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10. Frequently Asked Questions

Does the plugin work without LearnDash?​

No. LearnDash Materials Extended extends LearnDash's Materials field. Without LearnDash there is nothing for it to attach to.

Does it replace LearnDash's Materials field?​

No, it extends it. LearnDash's toggle and editor stay exactly where they are; the plugin adds a managed list of items beneath the editor and a shortcode you insert into it. Anything else you type in the editor still shows in the Materials tab alongside the list.

Which LearnDash content can have materials?​

Courses, lessons, topics, and quizzes, each with its own list. Materials added to a course are not inherited by its lessons.

Can I add files that aren't in the Media Library?​

Yes. Set an item's Source to External URL and enter the full address. You lose the Download / Attachment page choice (the other site decides how the file is served), but the item otherwise behaves the same, and the icon is still chosen from the file extension in the URL.

Can I show the materials list somewhere other than the Materials tab?​

Yes. Place [learndash_materials_extended] in the item's main content, for example in a Shortcode block. It renders the same list. See 5.2 The Materials Shortcode.

Can I show one lesson's materials on a different page?​

No. The shortcode has no parameters and always shows the materials of the page it is on.

Can each lesson have a different style?​

Not from the settings; List type, colours, and fonts are site-wide. Every list does carry a ldash-materials-post-{ID} class, so you can style individual items with your own CSS. See 8.3 Shortcode and CSS Reference.

Does the plugin restrict who can download the files?​

No. It lists links; access to the page follows LearnDash's own rules (enrollment, drip, and so on), and the files themselves are ordinary Media Library uploads reachable by URL. If you need protected downloads, use a dedicated file-protection solution alongside the plugin.

Are file downloads tracked?​

No. The plugin doesn't record clicks or downloads.

What happens to my materials if I deactivate the plugin?​

The items stay stored with each lesson (as post meta) and reappear if you reactivate. While the plugin is inactive, the shortcode in LearnDash's materials editor renders as plain text, so remove it from any items you want to keep tidy, or leave it for reactivation.

Does the plugin work on multisite?​

It runs per site like a normal plugin. There is no network-level settings page; configure each site separately.