#28 Small problem before Wordpress Update - big problem after Wordpress Update

[Anonymous]

Originally created by: tobiwalb...@googlemail.com

Hello Support Team,

first of all, your php-snippets plugin is a real nice plugin!

But we encountered some issues and can't find the reason.
So it would be really awesome, if you may help us (me and a friend of mine).

We build a wordpress side including a php-snippet, which loads some information out of a mysql-database. Inside of this php-snippet there is a "switch" which changes the sql-query. So you have two buttons: a basic view with less information and an advanced view with more information.

While using Wordpress 3.7.1 the basic view worked fine. But by clicking on the advanced view button, the wordpress side only loaded the header of the side and than stopped with a blank screen. -> we didn't find any reason for that behaviour! No error message while debugging or anything else. It seemed to be a kind of timeout or limitation.

For testing purposes, we copied the wordpress site to another webserver (with the dublicator plugin). On this webserver, also the advanced view worked! -> we do not know why! (perhaps because of a minimally different php-version?)

Today we updated to Wordpress 3.8 and now either the basic view, nor the advanced view works on the old AND on the new webserver!!! But the problem seems to be same: header is loaded, but nothing else.

Can you imagine what could be the reason for that issue? Is it some kind of php-configuration? Or is it a php-snippet-plugin bug? Or is something wrong with our code -> why did it work an the alternative server and why stopped it working after the wordpress update?

PLEASE HELP US!

Thanks a lot in advance!

Kind regards from bavaria, Germany
Tobias

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by: ever...@fireproofsocks.com

This is probably caused by a combination of the WordPress update and differing PHP versions -- in both cases it's very difficult for me to troubleshoot it without access to your specific server.  Many users incorrectly store their custom snippets inside of the wp-content/plugins/php-snippets directory, so they get overwritten during an upgrade.  Another common problem occurs when moving servers: you must ensure that you 1) copy your custom snippet files to the new location and 2) make sure you update the PHP Snippets setting on the new server so it points to the correct path -- usually the paths change when you move servers.  

There's no support team here: it's just me, one guy.  Unless I have a paying client who requires a fix, then I work on the plugins when I have free time.  If you need this fixed immediately, then contact me at everett@fireproofsocks.com and I can send you a quote.

Status: Accepted

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by: tobiwalb...@googlemail.com

Hello fireproofsocks (sorry, I can't find your real name),
thanks a lot for your fast reply!

You gave me the missing hint to solve one of our problems!
-> we modified the index.php to include the snippets folder, which was undone by the wordpress update -> I recovered the missing code and our basic view works again!

But the problem with the advance view (on one of the two webservers) remains.

I will try to give you some details:
-it is possible to give you access.
-we store our snippets in the www-folder under the a new created snippet-directory named snippets -> the folder is not overwritten by updates.
-moving from one to another server was no problem -> everything worked as before (using the duplicator-plugin)

But again back to our problem with the advanced view:
On one server (php 5.3.21 64Bit OS) the advanced view works, on the other server (php 5.3.27 32Bit OS) the advanced view (of the same php-snippet processing the sql-query) does not work! (the rest of the wordpress installation is identical.)

Do you have any idea, what could cause this issue? (we are students and no developers ;-) our developer is actually in the US, so we try to bring this site to work by ourselves.) We also talked to our hosting provider, who analyzed the error log of the server, but did not find any errors.)

Thanks a lot in advance!!!

And respect for your work and your "one-man-show" :-)

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by: ever...@fireproofsocks.com

You shouldn't need to modify the index.php: there is a system setting for PHP Snippets in the WordPress manager: just point it to your Snippets directory.

I have no insight as to why your code works in one environment and not in another: as I said, troubleshooting while blind is nearly impossible.  Often the problem is in the snippet, not in the plugin that points to the snippet.

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by: tobiwalb...@googlemail.com

Thanks again!
The reason for the index.php-modification is, that we use other php-files, which are included in the php-snippet. To use this include sub-directories, it was necessary to "preleod" it in the index.php (that is, what I was told).

As soon as our developer is back from the US, we try to figure out the issue.
If this is not possible, I  will send you a request.
Thanks so far!!!