Auto Featured Image

A WordPress Plugin for Automatically Setting Featured Images

Overview

This plugin simplifies the process of setting featured images for your WordPress posts by automatically identifying and setting the first image in a post as the featured image. It supports both images stored in the media library and external images, providing a more flexible and efficient way to manage your post visuals.

Key Changes in This Version

• Removed the add_image_to_library method to avoid unnecessary media library additions.
• Modified set_featured_image_by_url to:
  • Set the image as the featured image if it's already in the media library.
  • Store the URL as post meta if the image is not in the media library.
• Added external_thumbnail_html to display external images as featured images.
• Updated the URL metabox to display the current external URL if set.

How it Works

1. Identifies First Image: When a post is saved, the plugin scans the post content for the first image.
2. Checks Media Library: If the image is found in the media library, it sets it as the featured image.
3. Handles External Images: For external images, the plugin stores the URL as post meta and displays it as the featured image without adding it to the media library.
4. Provides Meta Box: A meta box allows you to manually set or update the featured image URL.

Installation

1. Download: Download the latest version of the plugin from [GitHub repository link].
2. Upload: Upload the plugin's folder to your WordPress wp-content/plugins/ directory.
3. Activate: Activate the plugin through the "Plugins" menu in your WordPress admin.

Usage

• Automatic Setting: The plugin will automatically set the first image in a post as the featured image when you save it.
• Manual Setting: Use the meta box provided by the plugin to manually set or update the featured image URL.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to fork the repository, make your changes, and submit a pull request.

License: [MIT License]