Legacy Widgets Not Working
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I’m having a weird problem that I’m guessing might be due to using really old widgets (I’ve been using WordPress for over eight years for this particular blog). Apologies if this is a duplicate topic; I tried searching, didn’t find anything that answered my question or was open to new replies.
So like I said, I’m using a very old blog, I started when the old admin UI was still a thing. The one that the new UI used to link to with an external link at the bottom. Had a completely different look and feel. That was long before blocks, when the Customizer was very clunky to use.
I’ve since started using the editing tools directly within the current UI instead of using the Customizer. I’ve done that for menus and widgets. It worked just fine until today, but now my legacy widgets are not working. I have a few “current” widgets and they are working fine. But when I load the widget editor, I get four simultaneous error messages saying my milestone widget had an error and might not work. I can’t even remove it because I get an error when attempting to save my changes. I can’t add new widgets via the widget editor for the same reason–can’t save changes.
The Customizer will let me add, edit, and remove blocks–but I cannot edit legacy widgets. It’s thanks to the Customizer that I was able to add a new widget I need for my blog. But I couldn’t edit the new widget the way I wanted until I removed the legacy widget directly below it. I’m not attached to that legacy widget, but something’s clearly wrong. I also get a rotating ring loading icon on each of the legacy widgets in the Customizer. No options load for them except removal.
I have tried removing a legacy widget and replacing it with a similar “current” widget (via the Customizer because that’s the only place where changes save). It doesn’t work. These new widgets have defaulted to their legacy versions. Perhaps the pattern is that these widgets have direct legacy analogs, whereas the “current” widgets I do have are completely new. I’m not sure.
I think the problem might be with my milestone widget, since it’s the one referenced in the error in my widget editor. But I am rather attached to that one and I would like to get help finding a solution rather than risk obliterating that widget for no reason.
I have also considered that I might need to upgrade to one of the current available plans, since I am on a legacy plan, but I already pay $48 a year for this one and I like its features–I don’t want to change my plan unless I absolutely have to.
Apologies for the long post. I tried to include as many relevant details as possible so I can get my problem solved.
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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Hi,
I do not see an error when I load the Widget Editor on your site. Also, the Milestone widget is correctly displayed on your site, and I can configure it without any errors showing up. Am I missing something?
As for your plan, you’re not a legacy plan, and there’s no need to upgrade to a higher one as it’ll have no effect on the widgets.
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Wait…am I missing something? Are we both talking about the same blog? I’m on the Personal plan, that one doesn’t exist for new blogs, I thought it was a legacy plan. And I swear I’m not making up my technical issues. I can’t save anything in the widget editor and I can’t see anything in the Customizer. I’m also noticing a constellation of seemingly unrelated issues, like the one I posted to the forums about separately (“Weird Post Editor Problem”).
Could there be a simple underlying issue, like Edge acting up? (I LOVE Edge, I don’t want to use Chrome…) I have an advanced adguard but I have it disabled for the WordPress dashboard (but don’t disable the whole app when I use the dashboard…). Only other thing I can think of is that I’m working with a cursed internet connectivity system: a beast of a laptop and a dinosaur of a router. I regularly lose connectivity and have to turn WiFi off and back on again. (Someone else owns the router, so it would be hard for me to fix that issue.)
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I’m on the Personal plan, that one doesn’t exist for new blogs, I thought it was a legacy plan.
We reverted the plan changes made in March, so your Personal plan is no longer considered “legacy” – you can read more about this here:
Regarding the various issues you’re seeing here and on your other thread, I think it might be your laptop.
Could you let us know what operating system and browser (and versions of each) you’re using? Can you also try Chrome or Firefox to see if you have the same problem (which would see if it’s a problem with Edge specifically)? Once we have that information, we’ll be better able to advise.
Thanks!
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I’ve added almost all the relevant screenshots I can think of to my Media folder, and did some more testing of the issue in the process.
Can you also try Chrome or Firefox to see if you have the same problem
It’s confirmed–I’m seeing nearly the exact same issue for both Edge and Chrome. Chrome does not display some of the error messages, but my user experience is ultimately the same because I cannot save changes in the Widget Editor or load legacy widgets in the Customizer. This is for both browsers.
I can also confirm that the pattern I’m seeing concerns legacy widgets. In the Customizer, the widgets I can’t edit are all legacy widgets, and the widgets I can edit are all non-legacy widgets. At first, I thought I saw a possible pattern of text widgets working and non-text widgets having problems, but that’s not the case–I have a non-text widget that is also non-legacy (at least as I understand what legacy widgets are), and it’s working fine. All my text widgets also happen to be non-legacy widgets (or at least, I created them after old widgets became known as legacy widgets).
The pattern is discernable in the Widget Editor as well: legacy widgets don’t load at all, non-legacy widgets do. Well, they’re actually visible in Chrome, but nothing ultimately saves, so there’s still an issue to fix and Chrome isn’t the magical solution it tends to be.
All the screenshots have relevant titles and descriptions, so hopefully you can find them in my Media folder. I may have written more posts by the time you get back to this thread, so they might not be the most recently uploaded images. They’ll still be fairly recent though.
Could you let us know what operating system and browser (and versions of each) you’re using?
I’m on an Asus Windows 11 Pro.
Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 21H2
Installed on 4/22/2022
OS build 22000.856
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.856.0Edge Version 104.0.1293.54 (Official build) (64-bit)
My Asus is brand new with very front-line, powerful features. I doubt the computer itself has any technical issues, but I have had a lot of consistent trouble with internet connection. I diagnosed the problem early on–my computer suggested that I upgrade my router to industry standards. The router is a dinosaur. Windows 11 is also kind of new, buggy, and untested, so maybe it’s causing issues. I know my computer whiz of a partner switched back to Windows 10 when 11 turned out to be too buggy for him to run his gaming servers. Right now, that’s my best bet.
Of course, there’s always turning it off and on again left to try…lol. I’ll certainly do that as soon as I have a chance. I use my computer a lot though, and have very little free time, so it can be tricky to find a good time to do so.
Thanks again!
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Thank you for all those screenshots!
Can you check if it’s possible to manage those legacy widgets by opening the List View?
Also, a restart of your computer is a great idea. Since you’re experiencing the same issue over multiple browsers, it’s possible that a system-wide issue is causing this and a reboot might resolve it.
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I attempted a restart. I get the same error in the Widget Editor, can’t save anything. That still goes for both Chrome and Edge. (However, the red error messages at the top of the screen in the Widget Editor did not appear in Edge this time after my computer rebooted.)
Managing widgets from the list view has no effect. The “Update” button in the top right corner is not effective, I just get an error.
Same issue still for the Customizer, in both browsers.
I really don’t know anymore. I’m pretty sure I’ve gone through the typical laymen’s troubleshooting checklist now. Use different browser, turn it off and on again, etc…. I really hope I won’t have to revert to Windows 10… would it potentially be possible for one of you to go in on your admin end and update all my legacy widgets to their non-legacy counterparts? I’m fairly certain I’d be able to manage them then, if the current pattern holds true. Assuming of course that we’re unable to fix the root of the issue on my end.
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Hi there,
Yes, reverting to Windows shouldn’t be an option, we’d be willing to assist you in getting the proper widgets activated/deactivated while we pinpoint the issue.
I converted the Search, Text, and Custom HTML widgets to their block equivalents. Facebook Page, Twitter, and Milestone do not have a block equivalent, so I haven’t touched them. However, I wanted to see what you are now seeing on your end now that I have made those updates – if you still are receiving errors. Let me know if you are able to manage them now.
Thanks!
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Can you also remove the other legacy widgets, particularly the milestone but also the social media? I think the milestone widget is the problem because of the specific error I’m getting, and because the problem is still there and it’s one of the widgets you didn’t alter. At this point, I’d rather be able to update my widgets than hold onto the ones causing problems, despite any attachment I may have to them. Maybe I’ll even be able to successfully add them back in…I mean they were working until recently. It can’t have been more than a month ago that I last updated the milestone itself. I have no idea what’s going on but can you guys just get rid of all the legacy widgets?
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I’ve removed all the legacy widgets from your sidebar. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with.
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Sigh.
On the bright side, now I only have widgets I can actually work with (just so long as I don’t add legacy widgets back in).
On the flip side, my Widget Editor still does not work and now I have absolutely zero idea why. The customizer still works, but editing options do not display for any legacy widgets I try to add.
I added a Block search widget back in. Editing options work.
Looks like I can do whatever I want in the Widget Editor but the Update button does not work, I get that error that’s partly hidden behind the admin menu.
I’m stumped. I have editing options for the widgets I do have, so I don’t need an immediate fix. But having narrowed options sucks a bit. I suppose…over to you, WordPress.
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Hi there,
I mentioned this in your other thread, but I’m curious if Chrome is somehow the issue here. If you try to edit your widgets in Firefox do you have this same issue?
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