InDesign Random Quotes Widgets

by InDesign Media

Description

Add a random quote to any page, post, or widget area with a single shortcode. Pick from 16 layouts, run a fading carousel of your full list, and manage everything from a clean admin that saves as you type.

What you get

Two shortcodes: [id_popular_quotes] for one random quote and [id_popular_quotes_carousel] for a fading slideshow.
16 layouts: Classic, Modern Blockquote, Minimalist, Vibrant Card, Glassmorphism, Gradient Border, Dark Sleek, Quote Bubble, Elegant Serif, Neon Glow, Paper Note, Brutalist, Typewriter, Floating Shadow, Cyber Punk, Retro Wave.
A default layout you set once in the admin. Any shortcode without a layout attribute uses that default.
Two sources: your own manual quotes, or the built-in list of 100 popular quotes.
Auto-saving admin. No Save button, no unsaved state to worry about.
Drag-to-reorder your quotes, edit or delete any of them inline.
Live preview of the active default layout so you always know what visitors see.
No jQuery on the front end. One small CSS file, plus a tiny inline script for the carousel.

Shortcode examples

Single random quote using the site-wide default layout:
[id_popular_quotes]

Pick a specific layout:
[id_popular_quotes layout=”neon-glow”]

Fading carousel:
[id_popular_quotes_carousel]

Carousel with a specific layout and speed (seconds per slide):
[id_popular_quotes_carousel layout=”glass” speed=”5″]

Every layout works for both the single shortcode and the carousel.

The admin (Quotes Studio)

The settings screen lives under ID Quotes in the main WordPress admin menu. It has two tabs:

Quotes. Pick your source (Manual or Universal). In Manual mode, add quotes with a two-field form, edit or delete any card, drag the handle to reorder. In Universal mode, browse the built-in 100 quotes with a live search box.
Layouts. Click any of the 16 preview cards to make it the site-wide default. The status banner at the top and the live preview both update instantly.

Every change on this screen saves automatically. A small toast in the corner confirms each save.

Installation

Upload the indesign-random-quotes folder to /wp-content/plugins/, or install the zip from the Plugins screen.
Activate the plugin from the Plugins menu.
Open ID Quotes in the admin menu to add your own quotes or pick a default layout.
Drop [id_popular_quotes] into any page, post, or shortcode-aware widget.

Screenshots

Quotes Studio: the auto-saving Quotes tab with the mode picker and card-based quote list.
Layouts tab: click any preview to set the site-wide default layout.

Faq

How do I show a random quote on my site?

Paste [id_popular_quotes] into any page, post, or shortcode-aware widget. Each page load picks a fresh random quote from your active list.

How do I add my own quotes?

Open ID Quotes in the admin menu, make sure Manual is selected, and use the “Add a new quote” form. Type the quote, type the author, click Add. It appears in the list below as a card.

Do I need to click Save?

No. Everything on the settings screen saves automatically as you click, type, edit, or drag. A small toast in the corner confirms each save.

Can I edit or delete a quote after I added it?

Yes. Each quote card has a pencil icon (edit inline) and a trash icon (delete). Both save straight away.

Can I reorder my quotes?

Yes. Grab the six-dot handle on the left of any card and drag it up or down. The new order saves automatically.

How do I set a default design for every shortcode at once?

Open the Layouts tab and click any preview card. That layout becomes the site-wide default, and any shortcode without a layout attribute uses it from then on. The status banner at the top of the page updates instantly.

How do I use a specific design in one shortcode?

Add the layout attribute with the layout slug, for example [id_popular_quotes layout="typewriter"] or [id_popular_quotes_carousel layout="cyber-punk"]. Layouts set this way override the site-wide default for that shortcode only.

What is the difference between Manual and Universal mode?

Manual serves only the quotes you add. Universal serves the built-in list of 100 popular quotes. Switch between them at any time by clicking the mode card. Your manual quotes stay saved even when Universal is active.

What happens if Manual mode is on but I have no quotes yet?

The plugin falls back to the built-in universal list, so visitors never see a blank space.

How do I run a carousel and change the fade speed?

Use [id_popular_quotes_carousel] and add speed="10" in seconds to control the interval. For example, [id_popular_quotes_carousel layout="glass" speed="5"] fades every five seconds.

Can I put multiple shortcodes on the same page?

Yes. Each one runs on its own, so different layouts and carousels can coexist on the same page.

Where can I copy the shortcode for a specific layout?

Open the Layouts tab. Each preview card has two ready-to-copy shortcodes: one for the single quote and one for the carousel. Click either to copy.

Can I search the built-in Universal collection?

Yes. In the admin, switch to Universal mode and use the search box above the list to filter by quote text or author name.

Does the plugin work with Elementor, Divi, or other page builders?

Yes. The shortcodes work in any builder that supports shortcodes. In Elementor, use a Shortcode widget or Text Editor. In Divi, use a Code module. In Beaver Builder, use a Text module.

Will it slow down my site?

No. The front end loads one small CSS file and adds no JavaScript unless a carousel is on the page. Quotes are stored in a WordPress option, so there are no extra database queries per page load.

What happens to my quotes if I deactivate the plugin?

Your quotes and settings stay in the database, so if you reactivate the plugin later everything is exactly where you left it.

Does the plugin use jQuery?

No. The admin uses vanilla JavaScript. The front end loads a single small CSS file and only prints a tiny inline script when you use the carousel shortcode.

Reviews

GreatDeals99

By greatdeals99 on December 17, 2020

Finally I got the correct clean and dynamic plugin that just simply show the quotes without any advance settings. Anyone can use it its just about install and paste the shortcode that much simple. Thanks InDesign Cheers!!!

Great Plugin

By ashishhayurai on December 17, 2020

This is a simple plugin that works really well. Thanks for creating this.

Very Useful and efficient

By karansoni243 on December 17, 2020

It really saved time and very easy to use.

Wonderful plugin

By yodinadk on December 17, 2020

Found exactly what I was looking for. Thankyou for such a wonderful plugin. Highly recommended!

Changelog

2.0.0

Renamed the plugin to “InDesign Random Quotes Widgets”.
New Quotes Studio admin with two tabs, pill navigation, and a live status banner that shows the active mode, pool size, and default layout.
New default layout picker. Click a preview card to set the site-wide default. Shortcodes without a layout attribute fall back to this setting.
New card-based quote manager. Add, edit, delete, and drag the handle to reorder your quotes.
Universal mode now shows the built-in 100 quotes in a scrollable, searchable list.
Every change saves automatically over AJAX. The Save button is gone. A small toast in the corner confirms each save.
Refactor: split the single-file plugin into a small includes/ folder.
Security: nonce and capability checks on every AJAX endpoint. Strict allowlists for mode and layout values.

1.4

Refactor into an includes/ folder with per-concern files.
Layouts driven by a single registry so front-end output and admin previews stay in sync.
wp_rand() replaces rand(). Strict allowlist for mode. Capability check on the settings screen.
Fixed a stray CSS declaration in the admin styles.
Text Domain header added.

1.0.4

Expanded the Frequently Asked Questions with more detailed entries.

1.3

Doubled the number of layouts from 8 to 16, including Elegant Serif, Cyber Punk, Floating Shadow, Neon Glow, and Retro Wave.
Added the [id_popular_quotes_carousel] shortcode for a fading slideshow.
Redesigned the admin screen with a live preview grid.
Added 1-click shortcode copy buttons.
Added the Quick Add form for manual quotes.
Grew the built-in universal collection to 100 quotes.
Removed hardcoded author name prefixes across layouts.

1.2

Moved the settings panel to a top-level admin menu item.
Added sanitization callbacks for settings storage.

1.1

Added the settings page for managing custom quotes.
Added the layout attribute for design variants.
Shortcode returns output instead of echoing it.

1.0

Initial release.