Can’t edit main theme php files after upgrading to 4.9

@clorith

I will do as you say and disable the plugins in the evening. At the same time, please explain why. Since everything was fine before I installed version 4.9, including all plugins, it seems reasonable to assume that they are not the problem. Please explain.

Thanks, Dovid

@debresser We tell everyone to disable plugins because they often do strange things that we can’t account for. It is the only absolute way of finding out if it’s a problem with WordPress it self or not.

In your case a plugin that was removed from the Plugin Directory (it’s no longer available here on www.ads-software.com) is installed and when testing with it, I can reproduce the problem you are having.

@marius L.J.

I have read many of the things here, and wish to give a comment where i want to thank all WordPress Developers for the time the spend on the WordPress Project!!!

However, i do understand the question about information arround Webhosts configuration and all these things, understand also to test, deactivate Plugins, testing with activate one plugin after te next and so on…

Notice that i do not want writing here with disrespect or anything else!

But in my case i have more the 40 wordpress installations for customers with all kind of plugins and it is in some cases impossible to put some sites in maintenance, testing, deactivate and all other stuff!

The point is thats everything works fine until the 4.9 update where a verry vissible change is the theme editor! and also here starts the problems. after change two files: wp-admin/theme-editor.php and wp-admin/includes/file.php with the old (4.8.3) ones i can working back on a temperairy sollution!

If a plugin designer have make an update and he becomes some issues, i have the expierience that they work on these issues and give a sollution! they have noticed the plugin works fine BEFORE the update and recognized there is a small bug in his update.

Again i do not want to be dis-respectfull, but WordPress comes with an update with a serious issues for webdesigners like me who works with WordPress where this issue is a big problem. a normal user does not have much to do with this editor, web designer does and this is a big problem!

when comes an WordPress update where we can work normally with the editor?

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by Patrick Horemans.
• This reply was modified 7 years ago by Patrick Horemans.

@clorith

turning session.auto_start ON or OFF does not change anything i keep on having the issue that i cant edit any files from a active theme or plugin.

please advice

Hello Everyone,

I was having this same problem for several days after the update to WP 4.9. I happened to come across a solution using the File Manager as opposed to remote FTP editing. It seems a little simpler. You should be able to update your main website file using the File Manager of your host account. Here is a youtube video that is pretty straightforward on how to do this. Hope this helps:
(video title: “cPanel: How to Edit a File in File Manager”)

Do we know yet if it is Theme related? I just have the basic OptimizePress theme and Wishlist Member site/plugin installed; no blog. If we change the theme do we have to start the site completely over from scratch?

Have two websites. Both hosted with Blacknight. Updated both to 4.9

https://www.jillianvanturnhout.ie – no problems. This website is using standard 2011 theme. Although I did not update it to the latest version. And will not do so after I had problems in the past with updates (should not have touched those themes files:))
https://www.genealogy.ie – cannot update any .php files. This is using a custom theme. Have tried disabling all plugins on this one, to no avail.

I am not a developer (I am an Economist actually) and do not have access to FTP. Most of what you are writing is gobbledygook to me, but I know a reasonable amount about changing and updating my two websites.

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by genealogydotie. Reason: Added s to http for genealogy.ie

@clorith

I disables all plugins save for Jetpack, since I am afraid that would do damage. And also since it is an official WordPress plugin.

You asked me to look for a certain value. Here it is.

Directive Local Value Master Value
session.auto_start Off Off

What does that mean for me?

Dovid

@clorith

Should I understand from what you wrote me before, that you’d recommend to remove the WP-SpamShield completely? Do you think that would resolve my issue?

Dovid

@winock No disrespect taken, we do understand that it’s frustrating, but it honestly is the only reliable way to do testing, and has been since the creation of the plugin system.

When doing debugging though, we do recommend using a test setup if you can (many hosts offer a staging option these days for example, which replicates everything, but keeps it as a separate site).

WordPress it self won’t come with any update to sort this out until we can actually find out if it is a WordPress problem, and if so what is causing it, the current state of affairs is that users need to follow the troubleshooting steps we tell them to before we can get anywhere.

@backups We actually don’t want you to toggle this value, we need to know what it’s set to, both for local and global scope.

@tinarusnak1 We can’t rule out it being a theme issue, if you wish to test usign a default theme, you can always switch back to the original theme again afterwards.

@genealogydotie Can you check the values outlined in my previous post at https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/cant-edit-main-theme-php-files-after-upgrading-to-4-9/page/6/?view=all#post-9704250

@aleuallen I understand you want yoru site fixed, but your issue is no trelated to this thread, please do make a new topic for your problem as we can not help you in this one.

@debresser Thank you for looking into this, could you also disable Jetpack, it is not an official WordPress plugin, it’s a plugin by a company called Automattic, and we really REALLY need it to be without ANY plugins active. But thank you for checking the default values there for us, we were following up on a potential lead which relies on that value.
And yes, I tested that plugin and it blocks the editor from performing it’s safety checks, it’s also no longer on the Plugin Directory so we can not vouch for it receiving any updates and do recommend finding an alternative.

—

If anyone is missing their posts, as warned earlier I am removing replies that serve no purpose or are unrelated, things are spiraling if we don’t keep a tight lid on things.

WordPress it self won’t come with any update to sort this out until we can actually find out if it is a WordPress problem

Which will be a problem for many.

In the meantime, I recommend everyone edit their php files by hand through ftp from here on out. That is how I fixed it.

@clorith

Don’t know what changed, but I am now able to edit files with all my plugins active.

Dovid

GoDaddy is stating it is a theme issue; when change theme can edit again. Have to re-install optimizePress theme, but the re-install keeps crashing. Can someone please post the detailed instructions for the manual php fix? Thanks!

Sorry but just wanted to post update for my scenario @clorith: I had the latest Optimize Press theme installed; I switched to a new theme, deleted the Optimize Press theme, reinstalled it – still didn’t work; then I installed the Optimize Press Plugin, disabled the Optimize Press Theme and it’s working now!

@clorith

turning session.auto_start ON or OFF does not change anything i keep on having the issue that i cant edit any files from a active theme or plugin.

Default they are always both OFF. I tried with ON but does not make any diff, the active themes or plugins can not be edited. Only the none active ones.