Updating and editing pages and posts problems

[Patrick Frey]

I’m using the most up to date versions of both WordPress and GeneratePress (as far as I know, as of March 15, 2017).
For the past several weeks, every time I do a GP update, or try to post or update a blog or page post, I get a php file downloaded to my computer (desktop). Afterward, I can no longer do updates/edits from the edit page I’m on and have to open a new edit page to continue. Also, when I click on “preview changes” I get the same php file download, but I don’t get a page opened to show me the changes. And, once again, I can no longer do any updates/edits from the page I’m on and have to open a new edit page to continue.
Any known fixes to this problem?

GP Premium 1.2.96

[Tom]

Hi there,

Can you try #1 on this page to check for plugin conflicts?: https://docs.generatepress.com/article/debugging-tips/

If that doesn’t work, try calling your hosting company and explain the issue. It almost seems like your server is having trouble displaying PHP pages and is deciding to download the .php file instead.

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Patrick Frey]

Thanks.
I’ve checked the debugging tips, but they don’t make much sense to me, and I don’t want to activate any other themes and run the risk of not being able to bring back GP exactly how I have it set up. I’m not a total amateur at this, but I have my limits and bad experiences.
I’ll see if my server can offer any help.

[Tom]

Switching theme shouldn’t be necessary, but disabling plugins one by one and testing each time might help narrow it down.

Honestly, it sounds more like a server issue to me.

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Patrick Frey]

I worked with my server all day yesterday and although they managed to change the problem, they could not reproduce the problem for themselves and could not fix it.
Now when I click on “preview”, instead of getting a php file download to my desktop, I get a page opened with nothing but html or php text on it…..and it takes me away from the editing page so I have to go through a few steps to open a new editing page. When I click on “post” or “update”, I get the php file download and (most of the time) I am no longer to click on the “post” or “update” button to update any further edits….once again meaning I have to go through a few steps to open a new editing window.
I have tried this on 2 different computers using both Chrome and MS Edge with almost identical results.
So, now what?
This is getting very unusable.
These problems just came out of the blue a couple of weeks ago after over a year of no problems at all even using older software.

[Tom]

Honestly, I’ve never heard of this issue. It still sounds like a server issue to me, as the server is having trouble actually displaying the PHP/HTML pages.

Do you have another server you can test on?

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Patrick Frey]

I do not have another server to test this on. I wouldn’t even know how to go about that.
There’s obviously a problem here and everyone seems to just pass the buck.
I disabled the newest plugin to see if that made a difference even though the problems didn’t start for a couple of weeks after I started using the plugin. When disabling the plugin, I got the same php file download and got the download when I enabled the plugin again.
GP on WP worked flawlessly for well over a year before these problems started, even on an older computer with outdated software.
Have there been incompatible updates to either WP or GP that are causing these problems?
GP is becoming less user-friendly lately it seems.

[Tom]

I’m not trying to pass the buck, I’m trying to help you narrow down the issue.

There’s over 60,000 websites using GP right now, and this hasn’t come up once before, which is why I’m trying to help you narrow down other possible causes. If it was a GP specific issue, this forum would be flooded with people reporting it.

The fact that it came out of no where also suggests your server – WordPress doesn’t change behavior unless the user dictates it (updates something, installs something new).

If you’d like me to take a closer look, feel free to send me temporary admin login details: https://generatepress.com/contact/

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Patrick Frey]

After following the “contact” link you provided, what should I click on to let you have temporary admin login details? And, what details do you need? Is there a temporary login that I can use so I don’t have to change my login name and password?
I’m a bit lost.

[Tom]

You can create a new administrator user in your Dashboard inside Users > Add New.

Set the email as support@generatepress.com, and check the option notifying me of the account creation.

Once I’m done taking a look, you can delete the account.

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Patrick Frey]

Alrighty!
Let’s give it a try.
And, it did a php file download when I added you. It seems that any admin function triggers a file download or a page of php or html to open.

[Tom]

I’m assuming you set the user to “GPAdmin”. Just making sure I’m looking at the right website 🙂

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Patrick Frey]

Yes, you are GPAdmin.

[Tom]

Here’s what I’m experiencing: https://www.screencast.com/t/9g5nGePwD4Ln

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Tom]

I’ve asked of the WordPress.org moderators if they’ve heard of this happening before, here’s some of the responses.

I’ve had it with a cache plugin – It was making my server treat all PHP files as downloadable.

server MIME type may be incorrectly defined, had that cause JPGs to download instead of open once

Have had that issue before, it might be related to that sites .htaccess file. It might be a PHP handler is missing from it.

I know this might not be very useful to you personally, but if you go back to your hosting with this information it’s something they might be able to use.

Documentation: http://docs.generatepress.com/
Adding CSS: http://docs.generatepress.com/article/adding-css/
Ongoing Development: https://generatepress.com/ongoing-development

[Author]

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