Voxel Create Post For Guest
The {CODICTS} Voxel Create Post For Guest plugin allows guest users (non-logged-in visitors) to submit new posts or edit existing posts on sites powered by the Voxel Theme — without requiring a user account. It provides a custom Elementor widget that mirrors Voxel’s native “Create Post” form experience, with added features like secure shareable edit links, one-time editing, and preview links for unpublished posts.
Requirements
Important: The plugin checks for both the Voxel Child Theme and Elementor on every page load. If either dependency is missing, the plugin will display an admin notice and will not load any of its features.
Installation & Activation
Start by downloading the plugin from the Downloads page on your dashboard on the CoDicts website.
After downloading, install and activate the plugin in WordPress by navigating to “Plugins” > “Add New” > “Upload Plugin” and selecting the downloaded zip file. Click “Install Now” and then “Activate”.
Once activated, open any page in the Elementor editor and search for “{C} Create post (VX)” in the widget panel under the Voxel or Basic categories.
Quick Start Setup
Step 1: Create a Submission Page
Create a new WordPress page (e.g., “Submit a Listing”) and open it in the Elementor editor.
Step 2: Add the Widget
Drag the {C} Create post (VX) widget onto the page.
Step 3: Select the Post Type
In the widget settings under the Content tab, select the Post Type that guests should be able to submit (e.g., Places, Events, Jobs).
Step 4: Set the Designated Author
Select an Author — this is the WordPress user account that all guest submissions will be attributed to. This user must have a Voxel membership plan that allows creating posts of the selected type.
Step 5: Configure Options
Enable any additional features you need (Shareable Link, Guest Pending Status, etc. — see the sections below). Then publish the page.
Step 6: Test It
Visit the page while logged out. You should see the Voxel create-post form. Fill in the fields and click “Publish” to submit a post as a guest.
Tip: The form supports all Voxel field types — text, taxonomy, location, file uploads, repeaters, products, dates, and more. Guests can upload files via drag-and-drop or the file input button (the media library browser is hidden for guests since it requires a WordPress login).
How It Works
Since WordPress requires a user account for post authorship, the plugin uses a designated author — a real WordPress user you select in the widget settings. All posts submitted by guests are attributed to this author.
The form uses Voxel’s own field system, validation rules, and conditional logic, ensuring full compatibility with your Voxel post type configuration. Multi-step forms, required fields, and all field types work exactly as they do in Voxel’s native create-post form.
Logged-in users can also use the widget — they’ll get the standard Voxel editing experience with their own account as the author.
Widget Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Post Type | The Voxel post type that guests can submit. |
| Author | The WordPress user account that owns all guest submissions. Must have a plan that allows creating the selected post type. |
| Shareable Link | Generates a secure token-based URL after submission, allowing the guest to return and edit their post. See Shareable Link below. |
| On Edit Only | When enabled, the widget only shows the edit form — guests cannot create new posts. Requires a valid shareable link token in the URL. |
| Preview when not publish | Provides a viewable link for posts that are in draft or pending status. See Preview Link below. |
| Set to Pending on Guest Submit | Forces all guest submissions and edits to “pending” status for admin review, regardless of the post type’s default setting. |
| Allow One Time Edit Only | Revokes the shareable link after the guest’s first edit, preventing further modifications. See One-Time Edit below. |
The widget also provides extensive icon customization for every part of the form UI (navigation arrows, upload icons, field icons, etc.) and full Elementor style controls for typography, colors, spacing, borders, buttons, and more.
Shareable Link System
The Shareable Link feature generates a secure, token-based URL that allows a guest to return and edit the post they submitted — without needing to log in.
How It Works
Step 1: Enable “Shareable Link” in the widget settings.
Step 2: When a guest submits a post, a unique 16-character security token is generated and stored with the post.
Step 3: On the success screen, a “Copy Shareable Link” button appears. The guest clicks it to copy the secure edit URL to their clipboard.
Step 4: The guest can visit the link at any time to return to the form and edit their post. The link includes the security token, which is validated on every access.
Shareable Link Format
https://yoursite.com/submit-listing/?post_id=123&type=places&sl=AbCd1234EfGh5678The sl parameter is the security token. Anyone with this link can edit the post, so guests should keep it safe.
Tip: Combine Shareable Link with “Set to Pending on Guest Submit” to let guests edit their pending submissions while you review them before publishing.
One-Time Edit
When “Allow One Time Edit Only” is enabled alongside the Shareable Link, the security token is deleted after the guest’s first edit. This means the shareable link becomes invalid after one use — the guest can submit and edit once, but cannot return again.
This is useful for scenarios where you want guests to be able to correct mistakes right after submission, but not make ongoing changes.
Note: This only applies to guest users. Logged-in users with edit permissions are not affected by this restriction.
Guest Pending Status
When “Set to Pending on Guest Submit” is enabled, all guest submissions and edits are automatically set to “pending” status, regardless of what the post type’s default submission status is configured to.
This ensures every guest submission goes through admin review before appearing on your site. Once an admin approves the post (by changing its status to “publish” in the WordPress admin), it becomes visible.
Use Cases
Moderation: Review all guest-submitted content before it goes live.
Quality control: Ensure guest edits to existing posts are reviewed before being published.
Combined with Shareable Link: Let guests submit and edit their pending posts while you control when they go live.
Preview When Not Published
When “Preview when not publish” is enabled and a guest submits a post that ends up in draft or pending status, a “Copy Viewable Link” button appears on the success screen.
This generates a special token-based preview URL that allows viewing the post even though it’s not published yet. The preview link is read-only — it does not allow editing.
Preview Link Format
https://yoursite.com/?post_type=places&p=123&preview=true&cvcpfgtk=AbCd1234EfGh5678The preview token is separate from the shareable edit link token. The guest can share this link with others to show them the post before it’s approved.
Tip: This is especially useful when combined with “Set to Pending on Guest Submit” — guests can share a preview of their submission while it awaits approval.
Edit-Only Mode
When “On Edit Only” is enabled, the widget will only display the form for editing an existing post — the create-new-post form is hidden. The guest must have a valid shareable link (with the sl token in the URL) for the form to appear.
This is useful when you want a dedicated edit page that only works with shareable links, separate from your submission page.
For Logged-In Users
The widget also works for logged-in users. When a logged-in user visits the page:
Creating new posts: The post is attributed to the logged-in user (not the designated author).
Editing posts: The user can edit posts they have permission to edit, using the standard ?post_id=123 URL parameter. No shareable link token is needed — standard Voxel permission checks apply.
Save as draft: Logged-in users can save posts as drafts, which is not available to guests.
Admin mode: Users with edit_others_posts capability can use admin mode for backend-style editing.
Voxel Events & Automation
The plugin triggers Voxel’s native post events, which means your Voxel automation workflows will work with guest submissions:
| Event | When It Fires |
|---|---|
| Post Created | A new post is created (not an edit). |
| Post Submitted | A new post is submitted with “publish” or “pending” status, or a draft is submitted for the first time. |
| Post Updated | An existing post is edited. |
This means email notifications, status changes, and any other Voxel automations you’ve configured will trigger for guest submissions just like they do for regular user submissions.
Troubleshooting
“Voxel Theme Not Detected” Error
Ensure the Voxel Theme is installed and set as the active theme. If you are using a child theme, the parent theme template must still be voxel.
Widget Not Appearing in Elementor
Make sure Elementor is installed and active. Search for “{C} Create post” in the Elementor widget panel — it appears under the Voxel or Basic categories.
Guest Cannot Submit — “You do not have permission”
This means the designated author does not have permission to create posts of the selected type. Check the following:
Make sure the Author setting is configured in the widget. Ensure the selected author has a Voxel membership plan that allows creating the selected post type. Check that the author’s submission limits have not been reached.
Guest Cannot Edit — Form Does Not Appear
If a guest visits a shareable edit link and the form doesn’t render, check these:
Verify the sl parameter in the URL matches the token stored in the post’s cvcpfg_sl meta. If “Allow One Time Edit Only” is enabled, the token may have been deleted after the first edit. Make sure “On Edit Only” is enabled if you want edit-only access for guests on this page.
File Uploads Failing for Guests
Guests cannot browse the WordPress media library — this is by design. They must use drag-and-drop or the file input button to upload files. Also check your server’s PHP upload limits (upload_max_filesize and post_max_size) and verify the designated author has file upload permissions.
Shareable Link Not Working
Ensure “Shareable Link” is enabled in the widget settings. If “One-Time Edit” was enabled, the token is deleted after the first edit — the link will no longer work. You can verify the token exists by checking the post’s cvcpfg_sl meta in the WordPress admin.
Preview Link Not Working
Ensure “Preview when not publish” is enabled in the widget settings. The post must be in draft or pending status — published posts use their normal permalink and don’t need a preview token.
Datepicker Not Showing
This was fixed in version 1.2.5. Make sure you are running the latest version of the plugin.
Form Fields Not Loading / JavaScript Errors
Check the browser console for errors. Ensure Vue.js and Voxel’s scripts are loading correctly. Clear any page caches and CDN caches. If you are using a JavaScript minification or combination plugin, exclude create-post-guest.js from optimization.
For further support, visit codicts.com or contact us at support@codicts.com.