Shortcode in megamenu

Subject: fl_builder_insert_layout shortcode not rendering in Max Mega Menu widget content (shortcode works elsewhere) — workaround & request

Hi Max Mega Menu team,

After updating Max Mega Menu (core 3.7) and Max Mega Menu Pro (2.4.4) I hit an issue where a Beaver Builder shortcode placed inside a menu widget (or a menu item widget content) stopped rendering. The shortcode works fine elsewhere (posts/templates), but inside Mega Menu widget content it was output literally (e.g. [fl_builder_insert_layout slug="investor-survey-nav-cta-template"]) instead of being processed.

This looked like Mega Menu is outputting widget/menu content without running WordPress content filters (so shortcodes are not parsed). I tested locally and found a safe workaround — but I think the plugin should either run the_content or otherwise ensure shortcode processing for widget/menu content, or clearly document the behavior.

Environment

• Max Mega Menu: core 3.7 (local environment)
• Max Mega Menu Pro: 2.4.x (my copy shows 2.4.4)
• Beaver Builder: shortcodes registered as fl_builder_insert_layout
• VIP Go hosting (important: client mu-plugins location matters)

Reproduction steps

1. Add a widget/menu item to a Max Mega Menu panel and paste:
   [fl_builder_insert_layout slug="beaver-builder-template"]
2. Visit the front-end as an unauthenticated user (or a non-builder session).
3. Observe the literal shortcode printed instead of the rendered layout.

What I verified

• fl_builder_insert_layout is registered by the Beaver Builder plugin (FLBuilderShortcodes::init()).
• The shortcode renders fine when used in a post template (do_shortcode('[fl_builder_insert_layout slug="beaver-builder-template"]')).
• Mega Menu outputs the menu item/widget content without the normal the_content filter path, so shortcodes aren’t processed.

Workaround I implemented (VIP-friendly)

• On VIP Go the correct place for client mu-plugins is wp-content/client-mu-plugins/ (per VIP docs). I added a small client-mu-plugin that applies the_content only when the widget/menu content contains the Beaver Builder layout shortcode. This keeps the change scoped and safe.

Copy-paste client mu-plugin (recommended for VIP Go)

• File: mm-shortcode-filter.php

<?php
/**
 * Client MU-plugin: Mega Menu Shortcode Content Filter
 * Ensures Max Mega Menu widget/menu item content runs through the_content() when it contains Beaver Builder layouts.
 * Deploy this file via VIP's client-mu-plugins directory so it loads in VIP Go safely.
 *
 * Only processes content that contains &#091;fl_builder_insert_layout to limit scope.
 */

if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) {
    exit;
}

add_filter( 'megamenu_walker_nav_menu_start_el', function( $item_output, $item, $depth, $args ) {
    if ( ! is_object( $item ) ) {
        return $item_output;
    }

    if ( property_exists( $item, 'type' ) && $item->type === 'widget' && ! empty( $item->content ) ) {
        if ( false !== strpos( $item->content, '[fl_builder_insert_layout' ) ) {
            $processed = apply_filters( 'the_content', $item->content );
            if ( ! empty( $processed ) ) {
                return $processed;
            }
        }
    }

    return $item_output;
}, 10, 4 );

Alternative (plugin-side) suggestion

• The same effect could be provided inside the plugin by running apply_filters('the_content', $item->content) in the walker when rendering widget menu items. Example quick snippet for walker.class.php:

<?php
// inside start_el() when handling widget-type items
if ( $item->type == 'widget' ) {
    if ( $item->content ) {
        // Apply the_content so shortcodes and embeds are processed
        $item_output = apply_filters( 'the_content', $item->content );
    } else {
        $item_output = "<!-- widget is empty -->";
    }
}

Why I scoped the filter to only the Beaver Builder shortcode

• Minimizes risk of changing other menu behaviors
• Avoids parsing content that legitimately should be output raw (if that’s expected by some users)
• Keeps change safe while we figure out an upstream fix

Questions / request for plugin team

• Is Mega Menu intentionally skipping the_content when outputting widget/menu content? If so, can we add an option to enable content-filtering for widgets/panels?
• If the plugin supports cached HTML output for menus, could you ensure cached generation also runs the_content so shortcodes are preserved in cached versions?
• Is there a recommended hook or filter you prefer for dealing with 3rd-party builder shortcodes so we don’t need client-side workarounds?

Thanks! I’d appreciate advice on whether this should be treated as a bug (shortcodes not processed) or an intentional behavior and, if the former, whether you’d accept a patch that ensures the_content is applied to widget content (or a more configurable approach).