Troubleshooting Common Issues with the WooCommerce Product Grid Widget

The WooCommerce Product Grid widget from Unlimited Elements for Elementor is a powerful tool for displaying your products. However, users sometimes encounter issues that prevent it from working as expected. This guide compiles the most common problems and their solutions, based on community discussions.

1. Widget Shows All Post Types, Not Just Products

The Problem: When using the "Current Query" product source on a search page, the widget displays posts and pages alongside products if the search is empty.

The Solution: This happens because the default query isn't restricted to the 'product' post type. You can force the widget to only query products by adding a custom code snippet to your theme's functions.php file.

function myQueryFilter($args, $widgetControlsValues){
    $args['post_type'] = 'product';
    return $args;
}
add_filter("my_query_filter", "myQueryFilter", 10, 2);

Note: Be cautious, as this modification can sometimes affect pagination, causing it to calculate pages based on all post types instead of just products.

2. Pagination Issues After Modifying the Query

The Problem: After using code to filter the query (like the snippet above), pagination may become incorrect because it's still based on the original, unfiltered query.

The Solution: This is a complex conflict between the widget's query and the main WordPress query. A definitive solution often requires deeper customization. It is recommended to test this thoroughly and be prepared that it might require more advanced development to resolve fully.

3. Products Set to "Hidden" Still Appearing

The Problem: Products with "Catalog visibility: Hidden" are still displayed in the grid.

The Solution: The widget's query does not automatically exclude these products. You can use the following code snippet to hide them. Add this to your theme's functions.php file.

function UECatalogVisibility($args, $widgetData) {
    if (isset($args['tax_query'])) {
        $args['tax_query'][] = array(
            'taxonomy' => 'product_visibility',
            'field'    => 'name',
            'terms'    => array('exclude-from-catalog'),
            'operator' => 'NOT IN',
        );
    } else {
        $args['tax_query'] = array(
            array(
                'taxonomy' => 'product_visibility',
                'field'    => 'name',
                'terms'    => array('exclude-from-catalog'),
                'operator' => 'NOT IN',
            )
        );
    }
    return $args;
}
add_filter('my_query_filter', 'UECatalogVisibility', 10, 2);

4. Product Images Are Not Clickable

The Problem: The product images in the grid do not link to the product page.

The Solution: This is not typical behavior for the widget. It is most commonly caused by a conflict with another plugin or custom theme code. To troubleshoot, follow these steps:

1. Conflict Test: Deactivate all other plugins except for Elementor, WooCommerce, and Unlimited Elements. Switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-One). If the images become clickable, reactivate your plugins and theme one by one to identify the culprit.
2. Check Browser Console: Press F12 on your keyboard to open the browser's developer tools. Go to the "Console" tab and look for any JavaScript errors (marked in red) that appear when the page loads. These errors can often break functionality like clickable links.

5. Third-Party Ajax Filters Not Working

The Problem: Ajax-based filters from other plugins do not work correctly with the Woo Product Grid widget, often causing pagination issues or not filtering products at all.

The Solution: This is a known compatibility issue. The Unlimited Elements For Elementor team has stated that their widgets are designed to work seamlessly with their own filters, and full compatibility with third-party filters is not guaranteed. The most reliable solution is to use the filter widgets provided by Unlimited Elements.

General Troubleshooting Tips

• Clear Caches: Always clear your website cache (server, plugin, and browser) after making changes.
• Check for Errors: Use your browser's console (F12) to check for JavaScript errors that could be causing widgets to malfunction.
• Recreate the Widget: If a widget behaves strangely, try deleting it from the page and adding a new one.

Many complex or persistent issues require detailed investigation into a specific site's environment. For problems that are not resolved by these steps, consulting the documentation or seeking advice from experienced developers in community forums is often the next best step.