Harvey Plum Search Results Sorter releases

Harvey Plum Search Results Sorter Contributors: harveyplum Tags: search, sorting, filtering, search results, wordpress search Requires at least: 6.0 Tested up to: 7.1 Stable tag: 2.1.2 License: GPLv2 or later License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Adds polished sorting and filtering controls above native WordPress search results pages so visitors can refine results without leaving the page.

== Description ==

Harvey Plum Search Results Sorter adds a lightweight, configurable search toolbar to the main frontend WordPress search loop.

Included controls:

• Sort by relevance, newest, oldest, title A-Z, or title Z-A
• Filter by published date range
• Filter by author
• Filter by category
• Filter by searchable post type
• Filter by tags and public custom taxonomies
• Sort by recently updated or most commented
• See the result count and remove active filters individually
• Clear all filters without losing the search term
• Collapse or expand the complete filter panel on desktop and mobile

The plugin preserves the active search term and any additional query parameters when visitors refine the results.

Admins can now:

• Turn each frontend control on or off
• Reorder the controls shown on the search page
• Change the toolbar gradient colors with color pickers
• Sample the base gradient color from the site's favicon when available
• Enable post-type and taxonomy controls
• Automatically apply filters when a field changes
• Hide empty category and taxonomy terms

Visitors can collapse the complete toolbar to a compact title row and expand it again whenever needed. The preference is remembered across search pages in the current browser tab.

The toolbar remains available when a filter returns no results and provides a clear recovery path. Date ranges are validated in both the browser and the server query.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin ZIP in WordPress under Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin.
2. Activate the plugin.
3. Visit any native WordPress search results page to see the controls above the results loop.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Will this work with custom AJAX search pages? =

Not automatically. This plugin targets the main native WordPress search query and the standard loop output. If your theme or search plugin replaces that flow, integration may need a custom hook or template placement.

= How can I place the toolbar manually? =

Use the [hp_search_results_sorter] shortcode in a shortcode-capable layout, or call <?php harvey_plum_search_results_sorter(); ?> from a search template. Disable automatic placement in the plugin settings when the manual method should control the exact location. Both methods output only on search-results pages and prevent duplicate toolbars. These instructions also appear on the plugin Settings page.

= Can I customize the available sort options? =

Yes. Developers can filter the available options with the harvey_plum_search_results_sorter_options filter.

= Does the category filter support custom taxonomies? =

Yes. The built-in Category control remains separate, and every public custom taxonomy plus Tags can be enabled, disabled, and reordered under Settings > Search Results Sorter.

== Changelog ==

= 2.1.2 =

• Fixed manual shortcode placement in TagDiv Composer and other theme builders that temporarily replace the global WordPress query

= 2.1.1 =

• Added GitHub update metadata and standardized Harvey Plum repository branding

= 2.1.0 =

• Added an accessible Show filters / Hide filters control on desktop and mobile
• Collapsed the status, validation, fields, actions, and active-filter chips as one panel
• Remembered each visitor's expanded or collapsed choice in the current browser tab
• Documented the collapsible behavior on the plugin Settings page

= 2.0.0 =

• Added result counts and helpful zero-results feedback
• Added Clear all filters and individually removable active-filter chips
• Added strict date validation and linked date limits
• Added optional automatic filter submission
• Added searchable post-type filtering
• Added public custom-taxonomy and tag filtering
• Added Recently updated and Most commented sorting
• Added shortcode and PHP template-function placement with duplicate protection
• Added accessibility semantics, status announcements, and visible keyboard focus
• Preserved existing date and taxonomy query clauses from other integrations
• Added cached author and taxonomy option lists with content-aware invalidation
• Added hierarchical term labels and an option to hide empty terms
• Updated compatibility documentation through WordPress 7.1

= 1.3.3 =

• Keep the sorting and filtering controls visible when the selected filters return no results

= 1.3.2 =

• Fixed controls being covered by full-height theme separator overlays on search result layouts
• Removed the ineffective form-submit workaround from version 1.3.1

= 1.3.1 =

• Attempted to improve compatibility with broad third-party form submit handlers

= 1.3.0 =

• Added a settings page for enabling and disabling individual frontend controls
• Added drag-and-drop ordering for search toolbar controls
• Added gradient color settings for the frontend toolbar
• Added a Site Icon color sampler for the gradient base color
• Added Harvey Plum LLC support details to the settings page footer

= 1.2.1 =

• Removed the Harvey Plum heading from the user-facing search toolbar

= 1.2.0 =

• Added date range filtering
• Added author filtering
• Added category filtering
• Expanded the search toolbar layout and styling
• Updated documentation to reflect the new controls

= 1.1.0 =

• Rebranded plugin as a Harvey Plum build
• Moved presentation styles into a dedicated stylesheet
• Preserved extra query-string values when sorting search results
• Improved plugin metadata and documentation

= 1.0.0 =

• Initial release