It’s pretty easy to write about the things I dislike about WordPress or the issues I run into with the editor on a routine basis but today, I’m doing something a bit different. I’m writing about a small change that was made in WordPress 5.8 that has made my publishing life a lot more enjoyable.
When users upload an item to the Media Library, there is now a Copy URL to the clipboard button in the bottom-right corner. This replaces the need to click the Edit button in order to retrieve the file URL. When I upload transcripts of the WP Mainline podcast which are PDF files, I’m able to click this button and then paste the URL into the Transcript File Location box that’s part of the Really Simple Podcasting plugin. It’s a small change that improves my workflow for accomplishing this task and it makes me happy.
What’s interesting about this particular feature is how it was created. Justin Tadlock at WP Tavern has a great write-up about this feature and many others that were included in WordPress 5.8. It started with a user named Anotia creating a post on the WordPress support forum. This in turn led them to create an account on Trac, create a ticket, and receive feedback from interested parties. It took four months and a good bit of effort for the suggestion to become a core feature.
This feature is a reminder that sometimes, all it takes is a forum post to get the ball rolling. It’s also an excellent example of WordPress core contributors listening to feedback. If there is a WordPress feature that brings you joy, I’d love to hear about it.
I hadn’t seen that yet. Copy buttons make life good. I wonder how long ago was it proposed.
I’ve been finding myself using the newish (5.7) “Send Reset Link” button a lot lately. Sometimes users make a typo in their email when registering. It’s nice to just hit that button. Pippin proposed it on trac six years ago.
“It’s the little things”