Restrict access to comments in WordPress using the plugin Restrict Content Pro-CodePudding

I would like to ask if someone can help me with this question. I can't find anywhere how to do it.

I have a website with Wordpress as a CMS. I use the plugin Restrict Content Pro to restrict access to exclusive content.

I share the post in freemium mode.

And now the question:

How could I restrict access to post comments?

I guess through something in the php code, but I don't know how.

Can anybody help me?

Thank you!

CodePudding user response：

I don't use this plugin myself, but just found a good looking tutorial. Apparently, you restrict access to comments in the same way that you restrict access to anything else: By only outputting it in the theme files when the user has access to it. For example, the TwentyTwentyOne theme has a file "comments.php", which starts like this:

/*
 * If the current post is protected by a password and
 * the visitor has not yet entered the password,
 * return early without loading the comments.
 */
if ( post_password_required() ) {
    return;
}

$twenty_twenty_one_comment_count = get_comments_number();
?>

You can easily add another check beneath the password check:

/**
 * Check if the user has access, don't output the comments if they don't.
 */
if ( !rcp_user_has_active_membership() ) {
    return;
}

Of course, instead of returning you can also output something along the lines of "get a membership to see the comments".

The tutorial I found lists different ways to check for a membership, a paid membership and more special checks.

Two more things:

Be sure to check if there are other places where comments are displayed. That very much depends on how the WordPress theme is built.
Don't just change the theme if it comes from an external source, e.g. if it might receive updates in the future. In that case create a child theme and make your changes there instead. You can read more about child themes in the Theme Handbook.