Disable Image Captioning In WordPress
WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for publishing blogs. The latest version of this software has a load of very useful features. Image captioning is one of such features, where a text caption would be shown on the web page to describe the Image.
Normally in WordPress, the Image Captions are enabled or turned on as a default option. This option would help those bloggers who use the more number of images in their posts. This option has been included for the easiness of the author while posting a blog with images.
In the background, while inserting images into pages and blog posts, the WordPress would add caption shortcode automatically to all the images, video clips, pictures and photos via classic media uploader or Flash. The code
and, with anchoring an image, HTML element or an object would help in translation of <div> and </div> CSS codes for positioning of the caption accordingly. (e.g.:
<a><img src=a.jpeg /></a>).
This option of auto captioning the image on the web page may not be useful to all as few may like to create the caption differently, and few may not like any captions at all. However, these captions may be removed by the author by deleting the shortcode automatically created by WordPress. This can be done in HTML or Visual editor by deleting the shortcode which was automatically created by the WordPress along with the code for insertion of image or a video clip. By doing this we may avoid the caption below the image or video clip.
If we do not want automatic captioning of the images and video clips, then we may disable or turn off the automatic captioning. To do this, we may have to add a small code to wp-config.php or functions.php of the theme. If we include “define (‘CAPTIONS_OFF’, true);” to the .php files mentioned above, the parameter “CAPTIONS_OFF” would disable the auto-captioning and shortcode does not translate any further.
However, the “CAPTIONS_OFF” is a variable that is available in the WordPress. Hence the option of “CAPTIONS_OFF” variable may be used by only those users who are using WordPress, according to Changeset 8321. Hence, this option is not recommended as it is not available in future releases of WordPress.
As per the changes of Changeset 8358, a plug-in’ filter is available for disabling and enabling the image and video captions. This change may likely be released for WordPress Version 2.6.1. Hence, the users of the version 2.6.1 may use Caption Disabler plug-in for enabling or disabling the captions for image and video clips.