WooCommerce: Deactivate status automatically setting as Complete for Downloadable Product

Question

I have a prodcuct that comes out on a quarterly basis that can be purchased in print or digital.

A few weeks before the next issue is available, the download link for the digital version is removed so that any new customers will get the latest product when its out soon. During this short period, the downloadable product cannot be completed straight away as WooCommerce sets it to be.

Therefore, how can I deactivate the status automatically being marked as Complete for Downloadable Product? any php recommendations?

I haven't tried anything yet but want to avoid using another plugin that will slow down my site.

Answer 1

You're right. An order with only virtual products will be directly marked as "completed" without getting to "processing" first.

Thankfully, WooCommerce gives us this filter:

apply_filters( 'woocommerce_order_item_needs_processing', ! $virtual_downloadable_item, $product, $this->get_id() );

Which means you can add this to your functions.php and make sure ALL orders, virtual or not, will go to "processing" first:

add_filter( 'woocommerce_order_item_needs_processing', '__return_true' );

Haven't tested it yet, so let me know