plugin not seen in Installed Plugins

Hi Jim,

User Role Editor is shown at the Plugins list for the user with ‘Administrator’ role and it is hidden from other users. Is it your case?

Vladimir,

Thanks for your reply. When I’m logged in with an Admin account I can’t see it in the list of Installed Plugins. I also can’t see any entry for it in the dashboard menu down left side of screen. Could it be a conflict with another plugin? Do you want me to send which I have installed? Do you have a list of known (if any) conflicts?

Best wishes,
Jim

Jim,

I suppose now, that User Role Editor own capabilities were not added to the Administrator role.

I write this script especially to fix administrator role permissions in similar cases:
https://storage.googleapis.com/role-editor/downloads/support/ure-fix-permissions.zip

Extract php file from zip above to the wp-content/mu-plugins folder. Then open admin dashboard, then check Plugins page. Remove this script after problem will be resolved.

Other workaround which may help is:
– delete user-role-editor folder via FTP;
– open Plugins page in order WordPress deactivates URE automatically as its files are lost;
– copy content of URE’s zip to the user-role-editor folder via FTP;
– find deactivate URE at Plugins list;
– delete it via ‘Delete’ link under plugin row;
– make fully fresh install of URE again.
On the fully fresh install URE should re-create its capabilities set from the zero.

Vladimir,

Thank you for your further reply. I can’t use the second workaround since I have never seen URE in the Plugins list (although I can see its files are in wp-content/plugins/user-role-editor).

Before I put the script in the mu-plugins folder would it be possible to tell me why you think the installation went wrong? Does the script change any existing roles? I suppose I should make a site backup before anyhow…

I appreciate your help,
Jim

Jim,

2nd workaround: As you clicked ‘Activate’ under ‘User Role Editor’ plugin row, you saw it before you activated it. I meant you may find a row of inactive ‘User Role Editor’ and use ‘Delete’ link under it.

why you think the installation went wrong

I just try to suppose when you may do not see plugin row –
not have enough permissions is the most probable reason. I can not say why those permissions were not added automatically after plugins activation. It may be something special for your WP installation…

Yes, script adds URE’s capabilities to the ‘Administrator’ role. Always have a fresh backup before any critical update is good rule to follow.

Vladimir,

Thanks for your continued help.

Re: 2nd workaround:

You said “As you clicked ‘Activate’ under ‘User Role Editor’ plugin row, you saw it before you activated it.”

I have never seen ‘User Role Editor’ plugin in the list of installed plugins so have no inactive ‘User Role Editor’ row.. As you know there is an option to activate the plugin that appears on the “Installing Plugin…” page after it says the plugin is “Successfully installed”. I have clicked this “Activate Plugin” link.

Maybe I confused you in my original post when I said ”If I try to install it again by Plugins – Add New it says it is installed.” This is where it has been reported as installed but not in the list of installed plugins (Plugins – Installed Plugins”).

Re: script

I tried the script with your instructions. I’m afraid I still don’t see URE in the list of installed plugins nor on the dashboard menu. There has been some change though. Now I get the message “You do not have permission to edit this user” when trying to edit another user, even though I’m logged on as an Administrator.

What I haven’t told you before is that some time before trying to install URE I did demote two accounts from Administrator to Subscriber and created two new Administrator accounts. But all has been fine after that until now. I have installed other plugins without trouble since and not seen any other problems with the site. I didn’t tell you this because I didn’t think it would have mattered.

Please let me know what more I can do to help fix the issue. I can send screen shots if any use.

Thanks,
Jim

Jim,

Please believe me, if you did not click ‘Activate’ just after ‘Add new’, you would/should see inactive ‘User Role Editor’ at the Plugins list.
So you still may try the 2nd way exactly as described.

What may help to understand what’s going wrong – the data from the database. Show the result of this SQL query (include it to the post using the code tag):

select * from wp_options where option_name='wp_user_roles';

Look for the user ID of your user with ‘Administrator’ role at the Users list and send me a result of this query:

select * from wp_usermeta where user_id=1 and meta_key='wp_capabilities';

Replace user_id to your own and ‘wp_’ with your own DB prefix if you have a different one.

Vladimir,

Please find query results below. Hope they help.

Thanks,
Jim

select * from wp_options where option_name='wp_user_roles';

a:5:{s:17:"ndp_administrator";a:2:{s:4:"name";s:13:"Administrator";s:12:"capabilities";a:62:{s:13:"switch_themes";b:1;s:11:"edit_themes";b:1;s:16:"activate_plugins";b:1;s:12:"edit_plugins";b:1;s:10:"edit_users";b:1;s:10:"edit_files";b:1;s:14:"manage_options";b:1;s:17:"moderate_comments";b:1;s:17:"manage_categories";b:1;s:12:"manage_links";b:1;s:12:"upload_files";b:1;s:6:"import";b:1;s:15:"unfiltered_html";b:1;s:10:"edit_posts";b:1;s:17:"edit_others_posts";b:1;s:20:"edit_published_posts";b:1;s:13:"publish_posts";b:1;s:10:"edit_pages";b:1;s:4:"read";b:1;s:8:"level_10";b:1;s:7:"level_9";b:1;s:7:"level_8";b:1;s:7:"level_7";b:1;s:7:"level_6";b:1;s:7:"level_5";b:1;s:7:"level_4";b:1;s:7:"level_3";b:1;s:7:"level_2";b:1;s:7:"level_1";b:1;s:7:"level_0";b:1;s:17:"edit_others_pages";b:1;s:20:"edit_published_pages";b:1;s:13:"publish_pages";b:1;s:12:"delete_pages";b:1;s:19:"delete_others_pages";b:1;s:22:"delete_published_pages";b:1;s:12:"delete_posts";b:1;s:19:"delete_others_posts";b:1;s:22:"delete_published_posts";b:1;s:20:"delete_private_posts";b:1;s:18:"edit_private_posts";b:1;s:18:"read_private_posts";b:1;s:20:"delete_private_pages";b:1;s:18:"edit_private_pages";b:1;s:18:"read_private_pages";b:1;s:12:"delete_users";b:1;s:12:"create_users";b:1;s:17:"unfiltered_upload";b:1;s:14:"edit_dashboard";b:1;s:14:"update_plugins";b:1;s:14:"delete_plugins";b:1;s:15:"install_plugins";b:1;s:13:"update_themes";b:1;s:14:"install_themes";b:1;s:11:"update_core";b:1;s:10:"list_users";b:1;s:12:"remove_users";b:1;s:9:"add_users";b:1;s:13:"promote_users";b:1;s:18:"edit_theme_options";b:1;s:13:"delete_themes";b:1;s:6:"export";b:1;}}s:6:"editor";a:2:{s:4:"name";s:6:"Editor";s:12:"capabilities";a:34:{s:17:"moderate_comments";b:1;s:17:"manage_categories";b:1;s:12:"manage_links";b:1;s:12:"upload_files";b:1;s:15:"unfiltered_html";b:1;s:10:"edit_posts";b:1;s:17:"edit_others_posts";b:1;s:20:"edit_published_posts";b:1;s:13:"publish_posts";b:1;s:10:"edit_pages";b:1;s:4:"read";b:1;s:7:"level_7";b:1;s:7:"level_6";b:1;s:7:"level_5";b:1;s:7:"level_4";b:1;s:7:"level_3";b:1;s:7:"level_2";b:1;s:7:"level_1";b:1;s:7:"level_0";b:1;s:17:"edit_others_pages";b:1;s:20:"edit_published_pages";b:1;s:13:"publish_pages";b:1;s:12:"delete_pages";b:1;s:19:"delete_others_pages";b:1;s:22:"delete_published_pages";b:1;s:12:"delete_posts";b:1;s:19:"delete_others_posts";b:1;s:22:"delete_published_posts";b:1;s:20:"delete_private_posts";b:1;s:18:"edit_private_posts";b:1;s:18:"read_private_posts";b:1;s:20:"delete_private_pages";b:1;s:18:"edit_private_pages";b:1;s:18:"read_private_pages";b:1;}}s:6:"author";a:2:{s:4:"name";s:6:"Author";s:12:"capabilities";a:10:{s:12:"upload_files";b:1;s:10:"edit_posts";b:1;s:20:"edit_published_posts";b:1;s:13:"publish_posts";b:1;s:4:"read";b:1;s:7:"level_2";b:1;s:7:"level_1";b:1;s:7:"level_0";b:1;s:12:"delete_posts";b:1;s:22:"delete_published_posts";b:1;}}s:11:"contributor";a:2:{s:4:"name";s:11:"Contributor";s:12:"capabilities";a:5:{s:10:"edit_posts";b:1;s:4:"read";b:1;s:7:"level_1";b:1;s:7:"level_0";b:1;s:12:"delete_posts";b:1;}}s:10:"subscriber";a:2:{s:4:"name";s:10:"Subscriber";s:12:"capabilities";a:2:{s:4:"read";b:1;s:7:"level_0";b:1;}}}

select * from wp_usermeta where user_id=10 and meta_key='wp_capabilities';

a:1:{s:17:"ndp_administrator";b:1;}

Vladimir,

I’ve tried to post the SQL query results a number of times, always enclosing them in code tags. But the post does not seem to get through. Do you have an alternative email address I can send to?

Thanks,
Jim

You may send data to support [at-sign] role-editor.com

I see that you login with user role ‘ndp_administrator’. URE adds its own capabilities (as a script I offered to you) to the ‘administrator’ role only.
Login with user which has the ‘Administrator’ role. You should see URE at the plugins list then. I suppose you will see it under Users menu then too. Add (if needed) ure_% capabilities to the ndp_administrator role, in order your ndp_administrator may see User Role Editor too.

I see that you login with user role ‘ndp_administrator’.

Hmmm – I don’t know where that role has come from. I have only ever set up users to have WP in-built roles.

URE adds its own capabilities (as a script I offered to you) to the ‘administrator’ role only.

Well I don’t seem able to create a user which shows as simply administrator role in the database. When I create a user with role of Administrator in the WP backend it comes out as ndp_administrator in the database. Don’t know why. I tried changing another user from Subscriber to Administrator in the WP backend and got the message “You don’t have permissions to edit this user”. When I looked at the Users list however they _had_ been given the Administrator role (but still shows as ndp_administrator in the database). All very puzzling to me looking at WP permissions for the first time!

From the database query it looks as though ndp-administrator role includes the administrator role though – is that right? But that’s not good enough for User Role Editor?

Can you suggest how I might create a user with administrator role rather than ndp-administrator or maybe suggest something else? Would it help to restore the backup (including database) I made before installing your script in the mu-plugins folder?

Thanks for your time,
Jim

Hi Vladimir,

Did you have a chance to look at my last message?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

Hi Jim,

Try to replace ‘administrator’ string constant in the script I provided with ‘ndp_administrator’ one. You need to modify lines # 36, 45, 65. And try it again.

Hi Vladimir,

Thanks for the tip – I will try this. Could you explain to me what the first string in the field below represents? Why do you assume it will be ‘administrator’ and what may have caused mine to be changed to ‘ndp-administrator’.

a:5:{s:17:”ndp_administrator”;a:2:{s:4:”name”;s:13:”Administrator”;s:12:”capabilities”;a:62:
…

I’ve had a look around and posted to another forum but haven’t found an explanation yet.

Thanks for your help,
Jim

It’s a serialized PHP array where array keys are roles ID, and elements are arrays with roles data.
So for string you are interested in:
role ID: ndp_administrator
role name: Administrator
then array of 62 capabilities included into ‘Administrator’ follows.
Role name and 62 capabilities in it let me conclude that it is a former ‘administrator’ role with changed ID.