=== Custom Sitemap Generator ===
Contributors: wpgeared
Tags: sitemap, xml sitemap, seo, google sitemap, search engine optimization
Requires at least: 5.0
Tested up to: 6.9
Stable tag: 3.1.1
Requires PHP: 7.4
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

The most powerful standalone XML sitemap generator for WordPress with support for all post types, taxonomies, authors, and advanced SEO features.

== Description ==

Custom Sitemap Generator is a powerful, lightweight WordPress plugin that creates XML sitemaps to help search engines discover and index your content efficiently. Unlike bloated SEO plugins, this focused tool does one thing exceptionally well - generating optimized sitemaps.

= Key Features =

**Comprehensive Content Support:**
* Posts, Pages, and Custom Post Types
* Categories, Tags, and Custom Taxonomies
* Author archives
* Automatic sitemap index generation
* **Promotional Tab:** Showcase other helpful tools from our team

**Advanced SEO Features:**
* Priority and change frequency settings per content type
* Last modified dates for better crawl efficiency
* Exclusion by ID, URL, or slug pattern
* robots.txt integration
* Search engine ping (Google & Bing)

**Performance Optimized:**
* Smart pagination for large sites (50,000 URL limit per sitemap)
* Debounced regeneration to prevent duplicate processing
* Memory-efficient queries for sites with thousands of posts
* Scheduled regeneration via WP Cron

**Developer Friendly:**
* Clean, well-documented code
* WordPress coding standards compliant
* Hooks and filters for customization
* Translation ready

= How It Works =

1. Install and activate the plugin
2. Configure which content types to include
3. Sitemaps are automatically generated and updated
4. Submit your sitemap URL to search engines

Your main sitemap will be available at: `https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml`

== Installation ==

1. Upload the `custom-sitemap-generator` folder to `/wp-content/plugins/`
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress
3. Go to Settings > Custom Sitemap to configure the plugin
4. Submit your sitemap URL to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Where are the generated sitemaps stored? =

Sitemaps are stored in the root directory of your WordPress installation for optimal accessibility and SEO performance.

= Can I exclude specific posts or pages? =

Yes! You can exclude content by:
* Post/Page ID
* Full URL
* URL slug or pattern

= How often are sitemaps updated? =

Sitemaps are automatically regenerated when you publish, update, or delete content. You can also enable scheduled regeneration (hourly, daily, or weekly).

= Does this work with custom post types? =

Yes! The plugin automatically detects all public custom post types and taxonomies, allowing you to include them in your sitemaps.

= What's the maximum number of URLs per sitemap? =

By default, sitemaps are limited to 50,000 URLs (Google's limit). For sites with more content, multiple sitemaps are created automatically with a sitemap index.

= Can I notify search engines when my sitemap updates? =

Yes! Enable the "Search Engine Ping" feature to notify Google and Bing when your sitemap is updated.

= Is this plugin compatible with caching plugins? =

Yes, the plugin generates static XML files that work perfectly with all caching solutions.

= Does this conflict with other SEO plugins? =

This plugin focuses solely on sitemap generation. If you're using another SEO plugin with sitemap features, you may want to disable one to avoid duplicate sitemaps.

== Screenshots ==

1. General settings - Configure which content types to include
2. Custom sitemaps - Create sitemaps with specific URLs
3. Advanced settings - Priority, frequency, and integration options
4. Search Console guide - Step-by-step submission instructions
5. Sitemap display - Beautiful, responsive sitemap viewer
6. More Plugins - Discover other helpful WordPress tools from WPGeared

== Changelog ==

= 3.1.1 =
* **UI Fix** - Resolved persistent card stretching issue by switching to fixed-width flexbox layout
* **UI Update** - Plugin cards now have a consistent 280px width for uniform appearance
* **Improvement** - Simplified CSS for better cross-browser compatibility

= 3.1.0 =
* **UI Update** - Fixed card stretching issue by refactoring grid alignment
* **UI Update** - Improved 3-column layout stability across different screen sizes
* **Improvement** - Refined typography and spacing in the "More Plugins" tab

|= 3.0.9 =
* **UI Update** - Forced 3-column layout for the "More Plugins" tab on desktop
* **Bug Fix** - Fixed broken plugin icons by using high-resolution assets
* **Improvement** - Refined card spacing and grid alignment for a cleaner look

|= 3.0.8 =
* **UI Update** - Switched to a flexible grid to fix card stretching issues
* **UI Update** - Used official WordPress geopatterns for missing plugin icons
* **Improvement** - Refined card design with better spacing and alignment

|= 3.0.7 =
* **UI Update** - Added official plugin logos to the "More Plugins" tab
* **UI Update** - Fixed card stretching issue for a more uniform and professional look
* **Improvement** - Enhanced grid layout with better spacing and hover effects

|= 3.0.6 =
* **Feature Update** - Added "More Plugins" tab to showcase other helpful WPGeared tools
* **UI Update** - Added a modern grid layout for the new promotional tab

|= 3.0.5 =
* **Feature Update** - Added a dedicated Home Page sitemap (`home-sitemap.xml`)
* **Bug Fix** - Hidden index files (`sitemap.xml`, `sitemap-index.xml`) from the content sitemaps table to avoid confusion
* **Improvement** - Enhanced XSLT fallback to correctly display sitemap index files
* **Improvement** - Improved AJAX regeneration flow with a dedicated home page step

|= 3.0.4 =
* **Feature Update** - Sitemaps for disabled content types are now hidden from the list
* **Compatibility** - Updated "Tested up to" version to WordPress 6.9

|= 3.0.3 =
* **Bug Fix** - Fixed issue where disabled sitemaps were still appearing in the list
* **Improvement** - Updated WordPress compatibility version

|= 3.0.2 =
* **UI Spacing Fix** - Added proper padding to the container to prevent title from touching borders
* **Tab Alignment** - Improved tab layout for better visual breathing room

|= 3.0.1 =
* **UI Refresh** - Improved interface with accordions and progress bars
* **Feature Update** - Added custom naming for custom sitemaps
* **Conflict Detection** - Notifies users of other active sitemap plugins
* **Bulk Actions** - Support for deleting multiple custom sitemaps at once

|= 3.0.0 =
* **Major Release** - Complete rewrite with significant improvements

**New Features:**
* Sitemap index file for better organization
* Custom post type and taxonomy support
* Author sitemaps
* Priority and change frequency settings
* robots.txt integration
* Search engine ping (Google & Bing)
* Scheduled regeneration via WP Cron
* Pagination for large sites (50k URL limit)
* Pattern-based exclusions (slug matching)
* Dark mode support for sitemap display

**Improvements:**
* Complete code refactoring with OOP architecture
* Enhanced security with strict filename validation
* Debounced regeneration to prevent duplicate processing
* Memory-efficient queries for large sites
* Modern JavaScript with Clipboard API
* Improved admin UI with better UX
* Proper success/error message display
* Full translation support

**Bug Fixes:**
* Fixed path traversal vulnerability
* Fixed wp_delete_file() return value check
* Fixed undefined variable issues
* Fixed duplicate action registration
* Fixed array key existence checks

**Developer:**
* Added uninstall.php for clean removal
* WordPress coding standards compliance
* Comprehensive inline documentation

|= 2.0.1 =
* Updated compatibility with WordPress 6.7
* Added category sitemap generation
* Added tags sitemap generation
* Added Google Search Console guide
* Code quality improvements

|= 2.0.0 =
* Major update with new features
* Added posts and pages sitemaps
* Added exclusion feature
* Improved security
* Updated file storage location
* Enhanced UI

|= 1.2 =
* Added custom post type support
* Performance improvements

|= 1.1 =
* Bug fixes and improvements

|= 1.0 =
* Initial release

== Upgrade Notice ==

|= 3.1.0 =
Fixed card stretching and layout stability in "More Plugins" tab.

|= 3.0.9 =
Fixed 3-column layout and improved plugin icons.

|= 3.0.8 =
Improved layout for "More Plugins" tab and fixed missing icons.

|= 3.0.7 =
Added official plugin logos to the "More Plugins" tab.

|= 3.0.6 =
Added "More Plugins" tab to showcase other helpful tools from our team.

|= 3.0.5 =
Added dedicated home page sitemap and fixed index file visibility in admin.

|= 3.0.3 =
Minor update to filter out disabled sitemaps from the list and update WP compatibility.

|= 3.0.2 =
Minor update to fix UI spacing and layout issues.

|= 3.0.1 =
Minor update with UI enhancements, custom naming for sitemaps, and conflict detection.

|= 3.0.0 =
Major release with new features including custom post type support, sitemap index, search engine ping, and scheduled regeneration. Includes important security fixes. Upgrade recommended for all users.


