Permalink Structure Requirements

Hello @erskine4730

Thank you for reaching out and I am happy to assist you with this.
With the Plain permalink structure, it’s adding the query string to the URL ?p=123
By default, if using Page Caching feature in the W3 Total Cache with Disk: Enhaced caching method, it will not work as W3TC does not cache query string with Disk: Enhanced.

In this case, you can try using Disk: Basic or some memory-based caching like Redis or Memcached.

Ther should not be any issues if you change the Permalink structure to
Post name for example, and you can then use the rewrite for Page Caching.

I hope this helps!

Thanks!

Hi, Marko Vasiljevic

Thank you for the response. If understand correctly, Disk: Enhanced and Disk: Basic are two different settings that can be chosen from in the W3 Total Cache Plugin, and that only the Basic setting might work with my rotten plain permalink structure. Have I got that right?

Thanks for the suggestion on memory-based caching like Redis or Memcached. Sounds like I’m going to have to do a little more investigation before leaping into anything.

Hello @erskine4730
Yes, you understood correctly.
There is no need to panic, you can try switching to the Post name permalink structure (most common) save it, and check your website and check if the Disk: Enhanced is working (There should be a red notification if the rewrite is not working correctly.)

Thanks!

Thank you for the clarification, Marko.

I have no doubt that the W3 Total Cache plugin would work on Disk: Enhanced, if I change the permalink structure from “plain” to “post name” as you suggest. That’s very easy to do. A couple of clicks.

However, if I do that, it will break every one of the many hundreds of existing links to my site. Since I don’t know how to efficiently redirect those external links to the new post name permalink structure, I can’t change the permalink structure without incurring all that damage.

So, I seem to be stuck with the “ugly” WP default plain permalink structure, which is why I’m having trouble finding a caching plugin that will work with my site without creating other significant issues.