v1.8.1: allow media-only beeps (image/GIF/voice/quote/poll without text)

- PHP: submit_beep accepts empty content when any attachment flag is set
- JS: composer button enables when text is empty but media is attached
- JS: button refreshes on every media state change via custom event
- Version bump + readme changelog

assets/beep.js

@@ -88,26 +88,53 @@
     var button  = compose.querySelector('[data-beep-submit]');
     if (!input || !button) return;
 
+    function hasAttachments() {
+      var pendingImages = compose._beepPendingImages;
+      var pendingVoice  = compose._beepPendingVoice;
+      var hasGif        = !!compose._beepGifUrl;
+      var hasQuote      = !!(compose._beepQuotedPost && compose._beepQuotedPost.id);
+      var hasPoll       = !!collectPollData(compose);
+      return (
+        (pendingImages && pendingImages.length) ||
+        pendingVoice ||
+        hasGif ||
+        hasQuote ||
+        hasPoll
+      );
+    }
+
     function refresh() {
       autosize(input);
       var remaining = limit - countChars(input.value);
       counter.textContent = remaining;
       counter.classList.toggle('beep-counter-warn', remaining < 20 && remaining >= 0);
       counter.classList.toggle('beep-counter-bad',  remaining < 0);
-      button.disabled = input.value.trim() === '' || remaining < 0;
+      // Button is enabled when there's text OR any attachment (images, voice, GIF, quote, poll).
+      button.disabled = !(input.value.trim() !== '' || hasAttachments()) || remaining < 0;
     }
     input.addEventListener('input', refresh);
+    // Media / GIF / quote / poll changes also affect whether the button should be enabled.
+    compose.addEventListener('beep:attachments-changed', refresh);
     refresh();
 
     button.addEventListener('click', function () {
       var content = input.value.trim();
-      if (!content) return;
+      // Allow image-only / media-only posts. Gate is "must have text OR an attachment".
+      if (!content && !hasAttachments()) return;
       button.disabled = true;
       var quotedPost = compose._beepQuotedPost;
       var gifUrl = compose._beepGifUrl;
+      var pending = compose._beepPendingImages;
+      var pendingVoice = compose._beepPendingVoice;
+      var poll = collectPollData(compose);
+
       var payload = { content: content };
       if (quotedPost && quotedPost.id) payload.quote_id = quotedPost.id;
       if (gifUrl) payload.gif_url = gifUrl;
+      // Tell the server what attachments are coming so it can accept empty content.
+      if (pending && pending.length) payload.has_images = 1;
+      if (pendingVoice)                  payload.has_voice = 1;
+      if (poll)                          payload.has_poll = 1;
 
       fetch(config.restUrl + 'post', {
         method: 'POST',
@@ -128,6 +155,7 @@
         clearQuotePreview(compose);
         if (compose._beepGifUrl) {
           compose._beepGifUrl = null;
+        compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
           var gifPrev = compose.querySelector('[data-beep-gif-preview]');
           if (gifPrev) { gifPrev.innerHTML = ''; gifPrev.hidden = true; }
         }
@@ -308,6 +336,7 @@
         if (compose) {
           compose._beepQuotedPost = { id: quoted.id, data: quoted };
           showQuotePreview(compose, quoted);
+          compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
         }
       })
       .catch(function() { showToast('Beep not found.', 'error'); });
@@ -344,6 +373,7 @@
       var compose = gifRemoveBtn.closest('[data-beep-compose]');
       if (compose) {
         compose._beepGifUrl = null;
+        compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
         var preview = compose.querySelector('[data-beep-gif-preview]');
         if (preview) { preview.innerHTML = ''; preview.hidden = true; }
       }
@@ -695,6 +725,7 @@
           compose._beepPendingVoice = pendingVoice;
           voicePreview.innerHTML = '<div class="beep-voice-preview-card"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="20" height="20" fill="currentColor"><path d="M12 14c1.66 0 3-1.34 3-3V5c0-1.66-1.34-3-3-3S9 3.34 9 5v6c0 1.66 1.34 3 3 3zm-1-9c0-.55.45-1 1-1s1 .45 1 1v6c0 .55-.45 1-1 1s-1-.45-1-1V5zm6 6c0 2.76-2.24 5-5 5s-5-2.24-5-5H5c0 3.53 2.61 6.43 6 6.92V21h2v-3.08C16.39 17.43 19 14.53 19 11h-2z"/></svg><span>Voice note ready</span><button class="beep-voice-remove" data-beep-voice-remove type="button" title="Remove">&times;</button></div>';
           voicePreview.hidden = false;
+          if (compose) compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
         };
         reader.readAsDataURL(file);
         voiceInput.value = '';
@@ -710,6 +741,7 @@
         if (compose) compose._beepPendingVoice = null;
         voicePreview.innerHTML = '';
         voicePreview.hidden = true;
+        if (compose) compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
       });
     }
 
@@ -731,6 +763,7 @@
             var id = 'pending-' + Date.now() + '-' + Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 6);
             pendingImages.push({ file: file, previewUrl: url, id: id });
             renderPreviews();
+            if (compose) compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
           };
           reader.readAsDataURL(file);
         });
@@ -766,6 +799,7 @@
         pendingImages = pendingImages.filter(function (img) { return img.id !== id; });
         compose._beepPendingImages = pendingImages;
         renderPreviews();
+        if (compose) compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
       });
     }
 
@@ -773,6 +807,15 @@
       compose._beepPendingImages = pendingImages;
       compose._beepPendingVoice = pendingVoice;
     }
+
+    // Poll input changes also affect "has attachments" (poll becomes valid mid-typing).
+    if (compose) {
+      compose.addEventListener('input', function (e) {
+        if (e.target.matches('[data-beep-poll-question], [data-beep-poll-option]')) {
+          compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
+        }
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   function uploadPendingImages(postId, pendingImages, compose) {
@@ -886,6 +929,7 @@
     .then(function(quoted) {
       compose._beepQuotedPost = { id: quotedId, data: quoted };
       showQuotePreview(compose, quoted);
+      compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
     })
     .catch(function(err) { console.warn('Could not load quoted beep:', err); });
   }
@@ -919,6 +963,7 @@
     var removeBtn = compose.querySelector('[data-beep-quote-remove]');
     if (preview) { preview.innerHTML = ''; preview.hidden = true; }
     if (removeBtn) removeBtn.hidden = true;
+    compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
   }
 
   /* ---------- GIF Picker (Giphy) ---------- */
@@ -989,6 +1034,7 @@
       preview.hidden = false;
     }
     closeGifPicker();
+    compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
   }
 
   /* ---------- Poll helpers ---------- */
@@ -1005,6 +1051,7 @@
         options = pollSection.querySelectorAll('[data-beep-poll-option]');
       }
     }
+    compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
   }
 
   function addPollOption(compose) {
@@ -1019,6 +1066,7 @@
     newRow.innerHTML = '<input type="text" class="beep-poll-option-input" data-beep-poll-option placeholder="Option ' + (optionCount + 1) + '" maxlength="100">';
     optionsContainer.appendChild(newRow);
     updatePollButtons(compose);
+    compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
   }
 
   function removePollOption(compose) {
@@ -1029,6 +1077,7 @@
     var lastOption = options[options.length - 1];
     if (lastOption) lastOption.parentElement.remove();
     updatePollButtons(compose);
+    compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
   }
 
   function updatePollButtons(compose) {
@@ -1060,6 +1109,7 @@
         options[j].value = '';
       }
     }
+    compose.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('beep:attachments-changed'));
   }
 
   function collectPollData(compose) {

beep.php

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 /**
  * Plugin Name:       Beep
  * Description:       A Twitter-style microblog for WordPress, with likes, replies, and Gravatars. Use the [beep_feed] shortcode on any page.
- * Version:           1.8.0
+ * Version:           1.8.1
  * Requires at least: 6.0
  * Requires PHP:      7.4
  * Author:            Sami Ahmed
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ if (!defined('ABSPATH')) {
     exit;
 }
 
-define('BEEP_VERSION',     '1.8.0');
+define('BEEP_VERSION',     '1.8.1');
 define('BEEP_FILE',        __FILE__);
 define('BEEP_DIR',         plugin_dir_path(__FILE__));
 define('BEEP_URL',         plugin_dir_url(__FILE__));

includes/class-replies.php

@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@ class Beep_Replies {
 
     public static function submit_beep($request) {
         $content = sanitize_textarea_field($request->get_param('content'));
-        if (empty($content)) {
-            return new WP_Error('empty_content', 'Beep cannot be empty.', ['status' => 400]);
-        }
         if (mb_strlen($content) > BEEP_CHAR_LIMIT) {
             return new WP_Error('content_too_long', 'Beep exceeds ' . BEEP_CHAR_LIMIT . ' character limit.', ['status' => 400]);
         }
@@ -48,6 +45,21 @@ class Beep_Replies {
         $quote_id = $request->get_param('quote_id');
         $gif_url  = $request->get_param('gif_url');
 
+        // Allow empty content when media / quote / gif / poll / voice / video is attached.
+        // The composer is expected to gate this client-side too, but the server is the source of truth.
+        $has_payload = (
+            $content !== ''
+            || ($quote_id && is_numeric($quote_id))
+            || ($gif_url && filter_var($gif_url, FILTER_VALIDATE_URL))
+            || !empty($request->get_param('has_images'))
+            || !empty($request->get_param('has_voice'))
+            || !empty($request->get_param('has_video'))
+            || !empty($request->get_param('has_poll'))
+        );
+        if (!$has_payload) {
+            return new WP_Error('empty_content', 'Beep cannot be empty.', ['status' => 400]);
+        }
+
         $post_id = wp_insert_post([
             'post_type'    => 'beep',
             'post_content' => $content,

readme.txt

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Tags: microblog, twitter, tweets, social, comments, polls, elementor
 Requires at least: 6.0
 Tested up to: 6.9
 Requires PHP: 7.4
-Stable tag: 1.8.0
+Stable tag: 1.8.1
 License: GPLv2 or later
 
 A Twitter-style microblog for WordPress. Posts, likes, replies, polls, quotes, GIFs, and Gravatars. Use [beep_feed] shortcode or Elementor widget.
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ Features:
 
 == Changelog ==
 
+= 1.8.1 =
+* Image-only / media-only posts: you can now post images, GIFs, voice notes, quotes, or polls without typing any words. The Beep button enables automatically when any attachment is present (server-side too — empty content + no attachments still returns empty_content).
+* The composer button refreshes whenever media is added or removed (images, voice, GIF, quote, poll).
+
 = 1.8.0 =
 * Twitter-style feed: the timeline now shows only top-level beeps; clicking a beep (or its reply count) opens the full conversation in a modal with working reply forms, likes, and nested threads.
 * Light theme + auto mode: theme="auto|dark|light" shortcode attribute; auto follows the visitor's system preference.