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CAPTCHA which stands for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans
Apart" and is a way to help prevent SPAM on a WordPress site.
In order to use a CAPTCHA with Contact Form 7 you will need to install the Really Simple
CAPTCHA plugin available in the WordPress plugin repository. This plugin creates two
files ( an image file and a text file) that are used to validate a correct response for
the CAPTCHA. This plugin is by the same author as the Contact Form 7 plugin.
Install the Really Simple CAPTHCA plugin like any other WordPress plugin. Navigate to Add
New Plugins and search for Really Simple CAPTCHA . Click the Install Now button and the OK
to start the process. Then click Activate on the success screen.
The only visible sign that this plugin is installed and activated is the Warning message
in the CAPTCHA Tag screen is gone.
To use the CAPTCHA in a form create a new form or edit an existing one. Click the Generate
Tag button and click the CAPTCHA link to activate the CAPTCHA screen.
You can name the tag or leave the default name. This screen has options for the image
settings and another for the input field settings. The ID and the Class options are used to target
for CSS formatting.
The Image has settings for color for the Foreground which changes the color of the characters
and for the Background. Enter a HEX color code in these fields to change the color.
For instance, if I use an orange HEX code for the background and then a blue HEX code
for the foreground this will give me blue characters on an orange background. Switching
the code will give me orange characters on a blue background.
There is an optional imagesizer for small, medium or large image size.
The Input Field Settings has options for the field size (how long the field is) and maxlength
which is the number of characters that can be entered in the field.
This tag requires two pieces of code to be used. One for the image and another for the
test. Copy and paste the two different codes to the Form. They have the same names but
each is for a different purpose. You cannot copy one code for both the image and the text.
Be careful to copy the correct code in the order you want and click the save button to
save any changes.
Any of these options used in the CAPTCHA can be changed or even added to an existing code.
For instance if you wanted to add a background to an existing code then place the cursor
just before the closing bracket. Enter a space and then type bg (lowercase) followed by a
colon and the the HEX code (including the pound or hash) for the color. Now save the
form. When the form is generated the background (in this case orange) will then be the color
entered. The same can be done with foreground by using fg (lowercase) and even the ID and
the Class. Size can be changed from s for small to m for medium or l for large image
size.
And a word about security. Although good for preventing SPAM like the name states this
is a really simple plugin and is not strongly secure. If you have a concern about security
then this CAPTCHA plugin may not be the one to use.