[Resolved] Edits to Layouts cause issue with Theme

[Author]

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[Ian Henderson]

Due to the deprecation of Starter theme I've moved onto using Astra, one of your approved Layouts integration themes. There seems to be a bug on the integration, which crops up in multiple sites.

When a layout is assigned to content using Astra theme, one of the boxes that appears at the bottom of the layout is 'Theme Options' where one controls the integration between the layout settings and theme settings. Typically I will disable post title, feature image and post meta, since these are built into the layout.

I save, and so far so good, everything works. However, if I go back into the layout and make some changes and re-save, then the post title and feature image become re-enabled in the front end, even though nothing is changed on the layouts. Then I must re-open the layout, re-enable them, save, disable again, and then save again, and now everything is right in the front end.

It seems that when saving the layout, these theme settings are overwritten, and have to be corrected by changing values and re-saving. I've verified this on multiple sites, and have disabled all plugins and re-enabled just the Toolset plugins - no difference.

[Luo Yang]

Hello,

Thanks for the details, I am downloading the file, will update here if there is anything found

[Luo Yang]

I can import your database dump file in a fresh wordpress installation + the latest version of Toolset plugins, I have tried the layout "Layout for Posts", but there isn't the problem as you mentioned above:

if I go back into the layout and make some changes and re-save, then the post title and feature image become re-enabled in the front end, even though nothing is changed on the layouts

Is there other steps missing?

Please check these it in your website:
1) You are using the latest version of Toolset plugins
2) In case it is a compatibility problem, please deactivate other plugins, and switch to wordpress default theme 2017, and test again
3) Enable PHP debug logs, copy/paste the debug logs here

[Ian Henderson]

Hi Luo

Please test this on one of our existing layouts. Try adding new row and say a visual editor block. It's a problem we've been able to replicate on multiple different sites - in fact I've just been able to verify it on a different site. Please see attached screen grabs. Added a row to the template, and the Archive Title element from the theme reappears, despite the fact that it is still showing as disabled in the theme options. To remove it I had to re-enable, save, and then disable again and save, and then it is removed from the front end.

Obviously there's no point in testing this with the default theme - this is an integration issue between Layouts and Astra theme. I am definitely running latest versions of all plugins, and I have tested already disabling all plugins.

It's an unpredictable behaviour, but we have seen it across pretty much all of our sites that are using Astra.

thanks
Ian

[Luo Yang]

I have tried again as your instructions, there isn't the problem as you mentioned above, so the problem only exists in your website, it should be a compatibility/server problem, if you still need assistance for it, please provide a test site with the same problem, where I can deactivate plugins/theme, I can try to help you to locate the problem plugin/theme.

[Ian Henderson]

Thanks Luo - details sent privately of a staging site.

[Luo Yang]

Thanks for the details, I can login your website, I have tried these in your website:
1) Deactivate other plugins and switch to Astra theme
2) Edit the layout "EVENT Single"
hidden link
in section "Theme Options", change the options:
- Post Title: Disabled
- Featured Image: Disable
Save the layout
Test the result in front-end:
hidden link

It works fine.

3) Edit the layout again, add some rows and visual editor cell, save the layout
hidden link

Test the result in front-end:
hidden link

It works fine.

Can you confirm it? thanks

[Ian Henderson]

Hi Luo

My theme 'THINKTEAM' is simply a branded Astra child theme. I have now created a brand new empty Astra Child theme in order to test, but even with the base Astra theme, please visit this page: hidden link - you will see the feature image is showing above the title.

Then visit the post type template 'STORY Single' and you will see in the theme options of the layout it is clearly disabled.

This behaviour is erratic and inconsistent, which I know does not make sense. It does not happen every time, but it happens regularly and repeatedly across all of our sites using Astra, so there is definitely an issue of some kind. Try refreshing the layout screen before making a change if you wish to provoke it again - I have been able to recreate the behaviour in both Astra parent and child themes.

thanks, Ian

[Luo Yang]

I have tried the URL you mentioned above, there isn't the same problem:
the feature image is showing above the title.

See screenshot: webinar.JPG

It might be a browser problem, can you try other browser and test again?

[Ian Henderson]

Hi Luo

It's most definitely not a browser issue. Please visit this page without making any changes in the back end: hidden link

And now go and look at the layout 'EVENT Single' and you will see the feature image clearly disabled.

I can now verify exactly the steps to recreate this: I disabled the items in theme options, and saved the layout. I then refreshed that page (the layout back end) in the browser. I then changed the layout and the bug arose again.

thanks
Ian

[Luo Yang]

I have tried below steps in your website with Chrome browser, please correct me if there is anything missing:
1) Open layout "EVENT Single"
hidden link
disable "Featured Image", and save

2) Refresh the layout "EVENT Single"
hidden link

3) Add a row in the layout "EVENT Single"

4) Test it in front-end
hidden link
It works fine see screenshot Webinar2.JPG

5) Save the layout "EVENT Single"
It works fine, and "Featured Image" is disabled.

[Ian Henderson]

Luo

We are absolutely going around in circles here. Every time I come back to you with an example of how this is broken you come back to me and tell me it's been working 100%. I've been using Toolset for many years on many, many sites now. I assure you this is not user error and there is a problem here.

I have just tested right now on Safari and Chrome on the Mac. Slightly different result, but still exactly the same problem.

On Safari steps are:

1. Open EVENT Single layout and disable Post Title, Feature Image and Post Meta in the Theme options, and save layout.
2. Refresh layout screen. Check front end - everything fine.
3. Add row and Visual Editor block with some content. Save layout.
4. Refresh screen and check theme options. They are JUST AS YOU LEFT THEM.
5. Check front end - feature image now displaying above layout, despite it being disabled in theme options on layout.

On Chrome steps are:

1. Open EVENT Single layout and disable Post Title, Feature Image and Post Meta in the Theme options, and save layout.
2. Refresh layout screen. Check front end - everything fine.
3. Add row and Visual Editor block with some content. Save layout.
4. Refresh screen and check theme options. They are NOT JUST AS YOU LEFT THEM. Everything is reset to default.
5. Check front end - and of course feature image now displaying above layout because all the theme options were reset in above step.

Please get your developers on this - this is 100% a bug, and is causing major issues on all of our Astra sites because we can't change Layouts without messing up the front end unless we double check, re-save and reset options. In Safari you have to re-enable theme options and save, then disable again and save. It's broken! In Chrome you have to re-select all of your theme options.

To me its extremely straightforward and it's exactly as I've been saying since the beginning of this thread. You have a conflict somewhere between Layouts and Astra - Layouts is overwriting the Astra theme options setting at save somehow when you add new elements.

[Luo Yang]

The problem is in your step 3 and 4:

3. Add row and Visual Editor block with some content. Save layout.
4. Refresh screen and check theme options. They are NOT JUST AS YOU LEFT THEM. Everything is reset to default.

I and other supporters don't see the problem in your website as you mentioned above:
They are NOT JUST AS YOU LEFT THEM. Everything is reset to default
hidden link

See screenshot layout-option.JPG, it is very strange problem.

Please confirm this:
1) We are talking about the same test site and the same layout:
hidden link

2) Test it with other computer again.

[Ian Henderson]

Hi Luo

I'm not sure why there is confusion here. I have tested this on multiple computers and browsers.

Step 1: Visit front end article: hidden link (screen grab 1-front-end) - displaying correctly.

Step 2: Visit layout in back end hidden link (screen grab 1-layout.jpg) - displaying theme options correctly.

Step 3: Refresh layout, and then edit layout by adding a row at the bottom and adding a visual content block. Save. Now look at the screen grab of the layout when I expand the theme options - they are all showing as disabled (2-layout.jpg)

Step 4: Visit the front end - you'll see that the feature image is enabled (above the breadcrumb) and showing in the front end despite the previous step showing clearly that it is disabled in the theme options (2-front-end.jpg)

If you are still unable to see this or there is confusion then please can we arrange a skype call to discuss because I don't know how to say this in any other way.

thanks