Troubleshooting

This page lists common problems with Plathix 1.0.0, why they happen and what to do. Each entry starts with what you see on the screen. If your problem is not listed, see the last entry.

The folder panel does not appear in Media → Library

Symptom

Media → Library opens as the normal WordPress screen, without the Plathix folder tree.

Why

Plathix shows the folder panel on Media → Library in grid and list view. On post edit screens, in the Site Editor and in supported page builders, the folder tree appears inside the media dialog instead. The panel is shown to every user whose Plathix level is above None. In Free, that means users with the WordPress capability upload_files (Author and up) or manage_options. With Plathix PRO active, a role set to View sees the panel as well, and a role or user set to None does not.

The panel can also be collapsed with the small tab at its edge. Plathix remembers the collapsed panel in this browser, so it stays hidden after a reload.

If another plugin stops WordPress with a fatal error, wp-admin shows “There has been a critical error on this website.” instead of the page.

What to do

1. Make sure you are on Media → Library. Plathix Settings pages have no folder panel.
2. Look for a small “›” tab at the left edge of the files. Click it to open the folder panel again.
3. Plathix PRO active with a license: open Plathix → Settings → Access and check the level of the user’s role. Also check the user’s profile, section “Plathix”, field “Access Override”. None hides the panel.
4. If you see “Plathix needs PHP 8.1 or newer. This site runs PHP X.Y.Z.”, see “Plathix cannot be activated, or deactivated itself” below.
5. If wp-admin showed “There has been a critical error on this website.”, turn on WP_DEBUG and WP_DEBUG_LOG in wp-config.php and look in wp-content/debug.log for the plugin that failed.
6. Switch between grid and list view with the icons above the files. Both views show the panel.

Everything is in Uncategorized after install or import

Symptom

All files are in Uncategorized, and your own folders are empty.

Why

After activation, Plathix does not move or rename any file. Files without a folder are listed under Uncategorized. The Home card and the readme call the same files “Unsorted”.

During an import, files move into each folder as soon as that folder is created. At the end, the page reports “Import completed. Moved items: N”. If an import stops halfway, some files are already in folders and the rest are still in Uncategorized. An unfinished import expires after 72 hours. The daily cleanup job then removes the folders it created, and their files return to Uncategorized.

Folders that cannot be created are skipped together with their subfolders. A folder is skipped when its name is empty, contains control or invisible characters, is longer than 200 bytes (long names in non-Latin letters or with emoji), or contains only HTML tags. The import screen does not list skipped folders. With WP_DEBUG and WP_DEBUG_LOG on, Plathix writes each one to wp-content/debug.log as “Import: folder creation failed”.

What to do

1. After a fresh install, this is expected. Create folders or apply a ready folder set, then move files into them by drag and drop or bulk move.
2. After an import, go to Plathix → Tools, card “Import from Other Plugins”, and read the tile state: “Detected”, “Imported”, “Not detected”, or “An unfinished import was detected. You can continue where it left off or start over.”
3. For an unfinished import, click Continue within 72 hours. Click Start over only if you want to run it again from the beginning.
4. If the page reported “Moved items: 0”, the job ran, but the source tree was empty, the source folders contain no files, or every folder was skipped. Look for the new folders in Media → Library. If they are missing, turn on WP_DEBUG and WP_DEBUG_LOG, run the import again, and look for “Import: folder creation failed” in wp-content/debug.log.

Import stays on “Import is running…” or ends with “Import is still pending”

Symptom

After you click “Import from <plugin>” on Plathix → Tools, the status shows “Import queued. Waiting for Action Scheduler…”, then “Import is running…”. After 2 minutes it shows “Import is still pending. Action Scheduler runner may be unavailable.”

Why

Import runs as a WordPress background task. It runs through WP-Cron, and also while someone uses wp-admin.

If DISABLE_WP_CRON is set in wp-config.php and no system cron calls wp-cron.php, jobs run only while someone loads wp-admin pages.

The page waits 2 minutes for the result, then stops waiting. The job keeps its place in the queue. If the page cannot reach the server several times in a row, it shows “Could not check import status — connection is unstable. Please wait or try again later.” instead.

When Plathix finds that the queue has stalled, System Info shows the red value “WP-Cron disabled, Action Scheduler stalled — background jobs may not run”, and Plathix → Settings shows “WP-Cron is unavailable. Background jobs will not run until WP-Cron or a real system cron is configured.” With DISABLE_WP_CRON, a real system cron is the reliable way to keep background jobs running on time.

What to do

1. Open System Info (link at the bottom of any Plathix page, or the flyout of Plathix → Tools) and read “WP Cron / Action Scheduler”, “Stuck Running Jobs” and “Failed Jobs (24h)”.
2. If the first row reads anything other than “Enabled”, set up a real system cron that calls wp-cron.php every few minutes, or remove DISABLE_WP_CRON from wp-config.php. Do this even when the row is green.
3. Open the WordPress menu Tools → Scheduled Actions and search for “plathix”. A pending import is still waiting. A failed one shows the reason in its log.
4. Reload Plathix → Tools. The tile reads “Imported” after a run that moved at least one file. If the source folders hold no files, the folders are created, the page reports “Moved items: 0” and the tile stays “Detected”.
5. If the tile reads “An unfinished import was detected. You can continue where it left off or start over.”, click Continue. Do it within 72 hours: after that, the unfinished import expires and the folders it created are removed.

A folder count does not match its files

Symptom

A folder shows a count that does not match the files in it.

Why

Plathix counts the files in each folder and can take up to 5 minutes to refresh a count. A folder’s count shows only the files directly in that folder, not the files in its subfolders. The Uncategorized count updates when you reload the page.

What to do

1. Reload the page.
2. If a count still does not match, wait 5 minutes and reload again. There is no manual recount button.
3. If it still does not match, open System Info (link at the bottom of any Plathix page, or the flyout of Plathix → Tools) and read “Failed Jobs (24h)”.

An SVG upload is rejected

Symptom

The uploader shows a Plathix message under the file name, or the WordPress message “Sorry, you are not allowed to upload this file type.”

Why

Plathix applies one SVG policy to the whole site, set in Plathix → Settings → SVG, field “SVG Uploads”:

• “Allow SVG uploads with sanitisation (recommended)”, the default. Plathix removes unsafe markup and accepts the file. It rejects the file only in the cases below. The size, content and file system messages appear under the file name in the uploader.
  • The user’s role is not in “SVG Allowed Roles” (default: Administrator and Editor), or the user’s Plathix level is below Upload. The uploader usually shows the WordPress message “Sorry, you are not allowed to upload this file type.” before the upload starts. Plathix’s own text “You are not allowed to upload SVG files.” appears only when the upload reaches the server.
  • Any .svgz file. The uploader usually shows the same WordPress message. Plathix’s own text “Compressed SVGZ files are not supported.” appears only when the upload reaches the server.
  • “SVG file exceeds the maximum allowed size.”: the limit is 2 MB.
  • “SVG file contains unsafe content and was rejected.”: nothing is left after cleaning (invalid XML, an empty file, or not an SVG). With “Enable strict safe mode” on, also when the file still has a <style> element after cleaning, or a <use> or <image> element points to another file, a web address or embedded data. Safe mode is on by default on multisite and off on single sites.
  • “Unable to read SVG file.” or “Unable to process SVG file.”: a problem with the server file system.
• “Block SVG uploads site-wide (including SVG allowed by other plugins)”. WordPress then refuses every SVG with its own message “Sorry, you are not allowed to upload this file type.”
• “Do not manage SVG (leave it to other plugins; Plathix will not sanitise)”. Plathix does not check SVG files. WordPress or another plugin decides.

What to do

1. Check the policy in Plathix → Settings → SVG, the user’s role under “SVG Allowed Roles” and the user’s Plathix level (Upload or Full).
2. For “unsafe content”, open the file in a text editor and check that it is valid XML with an <svg> root element.
3. If safe mode is on, remove <style> elements and external references from the file, or turn off “Enable strict safe mode”.
4. For size, export the SVG without embedded images, or reduce it below 2 MB.
5. Save .svgz files as plain .svg files.

No folder tree in the media picker or page builder

Symptom

The folder tree is missing in the media dialog, or the dialog shows all files instead of the folder you used last.

Why

Plathix adds the tree to the media dialog on post edit screens (posts, pages and custom post types), in the Site Editor and in these page builders: Elementor, Beaver Builder, Bricks, Brizy, Divi and Oxygen. Media dialogs on other screens, such as the Customizer or Widgets, have no tree. In a page builder, the dialog shows all files when you first open it. The tree in the dialog has no “Search folders” field, no sort button and no Favorites block. The Media tab of the Gutenberg block inserter loads files without the media dialog, so it shows no tree.

What to do

1. In the block editor, use the block’s Media Library button. It opens the standard dialog with the tree.
2. In a page builder, click the folder you need in the tree.
3. To find a folder by name, use “Search folders” in Media → Library.
4. On other screens, such as the Customizer or Widgets, the dialog has no tree. Choose the file there by name, or sort it in Media → Library first.
5. Check Compatibility for the builders and versions that were tested.

Items disappeared from Trash

Symptom

A folder or file is no longer in Trash, or a restored folder comes back without its files.

Why

Plathix → Settings → Trash, field “Trash retention”, sets how long items stay in Trash: 1 to 180 days, 30 by default. A daily background task deletes older items. If EMPTY_TRASH_DAYS is 0 in wp-config.php, WordPress deletes files at once instead of moving them to Trash, so they never reach the Plathix retention period.

The field “Delete files with folder” is off by default. Its text reads: “When a folder is moved to Trash, also move its attached files to the WordPress Trash. When off, files are unassigned from the folder and appear in Uncategorized — restoring the folder does not bring them back.”

What to do

1. Check “Trash retention” and raise it if 30 days is too short.
2. Check EMPTY_TRASH_DAYS in wp-config.php.
3. If restored folders should bring their files back, turn on “Move attached files to Trash together with the folder” under “Delete files with folder”. This works for folders you send to Trash after the change.
4. Look for the missing files in Uncategorized.

Plathix cannot be activated, or deactivated itself

Symptom

Activation fails with “Plathix needs PHP 8.1 or newer. This site runs PHP X.Y.Z.”, or the same text appears as a red notice and the plugin is inactive.

Why

Plathix requires PHP 8.1 and declares “Requires at least: 7.0” for WordPress. WordPress itself disables the Activate button when the site is below either declared version. If PHP is below 8.1 and activation is forced anyway, Plathix stops it with that message. Plathix itself does not check the WordPress version. If PHP is downgraded after activation, Plathix shows the notice and deactivates itself instead of causing a white screen.

What to do

1. Switch the site to PHP 8.1 or newer in your hosting panel.
2. Update WordPress to 7.0 or newer.
3. Activate Plathix again.

The folder tree loads only in parts on a large library

Symptom

Subfolders appear only when you expand a folder, or the tree is hidden behind “Type to browse folders”.

Why

Above 200 folders, the tree loads in parts: system views, root folders and the path to the open folder come first, and subfolders load when you expand them. This was checked in Plathix Lab. From 500 user folders, the tree is hidden behind “Type to browse folders” once the full tree has been loaded, for example after a first search or “Expand/collapse all”. These are loading thresholds, not limits.

What to do

1. Expand the folders you need, or type a folder name in the search field.
2. For long grids, turn on “Enable infinite scroll in Media Grid” in Plathix → Settings → General. On WordPress 7.1 the media grid already scrolls without end, with this switch on or off. To get a “Load more” button on WordPress 7.1, turn off infinite scrolling in your WordPress profile.

Another media folder plugin is active

Symptom

You see two folder panels, or Plathix → Home shows “<Plugin> detected”.

Why

Plathix does not disable other plugins and shows no conflict warning. It looks for folder data of FileBird, HappyFiles, Real Media Library, WP Media Folder and Wicked Folders in the database and offers an import. On Home it shows “We found an existing folder structure from <Plugin>. Import it to Plathix in one click — your organisation will be preserved.” In Plathix → Tools the plugin’s tile is marked “Detected”.

What to do

1. Back up the site.
2. Go to Plathix → Tools and click “Import from <Plugin>”. The source data is kept.
3. Deactivate the other plugin when its tile reads “Imported”, or when its folders appear in Plathix.

Your problem is not listed

Symptom

None of the entries above matches what you see.

Why

Support needs your exact setup and the exact error text to reproduce the problem.

What to do

1. Open System Info (link at the bottom of any Plathix page, or the flyout of Plathix → Tools) and click Copy for support.
2. Open Support.
3. Paste the text, then add the exact error message and the steps that led to it.

Limits

• This page describes Plathix 1.0.0.
• Some entries describe WordPress behavior that Plathix does not control, such as EMPTY_TRASH_DAYS and the Activate button.

In short

Most problems show up in System Info (link at the bottom of any Plathix page, or the flyout of Plathix → Tools) first, so open it before anything else. Import and Trash cleanup run as background tasks: with DISABLE_WP_CRON, set up a real system cron so these jobs run on time. A missing folder panel is usually a collapsed panel, a Plathix access level or PHP below 8.1. SVG rejections follow the site-wide policy and the “SVG Allowed Roles” list. If nothing here helps, send the “Copy for support” text to /support/.