=== Deluxe Announcement Bar Free ===
Contributors: anixem
Tags: announcement, countdown, notice, banner
Requires at least: 6.4
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

A complete free announcement bar with colors, a site-timezone countdown, links, and optional session dismissal.

== Description ==
Publish one useful announcement. No account, license key, tracking, external assets, or time limit is required. WooCommerce is not required. Open Settings > Announcement Bar after activation. The bar is disabled until you explicitly enable it.

The separately distributed premium edition adds scheduled campaigns, page and visitor targeting, and additional designs. Install that package manually after purchase. Free contains no locked premium functionality and cannot install the premium edition. Learn more at https://deluxeplugins.com/product/storewide-notice-countdown/.

== Installation ==
Upload this ZIP in Plugins > Add New, activate, and open Settings > Announcement Bar. Use your site's timezone when entering the countdown end. Save, then inspect your public page. Clear any page cache after changing the message or enabled state.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==
= Can I switch editions without losing settings? =
Yes. Both editions use the same basic announcement settings. If both are active, Free yields to the separately installed paid edition to avoid duplicate bars. Deactivate the paid edition to return to Free. Uninstalling Free preserves settings.
= Does the countdown hide the announcement when time runs out? =
No. It displays an ended label. Automatic campaign start/end scheduling is provided by the separate premium edition.
= What data is stored? =
Only the administrator's settings in WordPress. Optional dismissal uses sessionStorage in the visitor's browser and is never transmitted. There is no visitor analytics or telemetry.

== Changelog ==
= 1.0.0 =
Initial complete free release. Accessible dismissal, basic HTML, colors, site-timezone date validation, and safe edition coexistence.
