=== ImagePilot Featured Images ===

Contributors: chintan95
Tags: featured image, image size, editorial workflow, gutenberg, post editor
Requires at least: 5.8
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Show editors the correct featured image size, format, and branding rules — directly inside the WordPress editor, exactly where they need it.

== Description ==

**ImagePilot Featured Images** gives WordPress administrators a simple way to display featured image guidelines to editors — right inside the post editor, below the Featured Image panel.

No more chasing down editors who uploaded the wrong image size. No more screenshots shared in Slack. The guideline appears automatically, for every post type and page template you configure.

**Guidelines are for editors only.** They appear inside wp-admin — in the Block Editor, Classic Editor, and Screen Options panel — and are never shown on the public-facing front end.

### How It Works

Set a guideline once per post type, page template, or individual post. When an editor opens a post, the plugin automatically shows the most specific guideline that applies. The full priority chain:

1. **Individual post override** — set per-post via Screen Options or the Gutenberg sidebar panel (highest priority)
2. **Specific template guideline** — for pages assigned a particular page template
3. **Default template guideline** — for pages with no specific template assigned
4. **Post type guideline** — applies to every post of that type (posts, pages, products, etc.)
5. **Global page default** — site-wide fallback for any page with no other guideline

### Features

* **Post type guidelines** — set a default for every Post, Page, Product, or any custom post type
* **Page template guidelines** — different rules for your Full Width, Homepage, Landing Page templates
* **Per-post overrides** — let editors set a one-off guideline for a specific post (highest priority)
* **Block Editor (Gutenberg) support** — guideline shown below the native Featured Image panel; override panel in the post sidebar
* **Classic Editor support** — guideline shown below the Featured Image metabox
* **Screen Options integration** — view and save per-post overrides directly from Screen Options
* **Export & import settings** — back up and restore all guidelines as a JSON file
* **Translation ready** — partial translations included for German, Spanish, and French

### Common Use Cases

* Required image dimensions (e.g. "1200 × 630 px, JPG only")
* Maximum file size rules (e.g. "Under 500 KB")
* Brand compliance notes (e.g. "No text overlays, white background only")
* Product image standards (e.g. "Square crop, 1:1 ratio, pure white background")
* Blog post featured image guidelines per category or post type
* Campaign or landing page image specs tied to specific page templates

### Who Is It For

Content editors, marketing teams, digital agencies, publishers, and any WordPress administrator who manages a team of editors and needs image guidelines to be visible exactly where decisions are made.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin folder to `/wp-content/plugins/imagepilot-featured-images`
2. Activate the plugin through the **Plugins** screen in WordPress
3. Go to **Settings → ImagePilot Featured Images**
4. Set guidelines for your post types and page templates
5. Click **Save Changes** — guidelines appear immediately in the editor for all users

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this work with the Gutenberg block editor? =

Yes. The plugin shows a read-only guideline below the native Featured Image panel in the Gutenberg sidebar. It also adds a "Featured Image Guideline" panel where editors can set a per-post override without doing a full post save.

= Does this work with the Classic Editor? =

Yes. The guideline appears below the Featured Image metabox in the Classic Editor sidebar.

= Will visitors to my site see these guidelines? =

No. Guidelines only appear to logged-in users inside wp-admin while editing a post. The plugin does not hook into any front-end template or output anything to your public site.

= Can I set different guidelines for different page templates? =

Yes. Each page template (Full Width, Homepage, Landing Page, etc.) can have its own featured image guideline. Template guidelines take priority over post type guidelines.

= Does it support custom post types? =

Yes. All public post types that support featured images are automatically detected and listed, including WooCommerce Products and any other custom post types.

= Can I export and import my settings? =

Yes. Use the **Tools** tab on the settings page to export all your guidelines as a JSON file. You can import that file on another site to copy your configuration instantly.

= Is the plugin translation ready? =

Yes. The plugin is fully localisation-ready. Partial translations are bundled for German (de_DE), Spanish (es_ES), and French (fr_FR). Full community translations are welcome via translate.wordpress.org.

= Is there a developer API? =

Yes. `ipfi_resolve_note( $post_id )` returns the resolved guideline for any post, and `_ipfi_featured_image_note` is the post meta key for per-post overrides. See the **Documentation** tab inside the plugin for a full function and meta key reference.

= Does this slow down my site? =

No. All plugin code runs only inside wp-admin on post edit screens. Nothing is loaded for visitors on the front end.
