Show links causes problems

Can you give me your entire shortcode. I can’t seem to reproduce it.

The entire shortcode I use is
[hms_testimonials_rotating template="25" order="id" direction="ASC" show_links="true" link_pause="" link_prev="Previous" link_next="Next" seconds="3000"]

I have tried many different variants, it is not until I add the show links in that the problem happens. I have tried it on several Worpdress installs. I have custom CSS that looks like this:

div.author {
	font-size:24pt;
	Padding-bottom: 20px;
	width: 800px;
	margin-left: auto;
	margin-right: auto;
	height: 128px;
	text-align:right
}

div.testimonial {
	font-size:18pt;
	padding-top: 20px;
	padding-bottom: 20px;
	width: 800px;
	margin-left: auto;
	margin-right: auto;
	line-height:1.5em;
	height: 300px;
}

Removing that makes no difference.

Wait, it is working on my test site but not the clients site….hmmmm might not be the plugin after all, leave it with me.

Luckily they are not using it as yet so I have the opportunity to nut out why the test site that is a complete mess from all the friggin around I do works while the carefully controlled site does not.

When I have the show links in and I am logged out this is what results:

<div id="article">

						</div>

I suspected the custom CSS was causing it but deleting it does not fix the problem.

I had the bright idea of copying the CSS from test site to client site and give it a quick test, the only difference is some colours.

Same problem, so I can rule out the CSS.

What versions of PHP are on your dev and live site?

What really gets me is that if I am logged into WordPress the page looks exactly like it should. It feels like a permissions problem.

Oh god, oh god, I just removed the plugin and then reinstalled it.

ALL OF THE TESTIMONIALS ARE GONE!!!!

WTF? Do you store them as files? Are they database entries or not? Why would you delete the DB entries on plugin removal? Even if you thought that was a good idea why not give us the option to remove DB entries?

They get saved in the database. When you uninstall the plugin it cleans itself up as plugins should.

Oh, anyways both sites are running the same version of PHP 5.4.31

And both plugins are on the same version?

Yes, I updated both to the one you released today. Don’t worry about it, I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with your plugin.

When I crack what is wrong I will let, know.

Ok, as I stated before I removed the plugin and reinstalled it, all the testimonials are gone. I then looked at the page and low and behold it has the image banner but no testimonials. I added a testimonial and bingo there it was, with the “Next” and “Previous” links.

So my thought is that the reinstall fixed it. Off I go adding all the testimonials back in. Half way through I want to check them out…..bzzzt same issue.

I was copying an pasting the testimonials from the test site so my thought was there might be some weird hidden character in one of them causing problems. I started deleting the testimonials until I could see them again.

I get down to 4. I copy and paste the text for the next testimonial into Notepad++ and have it display hidden characters, none there. So I add it as a testimonial, problem reappears.

I notice the testimonial text has a minus sign in it, I delete that, no joy. It is fairly long, reduce it, nope, no good, so I delete it altogether. I create a new testimonial with 2 words in it, no good. I remove the “show links”, they all appear.

So the issue only happens when:

1. More than 4 testimonials
2. Be logged out of WordPress
3. Include the “show_links=true” shortcode.

Still works on my test site though. I am downloading both to do a file by file comparison.