Metaslider Stopped Working

Hi @thetasound,

Have you tried deactivating all the other plugins? There might be a plugin causing a conflict that you would not expect. Can you also try using the default WP theme?

About the query string on the FlexSlider file, the reason that’s relevant is because of how we call in that script.

wp_enqueue_script($handle, METASLIDER_ASSETS_URL . $this->js_path, array('jquery'), METASLIDER_VERSION);

So the version number on the query string should match the version of the plugin.

Another thing you can check is what happens when you click the preview button on the slideshow settings page. It should load the files the same as on the front end.

You can also check the folder and file permissions to make sure everything is accessible. For example, the readme.txt file is usually accessible but in this situation it isn’t.

https://www.corffvoice.com/cv3/wp-content/plugins/ml-slider/readme.txt

@kbat82

Thanks for your reply!

(see below…)

Have you tried deactivating all the other plugins? There might be a plugin causing a conflict that you would not expect.

Here’s a list of plugins. The one that have “activate” underneath are disabled. I can disable several of these, but I’m guessing that’s not the issue.

All 404 Redirect to Homepage
Activate

Better Search Replace
Deactivate

Child Theme Configurator
Deactivate

Elegant Themes Support
Deactivate

Elegant Themes Updater
Deactivate

mb.miniAudioPlayer
Activate

MCE Table Buttons
Deactivate

MetaSlider
Deactivate

PixelYourSite
Deactivate

Save with keyboard
Deactivate

UpdraftPlus – Backup/Restore
Deactivate

Video.js – HTML5 Video Player for WordPress
Activate | Edit | Delete

W3 Total Cache
Deactivate

White Label CMS
Deactivate

WonderPlugin Audio Player
Deactivate

Wordfence Security
Deactivate

WP Config File Editor
Activate

WP fade in text news
Deactivate

Can you also try using the default WP theme?

No. This site must remain exactly as it is. I’m using Divi to emulate an older theme that is no longer in business, but that my client requires that I keep the look and feel as close as possible and still be more or less responsive.

About the query string on the FlexSlider file, the reason that’s relevant is because of how we call in that script.

So the version number on the query string should match the version of the plugin.

I know. So how is that 3.3.6 number being generated from a clean install of 3.7.2? MetaSlider itself is version 3.7.2, Flexslider might have a different version number?

Another thing you can check is what happens when you click the preview button on the slideshow settings page. It should load the files the same as on the front end.

I tried that and is hangs on the first photo. So I set the slider to show Nav Dots and reloaded the page. No Dots showing. When I checked the dev console I got this:

GET https://www.corffvoice.com/cv3/wp-content/plugins/ml-slider/assets/sliders/flexslider/jquery.flexslider-min.js?ver=3.3.6 net::ERR_ABORTED
(index):1132 GET https://www.corffvoice.com/cv3/wp-content/plugins/ml-slider/assets/sliders/flexslider/jquery.flexslider-min.js?ver=3.3.6 404 (Not Found)
(index):876 Uncaught TypeError: $(…).flexslider is not a function
at metaslider_313 ((index):876)
at timer_metaslider_313 ((index):891)

So there’s a new line at the beginning showing an aborted load attempt.

You can also check the folder and file permissions to make sure everything is accessible. For example, the readme.txt file is usually accessible but in this situation it isn’t.

I think that’s the issue here. There is something unusual about BlueHost as they’re the only host that Opera browser is unable to directly log into WP using the WP login screen. I can log in using Firefox just fine. I can also use Opera and log in to BlueHost and from the back end enter WP via their portal.

https://www.corffvoice.com/cv3/wp-content/plugins/ml-slider/readme.txt

I’m unable to access it either.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by thetasound.

Hi @thetasound,

how is that 3.3.6 number being generated from a clean install of 3.7.2? MetaSlider itself is version 3.7.2

That’s the problem and usually indicates some sort of caching.

I can disable several of these, but I’m guessing that’s not the issue

I would still suggest you eliminate the possibility of them causing an issue. You never know what kind of code they have running behind the scenes.

No. This site must remain exactly as it is. I’m using Divi to emulate an older theme that is no longer in business, but that my client requires that I keep the look and feel as close as possible and still be more or less responsive.

If you could switch themes for just a few minutes you would be able to rule out the theme being the cause. Could you do this at 2am or a time when traffic is low? Switching back shouldn’t have any negative effect as the database tables should still be there. But I would recommend you do a backup anyway to ensure you have extra protection.

I would also contact bluehost about the permissions issue.

Finally, I would try to install your site on another server. There are plenty of migration plugins out there, and updraftplus (our company) also has a migration tool as a premium feature.

@kbat82

how is that 3.3.6 number being generated from a clean install of 3.7.2? MetaSlider itself is version 3.7.2

That’s the problem and usually indicates some sort of caching.

I had BH clear their cache and I cleared mine. No change on this version number.

I can disable several of these, but I’m guessing that’s not the issue

I would still suggest you eliminate the possibility of them causing an issue. You never know what kind of code they have running behind the scenes.

I disabled most of them and no change to this problem.

No. This site must remain exactly as it is. I’m using Divi to emulate an older theme that is no longer in business, but that my client requires that I keep the look and feel as close as possible and still be more or less responsive.

If you could switch themes for just a few minutes you would be able to rule out the theme being the cause. Could you do this at 2am or a time when traffic is low? Switching back shouldn’t have any negative effect as the database tables should still be there. But I would recommend you do a backup anyway to ensure you have extra protection.

Not going to work with Divi. Divi is a framework, not a static theme. I’ve not had success with doing what you suggest.

I would also contact bluehost about the permissions issue.

I have. Here’s their first response from Tier 2 support and my reply:

===
On 5/9/18 10:53 AM, [email protected] wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Thank you for contacting support. We strive to provide the best customer service and hosting experience to all our customers. We appreciate your business and value your loyalty.
> I understand that your having trouble loading your java script on your account.
> I do see your jquery.flexslider.min.js file is pulling a 404, however this would result in consulting in a developer.
> Unfortunately we are unable to troubleshoot your script. There are resources you can utilize online but the best choice would be to consult a developer that has experience in java scripting.
>
>
> Thank you,
> Technical Support
> Sincerely,
> Allana K
> Tech Tier 2
> https://www.bluehost.com
> For support, go to https://my.bluehost.com/hosting/help
>
> If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to our staff. As always have a pleasant rest of the week and thank you for your continued patronage with us here at BlueHost.com!
>
> Sincerely,
> Allana K
> Tech Tier 2

> https://www.bluehost.com
> For support, go to https://my.bluehost.com/hosting/help
> ref:_00D36qEW6._50036WZjGn:ref

Allana,

Thanks for your letter. I think there is some missing information that needs to be considered before closing this ticket. I don’t know if you had all the data I communicated last night with the BH tech person. Please look at the following:

1. The failure to load the jquery.flexslider.min.js and therefore rendering MetaSlider inactive (which affects only the Biography tab on corffvoice.com) only happens if the audio player (on a page with audio samples) has not been played.

2. Once an audio clip has been played (for example: https://www.corffvoice.com/audio-courses/accent-reduction/), then one switches to the Biography tab, jquery.flexslider.min.js loads and the slider operates as it should.

3. The plugin developer (Updraft Plus) noted that there seems to be an issue with server access as one of their readme.txt files cannot be read via its URL: https://www.corffvoice.com/cv3/wp-content/plugins/ml-slider/readme.txt – it returns the following:

This file can be read from the BlueHost File Manager.

4. I am the webmaster for about 50 sites. Of these, only one client is using BlueHost. Using Opera as my browser of choice, I am unable to log in to corffvoice.com via the WordPress login screen whereas I can log in to any of my other websites using Opera and the other hosting services: SiteGround, GoDaddy, Lunar Pages. I can log in to the BlueHost back office and access the corffvoice.com WordPress back office that way, or, I can use FireFox or Chrome to directly access the WP back office. This would seem to point to a problem with file access that is unique to BlueHost. It would be an interesting exercise to migrate this site to another host and see if this problem disappears. Before I got to this extreme measure, I hope you and your tech team can find the solution. I can assure you this is not the developer’s problem.

You do not need to troubleshoot the js script as that is not the problem. You need to troubleshoot the access to that script as when it’s called for, it is returning a “not found” error.

I would appreciate you getting with your upper-tier team and approaching this problem with the above information in mind.

Thanks for your help…

Randy Tobin
Theta Media Group
===

Finally, I would try to install your site on another server. There are plenty of migration plugins out there, and updraftplus (our company) also has a migration tool as a premium feature.

(see above)

Hi @thetasound,

You should be able to switch from a DIVI theme to Twentyseventeen and back. I’m not sure why this would cause an issue. As for the plugins, you say most but I recommend you try to deactivate them all. It would only be for a few minutes. And because this is only happening on the home page (I didn’t realize this), it’s likely not your server.

Did you deactivate W3 Total Cache (Not just clear)?

@kbat82

This failure to load error happens on any page that’s accessed before audio is played. It’s not just the home page. Also, this site is set up in a unique way where virtually the entire site is loaded for every page; the other pages are accessed via the nav tabs but the code has already been loaded in. It had to be done this way to emulate the previous theme that my clients requested the new site resemble as much as possible.

I’m waiting to hear back from BlueHost because this issue of not being able to access the readme.txt file, along with the phantom version number, is pointing to a real server issue.

@kbat82

After receiving no reply to my e-mail to BlueHost Tier 2 support, I set up a fresh install of WP on SiteGround and restored my client’s website there. Working with a modified “hosts” file on my system, I am able to access my client’s “new” site on the SG server while the actual site remains active for the rest of the world.

After the restore, I tested our MetaSlider problem by going to the home page and then the Biography tab. No problem. Everything works as it should. I flushed caches and tried again. Same result.

As you and I both suspected, the problem was server access. Your clue as to why the readme.txt file could not be accessed was helpful as well.

I wrote BH support back and let them know I have advised my client to switch hosts.

Best, RMT

Hi @thetasound,

Good to hear there’s progress. You could try changing the permissions yourself. Many FTP clients allow for that, or if you can login via the terminal there’s a simple command you could run as well.

FTP
https://www.siteground.com/tutorials/ftp/change-permissions/

@kbat82

It was not a permissions issue. The permissions for the folders and files were correct. I don’t know what BlueHost is doing, but I’ve already moved my client to SiteGround and we are now live with the site.

Check it out at https://www.corffvoice.com

Go right to the Biography tab and MetaSlider works.

I even reverted to the previous mini audio player, since that wasn’t the problem.

Thought you should be aware of this situation for the future.

Best, RMT