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Troubleshooting Code Snippets: Common Save and Update Issues

17 threads Sep 16, 2025 Plugin → Code snippets

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Many users of the Code Snippets plugin encounter a frustrating problem: they write or edit a piece of code, click 'Save,' and nothing happens, or they are met with an error, a blank screen, or unexpected changes to their code. This guide compiles the most common reasons for these save failures and provides steps to resolve them, based on community discussions and solutions.

Why Do These Save Issues Happen?

Saving a snippet is a complex process. The plugin must validate your code, communicate with your WordPress database, and avoid being blocked by other software. Problems can arise at any of these stages, often due to conflicts outside the plugin itself.

Common Causes and Their Solutions

1. Security or Firewall Interference

Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), whether part of your hosting security suite, a plugin, or a service like Cloudflare, can mistakenly block the AJAX requests used to save snippets. They may interpret the act of saving code as a potential security threat.

How to Fix It:

  • Cloudflare Users: Create a custom rule in the Cloudflare WAF to bypass the plugin's API endpoint. Whitelist the following URI: /wp-json/code-snippets/v1/snippets.
  • Other Security Plugins: Check the settings of your security plugin (e.g., Wordfence, iThemes Security) for any options related to blocking POST requests or filtering data. You may need to add a similar exception.

2. Database Character Set and Collation Issues

If your database table uses an incorrect or incompatible character set, special characters like quotes (') can be corrupted during save, appearing as HTML entities (& # 039;).

How to Fix It:

  • Compare the character set and collation of the {your_prefix}snippets table with your other core WordPress tables (like wp_posts). They should match (typically utf8mb4).
  • If they differ, the safest fix is to export your snippets using the plugin's built-in tool, delete the snippets table from the database, and then re-import your snippets. The plugin will recreate the table with the correct settings.

3. Caching Conflicts

Browser, plugin, or server-level caching can sometimes serve an old version of the Snippets admin page, making it seem like your settings or code changes did not save.

How to Fix It:

  • Clear your browser cache and cookies for the site.
  • Purge all caching from any caching plugins you have installed (e.g., WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, SiteGround Optimizer).
  • If you use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare, purge its cache as well.

4. Plugin or Theme Conflicts

Another plugin or your theme could be causing a conflict that prevents the save operation from completing correctly.

How to Fix It:

  • Perform standard conflict testing: Switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four) and disable all other plugins. If saving works, reactivate your plugins one by one to identify the culprit.

5. Syntax Errors and Blank Screens

A blank white screen after saving almost always indicates a fatal PHP error caused by the snippet's code. By default, your site might not be configured to display these errors on the frontend.

How to Fix It:

  • Temporarily enable WordPress debugging by adding define( 'WP_DEBUG', true ); to your wp-config.php file. This should reveal the error message on the screen after saving.
  • Carefully review your code for syntax errors, missing semicolons, or unmatched brackets.

6. Browser-Specific Bugs (Safari)

As highlighted in one thread, Safari can have unique issues, especially with snippets that output HTML forms. This can lead to blank screens or security warnings.

How to Fix It:

  • The primary workaround is to refresh the Snippets admin page after each save before making further edits. For long-term development, consider using an alternative browser like Chrome or Firefox.

Conclusion

Most saving issues with the Code Snippets plugin are not due to bugs in the plugin itself but are caused by the environment it runs in—security settings, database configuration, caching, or conflicts. By methodically working through these common causes, you can almost always resolve the problem and get back to building your website.

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