WP Maintenance update breaking the layout?

General
1

Hi, I think the last WP maintenance update is breaking the layout. If the WP 2024 Theme is used with Cwicly, the frontend is supposed to display whats it looks like in the Backend, it must be something wrong. I didnt change any cwicly settings.
to see why Im pretty sure read on.

I think i can pinpoint it pretty well.
Trying to recreate my site on a local installation with the Local app on a Mac, i ran across Cwicly about 2 weeks earlier.

Everything worked fine until 2 or 3 days ago.
I was trying to make a header, and thanks to Strange Tech, I managed the Hamburger Menu.

After that I was trying to find out how that template system works, but got lost, noting worked. Im not 100% sure, but I think nothing worked because something was going on in WP.
All of a sudden the site looked different. The background was set to purple, but it switched to white.

Setting the global color to purple and saving, worked for 1 second it jumped right back to white after saving.
After about 4 times setting and saving, it sticked purple.

While trying to find out, if it was me changing the background in the Cwicly Editor, and if, where, WP started to act up, beach balling my Mac, WP became super slow and froze for minutes at the time trying to jump back in the undo arrow.
I stopped the site, rebooted the mac, then the WP speed was better but still sluggish.

A short while later I saw a message in the WP dash somewhere, saying something like:
There is not enough disk space for an update.
Checked space, there was more than enough disk space.

I though maybe, that the Local app is provisioning space, and there is a limit on how much it can take from the SSD.
So I deleted all trial clones from the other themes with the builders I tried before, and rebooted the Mac again.

After it seemed normal, no beach balling WP not slow anymore.

I thought Great !

Then I noticed that the backend looks very different from the frontend.

All the formatting such as padding and margin stacks and rows was and still is gone, everything sticks to the far left and there is no page margin at all.

After Hours of trying to find out what setting it could be, I
cloned the installation, deleted everything, started from scratch.
Same result, except that at some point the padding didnt change in backend either. Rebooting, the mac, regenerating CSS, clear browser cache ect. ect. no change.

It gets better…

Now i started from a clean install no Cloning, only the Cwicly Plugin installed, seting up a page, choosing a header padding the Logo and the Title, backeend looks right, front end still everything on the left.

One more clean install later, this time I choose the WP 2024 theme by accident, fixed my not understanding the template setup problem from before…

Adding a page, a header, putting my Logo in, padding it,
padding the Title, adding a WP pattern, same thing.

Layout in front is not at all what it looks like in the backend.

Unfortunately the Local app does not let me install the WP version without the most recent bug fixes, it always downloads the newest version, so I cant find out if it will display correctly with the previous version.

Unfortunately and even though i like this builder, I have to go with something else, I cant spend weeks only to find out how to make it run =(

  • WordPress version: 6.6.1
  • Cwicly Plugin version: 1.4.1.8 → (Not the beta)
2

Hey @Lemon.

I understand your frustration, but there’s also a way to make things work.
The next time, I suggest you to ask for some help earlier in the process. This will save you a lot of time and frustration :slightly_smiling_face:

May I ask you if you followed the Getting Started guide?
From what you said, I have the feeling you did not.
That’s always a good starting point, especially for new users.

For example, you didn’t install the Cwicly theme.
While it’s not a requirement, I do recommend it if you do not want to use any other block theme that provide specific functionality you require, to ensure a flawless Cwicly experience.
Keep in mind that templates are directly attached to the theme, so when switching it, all templates are not usable with the new theme.

It appears also that your stylesheets are not loading on the front-end.
Did you change the URL’s in the general settings from http:// to https://?
This might solve this problem.

If there are still issues, you could try this solution.
Not sure if this is still required though.

Maybe you want to give it another try by creating a new install and follow the above steps.
Please let me know about your process and how it is going.

3

I did, may have been the wrong place.

I did follow Getting Started several times, aboz 10, thats not the issue. I read a lot, watched many Videos, and read more

Sorry but your feeling is way off, im someone very exact if im doing something like this, I know if this is not done right, it wont work. The Avada builder was very similar, but I didnt like it at all.

Im a trained musician, trained to learn fast.
Harmony is most likely about as comlpex as a CSS or PHP.
I can see more than most, trying something like this, and I know there is also going to be stones in the way.

In this case Im pretty sure its the update which broke it.
if it is only here I dont know, but it seems that there are a lot of new bug messages going in the same direction.

Most likely your feeling comes from the fact that I dont have the technical vocabulary at all, which makes it hard to express my self, so that a trained developer gets that im not just trying into empty space. On top Im not native english, which makes it a bit harder.

I very much can see, not understanding all the options the Cwicly plugin has, is literally leading to chaos.

I did install the Cwicly theme, thats what I started on, unless there is a hidden place whereI have to download it.

As far as i can tell its in the setup and lets you choose cwicly or what ever theme is installed.

In the last clean install I didnt choose the Cwicly theme by accident.

That kind a solved not understanding the template system, by seeing what templates 2024 has, but how it works i still dont really get.

I read that post about the HTTPS.
Its a local installation, as I wrote, I didnt change anything in the last 3 clean installs, and also not before.

I can try that, solution, it started to very clearly act up just after the update.

Where in the PHP functions file to add

add_filter( 'https_ssl_verify', '__return_false' );

I dont know.

4

I just want to make sure you saw my response to your post here:

This sounds like an environment issue.

This heavily indicates it was an environment specific issue.

There are considerations choosing other themes.

  1. If switching to another theme, template customisations made on the currently selected theme can be lost (this is a WP Full Site Editing consideration, not specific to Cwicly)
  2. If choosing a non-Cwicly theme such as the WP 2024 theme you can choose to remove it’s global styles as they may conflict with some Cwicly global styles:
    Screenshot 2024-09-05 at 18.55.14
    Screenshot 2024-09-05 at 18.55.14749Ă—345 31.7 KB
  3. Generally while Cwicly should work with any theme, 3rd party themes do not necessarily have styles that are specific to Cwicly blocks and therefore you will still need to style them with Cwicly

We are using the latest version of WP with the latest version of Cwicly on dozens of sites without any issue. Also, we have used Local multiple times for Cwicly on different projects and it has performed perfectly.

You have to make the right choice for yourself, I just want you to know that I am more than happy to help you resolve these issues and by the sound of them it should be fairly quick to solve.

1 Like
5

Hi @Lemon,

Please see this tip for pointers on the ways to add custom code:

6

This.
The current situation might appear a bit overwhelming, but it’s probably solved in 2-3 clicks.
You just need to know how.

An improved onboarding experience is a high priority and should be in place soon.
This also includes a theme with various templates, so the user can closely follow how everything is set up for a typical/average site, and also to understand the general principle of the templating system (which btw. isn’t Cwicly specific).

This is currently missing and there are a lot of users struggling with same/similar problems you currently face.

7

I did thanks, didnt want to bug you any more =)

Meaning the issue is on my machine, ok

I didnt choose WP2024 on purpose, I just clicked the button before I reallized that WP2024 was selected.

It does it also in the cwicly theme

Ok, then the issue is here.

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate that very much.
Its been a week all day nothing working.

8

, but it’s probably solved in 2-3 clicks.
Yeah I know but where …

9

I dont have the time, I need the page online a.s.p. otherwise im going to starve.

Filling and formatting it is not the problem, its essentially the same as the Avada builder, just have it set up that it works is a pita.

10

It’s a bit hard to help without having access to the site.
Is there a possibility you host it on a live installation, so we can have a look at it?

11

Sorry I had to eat something, sugar low.
I have first to get access by FTP and set the “dont load plugin” command deactivate the old site, then install a new one with Cwicly.

I think tonight, I make a cwicly child, try the HTTPS fix in the child PHP, and see if it works. I didnt malke a child because I wanted to make it work first, and then set it up for building.

Its been 4 years since the last time i made a site, so im not having everything present.

Forgot to ask, is it ok and working if I use that plugin to make the child theme ? I used that one, but for it didnt work some themes, it didnt name the child-theme correctly.

I made a child theme, functions PHP looks like this.

The HTTPS fix, what I dont know where in the hirarchy

add_filter( 'https_ssl_verify', '__return_false' );

has to sit, it might make no difference but I just dont know.

<?php // Exit if accessed directly if ( !defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) exit; // BEGIN ENQUEUE PARENT ACTION // AUTO GENERATED - Do not modify or remove comment markers above or below: if ( !function_exists( 'chld_thm_cfg_locale_css' ) ): function chld_thm_cfg_locale_css( $uri ){ if ( empty( $uri ) && is_rtl() && file_exists( get_template_directory() . '/rtl.css' ) ) $uri = get_template_directory_uri() . '/rtl.css'; return $uri; } endif; add_filter( 'locale_stylesheet_uri', 'chld_thm_cfg_locale_css' ); if ( !function_exists( 'chld_thm_cfg_parent_css' ) ): function chld_thm_cfg_parent_css() { wp_enqueue_style( 'chld_thm_cfg_parent', trailingslashit( get_template_directory_uri() ) . 'style.css', array( ) ); } endif; add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'chld_thm_cfg_parent_css', 10 ); if ( !function_exists( 'child_theme_configurator_css' ) ): function child_theme_configurator_css() { wp_enqueue_style( 'chld_thm_cfg_separate', trailingslashit( get_stylesheet_directory_uri() ) . 'ctc-style.css', array( 'chld_thm_cfg_parent','cwicly' ) ); } endif; add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'child_theme_configurator_css', 10 ); // END ENQUEUE PARENT ACTION
12

I suggest you using this one:

Didn’t test it in the recent past but should still work.

13

I can confirm this still works fine.

14

This can go on any empty line in the file

15

Yep I used yours now works =)

There is no functions PHP in the child.
I did it once a very long time ago. I but dont remember how

I Found that.

It says in the functions php the child theme is enqueue, so the child needs the functions php file to work.

I text search the parent php file, the HTTPS function is not in there.

Im guessing now.
Adding the function enqueue parent styles to the child php, then the HTTPS function.

The php code in the Child functions.php, should look like this ?

<?php

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'enqueue_parent_styles' );
function enqueue_parent_styles() {
    wp_enqueue_style( 'parent-style', get_template_directory_uri().'/style.css' );
}


add_filter( 'https_ssl_verify', '__return_false' );

Not sure if there is supposed to be something in the end
like that, I have no clue how php code works =)

<?php
}
16

You can just create a new file called functions.php in there, or if it is easier for you, use any of the other methods to add custom code:

17

I used to create a txt file.php and edit it in the Theme File Editor.

The last time probably around 2016, with my first WP website.
With Avada around the end of 2019 I did most likely it with a plugin, I dont recall. To many years between and im not the youngest =)

Its a bit messy to follow, so I post below what I wrote above.

Repost shortened.

In the link above is explained:

In the functions php of the child theme is the enqueue.
The child needs the functions php to work.

Im guessing now what has to be in the childs php.

<?php

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'enqueue_parent_styles' );
function enqueue_parent_styles() {
    wp_enqueue_style( 'parent-style', get_template_directory_uri().'/style.css' );
}


add_filter( 'https_ssl_verify', '__return_false' );

Not sure about the end.

<?php
}
18

Just confirming, you don’t need the end code there.

Practical note: As this is a temporary piece of code to turn off ssl checks in your local environment and to save you going to all of this trouble to add an unnecessary functions.php for one line of code, I recommend doing the code snippets method of adding the code instead:

This way when you put your site live, you can simply deactivate the snippet.

19

Thanks for the confirm.

Sorry it’s long again, I tried to exclude potential error traps and tried many things to fix it.

So far I got that post content block to work, but the display of Header and Footer frontend is still not matching the backend, the content on the far left. This time I used premade patterns only.

Just now I switched to another footer where I cann see for sure if it is correct or not.

After switching the footer, I got beach balling for a moment like 15 seconds, when I was switching to the frontend.

That means there is a lot happening when switching a footer.
If there is some misalignment in the system, like it now most likely is,
it will start to use much more CPU and beachball.

This time I used premade Patterns only, the content on the far left.

What really puzzles me, why did it work with out a hitch before ?

Enviroment:

  • Mac mini 2018, Sonoma latest.

Erased Mojave clean installed Sonoma 2 or 3 weeks ago.
As long as High Dynamic Range is turned off it runs better than Mojave.

  • Local App 9.0.5, automatic setup uses:

Nginx 1.1.6, - My SQL 8.0.1.6 - Php 8.1.29

  • WP 6.6.1 with the maintenance update from a few day ago.

Now automatic updates in WP is turned of, although that setting wont prevent maintenance updates.

Clean Installing

  • Rebooting the Mac, starting Local.
  • Clean Install WP, go to Admin, delete all but the active 2024 theme.

Move all pages and posts to thrash. (Not deleted)

  • Install Cwicly plugin.

  • Install the Code Snippets plugin, activate it,

  • add php code to the snipped,

  • name and save the snippet,

  • make sure the snippets is activated.

Activate Cwicly plugin,

  • go through the “Cwicly getting started” setup,

  • installing the Cwickly theme, naming site.

  • there is no other plugins installed

  • Go to Cwicly settings regenerate

  • Upload and activate the Cwicly child theme.

  • Regenerate again, just in case

  • Delete all WP Themes.

Setting up Cwicly

  • I made sure I go exactly through the guide.

  • I print saved all 5 guides from the setup Wizzard as PDF.

  • Create template parts header and footer, only writing header and footer in to the paragraphs, save
  • tried to create front-page template, the template displayed in the footer and header area:

“Template part has been deleted or is unavailable: header”

Not 100% sure, that was most likely because I created header and footer in the Parent.

Start EDIT

Just now Friday 3 Pm west europe time, I tried that again.
If the Child is active, and header and footer is loaded into the template it displays

“Template part has been deleted or is unavailable: header”

End EDIT

So before I managed to make it work, by loading the header and footer template in the parent theme and then switch to child.
Is it working like that ?
I forgot how that was exactly… 8 years is looooong.

Somehow I managed to fix that by creating header and footer in child again, and deleted my Header and footer.

After that the frontend unfortunately still displays the same way.

So I had a closer look at the Cwicly interface and settings.
I set the Cwickly interface dark.
If I understand it correctly switching to light,
is switching Gutenberg.

All the Cwicly styling option Tabs in the Cwicly Block inspector such as

Primary, Design and Advanced are not there.

  • If I click on Block, or a Block it switches to light.

Im aware the it could be a just setting.

  • here it would be the question which one.

I did check the settings, also the ones in my user role,

From my understanding of what the settings do, I don’t see anything turned off, causing that. I did try some settings, that changed things yes, but not that.

In the Cwicly Page Editor, no matter if it is opened from WP or from Templates, there is only the Cwicly globals.

Next thing I found that most blocks are switching the panel to light, and only very few switching the interface to dark. But on the right on top of the blocks below search, it says Cwicly blocks.

Themer display v.s. Frontend

  • If I add a pre made header and a footer into the template, will display fine in the Themer.

  • Clicking View Site the frontend displays it unformatted all the positioning is lost.

  • I tried changing colors, those seem to work, as well as text size.
    The same is the case, if I open the page from WP Pages

  • If I try to format anything, it displays not formatted.
    Opening the Front Page from WP Pages and writing something displays now on the front end.

At least something seems to work after a lot of trying.

  • If I ad the premade patterns to the page, it displays correct.

  • Trying to format the premade patterns it also displays it right, just not the header.

  • Opening the Cwicly editor from Pages and inserting the header directly to the WP Page, and change the position of lets say the title, in a way that I can 100% see a difference, doesn’t display correctly either, its always on the far left. Might be that I have kill the header and footer templates. I try that before my last couple of attempts.

  • I start clean again, not making the mistake creating pages and templates in the Parent theme.
  • I could delete and reinstall the Local app, change the server settings to a lower Ngingx or switch to Apache, use a lower php version etc.

But them I’m done, no more ideas.

What I was wondering if it is possible to export a header, because the one I made before was good.

  • So far I tried export by txt but it complained that there is the element or something missing.

@Marius

Another Idea I had is it possible to make a duplicator copy and send that instead of the online server ?

Or does it have to much dependencies to the WP installation ?

Thanks again guys and girls =)

20

Everything you did up to this point is good.

Are you talking about WP Patterns or something else?

As I mentioned earlier, when switching themes, template customisations can be lost.

So, in your case, after you select the Cwicly Child theme, you will have to re-add any template parts (header and footer). These should then work normally.

Cwicly blocks will display the Cwicly inspector (which can be in dark mode if that is your preference). Any other gutenberg or 3rd party blocks will display their own inspector when selecting them (usually light mode).

Any patterns from the default WP menu will not contain Cwicly blocks, therefore they won’t display the Cwicly inspector wen selecting the blocks.

I think the reason for the behaviours described in your most recent post is that it seems like you have not been using Cwicly blocks. You have been using Gutenberg patterns and blocks and because you are using the Cwicly theme (which doesn’t contain certain layouts and styles for Gutenberg) you are seeing something different than you were expecting.