Plugin not working after 4.2.3 update

@gmgsavings: Hi,

There was a security update made to all version of WordPress going back to 3.7, which includes the very latest, 4.2.3. This security update affected the Shortcode API within WordPress. You can read about it here: https://make.www.ads-software.com/core/2015/07/23/changes-to-the-shortcode-api/

Basically, the change affected how WordPress parses shortcodes, and in some cases it no longer recognizes them. In your case, more than likely this has to do with how you are using quotes around the shortcode. You probably have something like so:

<a href="[user_custom_field field="user_url" this_post="1" /]">Author's site</a>

You have to make sure the quotes used for the shortcode attributes do not match the same quotes used for the HTML attribute (e.g. the “href” attribute). The above example should be changed to the following:

<a href="[user_custom_field field='user_url' this_post='1' /]">Author's site</a>

(Note the shortcode’s attribute quotes were changed to single quotes so they differ from the use of double quotes for the ‘href’ attribute.)

If you’re still wondering how to change what you’ve got, feel free to provide the code snippet of how you’re using the shortcode and I can make a more specific recommendation.

Scott:
I’ve tried your fix of changing the double quotes into single quotes for the text within the shortcode – but that didn’t work either.
have you checked into fixing this on your end and putting out an update.
I see it’s a fairly large issue with this latest 4.2.3 release.

Thank You,
Charles

Can you post an example of your usage of the shortcode that is not working for you?

As I stated, the problematic side effect of security changes introduced in 4.2.3 are with how a shortcode is used, not with how it is implemented in a plugin (though some plugins may output shortcodes in a problematic fashion).

In the case of Get User Custom Field Values, the plugin merely defines a shortcode, which was not something affected by the update.

Seeing an actual example of how you’re using the shortcode should provide better context for any further recommendations.