If you want to use the download system of the Download Monitor Plugin with a custom button that you have created with another plugin or theme, then the option explained in this documentation will be useful.
You can also use it to share a direct download URL of an item via an email.
Note: this is mainly suitable for downloads that you are giving for free and you want to just track the downloads.
Direct Download URL of an Item
Use the following format to create the direct download URL for a download item:
https://www.yoursite.com/?sdm_process_download=1&download_id=XX
XX is the ID of the download item (you can get this value from the Downloads Menu of the plugin). Also, replace yoursite.com with your actual site URL (your domain name).
- XX – Replace this value with the actual download item’s ID.
- yoursite.com – Replace this value with your domain name.
Tracking the Downloads
Since this URL will be handled by the Download Monitor plugin, the downloads will be tracked by it.
Prevent Tracking/Logging of a Download
If you are using this method to create a direct download link for your customer, but you do not want to log the download (meaning that when a customer clicks the link, the download count will not increase), you can add an additional parameter to the download URL.
Add the following parameter to your download URL to prevent logging:
sdm_ignore_logging=1
You can learn more on how to prevent download logging by reading this tutorial.
Using it with a Custom Button or a Custom Form
If you are using another plugin or a theme that wants a target URL value for a custom button or a form, you can use this URL.