Booking Engine Connector

Connect WordPress to external booking engines (Kross first) with structured sync, search context via URL parameters, checkout links, and contact fallback.

Note: CHANGELOG.md is the single source of truth for release notes. This README.md is the GitHub overview (description, install, FAQ). readme.txt supplies WordPress Plugin Update Checker metadata only; the updater reads CHANGELOG.md for in-admin version details when readme.txt has no changelog section.

Description

Booking Engine Connector (BEC) links your site to external reservation APIs in a modular way: provider abstraction, logging, WP-Cron sync, and shortcodes. See docs/ for full specifications.

Installation

1. Upload the plugin folder to /wp-content/plugins/booking-engine-connector/ or install the zip from the WordPress admin.
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen.
3. Open Booking Engine in the admin menu and configure the connection (provider credentials).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which PHP and WordPress versions are supported?

PHP 8.0+ and WordPress 6.4+ are required (see header above).

Where is search context stored?

Search context uses GET query parameters prefixed with bec_ (e.g. check-in/out). See docs/SEARCH-CONTEXT.md when available.

How do I submit [bec_search] from one page to another?

Use the redirect_url attribute so the form posts (GET) to your results page, e.g. [bec_search redirect_url="/availability-results/"]. The same *`bec_** query parameters are appended. If **redirect_url** is omitted, submissions go to the **units archive** (or **home_url`** if the archive link is unavailable).

Use popover_placement to control where the date and guest popovers open relative to the search field on desktop/tablet: auto (default — opens below and flips above when there is not enough space), top, or bottom. On mobile, popovers still use the bottom sheet layout. Example: [bec_search popover_placement="top"]. You can also pass popover_placement to SearchForm::render() or filter bec_search_form_popover_placement.

Use daterange_format (PHP date format) or daterange_preset (iso, short, medium, long, full; default medium) on [bec_search] and [bec_booking_summary] to format the selected dates shown in the calendar footer before Cancel/Apply. Example: [bec_search daterange_preset="long"].

How do I filter units on a listing page?

Place [bec_unit_filters] above your unit loop (or on the unit archive). The form submits filter GET parameters (bec_filter_order, bec_filter_rooms_min, bec_filter_bathrooms_min, bec_filter_amenities[]) and keeps current search params. Pair with an Elementor Loop Grid using Query ID bec_available_only or bec_filtered_units. Choose which amenities appear under Booking Engine → Listing Filters; tune appearance under Design → Unit filters.

Shortcode attributes include layout (inline or stacked), show_reset, hide_labels (default 1: labels hidden, filter name shown inside each control until a value is chosen; set hide_labels="0" to show labels above fields), filters, amenities, amenities_limit, and action.

How do I show how many units match the current search?

Use [bec_available_units_count] anywhere on the results page (above an Elementor Loop Grid, in a heading, or on the native unit archive). It counts published units that match the current listing query (e.g. unit category archive), *`becfilter** params and, when dates and guests are in the URL, units that are **available** for that search—the same rules as Loop Grid Query ID **bec_available_only** / **bec_filtered_units`**. On Elementor results pages the shortcode resolves the Loop Grid’s base query from the page document so the number matches the filtered grid, not the provider’s bulk availability total alone.

Examples: [bec_available_units_count] (number only), [bec_available_units_count format="text"] (default “%d available units” copy), [bec_available_units_count hide_without_search="1"] (empty until search params are complete), [bec_available_units_count zero_text="No units found"], [bec_available_units_count category="villas"] (count only units in that unit category term), [bec_available_units_count query_id="bec_available_only"] (target a specific Loop Grid Query ID when multiple grids exist). Custom text: singular / plural with %d, optional class for styling.

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for release notes.