members custom post type with block editor support.
• Members-area page with automatic login form for logged-out visitors.
• Access gating via the_content filter (block theme compatible).
• Login redirect for bdc_members users.
• REST API restriction for members endpoints.
• Admin bar hidden and wp-admin redirect for bdc_members users.
• Members CPT excluded from search, feeds, and sitemaps.
• Settings page for selecting the members-area page.