=== Hide Categories for Woo ===
Contributors: theodoresfakianakis
Tags: woocommerce, categories, hide, visibility, products
Requires at least: 6.0
Tested up to: 6.9
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Hide WooCommerce product categories from frontend with advanced control over products and subcategories.

== Description ==

Hide Categories for Woo is a powerful WordPress plugin that allows you to hide WooCommerce product categories from your store's frontend with advanced control over how products and subcategories behave.

= Key Features =

* **Simple Category Hiding** - Add a checkbox to hide any product category
* **Bulk Operations** - Hide or unhide multiple categories at once
* **Smart Product Handling** - Three visibility modes for products in hidden categories
* **Cascade to Children** - Automatically hide child categories when parent is hidden
* **Direct URL Protection** - Block or redirect access to hidden category URLs
* **Admin Preview Mode** - View hidden content on frontend with visual indicators
* **Quick Toggle** - Instantly hide/unhide categories from the category list

= Where Categories Are Hidden =

* Shop pages and product archives
* Navigation menus
* Category widgets
* Search results
* Direct URL access

= Product Visibility Options =

Choose how products in hidden categories are handled:

1. **Hide Only Exclusive Products** (Recommended) - Products that belong ONLY to hidden categories are hidden. Products also in visible categories remain visible.
2. **Hide All Products** - ALL products in hidden categories are hidden, even if they belong to other visible categories.
3. **Keep All Products Visible** - Only category listings are hidden; all products remain visible.

= Admin Features =

* Quick toggle visibility from category list
* Visual status indicators (hidden/visible)
* Bulk hide/unhide actions
* Hidden categories dashboard
* Comprehensive settings page
* Admin frontend preview with warning badges

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin files to `/wp-content/plugins/WooHide Categories/` directory
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' screen in WordPress
3. Navigate to WooCommerce > Hidden Categories to configure settings
4. Go to Products > Categories to start hiding categories

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Will hidden categories be visible in search engines? =

No. Hidden categories return 404 errors (or redirect) and are not visible to visitors or search engines.

= Can I hide a parent category but keep children visible? =

Yes. Disable the "Cascade to Children" option in settings, then you can hide parent categories independently.

= What happens to products in hidden categories? =

It depends on your "Product Visibility" setting:
- Exclusive mode: Products ONLY in hidden categories are hidden
- All mode: All products in hidden categories are hidden
- None mode: All products remain visible

= Can administrators preview hidden content? =

Yes. Logged-in administrators see hidden categories and products on the frontend with visual warning indicators.

= Does this affect the REST API? =

No. Hidden categories remain accessible via the WooCommerce REST API for integrations.

== Screenshots ==

1. Hide checkbox on category edit screen
2. Bulk actions in category list
3. Settings page with configuration options
4. Admin preview mode with warning banner
5. Quick toggle in category list

== Changelog ==

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release
* Hide categories from frontend
* Three product visibility modes
* Bulk actions support
* Admin preview mode
* Settings page with URL behavior options
* Quick toggle in category list
* Cascade to children option

== Upgrade Notice ==

= 1.0.0 =
Initial release of Hide Categories for Woo plugin.

== Ways to Support ==

If you find this plugin helpful, consider supporting its development:

💳 **PayPal:**
https://paypal.me/TheodoreSfakianakis

💰 **Revolut:**
https://revolut.me/theodocmx

== Additional Info ==

* Requires WooCommerce 8.0 or higher
* Compatible with HPOS (High-Performance Order Storage)
* Compatible with WooCommerce Blocks
* Follows WordPress coding standards
* Translation ready

For support, feature requests, or bug reports, please visit the plugin support forum.
