=== Dalmatian Dream Post Views ===
Contributors: borishorvat
Tags: post views, views, analytics, counter
Requires at least: 6.5
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 8.1
Stable tag: 2.8.1
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Lightweight post view counting for WordPress posts using a custom database table and client-side cache-friendly AJAX counting.

== Description ==

Dalmatian Dream Post Views counts published post views for guests while preserving compatibility with full-page cache systems. It stores counts in the existing `dd_post_views` table, uses localStorage for a lightweight visitor cooldown, and avoids per-visitor transient records.

Logged-in users are not counted. A simple User-Agent bot filter is used for noise reduction.

== Installation ==

1. Upload the `dd-post-views` folder to the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory, or install the plugin ZIP through the WordPress Plugins screen.
2. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
3. View counts appear in the Posts list and in the post editor metabox.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this reset existing view counts? =

No. Version 2.8.1 keeps using the existing `{$wpdb->prefix}dd_post_views` table with the same `id` and `count` columns.

= Are logged-in users counted? =

No. Logged-in users are intentionally ignored.

= Does this work with page cache plugins? =

Yes. Views are counted with client-side AJAX after the page loads, so cached post pages can still trigger view counting.

== Changelog ==

= 2.8.1 =
* Preserved WordPress 5.8 compatibility while documenting unavoidable custom table SQL identifier checks.
* Kept the existing `dd_post_views` table and all historical view counts unchanged.

= 2.8.0 =
* Fixed the 30-minute visitor cooldown calculation.
* Optimized view counting to avoid an unnecessary database read.
* Improved WordPress security and sanitization compliance.
* Added internationalization support.
* Updated branding to Dalmatian Dream Post Views.
* Improved WordPress.org and Plugin Check compatibility.
* Removed development backup files from the release package.
* Preserved all existing historical view counts.
