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Fixing Common Errors in Simple Custom Post Order: A Troubleshooting Guide

24 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Simple custom post order

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Simple Custom Post Order is a popular plugin for rearranging posts and custom post types, but like any software, it can sometimes run into issues. Based on community reports, here are the most common problems and their solutions.

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Fatal Errors and White Screens After Update

Problem: Updates, particularly to versions like 2.3.6 or 2.3.7, have caused fatal errors or blank white screens, often with errors like Can't use method return value in write context.

Cause: These errors are almost always caused by running an outdated version of PHP. The plugin's code uses modern PHP features not supported in older versions.

Solution: Check your PHP version in your hosting control panel. WordPress recommends using PHP 7.4 or greater. Contact your hosting provider to update your PHP version. If you recently encountered this, also ensure you have updated to the latest version of the plugin, as later releases (e.g., 2.3.8) often include fixes for these compatibility issues.

2. WordPress 6.7 Translation Warning

Problem: After updating to WordPress 6.7, a notice appears: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly...

Cause: The plugin was loading its translation files too early in the WordPress process, which is a new requirement in WordPress 6.7.

Solution: This issue was fixed in plugin version 2.5.10. Simply update Simple Custom Post Order to the latest version to resolve it.

3. Function Compatibility Warnings

Problem: Warnings about deprecated functions like get_screen_icon() or incorrect usage of functions like is_search() appear, especially when WP_DEBUG is enabled.

Cause: The plugin contains code that uses older, now-deprecated WordPress functions or uses conditional tags before the main query is run.

Solution: For the get_screen_icon() warning, you can manually remove the offending line from the plugin's settings.php file. However, modifying core plugin files is not recommended as changes will be lost on update. A better solution is to ensure WP_DEBUG is set to false in your wp-config.php file on a production site. For the is_search() warning, this indicates you may be running a development version of the plugin. Reverting to the stable version available in the WordPress repository should resolve it.

4. Settings Page Not Accessible or Visible

Problem: Users report not being able to access the settings page (receiving an "You are not allowed to access this page" error) or the menu not appearing at all.

Cause: This is typically caused by a conflict with another plugin or the site's theme.

Solution: Perform a conflict test. The recommended method is to use the Health Check & Troubleshooting plugin. Its troubleshooting mode will deactivate all plugins and switch to a default theme only for your user session. From there, activate only Simple Custom Post Order. If the settings page works, you can then re-enable your plugins and theme one-by-one to identify the conflict.

5. Drag & Drop Functionality Not Working / Admin Timeouts

Problem: The drag-and-drop interface stops working or causes the admin to become unresponsive after an update.

Cause: A bug in a specific plugin update or a conflict with a plugin that optimizes or modifies JavaScript (like Asset CleanUp).

Solution: First, clear your browser and any site caching. Check your browser's console for JavaScript errors. If the problem persists, a temporary workaround is to roll back to a previous version of the plugin from the Advanced section of its WordPress directory page. Monitor the plugin's update log, as the development team often releases fixes for these issues quickly.

General Troubleshooting Tips

  • Always Update: Ensure your WordPress core, PHP version, and the plugin itself are all updated to their latest stable versions. This resolves the majority of issues.
  • Conflict Test: As mentioned above, plugin or theme conflicts are a common root cause. Isolating the issue is the first step to fixing it.
  • Check Browser Console: If a feature in the admin isn't working (like dragging), open your browser's developer tools (F12) and look for errors in the "Console" tab. This can provide crucial clues.

By following these steps, you can resolve most common issues encountered with the Simple Custom Post Order plugin.

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