Black-Desk

Description

Looking for the easiest way to manage your data?
We might be able to help. 😉

Black-Desk is a comprehensive WordPress plugin that helps you create and manage custom database tables and data directly from your WordPress dashboard.

The plugin provides an intuitive interface that lets you create, update, and query your data in the simplest way possible, without requiring deep technical knowledge.

Save queries and reuse them quickly.

Black-Desk plugin shortcodes let you display selected data on your WordPress pages or posts, as well as easily create input forms directly connected to your tables.

Key Features:

  • Create custom tables with various column types
  • Manage table data with an easy-to-use interface
  • View and edit table data
  • Create and save custom queries, including joins (across multiple related tables)
  • Soft delete support with trash management
  • Shortcodes for data display
  • Shortcodes for input form generation

Usage

After installation, look for the ‘Tables’ menu item in your WordPress dashboard/admin panel.

Creating Tables

  1. Go to Tables > Add Table
  2. Enter table name and description
  3. Add columns with their respective names, types and properties
  4. Preview and save your table structure

Available Column Types:

  • Short text – varchar(255)
  • Number – int(11)
  • Big number – bigint(20)
  • Currency – decimal(15,2)
  • Date time – datetime
  • Yes no – bit(1)
  • Lookup – varchar(100)
  • Rich text – mediumtext
  • Long text – longtext
  • Attachment – longblob
  • Hyperlink – varchar(1024)
  • ENUM – ENUM (your list of options)

Managing Data

  1. Navigate to Tables > All Tables
  2. Click on a table to view/edit its data or its structure
  3. Add, edit, or delete records (edit by clicking the field itself)
  4. Use bulk actions for multiple records
  5. Restore deleted records from trash
  6. Display data in your WordPress page or post using shortcodes

Creating Queries

  1. Go to Tables > All Queries > Select
  2. Choose tables and fields to include
  3. Add conditions and aliases
  4. Preview and save your query
  5. Display the query results in your WordPress page or post using shortcodes

If you want to view data from related, joined tables you can create and save a query by setting one of its conditions so that the value from the first table column is equal to the second table column/field (effectively indicating a foreign key column and pointing it to another table’s primary key).

Example of such query condition:
[review.product_id] [equal to] [FIELD] [product.id]

View Query Results

  1. Go to Tables > All Queries
  2. View specific query

Deleting Data

There are three options for deleting data:

  1. Deleting rows while viewing a table, one by one or in bulk; soft delete, reversible
  2. Truncate – delete all data in a table; irreversible
  3. Delete the whole table; irreversible

Shortcodes

Shortcodes are a powerful feature of Black-Desk that let you seamlessly connect your data tables to any of your WordPress pages or posts, in one of the two directions:

  • Display data from your tables directly on your page or post;
  • Create custom data entry forms to store user input directly into your data tables.

Using shortcodes, you can easily:

  • Display data from your table or query result – [bdds-view-table]
  • Display specific field – [bdds-view-field]
  • Display specific field data for each row of your table or query result – [bdds-view-repeat]
  • Create an input form using shortcodes:
    - [bdds-form-start] – to start a form
    - [bdds-form-field] – to add form field
    - [bdds-form-stop] – to end a form

Detailed shortcodes usage instructions are provided in dashboard > Tables > Shortcodes.

Installation

Black-Desk plugin installation can be done in any WordPress-plugin-installation way you are used to.

Installation options:
1. Automatic:
Go to your dashboard > Plugins > Add New Plugin
> search for Black-Desk
> Install Now > Activate;
OR
2. Download zip from the Black-Desk WordPress plugin page,
go to your dashboard > Plugins > Add New Plugin
> Upload Plugin > Browse > choose the plugin zip file > Install Now
> once installed click Activate Plugin;
OR
3. Download zip from the Black-Desk WordPress plugin page and manually upload the entire unzipped Black-Desk folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory.
Go to your dashboard > Plugins (Installed Plugins), look for the Black-Desk plugin in the list and click Activate.

The important thing is to activate after installation.

You are all set!

Go to your dashboard and look for the ‘Tables’ menu item.

FAQ

I am not very experienced with databases; can I use this plugin?

The plugin is designed with people with basic technical knowledge in mind. It is designed to be easy, straight-forward, and intuitive to use.

However, some of the database capabilities like creating related tables require you to be acquainted with how relations are made in order to put them into practice.

If you have basic data management knowledge, you will be right at home, and if not, try the plugin for free, and don’t be too surprised when you find out how easy it is to create database tables, populate them with data, and query your data.

How can I edit my data?

When viewing your table, clicking on a value you wish to edit will render it an input field. While focused on the input field, press Enter to update the value or Esc to cancel editing.

Is it possible to recover deleted data?

Yes and no, depending on the action you took.

Yes, the plugin uses soft delete functionality when deleting data while viewing a table. Deleted records can be restored from the table trash view.

However, if you delete the whole table or truncate table data while viewing the list of tables, those two actions cannot be undone, as the user is warned beforehand when prompted to confirm if they are sure they want to delete or truncate the table.

Can I create relationships between tables?

Yes, and to view data from related, joined tables you can create and save a query by setting one of its conditions so that the value from the first table column is equal to the second table column/field (effectively indicating a foreign key column and pointing it to another table’s primary key).

Example of such query condition:
[review.product_id] [equal to] [FIELD] [product.id]

See USAGE > CREATING QUERIES section for the detailed instructions on query creation and use.

How do I use the shortcodes?

You can find complete, detailed shortcodes usage instructions in your WordPress dashboard > Tables > Shortcodes submenu page, with examples of usage for each shortcode.

For basic information purposes, info on shortcodes functionality is available in the USAGE > SHORTCODES section.

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Contributors & Developers

“Black-Desk” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

Contributors

Translate “Black-Desk” into your language.

Interested in development?

Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.

Changelog

1.1.0

Add shortcodes submenu to dashboard, leading to a shortcodes use instructions page.

1.0.50

  • Initial release
  • Core functionality for table management
  • Query builder interface
  • Trash management
  • Shortcode support
  • Input form data validation